Vanishing Point Nib Scraping On The Trapdoor?

[Ron Z]

i think the design for the tipping to scrap on the trap door might have been intentional, since that action keeps tines aligned properly over time.

[mmg122]

Ron...my reaction exactly!

[naimitsu]

I just took a flashlight to my VP and noticed for the first time that the nib does scape along the hatch. However... and I'm going to go into annoying engineer mode here...

 

The tipping material has a higher hardess level than the trap door, unless the edge of the trap door is also irridium tipped (which I doubt... so we'll go on with that assumption). When two dissimilar materials interact with the addition of friction or pressure, the softer material will lose every time. It is highly unlikely for most people to notice this "fight" as the harder material will show little to no wear, unless microwelds occur, then you will notice excess material on the harder material as it retains its hold on the softer material.

 

Also, when you click the mechanism slower, you are forcing the mechanism to overpower a greater friction force because you are allowing more time for the material of the moving object to settle on the surface of the stationary object, which then produces a more noticable "scraping" feel to the system. This is the difference between static and dynamic force. It will always take more energy to propel an object from stationary than it is to continue the object's propulsion (i.e. steady state speed) because at stationary, you need to overcome not only the mass of the object, but also the frction of two contacting surfaces. When in motion, the friction of the contactin surfaces become negligible (unless it's really really sticky/frictiony, then that just sucks, almost quite literally!).

 

When you click quickly, you overcome the inital inertia of the system and the momentum continues to its physical end (i.e. when you've come to a mechanical stop). The "scrape" is either non-existant or so minor that you don't notice it.

 

Also, you're probably also noticing the catch of the trapdoor hitting the joint between the tipping material and the nib matieral, which creates a ramped shelf, but it is an edge nonetheless.

 

And the gist of all of that is click fast and don't worry about the nib.

Chances are, you're wearing it down more by writing than just clicking... unless you're a really light writer and your nib is a heavy flower, then the clicking mechanism probably is wearing it down more.