How to Refill Parker Rollerball Pen
Introduction
This is a pen with a ball in the tip area. It uses refillable ink cartridges, like most fountain pens and many other ballpoint pens do. What makes these “parker” rollerballs unique is that they are refillable if you get the right kind of cartridge, unlike some non-Parker brands, which make you throw away the entire cartridge when it runs out of ink (like Lamy pens).
Sadly, Parker seems to be moving away from using these refillable cartridges for some of their most popular pen lines (like the Sonnet and Duofold). In this article, I will discuss how to refill Parker rollerball pen. So let us get started.
Step-wise Guide on How to Refill Parker Rollerball Pen
Step-1:
Unscrew the pen’s cap and remove it.
Step-2:
Clean off any dust or dirt with your soft cloth (use Parker Pens cleaning solution if you have one)
Step-3:
To unscrew the old refill, turn to unscrew clockwise by keeping the nib pointed downward. It should come out in a minute or so (unscrewing can be a little tough).
Step-4:
Now, take a new Rollerball Refill (available at JetPens.com), push it into place using fingers till it is snugly fit in, and that’s it! You just refilled your Parker rollerball pen. I hope this article was useful to you. If yes, then don’t forget to share with others too.
Note: If you are not familiar with this, it is recommended that you ask a Parker pen expert for guidance or go to your local stationery/pen store for a helping hand. Also, keep in mind that refilling the pen may void its warranty.
Step-5
Put back the cap and enjoy writing! Overall it was a fun activity 🙂 It would take around 5 minutes to refill my Rollerball Pen (Medium Size). Though it can vary slightly depending on which model of your Parker Pen you have and how long the previous ink cartridge lasted in your pen etc., but overall approximate time duration shouldn’t be more than 10 minutes.
Precautions While Refilling Parker Rollerball Pen
Read the manual of Parker Rollerball pen before learning to refill. Have some paper towels put aside for blotting excess ink. Have Alcohol and Cotton balls, wipes, or swabs ready for fixing mistakes. Open the Fountain pen only when it is in the proper position (not inverted). Always wash your hands before touching fountain pens as well as their parts.
Use Pure water to wash hands and keep them free from dirt, even while refilling a rollerball pen. Flush out the used ink with distilled water after use of pen so that it will not harden inside. The best way to flush down the system is to give a few gentle squeezes or strokes using 1 ml alcohol on the syringe needle tip or pump if you are refilling with ink through the feed.
It is necessary to keep a small container of water near you while refilling and in between the process of refilling. Have a paper towel for drying excess alcohol/water etc., which spills over during operation. Open only one pen at a time and do not refill other pens within 15 minutes after the operation.
The opened pen should be stabilized by holding the body with your left hand and operating the plunger with your right hand. The main reason behind pen bleeding is due to air bubble formation. Hence, while filling ink into the barrel, allow a sufficient amount of air to get trapped inside along with ink before sealing it up properly.
Difference Between Normal Pen and Rollerball Pen
A rollerball pen is a type of pen that uses liquid ink that is distributed from within the pen’s barrel by the rolling action of tiny, raised balls. Rollerball pens can produce bold lines comparable to fountain pens and are generally more economical than fountain pens and gel ink pens.
In addition, the rollerball pen may be easier to write with than a fountain pen because it requires little pressure for the ball-tipped needlepoint to make contact with the paper and leaving thin or thick lines – depending on the pressure applied. In contrast, fountain pens need higher pressure to create strokes of similar width.
There are two main types of rollerball pen: retractable and capped. The non-retractable rollerball is similar in size to a fountain pen with a small cap that fits over the writing tip when not in use. When the pen runs out of ink, it can be replaced with a new refill or cartridge containing ink. In addition, many manufacturers offer disposable rollerball pens with pre-filled cartridges available in several colors (including metallic).
An advantage of the Rollerball pen over other types of pens lies in its ability to write on surfaces such as glass. Writing on these smooth surfaces requires no additional force due to the special water-based ink used in the rollerball pen. In addition, rollerball pens leave a less oily residue on paper than other pen types.
Conclusion
I hope this article has been beneficial for learning how to refill Parker rollerball pen. Ensure all the safety precautions while performing the process. Thank you and have a nice day!
