# Refill Question



## JBCustomPens (Apr 15, 2010)

Hey everyone,


I have heard of both the P8900 Superbowl and the P9000 Easy Flow refills from Schmidt. What is the difference? Does one of them write easier?


Thanks.


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## Texatdurango (Apr 15, 2010)

The difference, I don't know, perhaps the Schmidt website might shed some light.  I just grabbed one of each since it's been a while since I wrote with either of them.

My personal preference is the Superbowl 8900. Writing a few lines with one then the other, the superbowl seems to put down a wetter, darker line and feels slightly smoother when writing.

Both inks dry immediately so I can't smear or smudge them and being left handed that is usually a concern of mine.

I took a 10x loupe ane examined the lines. There is a reason the superbowl seemed to put down a wetter line, because the line is thicker, jet black while the easy flow had fine streaks in the line which made it appear a bit weaker and less bold.

They are both heads and shoulders above many other refills I have tried but my vote would have to go for the Superbowl 8900 over the easy flow 9000.


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## DCBluesman (Apr 15, 2010)

Superbowl: 0.6mm ceramic tip.  Writes "scratchy" to me.

Easyflow: 1.0mm stainless tip.  Broader line, very smooth. Seems like less capacity, but that is probably due to the fact that it lays down a thicker line.


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## JBCustomPens (Apr 15, 2010)

Thanks. I've used the Easy Flow and have been extremely happy with it. I was thinking about trying the Superbowl as well. Thanks for your input.


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## penmaker56 (Apr 16, 2010)

The Superbowl is a gel and the easyFLOW is a low viscosity ball point which will last longer than the Superbowl's. I import from Schmidt only the easyFLOW as I feel is it a smoother writing refill and a better value. I have them on my website for $1.90 ea.


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## Texatdurango (Apr 16, 2010)

penmaker56 said:


> The Superbowl is a gel and the easyFLOW is a low viscosity ball point *which will last longer than the Superbowl's*. I import from Schmidt only the easyFLOW as I feel is it a smoother writing refill and a better value. I have them on my website for $1.90 ea.


 
Would you mind sharing where you know this from?  Is it a fact, perhaps stated someplace by Schmidt themselves or just an opinion of you or someone else?

On the Superbowl refill is stamped _*"One year cap off time"*_ which is quite a feat for a gel refill so I'm curious where the "lasting longer" comparison was done and by whom.


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## emccarthy (Apr 16, 2010)

I believe the 'lasting longer' is in reference to how much writing can be done with each type.  IIRC, standard ballpoint will ALWAYS win out over gel in those regards.


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## Daniel (Apr 16, 2010)

George, I thought the Gel refill was supposed to be the answer to the Rollerball and the ink drying problem. Making a click/twist rollerball type pen possible. Been wrong before and have no plans on quitting now though.


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## penmaker56 (Apr 16, 2010)

George, the lasting longer is not a function of time but rather the amount of writing that you get out of a refill. Gels typically have less ink in them because of the clear gel that is behind them, whereas ball point refills are filled only with ink. It is a well known fact with pen retailers that gels don't last as long as ball point refill, so they push them out the door because of the high turnover. The best G2 style gel currently on the market, in my opinion and the opinion of the retailers I service, is the Visconti gel, which is not made by Schmidt, but by Starminen, and they will only sell that to Visconti.


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## Texatdurango (Apr 16, 2010)

penmaker56 said:


> George, the lasting longer is not a function of time but rather the amount of writing that you get out of a refill. *Gels typically have less ink in them because* of the clear gel that is behind them, whereas ball point refills are filled only with ink. It is a well known fact with pen retailers that gels don't last as long as ball point refill, so they push them out the door because of the high turnover. The best G2 style gel currently on the market, in my opinion and the opinion of the retailers I service, is the Visconti gel, which is not made by Schmidt, but by Starminen, and they will only sell that to Visconti.


 
I guess my point was that we aren't discussing "typical" refills, we are talking two distinct refills.  I've only used the two in a few pens I have around the house and have been using them since around August of last year so can't talk to long term issues but so far I favor one over the other, perhaps the ink is a bit thicker, darker.  Whatever the difference, it's noticable.

Odd how I favor the one two others above disliked.  Just goes to show that it IS an individual preference since both are priced about the same.


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## penmaker56 (Apr 16, 2010)

It is solely a personal preference, just like bottled fountain pen ink, some like Private Reserve because of their color selection or Noodler's for the same reason, some like Montblanc, some like Sailor. It's all a matter of personal preference, Parker style refills are the same, some prefer gels and some ballpoint.


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## DurocShark (Apr 17, 2010)

I've never used a rollerball refill other than the 888. These are better I assume?


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