Nib Slit Misalignment And Scratchy Writing

[rodja]

Hi,

I recently purchased a TWSBI 580AL EF.

I noticed that the nib slit is misaligned with the breather hole. In general, one tine seems wider that the other. Aside from this "cosmetic" issue, the pen writes smoothly horizontal lines but it's scratchy during vertical strokes. The ink laid down is not super consistent.

I am trying to get get a loupe to see how's the tine alignment.

Should I ask for a new nib unit?

 

 

 

Edited November 9, 2015 by rodja

[sirgilbert357]

I would ask for a new nib. You can fix the scratchy feeling, but ink flow may never be right (sure you could twist the nib on the feed to line the grooves up, but I'd just get a new nib).

[rodja]

FYI, I contacted TWSBI support and they said that it's totally fine if the nib slit is misaligned with the breather hole.

and I should live with the scratchiness as well.

No replacement unit. Don't know what to think.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

I would be surprised for them to tell you to live with a scratchy nib. Contact Phillip of TWSBI here on FPN: speedy.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/245168-twsbi-in-case-you-have-problem-with-your-twsbi-pen/

[brandonweng0426]

The misalignment can be fixed by pulling out the nib/feed directly, line them up and put them back. You might can fix the flow problem by cleaning the feed slit when you adjust the misalignment.

Edited November 11, 2015 by brandonweng0426

[cesterscartoons]

Hey there,

even though that topic is a bit older I wanted to give you some input on my conversation with TWSBI about this issue.

I had some issues too. Mine would simply run dry after some time because it was so off center. I had that issue both on a TWSBI 580 and a Vac700R. So, I contacted TWSBI about it. They did at first not believe that the pen would not write properly because of a misaligned nib slit. But it did. I was not able to align the nib and feed properly as it would slide back into a center position due to natural writing motion causing the nib and feed slit to be misaligned again.

TWSBI sent me new nibs and feeds regardless “as an act of customer service”.

But that is not the only issue. TWSBI nibs are made by the German Company JoWo which produces tons of nibs every day and so not paying an awful lot of attention to QC. With that in mind their nibs bear several issues. Some nibs even combine all of those:

1. The misaligned nib slit
2. Baby’s Bottoms
3. Uneven tipping materials
4. Tine Alignment issues

I had a Vac700 nib which combined all those issues and that’s not funny or something to say, like TWSBI did, “This is just how they make their nibs”. One should rather say: “That is not how you make a nib”.

So, my Vac700 nib had a misaligned nib slit, uneven tipping, a baby’s bottom and an inverted Grand Canyon on top.

To be quite frankly, I had to fiddle with all my TWSBI pens to make them work properly as I liked them to. I own three of their pens. A TWSBI 580 AL turquoise, a 580 clear and a Vac700R. All having a broad nib and all performing differently with no exception. No nib was even close to at least being similar in the way they were produced. All had at least one or more issues of the ones mentioned above which is kind of a no go.