Refilling the Pilot V5 & V7 Hi-Tecpoint Rolling Ball Pens

Submitted by Teoh Yi Chie on

Before you read on, you should know that I've switched to using Uniball Vision and the Uniball Needle because they are disposable pens with pigment ink. They are straight out from artists' dreams. I use them for pen and ink watercolour sketching.

The Pilot V5 & V7 Hi-tecpoint rolling ball pens are among my favourite drawing pens. They are with me for every trip just in case other pens fail me.


They are sometimes sold under the name Pilot Precise. The tip size comes in extra fine of 0.5 and the fine of 0.7.


These are my two pens. The wear and tear you see is from sandpaper. I like my pens smooth to touch so I sanded off the surface. And it's easier to see how much ink is left inside. The 0.7 pen has darker plastic so it's more difficult to see what's left inside.

They are meant to be disposable but you can actually refill them. That's how I can be using the same pens for months.

Here are the steps to refilling (with reference photos below).

  1. Use a piece of paper, folded a few times, to cover the plastic part of the nib. It's to protect the soft plastic.
  2. Use the plier, hold it over the paper which is over the plastic part, pull.
  3. Refill the pen with ink, either with a syringe, or in my case I refilled with Rotring ink that comes in a bottle with a tapered point for easy insertion into the pen.
  4. Put the nib part back.

I like the consistent lines from the point nibs. The rolling ball nib is extremely smooth to the surface. You can use them at almost any angles as compared to Rotring Isograph technical pens. They have a huge ink well so you don't have to refill constantly. They are as light as a pencil — I prefer lighter pens. They are cheap.

At the tip size of 0.5 and 0.7, I prefer them over the Rotring Isograph.

Do not mistake them for the Pilot V5 & V7 Retractable Rolling Ball Pens. I've tried refilling them and it seems to clog. Anyway, the simple Pilot Tec-point is easier to refill with no problems for a long time.

I've also refilled the Pilot VPen. Works well. But since it produces uniform lines also, I prefer the Tec-point.


Rotring Ink comes in small 23ml bottles, and in 250ml bottles. The big bottle is for refilling small bottles.

So why not just get the Rotring multiliner pens

Well, the Rotring Isographs are definitely more convenient, and in the long run more hassle-free. But I like tinkering with pens sometimes. LOL.

Availability

You can find Rotring Ink on Amazon:
Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.de | Amazon.fr

Pilot pens:
Pilot V5
Pilot V7

Tags: 

21 Comments

Hello! I am from India. I

Submitted by Polytope on

Hello! I am from India. I just refilled two pens - the Pilot V-5 Hi-Tecpoint (made by Luxor) and V7 Precise. Nice to know someone is doing the things I wanted to do since 1994. I was in standard 8 then, and my friend showed me how refill the Pilot V7 Hi-Tecpoint . He used refilled pens for many months.
But...can we use these pens for years if maintained well. Does the wear out after many months?

If you are doing it that way

Submitted by bluebell_rose on

If you are doing it that way don't forget the silicone grease when you put it back together . Ideally you want to pull only the tip out and not touch the section at all and leave it attached to the barrel which is factory sealed

I thank you for this idea but

Submitted by Marc Vesse on

I thank you for this idea but after doing this ,the ink doesn't go throw the tip!
i have the impression that the tip is blocked;I can't write with the "new"refilled pen.
What can I do?
I thank you for your answer;

Very useful.

Submitted by A on

Very useful.
I just wanted to say to your latest comments of not refilling pens like earlier: it's more environmentally friendly, and I wish you would do that. Reduce, reuse and recycle, correct, for a better planet with less plastic. Don't wanna be preachy but actually want to endorse your earlier practice.

Add new comment