I have several pens at work, mostly ballpoint, some have the ink refills that come standard with the pen kits, some have the upgraded Schmidt Easyflow 9000 refills. I have noticed I write much better with the standard refills as opposed to the Easyflow 9000's. The standard refills are "slower", if you will, not quite as slippery. There has been discussion here before about replacing all the standard refills with upgraded refills. I guess I never noticed anyone saying they prefer the standard refills. I think it's good practice to have upgraded refills available, but might be something to think about, having both available for people to test write with. What do you think?
General Observation About Ink Refills
- Thread starter KenB259
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I have found that standard refills that come with the kits, dry out, get stuck, glob up, and have other problems FAR more frequently than an EasyFlow 9000. So I generally try to upgrade, if I'm selling a set of pens to someone. I am going to be offering and encouraging upgrades with all pens through my store once I get it going soon here.
With the EasyFlow 9000, there is a phase early in use where they aren't optimal. Once you have sort of "primed" the refill, then the ink flows well, writes well. They do flow better than a normal refill, but I have not found that they have nearly the kinds of problems I've had with normal refills. I don't know that I'd say they are slippery, but maybe it depends on the kind of paper being used. They do indeed flow more easily though, but I guess I like that myself.
With the EasyFlow 9000, there is a phase early in use where they aren't optimal. Once you have sort of "primed" the refill, then the ink flows well, writes well. They do flow better than a normal refill, but I have not found that they have nearly the kinds of problems I've had with normal refills. I don't know that I'd say they are slippery, but maybe it depends on the kind of paper being used. They do indeed flow more easily though, but I guess I like that myself.
I have never had a problem with the standards refills, but I do always offer an upgraded refill with a sale.
jttheclockman
Member
Ken , I am sort of in your camp except there are some refills like the ones I use to find with slimlines that were substandard and being I do not make them any more I should really sell them. Any other kit weather standard ballpoints or rollerballs I stay with the one the kit supplied. When selling I have on hand the upgrades in both black and blue and I give the person a choice to switch out after they test them. Sometimes I just throw them in. But I see nothing wrong with the ones that come with the kits.
Just noticed something, it looks like the black letters on my reply are darker than usual. Does it appear to anyone else that is the case?? Wonder why. I did nothing new. Maybe it was an upgrade instead of the standard refill.
Just noticed something, it looks like the black letters on my reply are darker than usual. Does it appear to anyone else that is the case?? Wonder why. I did nothing new. Maybe it was an upgrade instead of the standard refill.
Drewby108
Member
You might have accidentally tapped the bold button before writing the reply lolKen , I am sort of in your camp except there are some refills like the ones I use to find with slimlines that were substandard and being I do not make them any more I should really sell them. Any other kit weather standard ballpoints or rollerballs I stay with the one the kit supplied. When selling I have on hand the upgrades in both black and blue and I give the person a choice to switch out after they test them. Sometimes I just throw them in. But I see nothing wrong with the ones that come with the kits.
Just noticed something, it looks like the black letters on my reply are darker than usual. Does it appear to anyone else that is the case?? Wonder why. I did nothing new. Maybe it was an upgrade instead of the standard refill.
jttheclockman
Member
Maybe, Maybe, Guess that is what it was. Thanks. Do not know how I did that.
leehljp
Member Liaison
I wondered why I could read it so easily!
hokie
Member
I watched one of the first Exotic Blanks live streams which was centered around pen kits. A guest on the stream (I'm blanking on his name) commented that the best way to improve a customer's overall image of a pen is to replace the standard refill with a premium one (and he suggested the easyflow 9000 as a "no brainer"). That made total sense to me and I went and bought a multi-pack from Amazon right away.
Writing with the easyflows was amazing at first... until the skipping. Oh my goodness, the skipping. A quick Google search supported my concerns with many other reports of the same performance. The consensus seems to be the Parker brand gel refills might be the most consistent, but won't get you the juicy, saturated lines.
Going forward I don't think I'd sell/give a pen of mine with an easyflow refill for fear of a frustrating writing experience tainting the overall feelings of the pen in general. I'll just keep the ones I have remaining and struggle with them on my own.
Writing with the easyflows was amazing at first... until the skipping. Oh my goodness, the skipping. A quick Google search supported my concerns with many other reports of the same performance. The consensus seems to be the Parker brand gel refills might be the most consistent, but won't get you the juicy, saturated lines.
