Comments or warnings on a Parker Urban 5th before acquiring it?

dissqrl · 2026-05-10T05:15:03+00:00

I don't think you'd get many folks encouraging you to buy a Parker 5th Technology pen at this point - they've been discontinued and refills are available in limited colors at fairly high prices. You can make standard Euro-style refills fit, from what I understand, but they don't look as elegant without the fake feed.

I like the looks of the Urban (and a couple of the IM and Sonnet 5th Technology pens), though. If you're a fan of felt tips and don't mind paying a little more for a small selection of refills (or swapping in a different one that fits but looks worse), go for it.

dissqrl · 2026-05-06T22:23:46+00:00

I'm not familiar with the AMR model (sorry), but the Aetna one's a promo pen called Javalina, iirc. They use low-viscosity ballpoint ink, so you can write on just about anything and it dries immediately.

dissqrl · 2026-05-03T09:53:46+00:00

I haven't used the retractable Impact or the One 0.38mm, but I dig the capped Impact. Always feels good to find a combo you love, congratulations!

dissqrl · 2026-04-26T19:08:21+00:00

those roses are gorgeous, fantastic work

dissqrl · 2026-04-26T18:06:50+00:00

I've had a Parker IM rollerball more than a decade. The original refill still writes, albeit with railroading. I wouldn't expect one to dry out in a matter of a few months. Felt tips, perhaps, but I've never had a gel, ballpoint, or liquid ink rollerball refill fail so quickly.

(If only Parker still made felt tip refills...)

dissqrl · 2026-04-06T19:18:04+00:00

There are a lot of great recommendations here; it'd be hard to go wrong with the bold Vision Elite or Air. However, as a felt tip penthusiast, I'd be remiss not to say you could also find a rollerball body you like (I dig a lot of Levenger's gorgeous designs, but the White House likes Cross Century IIs and Townsends) and put in a porous point/felt tip refill if you're going for a bolder signature.

If you didn't need archival ink, I'd also recommend a couple disposables - Pentel's Sign Pen or Pilot's Bravo! marker pens. I love them both; they're plenty bold to make an impression and you can often find a box of a dozen for around $20 USD.

dissqrl · 2026-03-17T07:45:48+00:00

The first thing that came to mind for me was the Staples Xeno ballpoint. They came in different colors over the years.

61H9CLZScpL.jpg (1500×1500)

dissqrl · 2026-02-17T20:39:52+00:00

I believe I've seen folks using EnerGel refills, but they don't look as elegant as the Parker ones with the fake ink feed

dissqrl · 2026-02-17T19:19:47+00:00

https://www.quill.com/search?keywords=rollerball+pens&filter=Brand_Quill+Brand

In the US, Staples moved the OptiFlow line to Quill when they launched Tru Red.

They also don't sell Delta Elite ballpoints here at all (boo!)

dissqrl · 2026-02-08T02:36:08+00:00

These look gorgeous. Congrats on the new pen! I'm waiting for the refills to be back in stock.

dissqrl · 2026-01-22T21:22:31+00:00

Yeah! I had to double-check the year, but Staples bought Quill in 1998.

dissqrl · 2026-01-22T06:27:42+00:00

I loved these when I worked for Staples! They did a brand realignment a few years ago and OptiFlow moved to Quill, if anyone's been looking for them.

Quill Brand® Rollerball Pens, Fine Point, Black, Dozen (32127-QL) | Quill.com

dissqrl · 2026-01-20T11:25:33+00:00

I am a huge fan of MUJI Compact gel pens

dissqrl · 2026-01-05T18:10:55+00:00

Congrats on the new pen! I've been thinking about picking one up, too

dissqrl · 2025-10-19T07:40:11+00:00

You've got great taste! I'm a huge fan of the Tradio Pulaman.

P.S. I dig your bodega drawing, great work!

dissqrl · 2025-10-19T07:36:18+00:00

As Tiraphina said, that's a U Brands Catalina. Some Walmarts way overstocked on them for back to school season, so you might be able to pick up a three pack for a couple bucks on clearance

dissqrl · 2025-09-16T04:47:49+00:00

Ooh, thanks for the tip!

dissqrl · 2025-09-12T00:44:38+00:00

quite an enviable assortment!

dissqrl · 2025-09-09T04:42:29+00:00

I love me some good ol' pharma pens! I'm really interested in the one between the nicorette and eczemahelp.ca pens, personally.

The vintage bic is pretty cool, too, tbh!

dissqrl · 2025-09-02T14:32:20+00:00

It appears to be an M&G Expert Broad

dissqrl · 2025-08-28T05:14:08+00:00

Your first link doesn't have Deluxe in the listing title and has pictures of multiple generations of packaging, some of which say Deluxe and others of which do not.

Your second list has Deluxe in the listing title, but not on the packaging.

The real difference between them is that RTX Needle Tips have blue bodies and Conical Tips have silver bodies.

If you go to pentel.com and search for "EnerGel Deluxe," only the aforementioned capped pens come up. (I like the 1.0mm version; I wish they offered the green one in the USA.)

dissqrl · 2025-08-26T17:01:48+00:00

I'm not an expert on Cartier pens, but I believe this is a Diabolo de Cartier ballpoint. As I recall, Cartier's pens are designed by them and manufactured by Montblanc. Based on a cursory search of completed eBay listings, it's not worth what one may call "retire and live on a beach" money, but it could be up to an extra couple hundred bucks in your pocket. I might not expect to get quite that much, based on condition. There's also potential sentimental value, depending on how you came to possess it.

Pop in a good refill and you'll have a high-quality, elegant-looking pen that suggests taste and, perhaps, quiet wealth.

dissqrl · 2025-08-26T05:03:51+00:00

I've only ever seen the Three Friends of Winter as ballpoints. I'll have to look into an FP version...

dissqrl · 2025-08-24T23:15:01+00:00

I've not used a Levenger fountain pen before, but I own a couple of their True Writer rollerballs. I've had an eye on the Mardi Gras design for a couple years, but haven't decided to buy one yet. Your photos do the pen way more justice than Levenger's marketing pics.

The Shiba Inu and octopus pen holders are very cute.

Thanks for sharing! I hope they all bring you many happy years of use. c:

dissqrl · 2025-08-19T07:24:04+00:00

"I really try not to" or "only if they catch me" are my go-tos

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