Gel Pens (newbie)..suggestions on best quality...on what type of paper?

[kealani]

I have a set of multi colored .7mm TUL gel pens that are wonderful to write with on good quality printer paper. like HP Premium 28, etc, .....not photo paper and not generic laser printer paper. I got several small sets of various brands of other 0.7mm gel pens. Some have the rubber finger grips which are nice, others are "cheapie" with too smooth barrels and finger areas and do not write well, smear and blob, or skip, etc.

 

Any suggestions on good quality .7mm gel pens?

Any suggestions on good quality paper that works well with them?

 

thanks everyone for your help and advice and input.

j kealani

[Dillo]

Sakura Gelly Roll have been my go-to for gel pens. They have a very smooth writing experience and many use pigment inks and are quite permanent. In the United States, I feel that the Pilot G-2 is very popular. It is also quite good, but I think it uses dye based inks and is not as permanent. You can buy the refills for the Pilot G-2 in some places as well but I think in the states they may have more limited refill colors available

 

For paper, I would pick anything that works with fountain pens. That's what seems to be most consistent for me.

[kealani]

43 minutes ago, Dillo said:

Sakura Gelly Roll have been my go-to for gel pens. They have a very smooth writing experience and many use pigment inks and are quite permanent. In the United States, I feel that the Pilot G-2 is very popular. It is also quite good, but I think it uses dye based inks and is not as permanent. You can buy the refills for the Pilot G-2 in some places as well but I think in the states they may have more limited refill colors available

 

For paper, I would pick anything that works with fountain pens. That's what seems to be most consistent for me.

Huge thanks.

I ordered a semi full set of the Sakura Gelly Roll pens from Amazon for about 30 dollars. It says that the end is .8 mm. I'm interested to see what kind of line it leaves and how best to write with it. 

 

What are pigment inks vs dye based inks?

 

Thanks for your help.

j kealani

[Dillo]

Most fountain pen inks are dye based, but there are some that are pigment based. Dyes are colored chemicals that completely dissolve in a solvent (in this case, water). Pigments in the case of inks are small solid particles that float around in the solvent but are not dissolved in it. Pigment inks tend to have more permanence and tend to be more lightfast. It's also common to find pigment inks that are waterproof.

[Mark from Yorkshire]

Also look at Zebra gel pens or if you have pens that take Parker style refills then I recommend Monteverde gel refills. I also have them in some of my Rollerball pens 

[kealani]

18 hours ago, Mark from Yorkshire said:

Also look at Zebra gel pens or if you have pens that take Parker style refills then I recommend Monteverde gel refills. I also have them in some of my Rollerball pens 

I didn't know that there was such a thing as "gel refills". Will look into that and "Zebra gel pens".

Thanks for your help.

j kealani

[PennyTheDog]

Someone please correct anything I say that’s wrong here! But I think most ballpoint pens with replaceable ink can also be replaced with gel refills. I have a few Parker Jotters that I use gel refills in.

[Estycollector]

I use Ohto .5mm in vintage Parker ball point pens. 

[Mark from Yorkshire]

On 2/2/2025 at 3:43 PM, PennyTheDog said:

Someone please correct anything I say that’s wrong here! But I think most ballpoint pens with replaceable ink can also be replaced with gel refills. I have a few Parker Jotters that I use gel refills in.

To all intents and purposes you are correct, the difference being it turns it into a rollerball. It is dependent on the type and manufacturer. Monteverde make a lot of good quality gel refills for Parker and Sheaffer pens essentially a converting and oil based ball point to a gel (water) based rollerball.

[mr T.]

On 1/25/2025 at 3:59 PM, kealani said:

 Any suggestions on good quality .7mm gel pens?

There are many decent 0.7mm gel pens and refills. To name a few: Penac Inketti (in medium), pens that take the Pentel Energel LR7 refill (like the Pentel BL57 or the Pentel BL77), pens that take the Pentel Energel LRP7 refill (like the Pentel BLP77), PaperMate Inkjoy pens (medium), Bic Cristal Gel (in medium/0.7) Bic Ecolutions Gel (medium), Bic Gelocity 0.7,  Edding 2185 or pens that take Pilot BLS-FR7 FriXion/Pilot BLS-FRM7 FriXion Zone refills. The problem with gel pens and refills in general is that they do not last very long. A rollerball that can be refilled with (standard international) inkcartrdges like the Schneider Ray of the Schneider Ceod Shiny could be a better alternative.

[kealani]

On 2/18/2025 at 4:08 PM, mr T. said:

There are many decent 0.7mm gel pens and refills. To name a few: Penac Inketti (in medium), pens that take the Pentel Energel LR7 refill (like the Pentel BL57 or the Pentel BL77), pens that take the Pentel Energel LRP7 refill (like the Pentel BLP77), PaperMate Inkjoy pens (medium), Bic Cristal Gel (in medium/0.7) Bic Ecolutions Gel (medium), Bic Gelocity 0.7,  Edding 2185 or pens that take Pilot BLS-FR7 FriXion/Pilot BLS-FRM7 FriXion Zone refills. The problem with gel pens and refills in general is that they do not last very long. A rollerball that can be refilled with (standard international) inkcartrdges like the Schneider Ray of the Schneider Ceod Shiny could be a better alternative.

Thanks for the help.

I'll check out your suggestions.

j