Stipula Etruria Piston Repair - Take 2

[efchem]

I started this thread earlier and thought that dried ink was the problem. After seeming to get all the ink out of the amber one, it still does not work. It seems to work in reverse but it is not one of the new systems. I also put ink into the chamber, put the nib back in and it did not have proper ink flow. I have not been able to find any info on how to disassemble it to get into the filling mechanism, so now I am looking to get it professionally fixed. Do I send it to Stipula? Or is there somebody else who has experience with this pen that someone can recommend?

 

The good news is that the Black one works great and I am waiting for the FPN LE to arrive.

 

Erick

Edited November 22, 2011 by efchem

[wimg]

The mechanism is rather delicate, so I'd suggest you send it to Etruria (that is the name of the company, actually). You can either send it to their US distributor - forgot the name now, but I am sure someone else can help here, or send it to Etruria S.r.l. direct. The latter is what they prefer actually, I understand.

 

It can be taken apart, but you need to unscrew the piston button, pull the nib and feed, and very, very gently unscrew the nib collar. When you manage to do that without breaking the inner piston sleeve, the piston filler mechanism can be removed through the hole left behind by removing the piston knob. You need to remove the nib collar, because that holds the piston mechanism in place.

 

What do you mean by work in reverse, BTW? Mine works the "normal" way, i.e., pointing the nib downwards, and turning the button anti-clockwise, moves the piston down and expels ink, turning it clockwise pulls up the ink.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[RMN]

I think he means the piston knob is turned "the wrong way" to descend the plunger.

Some Stips have that feature. Don't ask me why..

 

 

D.ick

[efchem]

This is a quote about the new system "It is available in the new version of Etruria Amber the innovative Stipula SCS (Self Cleaning System) piston: it guarantees a perfect cleaning of the reservoir every time that the mechanism is used, thanks to the spinning of the head of the piston together with the spinning of the knob. The SCS piston works in a different way from the other pistons: to fill the pen with ink the knob must be turned counterclockwise; to empty it the knob must be turned clockwise."

 

Mine works like that but it is not supposed to. On mine when I move the piston down it will suck up a little water and when I retract the piston it expels water. I assume that somehow a vacuum is being created on the way down and the water is getting behind the piston. When the piston goes back up, the water is pushed out.

 

If I send it to Etruria (Stipula) do I just send just the pen and a note? Any idea of turnaround time?

 

Thanks,

Erick

[efchem]

Also how do you unscrew the piston button?

Edited November 23, 2011 by efchem

[kauloltran]

Thanks for starting the thread lol, I have the same concerns. I'm wondering how it much Stipula charges to fix the piston for pens out of warranty.

[wimg]

Also how do you unscrew the piston button?

By turning it to the left, up, and continue turning, carefully...

 

Warm

[wimg]

This is a quote about the new system "It is available in the new version of Etruria Amber the innovative Stipula SCS (Self Cleaning System) piston: it guarantees a perfect cleaning of the reservoir every time that the mechanism is used, thanks to the spinning of the head of the piston together with the spinning of the knob. The SCS piston works in a different way from the other pistons: to fill the pen with ink the knob must be turned counterclockwise; to empty it the knob must be turned clockwise."

 

Mine works like that but it is not supposed to. On mine when I move the piston down it will suck up a little water and when I retract the piston it expels water. I assume that somehow a vacuum is being created on the way down and the water is getting behind the piston. When the piston goes back up, the water is pushed out.

 

If I send it to Etruria (Stipula) do I just send just the pen and a note? Any idea of turnaround time?

 

Thanks,

Erick

I think it is best to contact them first, you can find their email address on the Stipula site. Be aware though that this period is their busiest period, so it may take some time before you get a reply.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[efchem]

Also how do you unscrew the piston button?

By turning it to the left, up, and continue turning, carefully...

 

Warm

 

OK, so that worked. I warn others that when you are removing the piston know there will be clicking. I was not expecting that. I have attached a picture of where I am at now because I can not seem to remove the piston mechanism out the back of the pen. I need a little more guidance.