Going forward I don't think I'd sell/give a pen of mine with an easyflow refill for fear of a frustrating writing experience tainting the overall feelings of the pen in general. I'll just keep the ones I have remaining and struggle with them on my own.
ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
Like most pen refills, it is best to use fresh stock. Purchasing from Amazon, you have no idea how old the refills are.
Exotic Blanks sells thousands of EZ Flow 9000's every year--they don't get time on the shelf to age.
Exotic Blanks sells thousands of EZ Flow 9000's every year--they don't get time on the shelf to age.
I swore by the 9000Ms for 8 years. The last 2 years I have found them to skip - over several purchases from multiple vendors. I haven't found the same issue with the 900s - but prefer the 9000s. I switched to Parker Quink Flow which only approximates the way the 9000s used to work for me. I bought the 9000s again a few months ago, and same issue. My customers and gift recipients kept asking me where to buy a refill after only a few days. It got to the point where every pen I sold or gifted, I was providing the 9000 and a Parker Quink. I do miss the 9000s. I used the 9000s myself, and sure enough they were skipping on me too so I know it was my customers' fault. I just gave a way about 50 stock parker refills. I was tempted the throw-in the 8 to 10 almost new 9000s in blue and black sitting in my drawer with the black or blue cap placed back on (but didn't). Many of the bulk packs from Amazon appear from Lanier at the top. If I was in-between orders from Ed, I used to order them from Lanier (which I don't recommend). I hope I am in the minority with this experience.
What are people's opinion about the Schmidt P900 Softline, advertised as a being in between the viscosity of the 900 and 9000?
And it's nice to know that I'm not the only one with skipping issues - though mine have been on my own daily pen with multiple Schmidt rollerballs cartridges.
And it's nice to know that I'm not the only one with skipping issues - though mine have been on my own daily pen with multiple Schmidt rollerballs cartridges.
I read somewhere that they are no longer manufactured in Germany. No idea if there's any truth to that.
ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
No, there is not any truth to that.
That's really good to know. Thanks Ed.
ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
Refills are manufactured upon order.
We get the 9000 with no label, when we order they start manufacturing--a few thousand at a time. It takes a couple weeks,
then they ship---from Germany. Not enough time to have them made somewhere else.
We get the 9000 with no label, when we order they start manufacturing--a few thousand at a time. It takes a couple weeks,
then they ship---from Germany. Not enough time to have them made somewhere else.
I should emphasize my reason for starting this thread has nothing to do with quality or the lack thereof for refills. Just my observation that my own writing seems to be better with the standard refills, and I think it's because they aren't as fast as the EasyFlow 9000's.
jttheclockman
Member
ZanderPommo
Member
Ed may not like this one, (love ya Ed) but I've almost entirely stopped using the Easyflow9000s, and stopped offering them as an upgrade. I write a LOT at work and there are certain documents that require no mistakes whatsoever. In the last couple years they were skipping, and that was a problem. They would skip more frequently when they were being first used (like the first letter of the first word) after sitting for awhile, and I was having to completely scrap some paperwork due to these small errors and start over.
I thought it might be a bad batch so I ordered them from a different source, then another and another, including ExoticBlanks, though theirs were slightly better functioning (mechanically) due to having no label.
Here have been my personal observations and frustrations with Parker refills:
Easy flow: Looks nice and feels good but skips. Also more prone to smudging.
Standard (Dayacom & whatnot): Don't skip or smudge but look like a cheap bic, ie: faded looking, less smooth requiring more pressure/effort, etc. And as others have mentioned, they have a shelf life.
Gel: write good look good feel good….run out in like a week at my job. As opposed to months with ink refills. Also more expensive, which is not a convenient or sustainable combination for me.
Here's the good news and I have NO idea why I haven't heard more about it. The Softline. It writes super smooth and super reliably. It doesn't "look" as good/dark as the ink from a gel or easyflow, but it looks fine. I literally don't think I've ever had even a small skip and that's something I've never experienced with ANY other refill. This is now the refill I use exclusively for myself and offer as an upgrade, and I buy them by the butt load from ExoticBlanks. (Now hopefully Ed isn't as disappointed in me
)
I also order probably 80% of my kits and supplies from EB, only going elsewhere when something is out of stock or for the rare mega sale or something. They're the best.
But yeah, I'm off the easyflow train.
