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Thread: High Quality Pen Refills?

  1. #1
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    High Quality Pen Refills?

    I made some trial pens this summer to see how they did over time. Mechanisms work and the plating has not worn or chipped, but none of them write. These are standard refills for slimline kits from pennstate.

    Does anyone know where to get higher quality refills?
    Veni Vidi Vendi Vente! I came, I saw, I bought a large coffee!

  2. #2
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    Staples carries the Cross branded refills and the Staples brand. The packaging has the same form factor and most likely comes from the same factory in China. The price of the Cross brand is twice the staples brand. I can't tell any difference in quality or life. I think they both last longer than PSI.

  3. #3
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    Brian I have pretty much quit making pens because of the poor quality of the kits. The pocket clips won't hold, the click or twist mechanism don't work right so I hate to charge people for junk like that. Some sites give you a choice to get a premium refill cartridge.
    Fred

  4. #4
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    Brian - you're making 'cross' style pens. Many pen turners including myself stop making pens in this style in favor of kits with Parker style refills.

    That said, one of the best for the cross style refills seems to be the Monteverde that exoticblanks sells.

    There are plenty of good quality kits out there. I can suggest some if you'd like.

  5. #5
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    Dan
    Speaking for myself, I would appreciate any info on the Parker style pens and where you get your supplies. I stopped making the cross pens for the reasons stated above but really like the idea of giving a good quality pen as a gift. Thanks in advance for any information.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Brandstetter View Post
    Dan Speaking for myself, I would appreciate any info on the Parker style pens and where you get your supplies. I stopped making the cross pens for the reasons stated above but really like the idea of giving a good quality pen as a gift. Thanks in advance for any information.
    There are many good
    Suppliers.

    My favorite is probably exoticblanks but woodturningz, Berea hardwoods, beartooth woods, Arizona silloutte ( Barry gross' site) and lazerlinez and craftsupplies all have some good choices.

    Kits I've found to be very solid (no hesitation in recommending). All take Parker style refill. I like many rollerballs / fountains as well, but I'll respond to the ballpoint question. Manufacturer mentioned after kit name.

    Aero - csusa
    Elegant Sierra - Berea
    Cigar (Berea in particular or csusa artisan line)
    Liberty - made in USA solid stainless - lazerlinez
    Bolt action - pennstate
    Rinehart ballpoint - Berea
    Triton ballpoint - Berea.
    Long clicker - csusa

    If you are looking for something inexpensive but pretty reliable check out the executive from pennstate.


    FYI - almost all of the pen kits woodcraft sells are from Berea hardwoods but given different names. The exceptions are the bolt actions and the stainless kits supplied by lazerlinez.

  7. #7
    you forgot about www.classicnib.com

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fred Belknap View Post
    Brian I have pretty much quit making pens because of the poor quality of the kits. The pocket clips won't hold, the click or twist mechanism don't work right so I hate to charge people for junk like that. Some sites give you a choice to get a premium refill cartridge.
    Come on now Fred. You have to be kidding!!!!! That is just another reason to buy quality kits. There are so many good quality kits. If you are strickly making cheap slimline pens then sure you will get the outcome you mention. Just look down at the post that Dan made and you find some quality kits listed and some good sellers. To make a blanket statement like that tells me you did not enjoy pen making anyway. Good luck in whatever hobby you replaced pen making with.
    John T.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shawn Pachlhofer View Post
    you forgot about www.classicnib.com
    I didn't really forget, so much as that they have little to offer by way of ballpoint pens. Namely only the aero and their version of the Sierra. Very limited.

    But a great site with great items and customer service otherwise.

  10. #10
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    Great info. I appreciate it. I will also see if these sources include the gel pen refills.
    Veni Vidi Vendi Vente! I came, I saw, I bought a large coffee!

  11. #11
    I saw the Monteverde refills on Exotic Blanks website yesterday, but didn't know anything about them, so I just ordered the Private Reserve. Are the MonteVerde refills better than the Private Reserve refills?
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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Kent View Post
    Great info. I appreciate it. I will also see if these sources include the gel pen refills.
    Go for the Schmidt ez flow 9000 upgrade. It's better than gel even. Almost like a rollerball.

  13. #13
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    Dan
    Thanks so much for the info. I'm going to print this out and save as a resource. If your feeling up to it, I would gladly take your thoughts on Roller/Fountain pens as well. You may become the resident expert.

  14. #14
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    Come on now Fred. You have to be kidding!!!!! That is just another reason to buy quality kits.
    John you are right, I do enjoy making bowls much more than pens but I have made and sold several. I have purchased from Exotic Blanks (nice people), CUSA, Penn State and maybe some others. I don't turn Slim Line except in the click style and the click works pretty well on them but the pocket clip on the one I carry is so loose as to be useless. I had another brand of click pen (forgot the name) and a person looking at it pushed the click and it didn't return. I took it apart to see what was the problem and the click mechanism was screw on a 1/8" plastic screw. I gave the rest of them away and didn't get any more. I got to admit the bolt action pens work good and have a good click mechanism and they have been my best selling pens. I sell the bolt action pens for $45 and I think it is the only pen I sell that may be worth the money. I made a few of the mini bolt action pens and I think the cartridge is really crap. John I stick by what I wrote.
    Fred

  15. #15
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    To kind of add to what Don said, many of the pen makers over on the IAP(International Association of Penturners) site automatically replace the standard refill in their pens especially ones they sell even though they maybe using some of the higher quality pen component sets.

    Be sure that you realize that many of the larger suppliers such as PSI and Craft Supplies USA have more then one quality line of pens. For example PSI has their "Funline" sets which are all 7mm(cross style hdwr) pens, they are OK as practice and give aways but if you want a higher quality component set go with something outside their Funline. CSUSA also has two quality levels, they refer to them as "Apprentice" and "Artisan". Practice with Apprentice sets but make for sale the Artisan line. This is not to say that the refill cannot be improved in the better lines of either supplier, like I said a lot of the more experienced pen makers automatically replace the refills and a lot of them use the refills that Don mentions.

    BTW one difference between PSI and CSUSA's two lines is that CSUSA's Apprentice line includes more then just 7mm hardware, it also includes like cigar(parker style hdwr) so you can practice on big pens without major costs as well as 7mm.
    ____________________________________________
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    "The best things in life are not things."

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