 

There is definitely some type of seal leak since there was inky water in the piston knob so something behind the piston as I assumed.

 

Thank you for all the help so far Wim. If it wasn't for you, I would not have looked at Stipula and have 4 Etruria's by the end of this year. I still want a 991. The two-toned trim looks awesome.

 

Erick

[wimg]

Also how do you unscrew the piston button?

By turning it to the left, up, and continue turning, carefully...

 

Warm

 

OK, so that worked. I warn others that when you are removing the piston know there will be clicking. I was not expecting that. I have attached a picture of where I am at now because I can not seem to remove the piston mechanism out the back of the pen. I need a little more guidance.

 

There is definitely some type of seal leak since there was inky water in the piston knob so something behind the piston as I assumed.

 

Thank you for all the help so far Wim. If it wasn't for you, I would not have looked at Stipula and have 4 Etruria's by the end of this year. I still want a 991. The two-toned trim looks awesome.

 

Erick

Did you remove the black nib collar at the section end yet? The piston filler mechanism is glued with a fairly flexible glue to the collar (although that does harden further with time), and you'll have to remove the collar, very carefully, to get the piston mechanism out.

 

You may want to reinsert the nib feed in order to do so, rather than use a screw driver or home made tool to fit the slits and possibly destroy the collar, just don't use excessive force as you may damage the nib otherwise, and the collar too.

 

You also may have to turn the entire pston filler mechanism in order to finally remove it - I can't remember now, it has been some years since I last did this (with my black celluloid Etruria, dating from the same period as the original Amber ).

 

The two-toned trim on the 991 does look awesome indeed - I wouldn't have three of them otherwise .

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[efchem]

The collar is out. I had pulled the nib and feed and made a tool and removed the collar pretty easily. I will try a little more force but wanted to be certain first.

[wimg]

The collar is out. I had pulled the nib and feed and made a tool and removed the collar pretty easily. I will try a little more force but wanted to be certain first.

With some it almost falls out once everything else is removed, just try carefully.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[efchem]

Definitely not falling out with mine. I will continue to try but wanted to ask some additional questions. When looking through the nib side, I see an rubber o-ring and then something white - I assume this is to connect the collar to the piston mechanism/ink supply. They both can be moved a little with the piston all the way back. Would it be advisable to try and push the whole unit out from the nib side with something very blunt?

 

I also noticed there will be no way to get the piston button back on to the barrel without getting the entire mechanism out.

 

Erick

[efchem]

It is now out and I can see the seal moving at an angle when the piston goes up and down. Can the piston unit be taken apart to be fixed? Or can the whole thing be replaced? Pics so all can see. By the way, I had to push it out.

 

Erick

[wimg]

Hmmm. Mine looked completely different, actually.

 

The fact that it is angled probably means it is partly torn, so I would expect it to require a replacement, either of the rubber piston, or of the entire mechanism. I don;t know whether the piston filler mechanism can be taken apart.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[hari317]

Thank you efchem for this excellent thread with good pictures and info. I am actually shocked at the build quality/innards of this Etruria...

[efchem]

Thank you efchem for this excellent thread with good pictures and info. I am actually shocked at the build quality/innards of this Etruria...

 

Maybe this was there first mechanism since I have a relatively low number Amber (756). My big issue now is how to find a replacement or to fix this one. One thing I did notice is that the plastic outside piece near the bottom has some small cracks in it so I probably should replace the whole unit. If I remember reading correctly, Stipula does not sell replacement parts readily.

 

Erick

[hari317]

how big is this piston mechanism as compared to a standard international converter?

[wimg]

how big is this piston mechanism as compared to a standard international converter?

Longer, fatter and holds quite a bit more ink. At least 4-5X as much, I would say.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[hari317]

how big is this piston mechanism as compared to a standard international converter?

Longer, fatter and holds quite a bit more ink. At least 4-5X as much, I would say.

 

Warm regards, Wim

 

A standard international converter holds approx 0.75ml ink as per this measurement: link

 

4-5X capacity implies 3ml and more, an ink capacity much more than any other piston fill pen in the market today, a remarkable achievement by Stipula, if indeed true.