Easy To Disassemble Pens?

[kronos77]

I would like to know what fountain pens are easy to pull apart. I have a Pilot 78g and the nib twists right off. I wish they were all like that. And why aren't they all like that?

[OldGriz]

First, WHY do you feel the need to take the nibs off your pens.....

Pens ARE NOT designed to be disassembled by the people who purchase them... that is why companies have repair departments...

I don't say that pens should not be easy to work on, but the designers do not take into account the fact that the ultimate buyer is going to take it apart for whatever reason.

[kronos77]

First, WHY do you feel the need to take the nibs off your pens.....

Pens ARE NOT designed to be disassembled by the people who purchase them... that is why companies have repair departments...

I don't say that pens should not be easy to work on, but the designers do not take into account the fact that the ultimate buyer is going to take it apart for whatever reason.

 

I like to--and need to--tweak the nib quite often. Not always just aligning the tines either. Adjusting the spacing between the tines, resetting the nib on the feed and sometimes, yes, hacking into the feed are things I have done.

 

If most people won't be doing these things, I understand. They won't do them regardless of how east it is to disassemble. But it makes my life easier.

 

I can't see sending a pen back to the factory. It just isn't that type of item to me.

[OldGriz]

First, WHY do you feel the need to take the nibs off your pens.....

Pens ARE NOT designed to be disassembled by the people who purchase them... that is why companies have repair departments...

I don't say that pens should not be easy to work on, but the designers do not take into account the fact that the ultimate buyer is going to take it apart for whatever reason.

 

I like to--and need to--tweak the nib quite often. Not always just aligning the tines either. Adjusting the spacing between the tines, resetting the nib on the feed and sometimes, yes, hacking into the feed are things I have done.

 

If most people won't be doing these things, I understand. They won't do them regardless of how east it is to disassemble. But it makes my life easier.

 

I can't see sending a pen back to the factory. It just isn't that type of item to me.

 

so basically you like to screw around with the nibs and feeds despite the fact that they may be perfect from the factory...

Have you considered that what you are considering faults in the nibs and feed are not actually the pen's faults....

Playing with nibs just because you like to is not good for pens and will generally over time make them worse writers instead of better ....

Hacking into the feeds is something that even profession nibmeisters rarely, if ever, do.... so why do you see the reason to do so.

[olivier78860]

The Waterman Lauréat is a relatively cheap pen (you can find NOS for circa 30€), and it's very easy to disassemble the nib and the feed. Happy frankenpening

[jar]

First, WHY do you feel the need to take the nibs off your pens.....

Pens ARE NOT designed to be disassembled by the people who purchase them... that is why companies have repair departments...

I don't say that pens should not be easy to work on, but the designers do not take into account the fact that the ultimate buyer is going to take it apart for whatever reason.

 

I like to--and need to--tweak the nib quite often. Not always just aligning the tines either. Adjusting the spacing between the tines, resetting the nib on the feed and sometimes, yes, hacking into the feed are things I have done.

 

If most people won't be doing these things, I understand. They won't do them regardless of how east it is to disassemble. But it makes my life easier.

 

I can't see sending a pen back to the factory. It just isn't that type of item to me.

 

so basically you like to screw around with the nibs and feeds despite the fact that they may be perfect from the factory...

Have you considered that what you are considering faults in the nibs and feed are not actually the pen's faults....

Playing with nibs just because you like to is not good for pens and will generally over time make them worse writers instead of better ....

Hacking into the feeds is something that even profession nibmeisters rarely, if ever, do.... so why do you see the reason to do so.

 

I take it back. There are some folk I would never lend any of my pens.

[Chevalier]

Hey, let him play with his pens, as long as they aren't hard to find and sought after badly. That's one of the ways future pen repair guys are made :roflmho:.

 

The Vision line Online pens have a feed that's easily screwed out of the section, but the nib is another story. I think those feeds/nibs are meant to be replaced as a unit.

[Flounder]

I find absolutely nothing wrong with the OP's question. The Parker 45 and Frontier pens have nibs & feeds that unscrew. The Platinum Preppy's nib pulls straight out. The Hero 616's hood is sealed with grease, and can be easily disassembled/realigned.

