44 Comments

Brandon you’re doing lords work

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Apr 4Liked by Brandon

In case Amazon ever doesn’t have the refills you want, I feel everyone here needs to know about Jetpens.com - they have all KINDS of pens and refills, and you can buy individual refills if you want to try something without committing to a whole dozen! They’re great.

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Apr 4Liked by Brandon

Jetpens.com is THE BEST for stationery nerdery.

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Apr 4Liked by Brandon

Thank you! I found my beloved Faber-Castell Pit Artist felt chisel tip calligraphy pens--the only pen that makes my handwriting marginally legible to anybody, including me.

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Apr 4Liked by Brandon

And yes this trait is hereditary in case you were wondering, Brandon.

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Apr 5Liked by Brandon

as a writer who's emotionally attached to her Muji .38s, thank you for this. i am bookmarking it. if the world ever ends, you can find me rigging new pens in the apocalypse.

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Some useful resources for refill hot-swappers: Refill Finder (https://refillfinder.com/), especially the size guide (https://refillfinder.com/pages/refill-size-guide) and Ana Reinert's Epic Refill Reference Guide (https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2014/06/epic-refill-guide-rollerball-gel-and-ballpoints/).

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jetpens fan here myself, but as a former new yorker, i have to put in a word for the wonderful folks at yoseka stationery - they will help you with any stationery emergency and even design some of their own supplies. MAN i miss my stationery stops in nyc<3 <3

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Apr 5Liked by Brandon

Hello I have a very odd question about a problem that I keep having and no one else seems to: I find that I can never keep my gel pens for very long (either the Muji 0.38s or the Uniball ultra micro ones) because the nibs eventually become - I think the word is scratchy? and a little worn down? - and once that happens I can't write with them properly. Does this happen to anyone else? Am I just using them too roughly?

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author

The only time I have had this exact issue is with those 0.38s or 0.3. I think it's sort of the nature of the beast with the very fine tips. Sometimes it's also the paper or the ink gets dry and prevents the little ball from rolling.

In situations like that, you can try sticking the tip in a head of steam from a kettle or something like that. Or by holding the tip (JUST THE TIP) over a flame from a lighter or something. And then giving it a good scribble.

Hope it helps!

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Thank you! I will try those out!

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BLESS YOU FOR THIS

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Apr 7Liked by Brandon

Ha! I remember asking the person at the til in muji will you ever get the 0.38 back in stock?? And when she said “probably not” I could tell that she was well versed in breaking this news 😂

And have been nervously eek ing out the last one of mine- until now!

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Apr 6Liked by Brandon

Screw all your novels, essays, short fiction and longform. This information is why I follow you.

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Apr 5Liked by Brandon

So sweet of you to share this discovery with us. Have not tried this “sick-o” hack yet but will soon. Had no idea Muji was in peril! Thank you for this. Would knit you a sweater if I knew how.

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I need this content as a prestige docuseries please!

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I'm not a Muji die-hard, but I am a fanatic when it comes to pen preferences and I have my favorites. This swap-out/refill trick is going to make my life with choosing my favorite pens so much more enjoyable. Thank you.

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Apr 4·edited Apr 4

Am concerned about the book-underlining practice giving rise to the pen practice. What happens when you return to a mega-underlined book and on second reading have a different take on what's underline-worthy? I couldn't stand to re-read a book while critiquing my prior self's judgment.

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Um, this is 100% the content I need. Freaks unite!

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thank you so much for this nerd PSA!!!

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Yesss the Energel refill hack--I love it! I discovered this because I love purple ink and for the longest time very few companies made pens with purple ink (we're in a different world now). I usually put it in a pilot G-2 body because I found the Energel body to fall apart quite easily. That I can use it in my Muji body is a bonus! Yours in pen nerdery. <3

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But still: have you noticed lately how purple ink is more like a watery blue? Seriously irritating.

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The Energels are a lighter medium purple. My absolute fave is the dark purple that the cheap Pilot Varsity disposables have but those things leak like crazy!

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