What do you do with the crap refills?

[plano_harry]

I know we have discussed this before, but I can't come up with a search that finds anything on the topic. What do you do will all the generic Parker and Rollerball refills that you pull out of the kit when you use upgraded refills? Surely someone could use them. I hate to throw them in the trash. I am sure I have over 100!

 

[Woodchipper]

Donate them to the faculty and staff of a local school.

 

[jcm71]

I install them when I make a pen. When a prospective customer writes with it, usually with good reviews, I then have them write with an upgrade refill, and tell them the upgrade is included with their purchase. If they buy, I swap out the refill for them and give them the generic one. Works for me.

 

[AllanS]

I install them when I make a pen. When a prospective customer writes with it, usually with good reviews, I then have them write with an upgrade refill, and tell them the upgrade is included with their purchase. If they buy, I swap out the refill for them and give them the generic one. Works for me.

Oh - I like that. It's a nice bit of personal interaction as well as given them a demo on how to swap it out in the first place.

 

[Lew]

Ok, time for another dumb question (my specialty). What type of upgraded refills do you use? I hate the ones that come with the kits but don't know what to replace them with.

 

[jcm71]

Ok, time for another dumb question (my specialty). What type of upgraded refills do you use? I hate the ones that come with the kits but don't know what to replace them with.

Schmitt Easy Flow 9000, which you can get from Exotic Blanks, among others. Great service there.

 

[monophoto]

Ok, time for another dumb question (my specialty). What type of upgraded refills do you use? I hate the ones that come with the kits but don't know what to replace them with.

Most kit pens use 'Parker-style' or 'Cross-style' pens.

The key word is 'style' - that means that the refills that come with the kits are cheap rip-off clones of Parker or Cross refills.

In my experience, both Parker and Cross refills are pretty good, and are easily found at Staples, OfficeDepot, and similar big-box stores. Schmidt also makes good refills that are interchangeable with the original name brands. However, I will caution that original Parker refills are pretty spendy and don't seem to last as long as original Cross refills. That comment is based on a couple of pens that I've made for my wife (one of each type) for which I am responsible for ongoing maintenance. I don't have any experience with the price and longevity of Schmidt refills.

 

[Fine Engineer]

You can also get Fisher cartridges for both Cross and Parker styles. Fisher makes the 'Space Pen' where the cartridges are sealed and pressurized with nitrogen so that they write more reliably (even upside down). I've used a few of these with great results. They are available online, and at Office Depot (probably Staples and other stores as well).

 

[Woodchipper]

You can also get Fisher cartridges for both Cross and Parker styles. Fisher makes the 'Space Pen' where the cartridges are sealed and pressurized with nitrogen so that they write more reliably (even upside down). I've used a few of these with great results. They are available online, and at Office Depot (probably Staples and other stores as well).

Interesting and good info in case of inquiries about refills. I read where NASA developed a pen to write in outer space. The Russians used pencils.

 

[RunnerVince]

Interesting and good info in case of inquiries about refills. I read where NASA developed a pen to write in outer space. The Russians used pencils.

For what it's worth, NASA also used pencils during the interim, and did not actually develop or pay for the development of the space pen. However, they did want something that wouldn't break/flake off, creating debris that could cause other problems, and something that wasn't flammable.

NASA, and a year later, the Soviet Union, both ordered the pens in bulk and paid a whopping $2.39 per pen--$126.50 less per pen than what they'd paid for mechanical pencils years earlier.

(https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-nasa-spen/)

 

[Woodchipper]

Interesting.

 

[sbwertz]

For what it's worth, NASA also used pencils during the interim, and did not actually develop or pay for the development of the space pen. However, they did want something that wouldn't break/flake off, creating debris that could cause other problems, and something that wasn't flammable.

NASA, and a year later, the Soviet Union, both ordered the pens in bulk and paid a whopping $2.39 per pen--$126.50 less per pen than what they'd paid for mechanical pencils years earlier.

(https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-nasa-spen/)

I remember buying a space pen. Not sure why....just wanted it, I guess.

 

[Fine Engineer]

I remember buying a space pen. Not sure why....just wanted it, I guess.

I got one as a graduation give in 1997 and I still use it. They write great.

 

[BULLWINKLE]

Most kit pens use 'Parker-style' or 'Cross-style' pens.

