Carène = adjustable pen?

[olifant]

First of all - hello everybody (as this is just my second post )

 

When I first opened the package with my Carène I noticed, that the barrel button and the nib are not aligned. It bothered me for a very short time (I couldn't believe, that it had been designed like that) but after a while I just didn't pay attention to it. However, during usage of the pen, I noticed that sometimes, when I assembled the pen back together the nib and the button were not askew anymore! So I took a closer look:

 

This is how the pen looks like without the barrel - nothing unusual, I guess But I found out that the thread holding the barrel is not an integral part of the nib section. It's held up in place by the ring visible on photo (marked with red arrow):

 

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9743/56755253.jpg

 

When you unscrew the ring you can take the thread off the nib section and it will look like this:

 

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/6061/90672500.jpg

 

So here is the tip I mentioned in the beginning - by slightly unscrewing the ring you can actually adjust the barrel orientation. Here is an example - in this photo, the ring was screwed on the nib section as tightly as possible - and as you can see - the button and the nib are approx. 20-30 degrees askew.

 

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/6282/89386980.jpg

 

And by rotating the ring counter-clockwise you can come to a 'setup' like this - the button and the nib are aligned perfectly (at least they look so to me ):

 

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8917/33137963.jpg

 

Before taking this photo I rotated the ring counter-clockwise very slightly...probably just 1/5th of a turn...or even less - it doesn't affect the security/quality of the section-to-barrel connection at all. At least I haven't noticed any drawbacks of this 'alteration' (after about a week of usage).

 

I hope that some of you will find this tip helpful - especially those, whose buttons are askew

[Opus104]

Brilliant!!! Thanks.

[Frits B]

Found this out myself some 10 years ago after a hint by a pen salesman. It's strange that Waterman doesn't tell about this trick more openly. It's not as if you could damage the pen by aligning both ends.

[olifant]

Yeah, that's strange They could also manufacture them so that they would be aligned straight off. Well, at least it's easy to carry out.

[david6]

Thanks for the tip. I have several Carene's with this problem so now I know how to fix it

 

David

[Townsend]

Thanks: this is great. I have 3 Carenes and not one of them is aligned!

[jigesh]

Some more discussion is here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...63231&st=30, with picture: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...st&p=654577

 

 

Edited May 3, 2009 by jigesh

[Ondina]

Bravo, this is a brilliant way to illustrate it. Thank you.

[olifant]

jigesh: thanks for notifying Haven't found that thread...sorry for doubling

 

EDIT: however as far as I'm concerned this is *slightly* different method. In this other discussion people came to the point of turning over the thread. I tried it now and it works as well as 'my' method, but now the barrel screws on with considerably more resistance - not as smoothly as before. So I'll stick to solution proposed in this topic. However I think, that 'my' method has one flaw - the loosened ring may have the tendency to unscrew with time...

Edited May 3, 2009 by olifant

[jigesh]

jigesh: thanks for notifying Haven't found that thread...sorry for doubling

 

EDIT: however as far as I'm concerned this is *slightly* different method. In this other discussion people came to the point of turning over the thread. I tried it now and it works as well as 'my' method, but now the barrel screws on with considerably more resistance - not as smoothly as before. So I'll stick to solution proposed in this topic. However I think, that 'my' method has one flaw - the loosened ring may have the tendency to unscrew with time...

 

No, I didn't mean to imply about doubling. In fact, it's OK (in my view; I am not a moderator) to re-visit or re-post important issues like this - so many here own Carene. Besides, as you mentioned, your tweak is a bit different, and your pictures are excellent and illustrative. That link would bring up different discussion on trouble-shooting.

[david6]

jigesh: thanks for notifying Haven't found that thread...sorry for doubling

 

EDIT: however as far as I'm concerned this is *slightly* different method. In this other discussion people came to the point of turning over the thread. I tried it now and it works as well as 'my' method, but now the barrel screws on with considerably more resistance - not as smoothly as before. So I'll stick to solution proposed in this topic. However I think, that 'my' method has one flaw - the loosened ring may have the tendency to unscrew with time...