 

I've only taken them apart for cleaning or realigning, but big freaking deal if a hobbyist likes to personalise his nibs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[burmeseboyz]

The TWSBI is pretty easy to disassemble. Most vintage pens have feeds and nibs that you can knock out pretty easily for cleaning and nib alignment. I think part of making the pen less end user serviceable is so that customers rely on professional services more. Unless you have the tools and the expertise, you'll be more likely to break the pen and so lead to buying more pens. I can hear the cackle of evil pen executives right now.

[lamder]

The TWSBI is pretty easy to disassemble.

 

And Noodler's pens too. Some companies do design their pens so they can be easily taken apart.

 

Also, (OP probably already knows this): feeds/nibs of several other Pilot models (Prera, Knight, Penmanship, Plumix, 78G) are similarly pressure-fitted and interchangeable with one another.

Edited August 17, 2011 by lamder

[ExcaliburZ]

Twsbi 540 is fully disassemble.

[Trevisa]

I found that the nib and feed of my parker sonnet unscrew. I hadn't intended to unscrew it (it came apart whilst I was taking the converter out) and fortunately it went back together again and the pen works fine. However I do think its interesting to take things apart; you get to see all the components and how they fit together making the object work.

[Nonsensical]

Let me see...Most of my C/C pens can be completely disassembled. I have disassembled most of my pens, at one stage or another- mainly to clean them, though, or adjust something small.

 

Here are a couple that are easily disassembled:

 

TWSBI 530/540

Most Pilot C/C pens

Most Sailor C/C pens

Noodler's pens

Parker 51

[andybiotic]

modern pens may be harder to disassemble, they may require special tools a bit more sophisticated than a knockout block... most of the times though, nib alignments can be fixed without taking the nib out. Vintage ones on the other hand are fun to disassemble and fix. You will eventually break something but that's all part of the learning curve.

[tonybelding]

I really really like pens that I can totally disassemble. It gives me confidence that I can resolve any problems that develop with it, and I can also swap nibs between them.

 

This is actually one reason why my interest in modern pens has been renewed. Most vintage pens can't be disassembled without special tools, application of heat, and a certain amount of experience or luck, or both. (Although some are easier than others. Re: Esterbrook J)

 

Also, my new favorite ink in the whole world right now (Noodler's Texas Blue Bonnet) is rather high-maintenance, and I'd be just a bit wary of using it extensively in a pen I can't fully disassemble for cleaning.

 

So, my suggestions. . .

 

TWSBI: It comes with a disassembly tool, instruction sheet, and tiny vial of lubricant. It's complicated enough that you can mess one up if you're careless, though. Which I have done. It's still a big improvement compared with most piston-fillers, though.

 

Bexley and Edison: If a converter is bad, you can easily replace it. If a nib module is bad, you can easily replace it. They can also be completely stripped down to bare nib and feed without tools, nibs swapped, and even the caps come apart just as easily so you can fix a bent clip. And unlike the TWSBI, the way they go together is too simple-minded to easily mess them up.

[rochester21]

I see nobody even mentioned parker 45, my favorite pen due to the fact that a 10 year old child can completely and effortlessly take it apart. And that`s great, all good fountain pens should be like that.

And by the way, i have a parker 51 and a waterman laureat, and although i managed to remove the nib on the waterman by simply pulling it, these are not Easy to disassemble pens. And i should say that the reason i personally like the idea of a easy to dismantle pen is that this way it`s a lot easier to clean them.

I have pens like Sheaffer Imperial IV and Waterman Carene that don`t work the way they should, even though i tried cleaning them by flushing water into them. And i don`t have any repair shops in my country.

When i bought my second parker 45- a used one, i took it apart and found that inside it had ink that transformed into a paste which had the consistency of glue- if it weren`t for that unscrewable nib unit(and feed), it would have taken me hours to clean that mess.

That`s why it is important to be able to disassemble the pen, it gives you confidence, like tonybelding said. And i trust my 45 more than i trust all my other pens put together !

Edited July 11, 2012 by rochester21

[professionaldilettante]

First, WHY do you feel the need to take the nibs off your pens.....

Pens ARE NOT designed to be disassembled by the people who purchase them... that is why companies have repair departments...

