Help
Everything you'd ask before you trust us with the words.
The pen, the printer, the post and the gifting — all of it, answered plainly.
The pen
The object itself.
Aluminium, 28 grams, 142 millimetres, and a ribbon of paper coiled where the ink usually hides.
How much actually fits on one scroll?
The ribbon inside runs to 1.2 metres — about forty short lines at our standard size. That is a long letter, or one sentence with a great deal of quiet around it. Print smaller and a whole poem goes in.
How do I swap the scroll without tearing it?
Twist the crown anticlockwise until the spindle runs free, draw the old ribbon out through the barrel, then feed the new one in leading edge first and twist forward twice to catch it. The first time takes a minute. After that it takes ten seconds, and you'll do it in the dark.
What refill does it take, and how do I change it?
A standard 0.5 mm cartridge, the kind any stationer sells, in black or blue. Unscrew the nib section, drop the old one out, drop the new one in. The scroll stays exactly where it is while you do it.
Which finish should I choose?
Midnight is piano-black and disappears in the hand — the quiet one. Daydream is cloud-white over a wash of summer sky, and it photographs beautifully. Heirloom is deep navy under a polished steel crown, with a clip made to be engraved. All three are $39 and identical inside.
Can other people read the scroll through the window?
Only if they're holding it. The window is roughly the width of a fingernail and shows a single line at a time, and the rest of the ribbon stays coiled in the dark. Across a desk it reads as a seam in the metal, nothing more.
Will it survive rain and the bottom of a bag?
The anodised shell shrugs off a downpour and a set of keys — that's what it was made for. Don't submerge it, though. The mechanism is fine; paper is still paper.
The app & the printer
Getting the words onto paper.
SneakPrint is the pocket thermal printer in the kit. It never needs ink, and it pairs in a tap.
Does the app work on my phone?
Yes, on iPhone from iOS 15 and on Android from version 9 — so anything made in the last six years or so. It's free, there is no subscription, and your notes stay on the device unless you choose to back them up.
How do I pair the printer, and what if it won't connect?
Hold the side button for three seconds until the light turns green, then open the app and tap the printer when it appears. If it hides, switch Bluetooth off and on and make sure no other phone is already holding on to it — it talks to one device at a time.
How long does a charge last?
Around two weeks of ordinary use, or roughly 120 scrolls, from a 90-minute charge over USB-C. Left in a drawer it holds its charge for months, which is just as well — most people print in bursts, then not again until something needs saying.
Do I need the printer at all?
No. The pen arrives with a scroll already loaded, and blank ribbon takes a fine-tipped pen perfectly well if you'd rather write by hand. The printer is simply the fastest way to change your mind about what it says.
Where do I buy more paper, and how long does a roll last?
Three archival rolls are $19 here, and each one holds hundreds of lines — most people are still on the first roll a year in. The kit ships with three, so there's no hurry.
Is the thermal paper safe to handle?
It's BPA- and BPS-free archival stock, chosen because these scrolls get read and re-read and folded into wallets. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators and the words stay put for years.
Can it print anything besides words?
It prints at 203 dpi, so small line drawings, a signature you've scanned, a date, a set of coordinates — all of it comes out crisp. Photographs don't. A ribbon two centimetres wide asks for a light touch.
Ordering & delivery
Getting it to you.
Dispatched within 48 hours, tracked the whole way, free over $50.
Can I order several pens at once?
Of course, and you can mix the finishes. Each pen is boxed on its own so it can be handed over as it is, and the whole lot travels in one parcel unless you ask us to send them to different addresses.
Do you deliver worldwide?
To more than sixty countries, yes. The rates and delivery times for every zone are set out on the shipping page, and shipping is free on any order over $50.
Is there an express option?
There is, at checkout: next working day in the United Kingdom, two to three days across Europe and North America. Order before midday and it goes out the same afternoon — useful when a date has crept up on you.
Can I change or cancel an order once I've paid?
Write to us quickly and yes. Nothing is picked for a few hours, and until then we can change the finish, the engraving, the printed line or the address. After that the courier has it, and a return is the simpler route.
Do I need an account to order?
No — you can check out as a guest in under a minute. An account only saves your addresses and keeps every order and tracking link in one place, which helps if you make a habit of this.
Which payment methods do you take?
All the usual cards, plus Apple Pay, Shop Pay and PayPal. Payment is handled by Shopify's secure checkout, so we never see or store your card details.
Gifts & personalisation
When it's for someone else.
Most SneakPens are bought for another person. We've made that part easy.
Can you send it straight to them?
Put their address in the delivery field and ours goes nowhere near it. No prices, no invoice and no packing slip travel with the parcel — the receipt comes to your inbox instead.
Can you print the first scroll before it ships?
Yes, and it's free. Type your line into the personalisation field on the product page — up to 120 characters — and we print it, roll it and load it before the pen is boxed. They twist the crown and there you are.
How is it wrapped, and is there a card?
Every pen arrives in a lined box with a blank card tucked beside it, ready to give as it is. Add gift wrapping at checkout for $4 and it comes ribboned, with your message written on the card by hand.
Do you sell gift cards?
We do — any amount, delivered by email within the hour, and they never expire. A decent way out when you know they'd want one but not which finish.
Can I buy the printer or the paper on their own?
Yes. The SneakPrint printer and the archival rolls are both sold separately, which is the usual answer for someone who already carries a pen and has run out of room on the ribbon.
Do you take bulk or corporate orders?
From ten pens upward, yes — weddings, teams, leaving gifts, a classroom. Tell us what you need through the contact page and we'll come back with pricing, engraving on the clip and a realistic date.
Not here?
Ask us the awkward one.
If your question didn't make the list, write to us. A person reads every message and answers it, usually within a day — and if the answer turns out to be useful, it ends up on this page.