The key word is 'style' - that means that the refills that come with the kits are cheap rip-off clones of Parker or Cross refills.

In my experience, both Parker and Cross refills are pretty good, and are easily found at Staples, OfficeDepot, and similar big-box stores. Schmidt also makes good refills that are interchangeable with the original name brands. However, I will caution that original Parker refills are pretty spendy and don't seem to last as long as original Cross refills. That comment is based on a couple of pens that I've made for my wife (one of each type) for which I am responsible for ongoing maintenance. I don't have any experience with the price and longevity of Schmidt refills.

Schmidt is better than Parker in my opinion and last longer (for standard ballpoint). The Schmidt EZ flow is pricier than standard, better than the standard but doesn't have the longevity. It's ink is more like a roller ball than a ballpoint.

 

[keithlong]

Pm sent

 

[TellicoTurning]

I never changed out the refills when I was making pens.... haven't in about 10 or so years now, but I have the first pen I ever made, about 2000 or 2001 and still use it today, with the original refill.... it might lay on my dresser for a year between uses as I also have one from antler that I made a year or so later that I do use regularly and it's also on it's original refill... never had any complaints about the way they wrote.
I have an actual cross set somewhere that I got in 1977 from the company I worked for as they celebrated their 25th year in business.... never liked the pen, it was too thin, too slick and didn't write all that well, but I did used it while I was working for the company....I'm pretty sure by now it's all dried up.

 

[sbwertz]

I never changed out the refills when I was making pens.... haven't in about 10 or so years now, but I have the first pen I ever made, about 2000 or 2001 and still use it today, with the original refill.... it might lay on my dresser for a year between uses as I also have one from antler that I made a year or so later that I do use regularly and it's also on it's original refill... never had any complaints about the way they wrote.
I have an actual cross set somewhere that I got in 1977 from the company I worked for as they celebrated their 25th year in business.... never liked the pen, it was too thin, too slick and didn't write all that well, but I did used it while I was working for the company....I'm pretty sure by now it's all dried up.

Those original cross pens were very popular with the military because the little pen pocket in their uniform was very small and the cross was the only thing that fit in it. I also want to thank those of you who sent me your refills you swapped out of your pens. I give a couple of free refills to my blind turners with every pen they make.

 

[monophoto]

I have an actual cross set somewhere that I got in 1977 from the company I worked for as they celebrated their 25th year in business.... never liked the pen, it was too thin, too slick and didn't write all that well, but I did used it while I was working for the company....I'm pretty sure by now it's all dried up.

Interesting - I have a Cross ballpoint pen and pencil set that I was given by one our our Company's sales people after I helped him organize a bit customer event in 1977. It was one of the nicer Cross pens of the day, and I've always kept it in the leather passport case that my wife-to-be gave me as a Christmas present the year before we were married. The pen has the original ink cartridge and it still writes very smoothly. Needless to say, I haven't used it very much, especially in the 18 years since I retired.

 

[penicillin]

I carry a Fisher Space Pen in my pants pocket with the keys. The space pen model is called a "Bullet". The design makes the pen very small in my pocket when capped. It becomes a full size pen when the cap is on the pen body.

https://www.spacepen.com/bullet.aspx

I like having that Fisher "Bullet" pen in my pocket to use at counters for signing forms or credit card slips. You never know what crud might be on those "courtesy pens" at counters. I especially do not like to touch the courtesy pens at doctor offices and pharmacies.

Fisher space pens are not perfect but they come close. They write anywhere in any orientation. They are handy if you must write against a wall, but regular pens work well enough in that situation if the writing is short, like a signature. They are supposed to write on any surface, such as grease. They don't. The ball will slip and fail to deposit ink on very smooth or slick surfaces, just like other pens. The ink "blobs" but it is rare. I wipe off the blob with a tissue and carry on. Eventually a blob will deposit at the top of the cap and make writing messy, so I clean it out with a Q-tip and solvent every two or three years as needed. Those are very minor drawbacks. I like and use space pens often. They are very durable and will last a lifetime; or at least until you lose it.

I am also a fan of those original Cross pens. A long time ago, they were a common graduation gift. I used Cross pens until I started making my own pens. I like a similar shape for the pens I make for myself - thin and straight.

 

[sbwertz]

I have one of the space pens, too.