Reason for black gel pen refills leaking in winter

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In summary, the conversation discusses the issue of black gel pen refills leaking during winter. The speaker has noticed this problem with refills from multiple companies and has not experienced it with blue pen refills. They speculate that there may be a physical phenomenon causing this leakage and ask for potential solutions. One poster suggests that the refills may be damaged due to cold storage, but the speaker provides pictures to show that this is not the case. The conversation ends with another poster suggesting that the leakage could be caused by a seal breaking due to cold storage, which the speaker agrees with.
  • #1
Wrichik Basu
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I mainly use black gel pens for writing. Every year in winter, I notice an awkward incident - almost every black gel pen refill that I have, start leaking! And it leaks regardless of the position in which I keep the pen - upright, slanting, horizontally on a table or upside down. For example, I unpack a new refill, and put it in the pen. After about 20 minutes, the cap is full of ink leaking out of the refill.

The interesting fact is that, this is not happening with refills of only one company. Till date, I've tried five different companies, and black refills from each of them are leaking in the same manner. It's leaking so much that I have had to throw the full refill most of the time.

However, none of the blue pens are leaking. They are kept under the same physical conditions as the black refills, but they're not leaking at all.

This makes me think that there is some physical phenomena associated with it. I've seen pens leaking at high altitudes. But I'm living in Kolkata, India, which is on the plains, and the altitude is barely 9m from the sea level.

This started mainly from last winter. Nothing like this happened in summer, and it has again started this year. The minimum temperature this year has dropped to 11°C in Kolkata.

The pictures are:

rsz_20180120_025123.jpg


rsz_20180120_025151.jpg

Can anyone account for this? And is there any way by which I can prevent it?
 

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  • #4
Wrichik Basu said:
I've added two pics.

The refills are definitely not broken in my case.
Of course they are "broken" in at lease some sense. They DO leak after all. The "breakage" could well be in a seal at the point you indicate and this could be cause by expansion due to cold storage as the robot suggested.
 
  • #5
@phinds I'm changing the picture for clarification. The ink is leaking from the tip of the nib and not the joint.

rsz_20180120_111607.jpg
 

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1. Why do black gel pen refills tend to leak more in the winter?

In colder temperatures, the ink inside gel pens becomes thicker and more viscous. This can cause the ink to clog the pen's tip, leading to leaks and blobs when writing.

2. Is this a common issue with all types of gel pens?

Yes, gel pens of all brands and types are susceptible to leaking in colder temperatures due to the nature of the gel ink formula.

3. Can I prevent my gel pen refills from leaking in the winter?

Yes, there are a few steps you can take to prevent leaks. First, try storing your pens in a warmer location, such as a pocket or inside a closed notebook. You can also try gently warming the pen's tip with your hands before writing. Additionally, using a high-quality, thicker paper can help prevent ink from bleeding through.

4. Will using a different type of ink, such as ballpoint or rollerball, prevent leaks in the winter?

While these types of pens may be less prone to leaking in colder temperatures, they have their own set of issues. Ballpoint pens may skip or require more pressure to write, and rollerball pens may not write as smoothly as gel pens. It ultimately depends on personal preference and the specific pen in question.

5. Are there any other factors that could contribute to gel pen refills leaking in the winter?

Yes, the temperature and humidity of the environment can also play a role in gel pen leaks. If the air is particularly dry, it can cause the ink to dry out and clog the pen's tip. Similarly, if the air is too humid, it can cause the ink to become thinner and more prone to leaking. It's important to store your pens in a moderate environment to prevent these issues.

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