Jump to content

Should A 580 Section Tighten?


Margana

Recommended Posts

Received a 580 today and it's my first TWSBI so this is a newbie question. The section does not tighten but spins easily rotating the nib along with it. Is the 580 constructed to be that way? If so, why?

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 42
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Margana

    16

  • Sailor Kenshin

    6

  • TheRealScubaSteve

    6

  • Flounder

    5

Well, I guess their QC still sucks. :(

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is "normal." You can tighten it enough to stop it spinning very freely, but you don't want to crank it down. It does not really spin around while you write. I only noticed this on mine just the other day and I've used several. If you're at all concerned, give them a shout. I've heard nothing but great things about their CS. Phillip's also on FPN.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is "normal." You can tighten it enough to stop it spinning very freely, but you don't want to crank it down. It does not really spin around while you write. I only noticed this on mine just the other day and I've used several. If you're at all concerned, give them a shout. I've heard nothing but great things about their CS. Phillip's also on FPN.

Why doesn't the section tighten at least enough not to move when you pick up the pen? If it's a benefit, then what is the benefit? I haven't filled it so don't know if it affects usage. The pen feels solid enough except for the revolving section. Odd how many reviews I've read without mention of that feature. I guess you never know what something is like until you get your own hands on it.

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why doesn't the section tighten at least enough not to move when you pick up the pen? If it's a benefit, then what is the benefit? I haven't filled it so don't know if it affects usage. The pen feels solid enough except for the revolving section. Odd how many reviews I've read without mention of that feature. I guess you never know what something is like until you get your own hands on it.

 

The plastic piece is not part of the section itself. When you unscrew the section, it can be removed. It's basically a gap filler and I don't know that it was meant to have a benefit except maybe for cleaning. Fill it up and see if you like the pen. I'm sure you will.

Edited by TheRealScubaSteve
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the replies.

 

The entire barrel spins along with the nib and cannot be tightened whatsoever. Again, I don't see how that is a design benefit, but I'm not a pen maker. Perhaps it makes the pen better in some way that eludes me.

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps more 580 owners can chime in (I haven't one, but am loudmouthed enough to comment anyway):

 

It is my understanding that by design there is nothing to stop the 580 *grip* rotating.

 

The OP has said the nib is rotating too. That's not normal. The nib and feed should not rotate once their collar has been screwed in to the barrel.

 

So it does seem possible that something is amiss.

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is the pen. If I hold the section and twist the barrel, it rotates along with the nib. If I hold the barrel, the section will rotate if I twist it. Nothing stops them from moving. It is similar to a threaded screw that goes round and round without stopping.

 

Thanks for your answers. The retailer does not have an easy return policy, so it would be better to keep the pen if it is a properly functioning one.

 

19074166594_02dc2fae36_c.jpg

Edited by Margana

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Margana, to disambiguate - you hold the barrel with one hand, and the section with the other.

What happens?

 

a. The barrel and nib are stationary relative to one another. The section rotates.

 

b. The section and nib are stationary relative to one another. The barrel rotates.

 

 

Scenario a is normal as Twsbi designed the pen.

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well described, Flounder! A is the answer so this pen is normal based on your description.

 

I reexamined the directions that came with the pen. Filling it is simple enough. Applying silicone grease seems straightforward. Removing the nib either for cleaning purposes or replacement isn't quite so clear. Hopefully, I won't ever need to know. :)

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The nib and feed are just friction fit so you can pull them out. Or you can just unscrew whole section from the barrel which contains the nib/feed unit. Then you can shoot water/ink into the barrel with a syringe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well described, Flounder! A is the answer so this pen is normal based on your description.

 

I reexamined the directions that came with the pen. Filling it is simple enough. Applying silicone grease seems straightforward. Removing the nib either for cleaning purposes or replacement isn't quite so clear. Hopefully, I won't ever need to know. :)

 

The Goulet web site has excellent videos about taking care of the TWSBI.

 

This should get you started.

 

I just changed the nib unit on one of mine today. The spin on the new collar is pronounced and somewhat annoying, so I know exactly what you mean.

Edited by Sailor Kenshin

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The nib and feed are just friction fit so you can pull them out. Or you can just unscrew whole section from the barrel which contains the nib/feed unit. Then you can shoot water/ink into the barrel with a syringe.

 

 

If I had a TWSBI (once again, loudmouth caveat as above) I wouldn't do that. The feed collar is the TWSBI's Achille's butt. Screwing it in and out will put some strain on it, but less than tugging out the nib and feed while the collar is screwed into the barrel.

 

If you don't want the section to spin, and don't anticipate removing the nib and feed that often (with normal inks I can't see why you would need to remove the nib and feed for cleaning) I bet a little clear shellac or even light coloured section sealant would stop it shifting around. It wouldn't be super strong, but certainly stand up to rolling the pen in your fingers while you type/think.

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Goulet web site has excellent videos about taking care of the TWSBI.

 

This should get you started.

 

I just changed the nib unit on one of mine today. The spin on the new collar is pronounced and somewhat annoying, so I know exactly what you mean.

Ah, then you understand the situation. So it is a feature and not a bug? I never would have guessed. That spin is very annoying especially for someone who even slightly rotates a pen and it makes the pen feel loose and unstable.

 

Thanks for the help. Since I purchased the 580 to write a review for my blog, I will keep the pen. I have yet to fill it and hope it writes well even if it isn't as solid as I would like.

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah, then you understand the situation. So it is a feature and not a bug? I never would have guessed. That spin is very annoying especially for someone who even slightly rotates a pen and it makes the pen feel loose and unstable.

 

Thanks for the help. Since I purchased the 580 to write a review for my blog, I will keep the pen. I have yet to fill it and hope it writes well even if it isn't as solid as I would like.

You're welcome!

 

I have a 580, and a 540, and have tested a third. I will say they write really well, and hold a lot of ink. But maaaaan...that spin is driving me nuts.

 

The 540 section doesn't spin. Some of those videos show the difference.

 

Today, I got out my teeny collection of o-rings, wondering if one of them would fit well enough between the 'collar' and body that it would stop the spin, but I didn't have the right size. A #7 was too big.

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is a bit cheesy. I have high hopes for the Eco. If, as I suspect they are aiming for, the barrel and section can be reliably cast as one piece, a lot of problems folk are having would be solved at one stroke.

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sailor Kenshin, maybe TWSBI can help you out with the right sized 0-ring though it shouldn't be necessary to make a modification to get good performance from a pen.

 

Flounder, you could be onto something. However, I can't think of a single pen manufacturer that has been granted so much leeway over things that aren't quite perfect. No doubt the quality of their customer support has granted them a higher degree of tolerance than some, but products ought to be right most of the time. Otherwise, buyers will go elsewhere.

 

This is likely to be my last pen purchase this year and it is frustrating to find it so problematic. Solving the spin issue would be a real improvement, but I am unlikely to purchase another TWSBI all things considered. If a pen is uncomfortable to use, it doesn't matter if it writes right. (Appearance ranks last in my book.) A fountain pen should be a joy to use. Anything less is a travesty.

A certified Inkophile

inkophile on tumblr,theinkophile on instagram,inkophile on twitter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33501
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26627
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...