Twsbi 580 Cap Issue

January 1, 2014

So I just came back from a road trip, opened my pen case, and saw ink in the cap. I immediately tried rinsing it out, but the ink is stuck. It's not even inside the cap directly, it's in between the inside cap, and outer wall. Please help, I don't know whether it's a manufacturing defect or something I can fix. Will take more photos if requested.

Edited January 1, 2014 by Ezio Auditore

January 1, 2014

Yes, that does look strange. Send the images to TWSBI and ask them directly.

Be sure to post your results for future TWSBI "penners".

January 2, 2014

I got back an email from TWSBI. Philip, the gentleman who responded, was very quick and concise. After reassuring me it wasn't a manufacturing defect, he gave me a simple set of instructions. These instructions will be the same for the newer color versions of the 580, so here you go present and future TWSBI penners.

1. Take a wooden pencil (I used a standard #2) and insert the eraser into the cap.

2. Bend the cap in one direction, while putting pressure on the eraser in the opposite direction

3. Slowly use the friction created by the eraser to pull out the inner cap, clearing the ink

4. Wash the ink out (I used a water and dish soap mixture to thoroughly clean out both the inner and main caps, but plain water is also fine)

5. Re-insert the inner cap, and screw the pen back in, and it will friction-fit it back into it's original position.

Philip also said that you want to make sure that ink is not leaking from the nib. I tested my pen by just shaking it nib-face down towards a paper towel. If it still is leaking contact TWSBI, if not you're good to go.

Cheers, and Happy New Year.

January 3, 2014

Thank You for your posting!

January 5, 2014

Thank you for posting! I have a 580 that I use daily, and I travel with it often. I am glad that the fix was fairly simple.

January 12, 2014

Another way to remove the inner cap on TWSBI:s 540/580 and Vac 700:

Take a little sheet of Dycem® (a non slip plastic) and roll it so it fits - with "small margin" -in the inner cap.

Now place the sheet so it goes to the bottom/top of the inner cap.

Then rotate the sheet so it "opens"and "glues" to the inner cap and then pull out.

I found this to be an effective, and easy, way to remove the inner cap of the TWSBI:s.

Furthermore, there is no risk to make scratches to the inner cap when you use this method.

I purchased Dycem® from Amazon UK

Dycem® has been my most used "tool" since many years when dismantling pens.

January 15, 2014

Thanks for this thread... I recently bought a 580 used for a steep discount due to this exact issue.

Took me about two minutes to remove the inner cap and clean it out.

My 580 now looks just about perfect and was well under half price.

January 27, 2014

My thanks as well! I didn't get the non slip plastic, but a little sheet of rubber made for the same purpose, and it worked so well, that at the first moment, I thought I had only pulled out the rubber, but not the inner cap.

November 29, 2014

I got back an email from TWSBI. Philip, the gentleman who responded, was very quick and concise. After reassuring me it wasn't a manufacturing defect, he gave me a simple set of instructions. These instructions will be the same for the newer color versions of the 580, so here you go present and future TWSBI penners.

1. Take a wooden pencil (I used a standard #2) and insert the eraser into the cap.
2. Bend the cap in one direction, while putting pressure on the eraser in the opposite direction
3. Slowly use the friction created by the eraser to pull out the inner cap, clearing the ink
4. Wash the ink out (I used a water and dish soap mixture to thoroughly clean out both the inner and main caps, but plain water is also fine)
5. Re-insert the inner cap, and screw the pen back in, and it will friction-fit it back into it's original position.

Philip also said that you want to make sure that ink is not leaking from the nib. I tested my pen by just shaking it nib-face down towards a paper towel. If it still is leaking contact TWSBI, if not you're good to go.

Cheers, and Happy New Year.

Thank you so much Ezio. It definitely solved the same problem, inked in flight --> residue in walls between inner and outer cap

November 29, 2014

Thanks for posting this. I had the same issue a while ago and rinsing out the cap left it looking grubby and with water residue in between the layers. Going to use this tip to finally clean it out.

Thanks again.

January 17, 2016

Thank you very much for posting the solution.

January 10

Hi guys, I see this thread has been dead for nearly a decade, but I have encountered the same problem. However the fix doesn't seem so easy for me...

I tried the method of shoving in a pencil with an eraser and trying to extract the inner lid using friction. It's not budging. I'm a big guy with strong hands and don't want to overdo the pressure in case I break the thing. Is the method described in this thread still the standard way of taking in the inner lid out? My pen is quite new- please tell me it's not glued together now 😅 Thank you kindly, in advance.

January 10

This person wrapped a rubber band around the pencil or pen.

January 11

Thank you for that. I'll give it a try later and report back

January 11

I successfully used a variety of that approach, wrapping a very wide rubber band tightly around a particularly skinny pencil. It worked like magic- popped out with almost no force, as the rubber gripped much better than my little pencil erasers could. Thanks @Doc Dan, and also thanks to the original contributors.