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Do Twsbi Barrels Crack?


pyramus

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Just bought my third TWSBI, a Vac 700, at Wonderpens in Toronto: I love my first two so much that I wanted to try the novel filling mechanism (which is delightful to use btw). A sales clerk at another pen store (which doesn't sell TWSBI) was very dismissive of the brand, saying he'd heard that the barrels crack very easily and you have to be careful not to overtighten them or otherwise stress the various connectors. Has anyone else heard of his happening on a more than normal basis? I've had my Diamond 580 for almost two years and my Eco for about eight months, and no problems at all with either of them: they seem exceptionally sturdy and durable, as far as I can tell.

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There have been several tempest-in-a-teacup threads on the forum re TWSBI pens and cracking. A cursory exploration of the TWSBI subforum should give you enough reading to fill the morning hours.

Écrire c’est tenter de savoir ce qu’on écrirait si on écrivait. – M. Duras

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The short answer is that, yes, TWSBI have had more than their fair share of cracking problems. It's inevitable that plastic pens will develop cracks, but something in their design and/or manufacturing process early on meant that they had a higher incidence than normal. However, they've been working hard to address this, and I think that's turning around - I've had problems with a cracked cap and a cracked nib feeder, and in both cases I experienced exceptional customer service from TWSBI. Everyone has to make their own judgments, but the number of their pens I now own (I think it's up to 9) will tell you I'm well and truly on board the train with this brand...

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yes, they do crack. For me, it was the cap. After only about a week of owning my Diamond 580 AL, the cap thread was compromised:

 

http://i.imgur.com/JfqhdU8.jpg

 

I emailed TWSBI, and they sent a replacement cap free of charge. However, they were quick to blame me for over-tightening. Maybe I was, but I've been tightening various things all my life without problems like this...

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I went a long time between when I bought my 580 and my first issue. I bought the pen in November 2014 and in early September of 2016 a crack in the cap developed. TWSBI replaced it virtually overnight. Fantastic customer service. And it sees a LOT of use. It is virtually a daily carry.

Brad

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind" - Rudyard Kipling
"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try." - Mark Twain

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as has already been said, early models had many cracking problems but customer service and new models have more than made up for the early issues.

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as has already been said, early models had many cracking problems but customer service and new models have more than made up for the early issues.

 

My model is not an early one! It's an AL version. The issues persist, at least in part.

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I have two model 540's, and one ECO. They have been used lightly. (I write with a light touch.) No issues. Christmas 2013 (?), I gave a half dozen 540's as gifts. No complaints. (We were all taught to write with light touch.)

 

One TWSBI Diamond 540 cap is broken into ten pieces, and covered in duct tape. I stepped on it.

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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Yes, they do crack. For me, it was the cap. After only about a week of owning my Diamond 580 AL, the cap thread was compromised:

 

http://i.imgur.com/JfqhdU8.jpg

 

I emailed TWSBI, and they sent a replacement cap free of charge. However, they were quick to blame me for over-tightening. Maybe I was, but I've been tightening various things all my life without problems like this...

 

 

I'm of the same opinion as TWSBI.

 

Fred

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I'm of the same opinion as TWSBI.

 

Fred

 

Fair enough. I still expect some basic level of durability when I buy a product, and for me this product falls below that level.

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this case usually happen with old twsbi batch.. the new twsbi production dont have this kind of problem.. but twsbi have a great costumer service.. they will help you, dont worry :)

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Fair enough. I still expect some basic level of durability when I buy a product, and for me this product falls below that level.

I think the problem is two-fold on the threads. First, their plastic is on the brittle side. Dunno if it is the process, the machining, or the plastic itself. The second is the o-ring. Instead of coming to a firm stop, you can keep twisting, which puts pressure on the threads. So, how far do you twist once the cap comes in contact with the o-ring? Twsbi needs to give a recommendation on that. I'd say no more than an 1/8th of a turn (I do slightly less than that), but that might be dependent on the age of the o-ring (and mine is several years old).

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Too bad they don't make the Micarta anymore! That's my favorite TWSBI and it will never crack...

 

Erick

Using right now:

Visconti Voyager 30 "M" nib running Birmingham Streetcar

Jinhao 9019 "EF" nib running Birmingham Railroad Spike

Stipula Adagio "F" nib running Birmingham Violet Sea Snail

Sailor Profit "B" nib running Van Dieman's Night - Shooting Star

 

 

 

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I think the problem is two-fold on the threads. First, their plastic is on the brittle side. Dunno if it is the process, the machining, or the plastic itself. The second is the o-ring. Instead of coming to a firm stop, you can keep twisting, which puts pressure on the threads. So, how far do you twist once the cap comes in contact with the o-ring? Twsbi needs to give a recommendation on that. I'd say no more than an 1/8th of a turn (I do slightly less than that), but that might be dependent on the age of the o-ring (and mine is several years old).

 

You are absolutely right. I was thinking about this the other day-- there's no firm feedback to know when you should stop twisting. I think a design with a firm stop would solve the problem.

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I'm of the same opinion as TWSBI.

 

Fred

How could you assume that position though? TWSBI's position is clearly an apologetic one. You have no idea how he caps his pens for you to forge an opinion on it. Far too many people had complain about their 580s cracking for me not to take them seriously. I have several Ecos, and that's as far as I would go with TWSBI. Paying 60-70 dollars for a pen that can crack in within days like this is one big no no for me. The TWSBI Eco in the other hand is worth the risk, since it's only 30 bucks.

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How could you assume that position though? TWSBI's position is clearly an apologetic one. You have no idea how he caps his pens for you to forge an opinion on it. Far too many people had complain about their 580s cracking for me not to take them seriously. I have several Ecos, and that's as far as I would go with TWSBI. Paying 60-70 dollars for a pen that can crack in within days like this is one big no no for me. The TWSBI Eco in the other hand is worth the risk, since it's only 30 bucks.

 

As Kataphract has said, the issue is a design flaw that allows the user to overtighten the cap. On the one hand, it's my fault for overtightening, but then, I was only doing what I thought was proper. I was not being unreasonable. Perhaps this is a design flaw due to TWSBI being new on the block. I suppose it's these kinds of kinks that earn them a poor reputation when it comes to durability.

 

Additionally, I have found the back of my blind cap scratched on the inside by the back of the piston. There are real problems with the design/construction of these pens and, as you say, they should not be ignored. However, given the price and their willingness to replace my cap, I'm relatively happy with them as a brand. The nibs write well, and if you remain aware of the fragility of the pens and treat them carefully, then they make good companions. It's just a shame that they aren't as sturdy as the pens from more established brands.

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and if you remain aware of the fragility of the pens and treat them carefully, then they make good companions. It's just a shame that they aren't as sturdy as the pens from more established brands.

 

That's were you lost me. You were going well, till that part. I can't imagine a better reason to avoid this pen than that bit of your statement. I like Ecos, a lot. I'm yet to see anyone complaining about them cracking. 580s are in my blacklist, pretty much for the reason you summarized in that statement.

Edited by anferpenman
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