JOIN NOW LOG IN
iVillage GardenWeb iVillage GardenWeb THE INTERNET'S GARDEN & HOME COMMUNITY ADVERTISEMENT
Blogs Forums Photo Galleries Ask The Experts Tools & Directories        
Return to the Scrapbooks Forum | Post a Follow-Up

 o
Question about gel pens

Posted by maryliz (My Page) on
Sat, Oct 20, 07 at 13:21

My main hobby is quilting, but I also dabble in scrap booking as a way to preserve photos. My question concerns gel pens. This is probably a no-brainer, but I want to ask some people who do this all the time.

My gel pen set came with a case that holds them all with the point up toward the ceiling. Shouldn't I store gel pens lying on their sides?

Thanks for your input!

MaryLiz


Follow-Up Postings:

 o
RE: Question about gel pens

Sorry you did not get your answer. Maybe a stationary store could help you, on you contact the makers of the pens on the internet. It could be that gel pens store better points up, and maybe shaking them a bit before you use them spreads the ink better instead of little blobs of ink coming out. Also on the side may spread the ink out, but wrong for gel pens. It might depend on the quality of the ink.


 o
RE: Question about gel pens

Perhaps it is giving them too much credit, but I feel like the manufacturer wouldn't put their pens in a case that was bad for them.

I'd make a point to always scribble a bit on scrap paper before I put any pen to a scrapbok page, but I think you are okay to use the case they came in if it keeps them organized.

(Or I have a set of gel pens that have been rolling around flat in my desk drawer for a couple of years - they still work fine)


 o
RE: Question about gel pens

Thanks for the replies. Much appreciated. Yeah, maybe the manufacturer knows best, or maybe the case just displays them nicely to prompt me to buy them. Can't be sure.

I have come to the conclusion that it might be best to keep them on their side, as a cork in a wine bottle. And I agree that it is best to get the pen "running" by gently dragging the tip until the ink flows freely.

I used to do a lot of calligraphy with nibs I dipped into ink. It is necessary to check the flow on a scrap of paper before starting to write, and after each refill of the nib. So it kinda made sense to do that for the gel pens, too.

I find that many people press way too hard, and when I have had parties and let others use my pens, they were completely destroyed by the amount of pressure that was applied by most partygoers.

So a light touch is all that is needed, and more than that might actually jam the tiny ball bearing.

Thanks again for your comments.


 o Post a Follow-Up

Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum.

    If you are a member, please log in.

    If you aren't yet a member, join now!


Return to the Scrapbooks Forum
 
 

 

 


Click here to learn more about in-text links on this page.



iVillage GardenWeb: The Internet's Garden & Home Community  
  iVillage Home & Garden Network