I don't say that pens should not be easy to work on, but the designers do not take into account the fact that the ultimate buyer is going to take it apart for whatever reason.

 

I like to--and need to--tweak the nib quite often. Not always just aligning the tines either. Adjusting the spacing between the tines, resetting the nib on the feed and sometimes, yes, hacking into the feed are things I have done.

 

If most people won't be doing these things, I understand. They won't do them regardless of how east it is to disassemble. But it makes my life easier.

 

I can't see sending a pen back to the factory. It just isn't that type of item to me.

Sounds like someone needs to be a lot less harsh on their pens. I have had, on occasions, needed a pen tweaked, but after that, it's fine, no matter what ink I put in it. Tweaking a nib, isn't a task that should be done routinely like one would flush a pen or grease a piston. Many parts are friction fit, and as a result have the potential of wearing out.

[professionaldilettante]

First, WHY do you feel the need to take the nibs off your pens.....

Pens ARE NOT designed to be disassembled by the people who purchase them... that is why companies have repair departments...

I don't say that pens should not be easy to work on, but the designers do not take into account the fact that the ultimate buyer is going to take it apart for whatever reason.

 

I like to--and need to--tweak the nib quite often. Not always just aligning the tines either. Adjusting the spacing between the tines, resetting the nib on the feed and sometimes, yes, hacking into the feed are things I have done.

 

If most people won't be doing these things, I understand. They won't do them regardless of how east it is to disassemble. But it makes my life easier.

 

I can't see sending a pen back to the factory. It just isn't that type of item to me.

 

so basically you like to screw around with the nibs and feeds despite the fact that they may be perfect from the factory...

Have you considered that what you are considering faults in the nibs and feed are not actually the pen's faults....

Playing with nibs just because you like to is not good for pens and will generally over time make them worse writers instead of better ....

Hacking into the feeds is something that even profession nibmeisters rarely, if ever, do.... so why do you see the reason to do so.

 

I take it back. There are some folk I would never lend any of my pens.

Forget lend... There are some people I wouldn't buy a used pen from. No such thing as PenFax, who knows what's been done to a pen..?

[pajaro]

First, WHY do you feel the need to take the nibs off your pens.....

Pens ARE NOT designed to be disassembled by the people who purchase them... that is why companies have repair departments...

I don't say that pens should not be easy to work on, but the designers do not take into account the fact that the ultimate buyer is going to take it apart for whatever reason.

 

I like to--and need to--tweak the nib quite often. Not always just aligning the tines either. Adjusting the spacing between the tines, resetting the nib on the feed and sometimes, yes, hacking into the feed are things I have done.

 

If most people won't be doing these things, I understand. They won't do them regardless of how east it is to disassemble. But it makes my life easier.

 

I can't see sending a pen back to the factory. It just isn't that type of item to me.

Sounds like someone needs to be a lot less harsh on their pens. I have had, on occasions, needed a pen tweaked, but after that, it's fine, no matter what ink I put in it. Tweaking a nib, isn't a task that should be done routinely like one would flush a pen or grease a piston. Many parts are friction fit, and as a result have the potential of wearing out.

Your last sentence has much to recommend it. Because the fit can become loose with repeated disassembly, because threadings can wear or become cross-threaded are good reasons not to take a pen apart for a cleaning or a fun exploration. There are effective cleaners that can be used on a pen without disassembly. I have taken a pen apart to replace a nib somebody ground the tipping off of, or to put a piston back together after buying a pen that was in pieces, but I don't like to go into the innards unnecessarily.

 

That's me. For the rest of you, the pens are yours, and if you are curious, have at it. It's your pen, enjoy it however you wish. I like Parker 51s because I have always enjoyed unscrewing the section and playing with the squeeze filler. Savage amusement. The vacs are fun too, I like to mindlessly push the plunger, on the ones that have bad sacs. No sense putting unnecessary wear and tear on the ones that are still good. Enjoy and don't get any ink on you!

[pienaar]

There are many pens that are not meant to be worked on. I am one that thinks one should know how to work on their own stuff. (not just pens) If you are that type of person I would point you to the Noodlers Ahab. This pen was designed with owner repair in mind. The price is also right. I say get one and learn your way around it. Just dont do your trials on vintage pens.