Refills

Please find below a list of our most frequently asked questions. To help with your search, please select a category that is closely related to your question. We have listed below the most frequent questions asked about Refills in general; we have also listed Webster’s top tips on refills as per Pen Make.

What is the difference between a Roller ball and a Ball pen?

A Roller ball uses liquid ink, the refill technology is a cross between a fountain pen and Ball pen. Roller Balls glide across the paper with little resistance. The general construction of a roller ball is a small metal ball floating in the tip of the refill. The ink flows down three or four channels around the ball. As you write the ball rotates picking up the ink.

A new generation of a traditional Roller Ball refill is the Gel refill. This uses a similar ink feed system but uses a Gel type ink which is quicker drying and richer in colour. Most Pen brands have either replaced the traditional Roller ball ink for Gel or Created a Gel and Roller Ball refill giving customers the choice. At Webster’s we sell about 60% Gel and 40% Roller Ball, as customers tend to prefer the flow of Gel, the only downside is that Gel tends to have a shorter life. For those who require a long life refill the Parker classic Roller Ball is still one of the best and the Waterman Roller ball is one of the smoothest.

As a general rule Roller Ball and Gel refills tend to be a larger refill due to larger ink capacity. Roller Balls and Gel pens have grown in demand due to their writing style and ease of use compared to fountain pens.

Most Roller ball pens must have a cap to prevent the ink from drying, but some manufacturers have produced a “cap-less” roller ball that is usually a click action or twist pen. All Roller Balls and Gel refills have a protective cover on them before use; this is either a cap or plastic ball. Once removed the ink can dry out even when not in use. The Average life of a Roller ball tends to be 3-4 months and Gel around 3 months of normal use.

Ball pens use a paste which requires pressure to activate ink flow, these are the most common pens used as they don't lose ink if not used and have a longer life. The refills come in many styles and often one brand of refill can fit many different pens. Ball pen refills can come in very small refills as the ink can be compacted into a very small space.

Fisher space pens took the technology to new heights when Paul fisher invented a ball that writes in space. The advantage to this gas filled refill is that it can write upside down and underwater. Parker have also improved the standard ball pen refill with the New Quink flow launched in 2010 which has improved ink flow and smoothness.

What’s the difference between a Fountain Pen and Cartridge Pen?

As a general rule People refer to a pen with a nib as a fountain pen, but this refers more to the fact of how the pen fills, A fountain pen can be filled from bottle ink only. Cartridge pens take small plastic cartridges filled with ink. It used to be Fountain Pens for writing connoisseurs and Cartridge pens for school children. Today’s consumer requires ink pens take both Bottle ink and cartridges, a majority of ink pens are supplied with cartridges for convenience and have the option to take a convertor. Convertors adapt the pen from Cartridge to ink fill. These come in various forms similar to a syringe but with a thread. The Ink is drawn through the nib into the convertor.

Buying the correct refill for my pen?

Our website shows which refills are compatible to which pens. Some makes and models are interchangeable and we have selected all of them for you. We would always recommend the brand of refill relevant to your pen. Each manufacturer designs there refill to work in harmony with their pen. Webster's do offer in some brands alternatives as this can sometimes offer a different writing experience or saving over the branded refill.

The best way to find your refill is to go to the refill section and follow the steps. If however you do not know the name of the pen or refill required please click the refill finder tab on the home page on follow instructions. Webster’s are the largest Luxury pen refill suppliers in the U.K if we can’t help no one can.

Refill not working

Refills are subject to behaviour changes according to surfaces, temperature and general use. The most common problems for refills not working are being dropped onto the tip, excessive pressure, extreme heat and cold and the wrong refill fitted to the pen. If you have a problem with any refill please call our Pen Aficionados for advice.

The Life of a refill can depend on amount of use and storage conditions.

Webster's have compiled a list of common mistakes and solutions according to brand.

Cross refill tips:

a) Twist Action Ball pen has lose refill or refill not retracting, a common mistake is to drop the refill into the pen without screwing the refill into the barrel, if your refill has a thread at the top screw into place.

b) Roller ball caped and twist pens can take Roller ball gel, Fibre tip, jumbo Ball pen and Highlighter refills, Cross call these pens select point (SP).

c) New refill design. At the end of 2010 the Jumbo Ball pen refill design changed to be the same shape as the Gel roller refill

d) New Switch pencil mechanism allows cross users to convert any cross ball pen into a pencil.

e) Ink convertors come into two types one for Townsend only which is green in colour and all other models take the standard convertor which is currently amber or blue in colour

f) Porous point is another name for Fibre tip, and the Fine writes as a medium line and medium tip writes as a broad.

g) Pencil refills are available in various types and widths, most pencils from end of 2010 are coming with 0.7mm before this date most were 0.5mm, older twist action pencils before 1992 were mostly 0.9mm and load from the front, all others at this time were cassettes 0.5mm

h) New Slim cartridges and Rollerball introduced in 2011 will only fit the Spire range at present.

