Stiff Piston

[exsion]

I've recently purchased a 580 and during my first ink fill, I noticed that the piston became difficult to move only when it came in contact with ink. When dry, the piston felt really smooth and easy to manipulate but after filling with ink, it moves in intermittent twists as it has become stiff.

 

I'm currently using Noodler's Blue with it. Is this an issue? Or maybe just a normal function of ink and I'm overthinking it. It would seem strange to need to disassemble and grease it already on the first ink fill. Thank you for any insight.

[View from the Loft]

Did you flush it first to remove any left over oil/other contaminants from the manufacturing process? Either way, I would empty the pen and flush it thoroughly and then refill. If you have previously used the Noodler's Blue in another piston fill pen with good results, give it another try. If not, try a standard ink such as one from the Waterman, Pelikan, or Mont Blanc ranges (other good ink manufacturers exist).

[graystranger]

This is really reaching, but are you operating the piston with the cap on? The cap forms an air seal and the piston will not move. I know, this is really reaching.

 

If it were my pen I would carefully take out the piston and apply a bit of the silicone that TWSBI supplies with the pen. Or use some pure food grade silicone on the piston and some inside the barrel of the pen where the piston moves against. Silicone will not get inside the ink at all, but it will lubricate the piston against the wall of the pen.

 

Here is a very good video showing how to disassemble and reassemble the 580.

 

[Chrissy]

I would also dissemble the pen and lubricate the piston, to see if that makes it work better. Maybe trying a different type of ink would also be worth a try.

[Runnin_Ute]

On the 580 you can take the nib unit out to lubricate it. Don't take the piston out if you don't have to. And in this case you don't have to. Use a toothpick and just a little bit. Say the size of a half of a grain of rice.

[Tseg]

Lubricate it. After only 2 months mine siezed and it was quite an ordeal to dismantle.