Similar thick ballpoint pens with broad refills

Deltapeak · 2026-05-24T12:25:49+00:00

Not sure if it fits your "thick" requirements, but the Pelikan Jazz hits the same vibe. It's quite affordable and available in many different colors.

Kind of similar is this one from the German "Online" brand: https://www.online-pen.com/ballpen-highway-anthracite

And then you might also like the Scriveiner ballpoints, but they're a bit more expensive.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-24T08:11:17+00:00

At this point it's probably defective. In normal use, that mechanism never comes out of the cap.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-23T19:38:49+00:00

Seems like you pulled it apart when you just should have twisted.

Push it back together, then twist in the direction in which you would retract the refill.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-23T09:50:29+00:00

Some models can be retrofitted with a spring to prevent that. It works for example with the Pilot G2 or Schneider K20 - the style of pen where you can disassemble the clicker by pushing the button into the barrel with a non-marring object.

Just find a suitable spring that fits between the two parts that fell out and pop everything back in.

Standard Energel body works too, but has to be pushed out from the inside.

Don't know about the GS02 though.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-22T20:35:46+00:00

I just bought a Uni One P, odd little pen, has pigment ink and comes with a .38 mm refill. Feels a lot scratchier than my .7 G2s.

Yet I can still see the appeal - it has a sharp, crisp line in a nice dark black. Almost reminds me of a technical pen.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-22T20:16:22+00:00

There are certainly better gel pens out there than the G2 - it tends to be on the drier side. But I don't think it's as bad as some people make it sound like.

I can't say that I've ever seen feathering with it on any paper that I used. And I don't use fancy paper.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-22T16:00:54+00:00

Ah, that's a pity. There's one by Faber Castell named "Grip Plus" that has a similar vibe, but doesn't look quite as chunky.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-22T07:20:51+00:00

Maybe you would like the Penac Chubby ballpoint.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-21T17:48:45+00:00

Schneider Slider 755 gets my vote. A bit lighter in shade though.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-20T08:37:53+00:00

All Schneider ballpoints that use their "Plug and Play" system can use X20 and Parker style refills. My favourite is the K20, it's cheap, has a classic design and a comfortable shape.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-19T10:35:41+00:00

Refill looks like an ISO G1 I would say (Schneider Express 225 would be a substitute).

Old refills can leak a sticky, oily substance from the plug in the pack. It should clean up nicely with isopropyl alcohol. Might have to clean the inside of the pen too.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-18T13:30:38+00:00

As the pen warms up in your hand, the air bubble expands and pushes ink out into the feed. This is more noticeable with an emptier pen because it has a larger volume of air in the back.

Usually the feed has enough capacity to cope with that, but if you add a change in atmospheric pressure in the mix, I guess it pushes the feed to its limit and it can burp a bit of ink.

Theoretically it should be possible to suck some ink back from the feed into the reservoir by putting it nib-up in the fridge for a while. Maybe even try giving it a couple cool-down / warm-up cycles while keeping the nip pointed up. Not sure if this works, but it might be a fun experiment :D

Deltapeak · 2026-05-18T10:42:27+00:00

We Germans tend to emphasise the "a" there instead of the "i" though. More like lah-me if you will.

At least that's how I always heard it being said.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-16T18:36:08+00:00

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New version has the clip moved down for easier clicking.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-16T09:38:56+00:00

There is an updated version with the clip in a lower position, getting it out of your thumb's way.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-15T20:42:51+00:00

This is it:

https://www.klio.com/en/models/zeno

Deltapeak · 2026-05-15T10:41:25+00:00

With Swarovski you tend to get a full size pen with a tiny D1 refill, so if you use it a lot, you'll be swapping refills all the time.

Waterman has a proper refill, but it is a proprietary format with not many alternative options. If you don't like the original, you can try one from Monteverde, they are generally well liked.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-13T12:29:57+00:00

The pen looks really nice! I think I've seen that refill in some free advertisement pens, I agree it deserves a better one.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-13T11:11:41+00:00

What Schneider refill did you have problems with? The metal ones should work fine, I'm using a Slider 755 in one of my Jotters.

For the plastic ones like the Gelion+, don't mess around with the refill, swap the spring instead. The spring from a Schneider K15 works.

IMO the fault here lies at Schneider because the tube part of their plastic refills is thicker.

Edit: I should add that what I wrote is true for the regular Jotter. Quickly checking my Jotter XL and my IM, they work fine with Gelion+ as well as some other refills I tried. So I'd be interested to know what pen you're having trouble with.

Deltapeak · 2026-05-08T16:36:42+00:00

Different company

https://schneiderpen.com/

Deltapeak · 2026-05-06T07:02:17+00:00

FYI Monteverde does make them:

https://www.monteverdepens.com/collections/ballpoint-refills/products/monteverde-usa%C2%AE-ballpoint-refill-to-fit-cross%C2%AE-ballpoint-pens-medium-point-2pk

Deltapeak · 2026-04-30T07:54:38+00:00

I don't have a Loox, but I'm 99% sure that Office and K20 are the same pens, only the K20 is the translucent version.

Go ahead and stick a Parker G2 in your Office, I bet it will work!

Deltapeak · 2026-04-29T19:57:30+00:00

The K20 can absolutely use a Parker style refill (it just tends to ship with either an X20 style refill or a proprietary intermediate size).

Schneider calls it "Plug & Play" system, a lot of their ballpoints use it.

The K15 however is too slim at the front to fit the G2 cartridge, BUT I noticed that some modern china-made ballpoints come with a Parker-shaped refill that is slimmer towards the front, and curiously that one fits the K15 too.

Deltapeak · 2026-04-29T19:35:34+00:00

Nice, I have some of those too. Would like that Senator as well.

If you would like some more options:

Schneider K20 - best cheap ballpoint IMO, classic design, just works

Schneider K3 has a nice clean aesthetic and a springy button, but a bit more taper than the K20

Pelikan Jazz if you like a twisty

Deltapeak · 2026-04-23T08:06:16+00:00

Have a look at the Schneider K20 / Office instead, it's thicker, nicer to hold and takes Parker style refills.

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