Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen's?

FNinjaP90

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Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Are there any nice gel or ballpoint cartridge that is the same size the Fisher Space pen cartridge? Mine smears on me all the time. The cartridge is from my Sensa ballpoint pen, so if there are any better ones in that size, I'd love to know about it.
 

JML

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Depends on the model, but Fisher's common pressurized cartridges, and the refill in the Sensa, match the DIN/Parker ballpoint refill specs. So you can possibly use readily available Parker ballpoint refills, or the Parker gel ink refills that are interchangable with the ballpoints. The gel blue is particularly nice -- my standard refill, actually, when I'm not using a fountain pen. You can get them at Staples, WalMart, etc. If you want to check dimensions and interchangability, there are charts/pictures on the Levenger's website refill page, but a great source of refills and inks is Ink Palette: http://www.inkpalette.com/
 

FNinjaP90

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Hmm, the Parkers would be the same size as the Fisher cartridges if you take the 3/8" plug off the top. Would all the ink come out if you do that?
 

Lurker

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

The way I understand it is that the Fisher refill is smaller than the Parker refill, but the Fisher can be used in a Parker pen if you install the adapter cap onto the back end of the Fisher to make it longer and thicker (an adapter cap comes with each refill). Therefore, the Fisher refill is compatible with Parker pens, but Parker refills are not compatible with standard Fisher pens.

I don't know if the Sensa uses a standard Fisher refill or one with the adapter cap installed.

I don't know of any other replacements that are the same size as a bare Fisher refill, except that there is another brand of space pen that has cartridges like Fisher. They are no better, though.
 

JML

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Yeah, you're right -- I have one of those Zero Gravity pens, and thought the Fisher refill was awful except for the situations when you need the pressurized ink. The little adapter that fits on the tail is to make the refill the size and shape of the Parker/DIN refill, so it can be used in that pen and others.

You can't take off the Parker refill tail without causing a real mess! Don't even think about it.

I hear that newer Fisher refills are better than the old ones.
 

Lurker

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

It's good to hear that Fisher improved their refill. I have a couple of space pens that I have basically given up on due to the poor writing performance. But it is still a great idea. I guess I'll give them another try with some new refills.
 

Lurker

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

FYI, I just learned that Office Depot sells generic pen refills for the Fisher Space Pens that replace the standard Fisher refill. They are pressurized and supposedly meet the same performance standards, although I can't verify that. They do write up-side-down. I saw two different brands, one being an Office Depot brand made in Germany and it writes very smoothly. About $4 for a two-pack. They came with the Parker adapters.

This seems like a big improvement over the older Fisher refills, so I will be giving them a more-thorough test in my Fisher pen, once I dig it out.
 

FNinjaP90

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Really? That's pretty cool. I'll check it out sometime. Can you give me its brand name?
 

Lurker

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

The brand name of the one I bought is "Office Depot." It's a store brand (obviously). There was also another no-name brand that I didn't buy and I can't remember the name (made in Taiwan, I think). The Sensa brand refills should also fit any Fisher space pen that takes the standard Fisher PR4 refill.
 

sotto

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Lurker:

Are these Office Depot Space Pen refills the right size for the Fisher Bullet pocket-sized Space Pens or for the regular length pens? I think the Bullet pen refills are shorter but I may be wrong about that.
 

Lurker

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

What I bought will fit either. It is a PR4 style refill. The Fisher bullet takes a standard Fisher PR4 refill and the full-sized Fishers also take the PR4. The PR4 with an adapter cap also fits Parker-style pens.

The exception would be the Fisher multi-finction pens that have a pen, pencil and stylus inside. They don't take the PR4.
 

FNinjaP90

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Lurker, PM sent.
 

sotto

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

I just picked up a couple of those generic Office Depot Fisher Space pen refills and popped one in my Fisher Bullet Space Pen. It seems to be working very well, turning what I had decided was the biggest piece of crap product into something that actually seems like it's going to work as Fisher claimed it's own product was supposed to. My Fisher refills not only blobbed but wouldn't even write through the slightest bit of skin oil on a piece of paper.

Thanks Lurker for posting that info.
 

Lurker

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Sotto, I'm glad it was helpful. You might also like the new improved Fisher refills, but at 2 for $4, the Office Depot refills are less than half as expensive. They are a great value.
 

sotto

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

So I've used my el cheapo Office Depot Space Pen refill all week all day long now and not a single skip, not a single blob. What a huge improvement over the Fisher refills I've been getting from Staples. It resurrected my Fisher Bullet Pen from the junk heap.
 

yuandrew

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Eversharp Astro-Pressurized PR-4 refill, it is in cheap pen sitting next to my keyboard.

I am thinking of getting of getting a genuine Fisher refill for my pen before I have to go back to school. It's great to take notes off the board and you don't have to worry about it not working when writing horizontally
 

Morelite

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Are there any nice gel or ballpoint cartridge that is the same size the Fisher Space pen cartridge? Mine smears on me all the time. The cartridge is from my Sensa ballpoint pen, so if there are any better ones in that size, I'd love to know about it.[/QUOT
 

Morelite

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Schmidt 4889 is a direct fit for the fisher cartridge and it's even pressurized.
 

this_is_nascar

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Re: Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pen\'s?

Are there any nice gel or ballpoint cartridge that is the same size the Fisher Space pen cartridge? Mine smears on me all the time. The cartridge is from my Sensa ballpoint pen, so if there are any better ones in that size, I'd love to know about it.[/QUOT
Is it an old refill. I had the same problem recently, with a Space Pen refill that was several years old.

I purchased a new one and haven't had an issue.
 

BarryWhems

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Pen cartridge that directly replaces Space Pens

Yep worth it. I have 3 Space pens and an Inka powered by a pressurized ink cartridge. I pretty much use them exclusively to write nowadays, especially given the cold weather. Try writing with a normal pen against a wall in freezing cold weather, and youll soon come to see why the Space pen is so much more practical.
 
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