We recently purchased a Brother Scan n Cut Universal Pen Holder and promptly set about testing a number of different pens to see what worked and what didn’t. I have to admit, that initially, I was doubtful that very many of the pens we have on hand would actually work with it.
Well, we were pleasantly surprised because we found that a number of our pens not only worked but they worked extremely well. So with this in mind, we decided to write up a blog post so that our readers who either own the universal pen holder or are thinking of purchasing one, can see at a glance which pens will work.
We will add to the list over time as we purchase different pens. If you have any pens that you have successfully tried, please let us know in the comments field below and we will add them to the list.
Pens that work with the Brother ScanNCut Universal Pen Holder
- Uniball Signo Broad UM-153 Gel Ink Pen
- Sharpie – Extra Fine Point
- Sharpie – Ultra Fine Point
- Pentel EnerGel Liquild Gel Pen
- Uniball Insight 0.7mm Fine Pen – requires masking tape
- American Crafts Metallic Marker Broad Point
- Uniball Eye Fine UB-157 – requires masking tape
- Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pens B – requires masking tape
- Staedtler Pigment Liner 0.3 – requires masking tape
ALSO SEE BELOW FOR PENS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR OUR READERS
In the picture you will see that some of these pens required masking tape as they are too thin to sit securely in the holder. These are numbers 4,6,7 and 8.
PENS SUGGESTED BY READERS
Listed below are pens suggested by our readers (see comment section below) that have worked for them in the Universal Pen Holder. I have added some links where you can check out these pens on Amazon. (Note that we get a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you.)
We haven’t tried these ourselves as yet, but there is nothing quite like a personal recommendation from someone who has.
- Crayola Supertips – doesn’t require tape – recommended by Raquel
- Tsukineko EMBOSS Dual Pen – recommended by Avice
- Sakura Gelly Roll Pens – recommended by Liz
- Sharpie Ultra Fine Point – recommended by Avril
- Staedtler fineliner (the triangular shapes ones) work with masking tape also – recommended by Mandy Hodges
- “The coloured Zig Millennium ’02’ pens that draw fine lines and also fit very easily into the UPH. They work well when using infill into lettering on the ScannCut” – recommended by Sue Edes
- STAEDTLER Lumocolor Universal Pen, Fine, Felt Tip – recommended by Melanie
- Kuretake Zig Millennium Drawing Pen is an excellent range of drawing pens with an unusually wide choice of tip sizes and ink colours. Water-based pigment ink is light-fast, waterproof, acid-free, archival-quality, non-bleeding, photo-safe and odorless – recommended by Sue Edes
- 005 tip produces a 0.2mm line
- 01 tip produces a 0.25mm line
- 02 tip produces a 0.3mm line
- 03 tip produces a 0.35mm line
- 05 tip produces a 0.45mm line
- 08 tip produces a 0.65mm line
- Pilot FriXion Point – for Australian & NZ readers – recommended by Louisa. You will find the links to other pens Louisa has used in the comments section below.
Katie-Louise sweetlove says
Thanks for the info about this. I have just ordered one of these pen holders so it is very useful information.
Alanda says
You are going to love it Katie-Louise.
Rachel Riekenberg says
Has anyone tried infusible ink pens and or marked that work with a Brother Scan N Cut CM350?
Thank you for all the help!!
Avice says
I have tried Tsukineko EMBOSS Dual Pen with great success.
Alanda says
Thanks Avice. I have added it to the list above.
Patricia Karstens says
Where can I buy the Universal Pen Holder In New Zealand?
Alanda says
I found one site that advertises the Universal Pen Holder in NZ Patricia but they are currently out of stock.http://www.thesewingdepot.co.nz/category/124582.
We bought ours from Echidna here in Australia. They are a reputable firm and it may be quicker than waiting for the other store to get one in.
http://www.echidnaclub.com.au/shop/CAUNIPHL1-Scanncut-Universal-Pen-Holder?keyword=universal%20pen%20holder&category_id=364&description=1&model=1.
Another option is eBay.
Norma says
If you have Spotlight stores they carry scan n cut accessories.
Alanda says
Thanks Norma. Both Spotlight and Lincraft stock ScanNCut accessories here in Australia.
Liz says
Hi, the sakura gelly roll pens work really well with the universal pen holder, no tape required, hope this helps.
Regards Liz.
Alanda says
Thank you Liz. I will add this pen to the list.
carole burrell says
Hi, is the sharpie extra fine pen the same as the ultra fine?
Kind regarfs
Carole
Alanda says
Im sorry Carole, I have no idea. I checked the Sharpie website but they don’t mention if there is a difference in sizes etc. Here is a link to their website http://www.sharpie.com/en-US, they should be able to help you with your enquiry. Cheers
Joanne says
Have you tried any waters soluble markers in the universal pen holder and if so, which ones do you recommend.
Alanda says
We haven’t tried any water soluble pens in the past, but we do use Frixion pens on our fabric so I just went to test one and it worked. The ones we use are the Frixion .07 ball fine pens.
Other than that, we haven’t tried any others.
Mandy Hodges says
Thank you very much for putting this together.
Staedtler fineliner (the triangular shapes ones) work with masking tape also.
Alanda says
Thank you for that information Mandy.
