My Stainless Steel Jotter Is Rattly

[bicfan]

You know when you're writing, and you hear that little metallic clank as the pen hits the paper for every letter (esp. if writing in block letters and writing fast)?

 

My plastic Jotters don't do this. Anyone else have this problem? Also had this problem with a new Chrome Jotter Premium.

Edited May 1, 2012 by bicfan

[Kyosu]

OMG you too! I find myself surrounded by this issue of late. I'm thinking of publishing a monograph in the subject: Notes on the Observation of the Problem of Rattly Jotters and the Silencing Thereof.*

 

If you are looking for a possible solution to the problem, here is one. If you are looking for the story of a similar experience, read below.

 

To silence the rattling or clicking noises made by the metal refill impacting the interior of the metal jotter, you need to create a layer of insulation between the refill and the pen body. Do this by cutting a strip from the sticky end of a Post It . The strip should be narrow enough to wrap around the refill once. There is not sufficient room in the pen to have more than one layer of paper. The sticky part of the Post It will hold the paper in place. Wrap the paper around the refill, a little off center, toward the ball point. Experimentation will show you the best place. Be careful not to interfere with the mechanisms in either end of the pen. Depending on the delicacy of your hearing and your sensitivity to annoyance, the paper should sufficiently silence the sound of the refill impacting the body of the pen.

 

The story behind this is that I recently made a gift of a stainless steel jotter to my roommate. He complained of the noise of the pen and asked me to exchange it for him on my next visit to my favorite pen dealer in Seoul. This I agreed to do. The pen dealer clearly thought my roommate was batty. This was evident even given the language barrier created by my poor Korean and his poor English. None the less, he agreed to make the exchange and did so happily. We carefully checked the second pen and neither of us could detect any unexpected noises that we thought were not typical of ball point pens. My friend, however, found the second pen to be at fault too. Rather than undertake a third trip to Seoul to exchange the pen, I came up with the above solution. As far as my friend is concerned, he finally got a well made rattle-free pen. I will deal with explaining the Post It when it comes time for him to replace the refill.

 

I'm sure you know that fountain pens don't rattle, so I won't suggest anything about changing your daily writing instruments. Anyway, some people are bothered by nib noise too. Good luck!

 

* A sequel to my doctoral dissertation: "Textual Variation Due to Broken Pen Nibs in Some Midieval Estonian Manuscripts"

[lovemy51]

if you are refering to the jotter FP, the answer is: No, it doesn't rattle.

 

if the BP, i do not use "SS" ball-points. i do, however, have a few "plastic" jotter BP's and they don't rattle.

[andybiotic]

Not even a bic should rattle! Something in your pen (or your ear :roflmho: ) is loose!

[adallak]

Stainless steel ballpoints and pencils do rattle. The pencils rattle more than pens. Wrapping up internals with a piece of paper eliminates the rattle. The pencils should be taken care of in the upper parts as well.

 

I have just noticed the same advice from a previous poster. Just wanted to add Jotter pencils to rattling stuff.

IMHO, plastic is much better in terms of comfort (better grip).

[rminj]

Mine rattles occasionally. Clicking the refill to turn it a couple of times usually stops it.

 

 

The Easyflow 9000 refill I use has a sticker label on it that probably helps.

 

 

I would think if the we could make the spring stronger it may stop some also?

[bicfan]

My Sheaffer Sentinel SS does not rattle.

 

Parker needs to step up its game and do some QC.

[KrazyIvan]

My FP Jotter does not rattle. and it is buttery smooth. and ground to a stub. and it's cool looking.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7066/6984667538_5a42487497_z.jpg

Parker Jotter Fountain Pen by IvanRomero, on Flickr

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8143/7130749567_91e77fe35b_z.jpg

Parker Jotter Fountain Pen by IvanRomero, on Flickr

[bicfan]

Sorry, I mean the Jotter bp.

[lovemy51]

Sorry, I mean the Jotter bp.

thought u were... why not trying a different spring. maybe the one in the pen is too small. it has happened to me before, tho' not necessarily in a Parker.

 

best,

 

edited: someone had the same idea a few posts back...