Parker refill tips:

a) Parker Gel refills can fit into all Parker twist action ball pens, giving you the choice.

b) Parker convertors come into two types, one standard convertor which works as a syringe fits all parker pens and the deluxe only fits Premium Parkers Sonnets/Premiers and Duofolds

c) New Parker Quink flow ball pen refills has now come to the market offering a superior flow refill.

d) Cartridges are now available in small sizes offering more colours, these fit all parker pens, The long cartridges will only fit main models and not the Esprit(now discontinued).

e) Parker Sonnet erasers changed between two styles in 2009-2010 please see erasers available to match your sonnet.

f) The Parker Fibretip was discontinued in 1994 and therefore no stocks are available, most fibertip Parker pens were only designed to take this refill, therefore at present no other refill will fit.

Mont Blanc refill tips:

a) There are two sizes of Roller ball refill, Classique and Le-Grande, The Le-Grande Meisterstuck screw cap will only take the Le-Grande Roller ball refill no other. The Classique will fit all other capped Mont Blanc pens, Meisterstuck, Starwalker, Boheme, Solitaire etc.

b) Starwalker Fountain pens can only take Cartridges, not bottled ink.

c) Any Meisterstuck or Solitaire with a built in ink fill chamber can only be used for bottle ink only

d) Always use official Mont Blanc refills

f) Mont Blanc now print a use by date on all there refills, this date is a guide as some types of refill will last longer if sealed.

g) Mont Blanc refill range changed in design at the end of 2010, the same contents but improved packaging and design.

Sheaffer refill tips:

a) There are two types of Rollerball refill Slim and Large (standard). The Standard size is the most common as it fits all key ranges. The Slim fits in Sheaffer pens that are slim in barrel size.

b) Old Slim cartridges and convertors for the Taraga and TRZ ranges are now obsolete.

c) Sheaffer makes a wide range of cartridges and inks, offering great flexibility in colour choice.

d) Old Sheaffer cartridges were able to be fitted from either end, the new style cartridges 2006 onwards need to be installed the correct way according to your model.

Waterman refill tips:

a) Older Titane slim refills that fit the older CF range are now obsolete. CF finished production around 1990

b) Small Cartridges are universal and fit most standard style fountain pens.

c) Erasers have been changed on several occasions through the years so please check the images before ordering.

Lamy refill tips:

a) Lamy M33 Fibre tips have been discontinued in 2009, your pen can still take the M63 rollerball

b) Lamy has 5 types of Erasers so please check the images and description before ordering

c) Lead size varies according to model .5,.7,1.4 and 3.15mm exist.

d) All Lamy refills have their code printed on the side.

e) Lamy Tri pens with the highlighter refill m55 being used can only be replaced with the same, other refill colours will not fit.

f) Nibs on the Safari range and Studio range can have their nibs removed and replaced by pulling off the actual nib blank. This service can be done at a Webster’s store free, or call customer services for advice.

Yard o Led refill tips:

a) Yard o led leads are 1.14mm and can fit some older similar unbranded pencils.

b) There was a design change to their Standard Ball pen refill in 2008, but this should fit all Ball pens. We have had a few customers struggling with the twist action in 2008, if you have any problems please call our customer service team.

Faber-Castel and Graf von Faber-Castell refill tips:

a) There are two types of Rollerball refill one plastic and one metal, the Metal one is designed for Graf von Faber (Premium range), the plastic is designed for standard Faber-Castell rollerballs.

b) Erasers come in many types, so please check description and image before ordering.

c) Porsche pens were made by Faber-Castell up to 2010, so refills should be readily available, Pelikan now hold the licence.

Montegrappa refill tips:

a) Montegrappa make three sizes of Rollerball refills, please check with product description and image before ordering.

b) There are two types of convertor one push and one screw, so please check details before ordering.

Cartier refill tips:

a) Cartier make two types of Rollerball refill please check images and description before ordering.

b) Cartier make three types of Ball pen refill, the Slim style are for older models prior to 1996, the newer "Parker style" fit most of the current models.

c) Cartier ink is designed as a refill pot and not to be used directly from the bottle.