Avril says
Hi – Just to let you all know – Sharpie Ultra Fine pens work with the universal pen holder – I’ve just tried them – my first play with the universal pen holder. x
Alanda says
Thank you Avril, we will add the Sharpie Ultra Fine pens to the list.
Penny barrow says
Does the universal pen holder work in scan n cut 1
Alanda says
Yes it does Penny. It works with all models of the Brother ScanNCut
Sue Edes says
I use the coloured Zig Millennium ’02’ pens that draw fine lines and also fit very easily into the UPH. They work well when using infill into lettering on the ScannCut.
The Kuretake Zig Millennium Drawing Pen is an excellent range of drawing pens with an unusually-wide choice of tip sizes and ink colours. Water-based pigment ink is light-fast, waterproof, acid-free, archival-quality, non-bleeding, photo-safe and odourless.
005 tip produces a 0.2mm line.
01 tip produces a 0.25mm line.
02 tip produces a 0.3mm line.
03 tip produces a 0.35mm line.
05 tip produces a 0.45mm line.
08 tip produces a 0.65mm line.
Alanda says
Thank you so much for this information, Sue. I have added this list to the post as well.
Maria Harms says
The large gel pen sets from Michaels, which don’t really have a name, work great. No tape required.
Alanda says
Do you have a link to the product Maria?
Marsha L says
Is the universal pen holder an additional purchase? My Scan and Cut DX came with a pen holder but I am not sure if it is the same one you are talking about in this post. My pen holder has a top that closes, so I am guessing this is a different type of pen holder. Tall pens won’t fit in it. Can anyone help me with this?
Alanda says
The Universal Pen Holder is different to the Standard Pen Holder which is what you would have received with your machine. So you would need to purchase the Universal Pen holder separately if you wanted to use your own pens.
Marie says
Can’t wait to try this!
Linda says
Has anyone tried to use a toner pen with the scanncut, for foiling?
Eles says
Does the universal pen holder hold cricut infusible ink markers?
Alanda Craft says
We haven’t tried them Eles as we don’t have a Cricut machine. Hopefully, someone else will see this message and chime in.
RV says
I can say that yes they do. I have both the 1.0mm an 0.4mm also the black, it holds them well
Jen says
I’m keen to know this too 😊
Florence says
Hi,
Have you tried using a sharp pencil? I want to purchase one so that I can use my ScannCut to create the outlines for shapes that I’ll later paint, so need the pen/pencil to be able to rub out, and also be very fine.
I’m also struggling to find a supplier in Germany, do you know of anywhere that supplies it?
Alanda Craft says
It may work although I imagine the tip might break quite a bit. I would probably reduce the speed setting – that might help.
Louisa says
I have tried Pilot FriXion Point. This pen fits perfectly into the universal pen-holder. The line is ultra fine, the ink disappears with friction or heat. My colour is black. Link: https://pilotpen.com.au/products/frixion-point/. To have more colours I used ball-point refills wich can be purchased as set of 3 (link https://pilotpen.com.au/products/frixion-refill-for-ball-pro-clicker/), The line is a little thicker – extra fine, disappears with friction or heat as well. I use them to draw on fabric. The Brother machine draws very well with FriXion Point (with ultra-fine refill ), but the tip is too fine for hand drawing on fabric. The Frixion Point (with ball refill) is good to use in a machine and by hand. The FriXion Ball pens are too thick for the universal pen holder for ScanNCut. I erase the ink from my fabric with warm iron. The ink does not appear after wetting or cooling the fabric. I purchased my pens in New Zealand and Australia, sorry cannot help with European suppliers.
Alanda Craft says
Thank you so much for this information Louisa 😊. It will be most helpful for our Australian and New Zealand readers. I have added this to the blog post.
Donna Hardey says
Can we use the Silhouette 24 piece pens in the universal pen holder?
Alanda Craft says
We haven’t tried those so can’t provide an answer for you on that one.
Donna Hardey says
I purchased a used set of Silhouette Sketch pens to see if they would work. They won’t. The pens are much larger that the UPH.
Alanda Craft says
Good to know Donna. Thank you for sharing.
Melanie says
Thank you for providing info on what pens work and don’t work. I just received my pen holder yesterday and my first 2 tries didn’t work. The sharpie metallic was too big, and the Staedtler marker (Triplus) was too narrow (& I didn’t want to use tape). However, my other Staedler set did work (STAEDTLER Lumocolor Universal Pen, Fine, Felt Tip). I was reluctant to order anything else until seeing your post! Thanks again.
Alanda Craft says
Glad we could help and thank you for letting us know the ones that worked for you. I have added it to the reader’s recommendations in the post above.
Jamie says
I cannot get my sharpie extra fine tip to fit! Am I doing something wrong? I did have good success with Crayola fine tip markers.
Stephen says
Hello, I am interested in installing a small pyrography pen in the brother scan n cut using the universal pen holder, has anyone else tried this ?
mary jones says
Thank you for information on which pens to buy for SnC , I notice that they never tell you whilst demonstrating.
Lynda says
After reading all the good advice here, I plan to purchase a Universal Pen Holder today from my local Brother supplier. I ran across this very useful tutorial that other UPH newbies might find useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXNT5ACgeik It is published by ScanNCut and done by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer whose videos never disappoint. Hopefully someone else will learn from it too!!
Raquel Ocasio says
Crayola Supertips also work well and don’t require tape.
Alanda Craft says
Thank you Raquel. I will add this information to the list.