A refill for a ball-point pen has an ink cartridge and a ball, the ball being arranged in a writing tip provided at the front end of the ink cartridge, wherein at least the writing tip of the ink cartridge is made solely of a copper-zinc alloy of the following composition (wt. %): 28.0 to 36.0% Zn, 0.5 to 1.5% Si, 1.5 to 2.5% Mn, 0.2 to 1.0% Ni, 0.5 to 1.5% Al, 0.1 to 1.0% Fe, optionally also up to a maximum of 0.1% Pb, optionally also up to a maximum of 0.2% Sn, optionally also up to a maximum of 0.1% P, optionally also up to a maximum of 0.08% S, the rest being Cu and inevitable impurities, with mixed silicides containing iron, nickel and manganese embedded in the matrix.