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Hi, I just got 2 new white gel pens from Joann.com and the do not work. I actually ordered them as an add on to my order to get to the $35 for free shipping since my white gel pen from SU stopped working. Is there anything I can do to get these 2 new ones working and/or maybe revive the one I got from SU.
OK, well after sitting here for a while longer I think I figured it out. Since I had been scribbling, and scribbling, and scribbling, trying to get the ink to flow, it occurred to me that the ink was not getting down far enough in the tube and so I decided to shake it hard a couple of times, you know the way you shake those glass and mercury thermometers to get the mercury to "reset" it. So I think that is what you need to do. I'm a little slow sometimes.
I love gel pens of every colour so long as it isn't white. I always have trouble and I am always replacing them, yet I have the original ones of all the other colours. UUGGGHHH !
I love gel pens of every colour so long as it isn't white. I always have trouble and I am always replacing them, yet I have the original ones of all the other colours. UUGGGHHH !
so the white gel pens are problematic. I'm glad it is not just me. Once I got one of my new ones working with the shaking, while I was using it, I had to stop and shake again and again to keep the gel flowing thick enough. What a pain!
Shaking is a bad idea, since what you end up doing is putting bubbles in the ink.
Tapping the tip hard on your stamping surface has worked for me. Some people report that taking the insert out and blowing into the open end works. Others have said to put them in the freezer for a while.
The white Signo ones from SU! are the only ones that work fairly consistently for me...and I've tried a LOT of white gel pens.
So shaking is not a good thing. It was the only thing that worked. My
Signo from SU started giving me problems so that is why I thought I'd dry something different. I will try tapping the signo and if that doesn't work put it in the freezer. I did try blowing into it and that didn't work for me. Thanks for all the advice. You guys are fab.
So after numerous attempts to get my older SU Signo white gel pen to work I was able to get ink flowing briefly and then it stops I decided to order new Signos. With what little of the Signo I could get out of the pen, I could see it was much better quality gel ink than the gel ink out of the Ultimate Gel pen I got from Joann's. So problem solved. I ordered 3 pens so I will have a back up if I have a problem with one of the pens. Such drama over a little white gel pen.
I got one from SU - worked great at first (one or two uses) but then didn't use it for 2 months and now it won't work... so I think you can have problems with any kind .... but this is just my experience.
Having said that it was wonderful while it worked but didn't work for long.
I think the key to anything that uses a gel based ink is to use it often. I know that my printer cartridges clog up if I don't use the colored ink often, so I print out things in color all the time, knowing that if I don't use it, I am going to have to buy a new cartridge anyway. It's the same with gel pens...if yours sits for two months between uses, it's not surprising that it stops flowing.
I've got a couple white ones I bought on ebay that don't work so great... SO I bought the Sakura Gelly Roll white and LOVE it! I also bought the Metallic set and I have NEVER had a problem with any of them!
Cheryl Kay
I've been using Sakura brand and have had no trouble with them at all. Press down on the tip until the ink flows and that's about it. I've used both the transparent and the opaque and both have performed well. I store mine in the upright position, point up or down doesn't seem to matter. sab
**Bumping**
I'd like to know how to store the gel pens as well. I've had them not work on me too and wondered if it was how I was storing them.
I throw mine into a basket, some are tip up, down, sideways you know.,..it's like a giant crayon basket and I just dig around for them...They kept falling out of a holder I had...It hasn't made a difference to the use. Sometimes they will develope (what I call a scab) on them, just flick that off it's just dried ink and go after it ....
So why is that after you haven't used something for a while you all of a sudden want to use it and then when you find out it doesn't work you think of a dozen projects you could do with it. I sent in an order for new Signo gel pens but I had a couple of projects that I really could use it for right now but still can't the gel would not flow in my old one. I shook it and it would start to work but then the gel would stop flowing. So I thought I would warm it up. I took a damp washcloth and warmed it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and then I wrapped the pen in the washcloth for about a minute. Voila! It worked. I got the ink flowing and got through my project. I will see what happens after I cap it and don't use it for a couple of hours or a day but that at least will hold me over until my new pens arrive. If you have a Signo that still has the gel inside but is not working, try the warm washcloth thing and see if it works and let me know.