Edited May 4, 2012 by lovemy51

[bicfan]

OMG you too! I find myself surrounded by this issue of late. I'm thinking of publishing a monograph in the subject: Notes on the Observation of the Problem of Rattly Jotters and the Silencing Thereof.*

 

If you are looking for a possible solution to the problem, here is one. If you are looking for the story of a similar experience, read below.

 

To silence the rattling or clicking noises made by the metal refill impacting the interior of the metal jotter, you need to create a layer of insulation between the refill and the pen body. Do this by cutting a strip from the sticky end of a Post It . The strip should be narrow enough to wrap around the refill once. There is not sufficient room in the pen to have more than one layer of paper. The sticky part of the Post It will hold the paper in place. Wrap the paper around the refill, a little off center, toward the ball point. Experimentation will show you the best place. Be careful not to interfere with the mechanisms in either end of the pen. Depending on the delicacy of your hearing and your sensitivity to annoyance, the paper should sufficiently silence the sound of the refill impacting the body of the pen.

 

The story behind this is that I recently made a gift of a stainless steel jotter to my roommate. He complained of the noise of the pen and asked me to exchange it for him on my next visit to my favorite pen dealer in Seoul. This I agreed to do. The pen dealer clearly thought my roommate was batty. This was evident even given the language barrier created by my poor Korean and his poor English. None the less, he agreed to make the exchange and did so happily. We carefully checked the second pen and neither of us could detect any unexpected noises that we thought were not typical of ball point pens. My friend, however, found the second pen to be at fault too. Rather than undertake a third trip to Seoul to exchange the pen, I came up with the above solution. As far as my friend is concerned, he finally got a well made rattle-free pen. I will deal with explaining the Post It when it comes time for him to replace the refill.

 

I'm sure you know that fountain pens don't rattle, so I won't suggest anything about changing your daily writing instruments. Anyway, some people are bothered by nib noise too. Good luck!

 

* A sequel to my doctoral dissertation: "Textual Variation Due to Broken Pen Nibs in Some Midieval Estonian Manuscripts"

Excellent post.

 

The sound seems to be coming from the very end of the refill (toward the point) hitting the rim of the body. Where should I put the paper? I tried putting a layer of Scotch Tape around the the very tip end of the refill, but the mechanism would not work. I also tried putting a layer of tape around the entire refill (except the tip), but the noise continued. That's why I think it is the tipe.

 

Schneider Viscoglide refills don't make any noise. WTH is wrong with Parker? Can't even make refills for their own pens.

Edited May 20, 2012 by bicfan

[atypical]

...

To silence the rattling or clicking noises made by the metal refill impacting the interior of the metal jotter, you need to create a layer of insulation between the refill and the pen body. Do this by cutting a strip from the sticky end of a Post It ™.

...

Excellent tip!

Wrapping a small strip of Post It paper around the tip of the refill -more specifically the part of the refill that is surrounded by the spring- instantly cured all rattling.

[bicfan]

Strange, the Scotch tape didn't work, but the Post-It note did. Excellent.

 

Now, if we could just get Parker to decrease the tolerances on their product.

[adallak]

Now, if we could just get Parker to decrease the tolerances on their product.

You must be kidding!

[bicfan]

Now, if we could just get Parker to decrease the tolerances on their product.

You must be kidding!

No kidding, eh?

 

I still love the design of the Jotter. I just wish that I wouldn't have to resort to such ghetto measures to use a pen. I've had to do the same thing with the gel rollingball refills in my Cross Aventura.

 

These engineers are really sleeping.

 

Maybe I will just use the Schneider Viscoglide refills in the Parker, as they don't rattle.

[NedC]

It's a feature not a bug! My SS Jotter ballpoint rattles, as does my Parker Classic. A light hand, a gel refill and smooth, joined up, cursive writing lessen the effect. It really never bothered me, it's much less annoying than typing on a mechanical keyboard ever was.

[jayh]

I thought this was just the character of the pen. I've never worried about it, or found that it was too distracting.

 

Some of my plastic barrelled Jotters are percussive as well.

[Miketsheehan]

If you don't want a rattle, get a fountain pen

[Miketsheehan]

If you don't want a rattle, get a fountain pen

[Miketsheehan]

If you don't want a rattle, get a fountain pen