Your Hoverpen refill is one of three types, and the type you need depends on the model on your desk. The Hoverpen Classic and Hoverpen Interstellar use standard D1 ballpoint cartridges. The Hoverpen Future uses Schmidt 888 ceramic rollerball cartridges and a fountain cartridge. Swapping any of them takes under a minute. Here is how to identify yours, and how to refill your Hoverpen.
Which refill does your Hoverpen use?
| Model | Hover angle | Refill system | Tip sizes | In the box |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoverpen Classic | 90° | D1 ballpoint, Schmidt | Fine, Medium | Fine black installed, fine blue spare |
| Hoverpen Interstellar | 23.5° | D1 ballpoint, Schmidt | Fine, Medium | Fine black installed, fine blue spare, pincer tool |
| Hoverpen Future, 2-in-1 | 60° | Schmidt 888, plus fountain cartridge or converter | Rollerball: Fine, Medium Fountain: F nib, steel or 18K gold |
Black fountain cartridge installed, fine black rollerball spare |
Hoverpen Classic and Hoverpen Interstellar
Both take a D1 ballpoint cartridge. Both are equipped with Schmidt — the German standard for luxury ballpoints — with a nickel silver tip and a stainless steel ball. Order Hoverpen Classic ink refills or Hoverpen Interstellar ink refills. The Hoverpen Interstellar is equipped with a pincer tool for effortless refill.
Hoverpen Future
The Hoverpen Future is the exception. Its rollerball nib takes a Schmidt 888 ceramic roller cartridge, not a D1 — the two are not interchangeable. Order Hoverpen Future ink refills for the rollerball. For the fountain pen configuration on the Hoverpen Future, you are replacing a fountain cartridge rather than a refill.
Not sure which model you own?
Check the angle first. The Classic stands at 90°, straight up. The Future leans at 60°. The Interstellar sits at 23.5°, the axial tilt of the Earth.
Then check the tip. A ballpoint under the cap means a D1. A rollerball or a nib means you own a Future.
How do you change a Hoverpen refill?
Pull the cap straight off to write. Twist the body to reach the refill. That distinction catches most owners out — twisting when you meant to uncap opens the internal structure instead of revealing the nib.
What is the pincer tool?
The pincer tool is a small gripping tool Novium made for one job: changing Hoverpen cartridges. It ships in the box with the Hoverpen Interstellar.
The reason it exists is dimensional. A D1 cartridge is 67mm long and roughly 2.3mm across. The barrel it drops into is 10mm wide. Fingers are the wrong instrument at that scale — you end up pinching the tip, marking the barrel, or dropping the cartridge halfway in. The pincer holds the cartridge steady so you can lift the old one clear and set the new one in place.
How to use it
- Open the pen cap.
- Use the pincer tool to grip the pen nib.
- Pull the old ink cartridge out.
- Slide in the new D1 ink cartridge.
Changing a D1 cartridge
- Pull the cap straight off.
- Twist the barrel counter-clockwise until the two halves separate.
- Pull the used cartridge out. Use the pincer tool if you have one.
- Seat the new cartridge tip-forward until it stops.
- Twist the barrel closed. Replace the cap before returning the pen to its pedestal.
The cap is magnetic and part of the hovering system. The pen will not sit correctly without it.
Changing a Schmidt 888 rollerball
Same sequence, one difference: the 888 is longer and unscrews from the section rather than lifting free. Turn it out, turn the new one in, and stop when it seats. Do not force the last quarter turn.
Changing a fountain cartridge
Unscrew the section holding the nib. Push the cartridge onto the feed until it punctures. Refit the section. Ink can take a minute to reach the nib on the first stroke — hold the pen nib-down and be patient rather than pressing harder.
What is a D1 refill?
D1 is a size, not a brand. It describes a cartridge roughly 67mm long and about 2.3mm in diameter, used across multi-pens and compact pens from Lamy, Cross, Zebra, Schneider and Faber-Castell. It is a metal cylinder at those dimensions, almost always ballpoint.
That is why a Hoverpen Classic and a Montblanc Mozart can take the same cartridge. The standard, not the badge, decides the fit.
Can you use third-party refills in a Hoverpen?
Yes. Any cartridge built to D1 dimensions will fit a Classic or an Interstellar. That is the point of a standard, and it is why a Hoverpen stays useful for decades rather than becoming captive to one supplier.
One caveat worth knowing. The tolerance band is narrow, and not every manufacturer sits in the same place inside it. A cartridge can be nominally D1 and still sit loose or bind.
The Hoverpen is equipped with Schmidt because the tolerance is consistent and the write-out is long.
How long does a Hoverpen refill last?
Novium's D1 cartridge is rated at 1,350 metres of writing, give or take 25%.
How do you care for a Hoverpen?
Very little is required. The body is CNC-machined from a single block of aerospace-grade 6061 aluminium and hand-finished with a scratch-resistant anodised coating. Wipe it. That is the maintenance.
The pedestal needs one thing from you: keep it below 176°F or 80°C. Above that, the magnets degrade. Below it, they do not weaken with use — there is no battery, no charge cycle, and nothing to replace. Every Hoverpen carries a two-year warranty and is built to outlast it by a wide margin.
Accessories that pair with a refill order
A refill is the smallest thing you can add to a Hoverpen. These are the rest.
The Novium Dock is CNC-milled from a single block of aluminium, weighs around 125 grams, and sits on a non-slip pad. It gives the pen a second home away from its pedestal. $35, in black or silver.
The Hoverpen carrying case protects the pen in transit, cap and all. The Novium notebook is hardbound with smudge-free pages, which matters more with a rollerball than most people expect.
Browse the full range of Hoverpen accessories to finish the setup.
Frequently asked questions
What refill does the Hoverpen use?
The Hoverpen Classic and Hoverpen Interstellar use standard D1 ballpoint cartridges. The Hoverpen Future uses Schmidt 888 ceramic rollerball cartridges, or a fountain cartridge with the fountain nib.
Can I use a Cross or Lamy D1 refill in my Hoverpen?
Yes, if it is built to D1 dimensions. Diameter varies slightly between manufacturers, so a cartridge may sit loose or tight even when nominally correct. Schmidt is what Novium ships and what fits most reliably.
Does the Hoverpen need batteries?
No. It hovers on calibrated magnetic repulsion. No electricity, no charging, nothing to replace.
How long is the Hoverpen warranty?
Two years.
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