Parker Gel Refills

[J English Smith]

I find the Parker 0.7 gel refills kind of thickish to write with, not as smooth as the very best rollerballs, and I did have one that "blurped" ink for no good reason, fortunately not in my pocket.

 

Prefer Lamy, Schmidt Cap-Less and Waterman refills for rollers, in that order.

 

Lamy M62 refill is my favorite.

 

The Waterman refill is pretty good. Dries out a bit fast and has feedback. Better refill than the MB roller refill, IMO.

[Gawain]

The Itoya, Parker style Gel refil that I got for my Marvy, St. Tropez II pen is the reason why I'm here at FPN. I fell in love with writing!! Seriously, these gel refills are buttery smooth and they put down rich colorful ink. Since I discovered FNP, I've bought a Waterman fountain pen, but I still love to write with my Marvy's with the Itoya refills... truly a fantastic writing experience. They have never skipped on me and always put down a consistent line. Here are a few photos for you. I just received the new colored ink today from Todd at isellpens.com. Enjoy!

 

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x75/gawain33/st_tropez1.jpg

 

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x75/gawain33/st_tropez2.jpg

 

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x75/gawain33/st_tropez3.jpg

 

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x75/gawain33/st_tropez4.jpg

 

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x75/gawain33/st_tropez5.jpg

[mandy rin]

I followed the advice and bought the Visconti Gel refill for Parker and stuck it in my Aurora Auroloide Green Ballpoint. Awesome! Just off the scale awesome! A 1.0mm line wet and fluid and thick and unctuous! Then about an hour ago and about three weeks into it it stopped writing. I don't know whether the cause was dust blocking the ball or something else. I do know that this is a common curse with ballpoints and rollerballs - they just get blocked and stop working, bummer. So I googled a few possible fixes - writing on glass, heating with a lighter or match - none of them worked. Any ideas? It's a lot of money wasted if I can't get the darn thing to start again.

[orangezorki]

I followed the advice and bought the Visconti Gel refill for Parker and stuck it in my Aurora Auroloide Green Ballpoint. Awesome! Just off the scale awesome! A 1.0mm line wet and fluid and thick and unctuous! Then about an hour ago and about three weeks into it it stopped writing. I don't know whether the cause was dust blocking the ball or something else. I do know that this is a common curse with ballpoints and rollerballs - they just get blocked and stop working, bummer. So I googled a few possible fixes - writing on glass, heating with a lighter or match - none of them worked. Any ideas? It's a lot of money wasted if I can't get the darn thing to start again.

 

How much have you used it? Its perfectly possible to run out of ink with even 3 weeks moderate daily use, especially with a wet and broad tip.

 

David

[WriteOn]

I've been using the Parker gel refills in the ballpoint pen that matches my Duofold pearl and black Centenial fountain pen since they were introduced. They've come from WalMart, Staples, and vendors at a couple of pen shows and every single one has worked flawlessly - never any skipping or blobbing. Perhaps they only come in black, but in any event, that's the color I use. I'm trying a Visconti broad rollerball refill currently in another pen and I love the smoothness, but it always blobs upon start up, so I need to wipe it before each use. Also, at $5 a pop, that's way more expensive than the Parker.

[skipwilliams]

Contrary to many others, I have had zero problems with my Parker Gel refills. I've probably had them in several pens for 4-5 years and they never cease to write, never blob, and don't skip. I used to love the .5mm refills, but they're no longer available, so it/s .7mm all the way. However, I do find that they run out pretty quickly, which is a quality of all the gel refills, AFIK. But I really like them. Much more than the Itoya refills that HAVE blobbed and skipped on me pretty badly.

 

I have not tried the Yafa or Visconti products.

 

Skip

[wvbeetlebug]

I bought some of these a while back as a refill for one of my Husband's pens. "Best pen I've ever wrote with." Hey. Whatever makes him happy. I've tried it several times and have not ever had a problem. No blobs or skips.

