Sending A New Pen In For "work" (nib Replacement/adjustment/flow Issues...etc) Yeah Or Nay?

[Mathew J]

So in browsing some old topics on a Pelikan 605 and someone had issues with the nib, the retailer offered a refund or suggested the person send it to chartpak

 

The poster mentioned they have issues with sending "new" products in for service.....

 

Speaking from my own experience I also had a Pel 605 with a bad nib and the body had some flaws and sent it back to the retailer who gave me another 605 but had swapped the nibs from another pel box said F nib and I got an EF nib, also had this happen with a Namiki VP where the pen shipped with a F and I had wanted a M and the store just swapped them with one from stock. I purchased an Aurora which shipped straight from the distributor with a damaged nib, they offered to replace the nib but I retured to to the retailer for free instaed and never got a new pen(that is another horrible story as I should have sent it in for repair)

 

And most recently I purchased a nice lighter which leaks and might repair warranty work if the retailer doesn't offer a replacement

 

My question is what are the thoughts of others on having to send new pens or whatever that aren't performing or are "defective" to the manufacturer for repair, do you have an issue with this? would you prefer just trying to get another from the dealer and taking a gamble that it will be better? or do you have no problem with getting something fixed?

 

any opinions on this appreciated.

 

Thanks

[DKbRS]

In general, I think that the company from whom the item was purchased should take the item back and do what is necessary to replace it (not repair it).

 

However, having said that, I recently bought a Pelikan from an authorized dealer and the nib had a problem (seems common doesn't it?). They would have had to send the nib to Chartpak and then get the replacement back and then send it to me, so they asked whether I would just send it to Chartpak - which I thought was logical. And it turned out well, in this case because communication was good and everyone was on the same page.

[bassopotamus]

It seems to me that, as a fountain pen has pretty much one purpose, it should be able to write well out of the box. It seems to me that the manufacturer should bear the cost and responsibility of making the thing work if it doesn't (and it should just work. We're not talking nuclear physics here)

[Mathew J]

interesting replies...

 

So I wonder how many of these shop owners do just that, discover something isn't right only to have it corrected by Chartpak or whomever and then shipped back to them for sale again....

 

I know in the auto industry this is rather common with cars comming over that are damaged, have them fixed and sell as new.

 

never thought of the financial issue with shipping to repair, always figured it was wash if you had to ship back to the seller or to the repair center.

[LisaN]

Hmmm. I bought my pelikan in a local (hoity toity) office supply store, and was able to dip all the pens. I bought the one (in my price range) that felt like butter. So no nib issue there. If it had shown a piston issue when I filled it, I would have returned it to the store and let them deal with it. So far it is the best little piece of pocket candy!

[eric47]

At the end of the day, a pen needs to write and work properly. So if there are problems, I want the repaired, fixed, adjusted with the least amount of hassle and/or cost. Since this is about new pens, presumably from authorized dealers, then I usually buy those locally. So any major issue with the nib I'm going to find out right away; I either get another to try or in some stores they adjust nib on the spot. In some cases, I know what the problem is -- increased flow needed -- so I just wait until I get home to fix it myself.

 

If there are problems say with the piston seal, which has happened on new pens, then I usually take or send it back and let the store deal with it. One of my "local" stores is an hour away, so I often send those by mail to avoid the hassle -- it's a wash with gas + parking; they also repair pens so I get the repaired pens back usually in less than a week. Some of the other shops can't repair that kind of problem, so I let them bear the cost of sending it to the manufacturer or distributor for repair.

 

Usually I want that very pen fixed, rather than getting a replacement. Patterned celluloid pens aren't the same, so if I like the pen it needs to come back and not replacement. If it's really the same, then I have no problem receiving a replacement.

 

I've bought new pens and nibs online and so without testing beforehand. When things weren't right, in some cases I sent them back to manufacturer for adjustment and nib swap. In one case it was cheaper for me to send directly to the manufacturer for nib swap rather than sending it back to the seller; in another case shipping would have been the same, but I had some pens that needed servicing anyway so the new nib went along for the ride for adjustment (or swap if they could reduce the flow sufficiently, but they did).

Edited July 23, 2010 by eric47

[JRodriguez]

Back in the day it was possible for a good portion of pen buyers to purchase a pen from a shop in person and have minor adjustments done at the time of purchase to ensure that it would write right. That's uncommon now - and those producing pens know as much. The generous person in me wants to emphasize that a company like Pelikan is moving a very large volume of pens. But as Bassopatomas pointed out, a pen really has one function, and it seems to me that, especially given how much many a pen costs today, it isn't asking too much for it to do that function out of the box. All of which is to say that I look at this issue as a disappointing hassle, and reason to buy from a dealer who can check the pen and make adjustments prior to its reaching the consumer.

[Wolverine1]

I agree fully with JRodriguez. A pen is supposed to write, and write well. We pay a pretty good sum of money for these new pens, and it is not kosher to have to spend more time and money getting them fixed.

I therefore buy modern pens from a couple of vendors only- from the reputable nib-meisters only. Then I am guaranteed that they will check out the pen, do the necessary adjustments etc, and I get a pen that writes perfectly right out of the box.

[framebaer]

In my job, I tune many Pelikan nibs every week. I would say only about 40% of them have no nib issues right out of the box!