 

No, I didn't mean to imply about doubling. In fact, it's OK (in my view; I am not a moderator) to re-visit or re-post important issues like this - so many here own Carene. Besides, as you mentioned, your tweak is a bit different, and your pictures are excellent and illustrative. That link would bring up different discussion on trouble-shooting.

 

I think your method is a bit clearer to understand though I cheated and looked at both methods My Green Shimmer Carene is perfectly aligned now

 

Thank you

 

David

[rpen]

jigesh: thanks for notifying Haven't found that thread...sorry for doubling

 

EDIT: however as far as I'm concerned this is *slightly* different method. In this other discussion people came to the point of turning over the thread. I tried it now and it works as well as 'my' method, but now the barrel screws on with considerably more resistance - not as smoothly as before. So I'll stick to solution proposed in this topic. However I think, that 'my' method has one flaw - the loosened ring may have the tendency to unscrew with time...

 

Thanks for your comment. As many I have the same rather annoying problem with my Carene but in my case your methods does not allow me to rotate the inner ring enough to get it aligned because of the small notch inside of the inner ring. By turning over the ring I can get it with the problem that you mentioned. Now it does not scew as smmothly as before. I am wondering if this could damage the pen.

 

Any comment?

 

Thanks

Edited May 4, 2009 by rpen

[olifant]

If you want to try the method I mentioned you should not turn the inner ring over - it should be in this position in which you can't rotate it (because of the notch blocking). Instead, you should rotate the ring marked with red arrow in the first photo. I hope that I understood you And that you can clearly understand my answer

[rpen]

Thansk olifant:

 

I understand you. I tried but if the inner ring is fixed due to the notch blocking, the outer ring does do anyting because the screw that fix the barrel is the inner ring. The outer ring reaches the limit and the pen remains the same.

 

thanks

[PAKMAN]

Great solution. I just can't get the outer ring to break loose. Mine is pretty close so I usually just don't screw the body on real tight and get them to align. The o-rings keep the body from moving or coming loose.

[paulrbarnard]

This is the right way to adjust it and an excellent explanation and pictures!

 

The entire point of the second rubber o-ring is to permit this adjustment. This o-ring lets you tighten or loosen the outer ring to change the 'locking' point of the thread while preventing the threaded portion from being loose on the barrel. It is possible to accidently turn the outer ring when fitting a cartridge or the converter and that is probably the main cause of the button and nib being out of line. I did this to mine on the day I got it. I checked it in the store and it was nicely aligned. When I got it home and filled it with ink it was then out of alignment. I discovered this adjustment mechanism by accident while trying to see why the alignment had changed.

[rpen]

Ok, Here it is! The method described here which does not entail the turning over of the inner ring, can only be applied if the misalignment is no more that 30-40 degrees. In this case by slightly unscrewing (counter clock-wise) the outer ring you can obtain a perfect alignment. However in some cases, like mine, the misslignment is more than 100 degrees. In such a case the outer ring needs to be unscrewed too much and it will be losen. The only method valid here is turning over the inner ring in order to avoid the notch clamping. The barrel screwing in this case is a little bit less soft.

 

Another helpfull comment. I have contacted Waterman repair service and they offer free reparation of the pen if you keep the proof of purchase, since the Carene has lifetime warranty. I thing that they may know about this annoying issue in a pen rather expensive in which you do not expect this kind of incovenience. In another words, if you do not want to bother yourself trying to fix the pen just contact Waterman and they will do it for you.

[marcelo]

Loved that!

 

I’m waiting for a friend who is in the US - and to whom I got my Carene delivered - coming back to Brazil. It was so nice to read this post of yours because it made me even more anxious about getting it now that I know how to align the button and nib – IMO there is a very high probability of them reaching my hands unaligned...

 

Also, thanks for such didactic guidelines!

 

Best regards!

Marcelo

[Townsend]

All 3 of mine are now aligned: great method - thanks!

[AndreaDuni]

Great! Thank you for the tips!! I have not my Carene here, but next month I will try this solution!