JetPens has been around since 2005,
and we’ve learned a lot about pens
—like how to revive a dry one or the best way to store them.
In this video,
we’ll share some of our favorite pen hacks with you!
Let’s get started.
Unfortunately, under even the best circumstances,
pens may just refuse to write.
No matter what pen you’re using,
try scribbling on a piece of scrap paper to encourage ink flow.
You can also leave it tip down for a few hours
or even overnight to see if that helps.
Ballpoint & Gel Pens
If ink is visible in the refill but doesn’t flow,
you might be able to get it started again by gently heating the ink.
Remove the refill from the pen
and use a blow dryer to heat the pen tip in ten second bursts,
scribbling intermittently.
You can also set the refill tip-down in a cup of hot water
for ten to fifteen minutes.
Fineliners & Markers
You can try a similar trick with fineliners and markers.
Dip the pen tip into hot water for ten seconds,
then scribble with it.
You can also leave the pen tip in hot water
and remove it as soon as you see ink leaking from the pen.
Dry Erase Markers
Typical tricks won’t work to revive a dry erase marker.
Instead, this tip uses a little bit of science
to get the last drops of ink out of the marker.
Use a piece of tape to attach a long piece of string
to the barrel of a dry erase marker.
If the cap has any holes,
use small pieces of tape to prevent any ink splatter.
Then, swing the marker above your head like a lasso.
What you’re doing is using centrifugal force to move
any ink still in the pen toward the tip.
After about thirty seconds,
you can uncap the pen slowly
—we recommend doing this over a paper towel or sink just in case.
Pilot FriXion Pens
Pilot FriXion pens use a special thermosensitive ink
that turns clear when exposed to heat.
This can be very handy while writing,
but it also means that FriXion pens need a little more care.
If you accidentally leave a pen in a hot car or in direct sunlight,
it might look like the pen is dried out when you try writing with it.
Store the pen in a freezer overnight,
then let it come to room temperature before you write with it.
One of the most common questions we get asked is,
“How do I store my pen collection?”
Let’s go over the best storage practices
for some of the most popular writing instruments and art supplies.
Ballpoint pens use viscous ink,
so keep ballpoints like the Uni Jetstream with the tip pointing down.
This ensures that the ink won’t flow away from the tip.
Rollerball and gel pens, on the other hand,
have fluid ink and might leak if kept tip-down.
Store Pilot Multi Balls and Zebra Sarasas on their sides.
Many users like to store their fountain pens horizontally in case they leak ink,
but if your pen dries out, you can try storing them tip down for a few hours.
Be sure to clean your pens completely
if you don’t plan to use them for longer than two or three weeks.
Double-sided markers like the Tombow Dual Brush Pens
should be stored horizontally.
This ensures that the ink saturates both tips,
rather than just one side.
We also recommend keeping paint markers like the Uni Posca on their sides.
What if you’re not sure what kind of writing instrument you’re using?
When in doubt, store your pens horizontally.
Try not to keep your pens with the tips facing up:
this can make the ink run all the way to the bottom of the pen,
which can lead to hard starts or cause the tip to dry out completely.
And finally, don’t forget to cap the pen or retract the tip when you’re done writing!
Not only does this keep your pen from making stray marks on pen cases and pockets,
it also prevents the pen from drying out.
You can take a look at this chart to see how you should store your pens:
Next, let’s take a look at some more pen hacks!
If you’re a pen enthusiast,
you probably have a favorite pen body or refill.
But did you know that you might be able to mix and match the two?
For example,
fans of the Zebra Sarasa can put the refill in the cushy Pilot Dr. Grip
or handy Meister by Point Pen in Ruler!
We test all of our refills with compatible products,
so be sure to check out the “Recommended Refills/Parts”
or “Compatible Products” link on a product page.
This hack also works perfectly to deter would-be pen thieves.
Swap a black ink refill into a brightly-colored pen body.
Now that your favorite pen is in disguise,
you won’t have to worry about it going missing!
Don’t forget that not all pens unscrew the same way.
If you’re having trouble taking a pen apart,
the two most common ways to expose the refill
are to unscrew the nose cone or the entire grip section.
You may have heard that ballpoint pens
are the best pens for official documents like checks
—but that’s actually a myth.
When standard ballpoint inks are exposed to common check-washing solvents
like rubbing alcohol, the ink simply melts away.
That’s why we always use pens with pigment inks
to sign important documents.
Pigment inks contain tiny particles of color
that get stuck between the paper fibers,
which makes them very difficult to remove.
Pigment-based gel pens, fineliners,
and specially formulated fountain pen inks are all excellent options.
Nail polish isn’t just for your nails:
you can also use it on your pens!
For example,
use a thin layer of clear nail polish to protect the print on a barrel.
This is especially useful if the tip size is printed on the pen.
If you fill a multi pen with different ink refills,
it can be difficult to tell them apart.
Add a small amount of nail polish near the tip of the refill.
That way, you can instantly tell what’s inside the refill when you extend it.
Pens with rubber grips are comfortable to hold,
but they’re also dust magnets.
You can keep your pens clean by sticking and unsticking a piece of tape
to any bits of lint stuck to the grip.
Let us know in the comments below if any of these tips and tricks helped you!
You can shop all the products mentioned at JetPens.com.
Thanks for watching!