Edited July 23, 2010 by framebaer

[jde]

At the end of the day, a pen needs to write and work properly. So if there are problems, I want the repaired, fixed, adjusted with the least amount of hassle and/or cost.

 

Yeah, what he said!

 

Edited to add: I recently tested someone's new VP and was very impressed with the nib. I asked him where he bought it and was expecting to hear it was from one of the reputable nib tuners... no, it was from a reputable discount vendor. Go figure.

Edited July 23, 2010 by jde

[JRodriguez]

In my job, I tune many Pelikan nibs every week. I would say only about 40% of them have no nib issues right out of the box!

Wow! I had no idea the need for adjustments to new Pelikan needs was that endemic.

[Glaurung]

I bought a MB Starwalker in one of MB boutiques and it was a horrible performer out of the box. It would not start, it was skipping, it was way worse than a dollar pen from a thrift store. Pretty disappointing experience for an expensive pen. When I complained, they said they would send it back to Germany for whatever service was needed, there was no discussion about in-situ replacement or refund. It took them a few weeks but the pen is now a superb performer. My conclusion is that if you accept an item for item replacement, you risk another dud as even the expensive brands seem to be lacking proper QA these days. When they have to go through an ordeal of dealing with a peeved customer, shipping, tracking, inspecting and adjusting the pen, I would guess they would pay extra attention to get it right this time.

[OcalaFlGuy]

The only pen I've purchase new from a retailer was a Pel 605 from Regina Martini in Germany. (A WONDERFUL seller to the poster who asked recently about Pel vendors in Germany.)

 

When I sent her my Paypal $ I told her that if there was any issue with the pen with her being in Germany and me in the US that getting it rectified would be a real pain and expense. I asked her to please fill the pen and personally test it for me and that if possible, I wanted a wetter than average nib. I presume she did, because that's exactly what I got. (That same nib got CI'd by Mike Masuyama and is now in my M600 Baby Ocean. It's sooo nice it'll make you cry...)

 

I wouldn't hesitate to ask a retailer to personally check the pen out for me before they shipped it. That would possibly save both them and I a lot of future hassle.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[jniforat]

In my job, I tune many Pelikan nibs every week. I would say only about 40% of them have no nib issues right out of the box!

Wow! I had no idea the need for adjustments to new Pelikan needs was that endemic.

 

It is scary. If i buy another Pelikan, it will have to come from Mr. Binder so I know the pen will work. These pens have Issues...(i was going to post Flight of the Conchord's song "Think About It, Think, Think About It"...but refrained hahaha)

[Silvermink]

I've been 50-50 with Pelikan.

 

My M640 Sahara was good out of the box, though I find the nib a bit boring and I'll probably be getting it stubbed in the not-too-distant future.

 

My M1050's first nib was a mess - the tines were pushed together and one would actually click over the other as I tried to write - and I had to get it replaced. The second one was a lot better, though still benefited from some minor adjustment (I took it to Vancouver Pen Shop and Shannon gave it a very quick no-charge adjustment for me which resulted in it being significantly smoother).

[FrankB]

I think the issue is having to tune or adjust a pen that is new in the box. It is always disappointing to get something new that does not work, or does not work well. If I buy an electric drill from my local mega hardware store and it does not work, I will return it for an exchange. But that analogy breaks down immediately because my local hardware store is just that, local. Like many, or most, of you I must buy my pens from the Internet. I cannot just take it back to the vendor - at least not physically. Yet, I will take the time to get the pen right. If I buy a pen, I have thought about it and planned for it. It is something I want. So I try to get it right.

 

For many of us I think a major issue is the requirement to use the mail in order to get a pen adjusted. It is an inconvenience added to the idea that the pen is new. I call it a double edged sword. There is the convenience of having pens even available to me where I live. That availability is through vendors who are a long distance from me. If the brand new pen needs adjusting, it is now an inconvenience because I must use the mail to return it, then wait for the pen to make a second trip to me.

 

Oh well, it is what it is. I allow myself disappointment, but I do not become angry. I talk to the seller involved, and I take the time to get things right. Complaining is optional.

[framebaer]

In my job, I tune many Pelikan nibs every week. I would say only about 40% of them have no nib issues right out of the box!

Wow! I had no idea the need for adjustments to new Pelikan needs was that endemic.

 

It's my rough approximation. We do tune every Nib we send out, even the "good" ones so it's a bit hard to judge. But I would say I'm close.

 

Most nibs are only off a small amount, they still write ok but benefit alot from tuning(especially in the area of smoothness), which is why we tune every nib.

 

The very severe problem nibs ( gross tine misalignment, huge grand canyon slits, arched writing pads- mostly on b and bb sizes) are probably about 10%-15% ---still if you are one of the unlucky 1 in 10, buying from a retailer who doesn't OC, then you are NOT gonna be happy.

Edited July 23, 2010 by framebaer

[dds51968]

I believe your pen should write the way you like, I have on a number of occasions sent pens back, described the short comings, how I want it to write and low an behold I receive back a pen I love. I have also found having them tweeked as opposed to replacing is better, as I have recevied back pens that were no better than the first one. When I buy pre owned pens, I send them out to have tem dialed in to my taste, you shouldn't settle for any less.

 

David