I thought it might be a bad batch so I ordered them from a different source, then another and another, including ExoticBlanks, though theirs were slightly better functioning (mechanically) due to having no label.
Here have been my personal observations and frustrations with Parker refills:
Easy flow: Looks nice and feels good but skips. Also more prone to smudging.
Standard (Dayacom & whatnot): Don't skip or smudge but look like a cheap bic, ie: faded looking, less smooth requiring more pressure/effort, etc. And as others have mentioned, they have a shelf life.
Gel: write good look good feel good….run out in like a week at my job. As opposed to months with ink refills. Also more expensive, which is not a convenient or sustainable combination for me.
Here's the good news and I have NO idea why I haven't heard more about it. The Softline. It writes super smooth and super reliably. It doesn't "look" as good/dark as the ink from a gel or easyflow, but it looks fine. I literally don't think I've ever had even a small skip and that's something I've never experienced with ANY other refill. This is now the refill I use exclusively for myself and offer as an upgrade, and I buy them by the butt load from ExoticBlanks. (Now hopefully Ed isn't as disappointed in me
)I also order probably 80% of my kits and supplies from EB, only going elsewhere when something is out of stock or for the rare mega sale or something. They're the best.
But yeah, I'm off the easyflow train.
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egnald
Member
My personal preference is to use Pilot G2 Gel refills. Of course I'm a little weird, I like the broad point, and the way gel ink flows for me when I write. Yes, I have to replace them frequently, but I'm OK with that. A lot of times I can find blister packs of Pilot G2 pens in the clearance / bargain bins at our local Walmart, so I get them for less than what I can buy refills for online.
If I ever decide to sell off some of my collection, I will likely order a variety of refills and have them as "test pens" so that customers can get the "feel" of how the different refills write.
Dave
If I ever decide to sell off some of my collection, I will likely order a variety of refills and have them as "test pens" so that customers can get the "feel" of how the different refills write.
Dave
I'll keep an eye out for the Softlines and add it to the options.
I haven't been too happy with the Schmidts in general - I think I'm going to 'default' to G2 Pilots in my rollerballs.
One refill that has been good to offer has been the Montverde P41 for those who like very fine writing.
And has anyone else had problems with the P950 Pressurized? This last weekend was the first time someone asked to test one out and, fortunately, they didn't buy but I'd forgot to swap the ink back.
I say fortunately because rather than leaking all over the customer, about half an hour later that pen was leaking all over my stand. That right there is enough to get me to stop offering it, but I was wondering if anyone else can confirm/deny problems with it directly.
I haven't been too happy with the Schmidts in general - I think I'm going to 'default' to G2 Pilots in my rollerballs.
One refill that has been good to offer has been the Montverde P41 for those who like very fine writing.
And has anyone else had problems with the P950 Pressurized? This last weekend was the first time someone asked to test one out and, fortunately, they didn't buy but I'd forgot to swap the ink back.
I say fortunately because rather than leaking all over the customer, about half an hour later that pen was leaking all over my stand. That right there is enough to get me to stop offering it, but I was wondering if anyone else can confirm/deny problems with it directly.
It's something I picked up on here. It's a nice bit of extra customer service.
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Interesting!Here's the good news and I have NO idea why I haven't heard more about it. The Softline. It writes super smooth and super reliably. It doesn't "look" as good/dark as the ink from a gel or easyflow, but it looks fine. I literally don't think I've ever had even a small skip and that's something I've never experienced with ANY other refill. This is now the refill I use exclusively for myself and offer as an upgrade, and I buy them by the butt load from ExoticBlanks. (Now hopefully Ed isn't as disappointed in me
I also order probably 80% of my kits and supplies from EB, only going elsewhere when something is out of stock or for the rare mega sale or something. They're the best.
But yeah, I'm off the easyflow train.
I accidentally bought a bunch of Softline from Ed a wile back. I didnt realize until, oh, a month ago or so, when I was packaging some up with some pens. I tried them out, and while they are a thinner line than the EasyFlow, they FELT GOOD. Which was good, so I kept em and include them with my pens. I haven't had issues with the EasyFlow, but, I don't write nearly as much as some of you, so I may just not have used them enough to encounter issues.
The softline is a lighter weight result, but they felt and seemed to flow plenty good. I may have to keep some Softline and EasyFlow around and make both an option with my pens.