I throw mine into a basket, some are tip up, down, sideways you know.,..it's like a giant crayon basket and I just dig around for them...They kept falling out of a holder I had...It hasn't made a difference to the use. Sometimes they will develope (what I call a scab) on them, just flick that off it's just dried ink and go after it ....
So why is that after you haven't used something for a while you all of a sudden want to use it and then when you find out it doesn't work you think of a dozen projects you could do with it. I sent in an order for new Signo gel pens but I had a couple of projects that I really could use it for right now but still can't the gel would not flow in my old one. I shook it and it would start to work but then the gel would stop flowing. So I thought I would warm it up. I took a damp washcloth and warmed it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and then I wrapped the pen in the washcloth for about a minute. Voila! It worked. I got the ink flowing and got through my project. I will see what happens after I cap it and don't use it for a couple of hours or a day but that at least will hold me over until my new pens arrive. If you have a Signo that still has the gel inside but is not working, try the warm washcloth thing and see if it works and let me know.
I'll try this too because it is my Signo gel pens that I'm having a problem with. I store them tip down in a holder and they have ink in them! Thanks for the tips.
I also use the Signo UM153 pen. got my first one through SU and fell in love, but they're a bit pricey at $3.95. Now I get them from jetpens.com - they have them in other colors as well. You can get the white ones for $2.25 a piece, or a box of 10 for $21. Quite the deal if you ask me. They ship fast too (to the US at least)
I store all my gel pens and markers upside down so they don't dry up - like others have said, they form a "crust" on the tip some times, so I just wipe it off.
on the jetpen website, click the link on the left for "craft pens". then one of the last picture-links on the page is for all the "Uni-Ball Signo Broad UM-153 gel ink pens"
As I stated early on in this thread, I use Sakura brand. I WOULD, however, like to know more details about the Uni-Ball Signo pens - good for broad strokes or detail work only? What is the finish like? matte, glossy, raised? Do they work well on all types of paper? Do they bleed? sab
sab - I've only used the UM153, so I don't know about the other Uni-ball pens... in my opinion, the UM153 is more of broad stroke (hence the name signo broad). It has a very even, smooth flow. I have noticed that it "balls up" on the pen tip when stored, but I just wipe it on a tissue, tap the ball on scrap paper a couple times, and it's like new. The finish is more of a raised, glossy look. I have had no issues with it bleeding. I've used it on all types of cardstock, glossy photo paper, plastic, and chipboard with no problems. I also use alcohol based markers alot on my cardstock, and other gel pens don't do so well on that - the UM153 has no problems.
I haven't used the sakura brand - how does that do? I've noticed they're a bit less expensive which is nice
Another vote for the Signo uniball gel pen! I love this pen. It has great opacity, even on black cardstock. I find I need to write a little slower than usual to get an even look, but perhaps I just write too quickly!
Hi, I just got 2 new white gel pens from Joann.com and the do not work. I actually ordered them as an add on to my order to get to the $35 for free shipping since my white gel pen from SU stopped working. Is there anything I can do to get these 2 new ones working and/or maybe revive the one I got from SU.
Cindy, I was visiting my sister there in Cape Coral a couple weeks ago, and we went to a scrapbooking store on Del Prado. I don't know the name of it. But they sold white gel pens by Ranger -- Inkessentials, or something like that. Anyway, I bought one because I wasn't really happy with the one that SU sells. This one seems to work well. I'll see what happens as time goes on; but it might be worth your while to try one.
I've used the Sakura white gel pen and no problems here! In fact, I think I've had the current one I'm using for a year and still works fine. I store it horizontally in my desk drawer. And they are cheap enough to replace easily! I love all the Sakura pens, especially the stardust ones.
White Gel Pen Help