[MaxP]

I find the Visconti gel to be a smoother writer than the Parker. Has anyone tried the Monteverde Parker style?

[someonesdad]

The first one I tried was junk and I threw it away. I now have a 0.7 mm one in blue and it writes like a dream -- amongst the best rollerballs I've written with. I'd just prefer a finer line. Based on all the love/hate comments about these refills, I'd hypothesize that Parker has a quality control problem.

[Pippin60]

I've never had a skipping problem I just find they run dry very quickly so I stated using the Schmidt Parker compatible refills.

[adamselene]

I think the thing about the Parker gels, is to throw them away as soon as they skip! Unfortunately, that's pretty early. If one gets sucked into giving them a try at writing longer, they will continue to write, but continue to skip, for a long time.

 

I am also in love with the Itoya gel replacements. When they start to skip, open the pen and you will see the clear tube is... EMPTY! (although I have had two out of my first thirty skip half way through, and had to toss them).

 

Is there a volunteer to comprehensively review this topic?

 

* * *

 

BTW, I am also a Temecula fan on Ebay, (consumer only). He made up for the two that skipped in my next order.

[hblanchard]

I followed the advice and bought the Visconti Gel refill for Parker and stuck it in my Aurora Auroloide Green Ballpoint. Awesome! Just off the scale awesome! A 1.0mm line wet and fluid and thick and unctuous! Then about an hour ago and about three weeks into it it stopped writing. I don't know whether the cause was dust blocking the ball or something else. I do know that this is a common curse with ballpoints and rollerballs - they just get blocked and stop working, bummer. So I googled a few possible fixes - writing on glass, heating with a lighter or match - none of them worked. Any ideas? It's a lot of money wasted if I can't get the darn thing to start again.

 

Yes, use a Lysol wipe - the type for kitchen and bath. They look like baby wipes (but don't use baby wipes they have oils on them- bad). For dirty ball points, roller balls, gels, this has worked most often for me. Wipe the writing end, it first won't write because its wet, but wait a bit, if it writes, you're good, if not, well, not.

[Pippin60]

I just got in the mail Parker compatible refills from Yafa, their own brand. They are clear and seem to hold a lot of ink. The ink itself seems fine but i just tried it.

[offbase]

Irecently bought two Schmidt refills from Pendamonium for my father's old T-Ball Jotter.I have had it since he passed in 1977. Haven't used it much because I don't like ballpoints. The Parker brand refill worked well but was a medium and I prefer a fine point. The Schmidt fills the bill and I now use the old girl on a daily basis.

 

my vote goes to Schmidt capless RB refills (Parker Style)

 

x2

[matthewst1]

Ugh. I'm not huge on Parker Gel refills, personally. I much prefer Diplomat easy flow refills and Monteverde (Shmidt?) gels.

[Frank_ie]

Try this...: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/4-ITOYA-BLACK-GEL-REFILLS-FINE-POINT-SMEAR-FREE-NEW-/231095720155?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35ce60d8db

 

Smoothest I know.

[dradl]

I just bought 2 fine green Monteverde "ceramic gel" refills for my Parker ball point pen and so far they're performing perfectly. They're smooth writers and the colour is most appealing. How long they last is yet to be seen. I need ballpoints for carbonless paper duplicates.

[Conan the Grammarian]

I've never had too much of an issue with the Parker gel refills. The 0.7mm tip writes much thicker than I'd like (when compared to a Pilot G2 or a Uniball 307 0.7mm pen - closer to the 307, but still thicker than I'd like for a 0.7mm pen).

Edited May 28, 2015 by Conan the Grammarian

[Pen Nut]

+1 for Monteverde refills. Be mindful that there is seven year gap between the third & fourth post above. Things may have moved on in the refill world !

[inkypete]

+1 for Monteverde refills. Be mindful that there is seven year gap between the third & fourth post above. Things may have moved on in the refill world !

So true. I can't even remember starting this thread. Mind you I am still not a fan of the Parker Gel refills.