(Please Vote) Has Your Twsbi Cracked?

[Mopen]

The nib section on my 580 is spinning . I love the look and how it writes but tend to treat it more delicately afraid it will break, after reading how fragile they seem to be.

[lacie]

Is temperature likely to be a factor in these pens cracking?

 

I was outside today in 42C+ heat (108F) and when went into air conditioning (22C/72F) and pulled my pen out to use noticed that it was very warm to touch.

 

Something to avoid or shouldn't be an issue?

[dan in montreal]

Is temperature likely to be a factor in these pens cracking?

 

I was outside today in 42C+ heat (108F) and when went into air conditioning (22C/72F) and pulled my pen out to use noticed that it was very warm to touch.

 

Something to avoid or shouldn't be an issue?

My guess would be large temperature variations could be an issue. But I would not let the pen bask in the mid-day sun either.

[magnus919]

The nib section on my 580 is spinning . I love the look and how it writes but tend to treat it more delicately afraid it will break, after reading how fragile they seem to be.

 

With years of TWSBI customers celebrating how wonderful the customer support is, why haven't you emailed them to get a replacement section at no cost to you and go back to enjoying your pen with confidence?

[dk76]

Now is a bad time though. I think they are holidays for a week. Lunar New Year and all.

[Drone]

The nib section on my 580 is spinning . I love the look and how it writes but tend to treat it more delicately afraid it will break, after reading how fragile they seem to be.

 

Hello Mopen,

 

There may be something simple causing your 580 section "spinning" issues. Note: TWSBI calls the Section (erroneously IMO) the "Grip". See Item-6 as shown in the TWSBI exploded 580 schematic diagram excerpted from the documentation that likely came with your 580 pen posted here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/294381-please-vote-has-your-twsbi-cracked/page-4?do=findComment&comment=3556289

 

As you can see from the diagram on the post linked above, there are several things that may result in a spinning section, such-as one or more missing rubber "O-Ring" seals, and/or not having the nib-unit (TWSBI calls it the "Nib assembly" in the diagram) properly screwed-in and seated. Caveat: As I write this I do not have a 580 with me now to verify all the possibilities. But the diagram speaks for itself to help you trouble-shoot your pen; that's why TWSBI thoughtfully included it in your 580's packaging.

 

If you are in Asia (as I am), you are probably wise to wait until after the Chinese New Year Holiday to contact TWSBI in Taiwan (most Chinese/Taiwanese companies will begin work again on Monday 15 Feb. 2016). Otherwise, it may be possible to contact TWSBI in the USA in the interim should you determine that you really need immediate manufacturer assistance. I do not have the TWSBI links with me at the moment, but a Web-search will likely lead you to the proper place.

 

Good Luck, David

[storyteller]

Have had a TWSBI Diamond 530 since 2011 with no cracks or other problems.

 

My wife uses it nearly every day.

 

Must be doing something right.

 

Unfortunately, I have to report that this pen now has a crack around the metal barrel insert for the piston mechanism. The latter has never been dismantled. The nib section has never been dismantled either.

 

If these pens did not crack I would have dozens by now. They are a pen user's dream (in theory) ...

 

So far, I have only purchased this one. I have watched and waited for the TWSBI cracking problem to be resolved by the company and have consequently never bought another.

 

Talk about lost sales.

[Legal Eagle]

I may be completely wrong, but I think with the 580 they've basically remedied the problem. I have 3 of them that I use daily as my EDC pens, and can honestly report no issues after about 1 and a 1/2 years of use.

[storyteller]

I may be completely wrong, but I think with the 580 they've basically remedied the problem.

 

According to the votes on this thread: there are (Diamond 580) 24 votes for "cracked" against 123 votes for "not cracked" as I write this.

 

I would buy these pens in a flash if they got this issue sorted out.

 

For my part, their amazing after sales service is not a deal maker.

[Legal Eagle]

 

According to the votes on this thread: there are (Diamond 580) 24 votes for "cracked" against 123 votes for "not cracked" as I write this.

 

I would buy these pens in a flash if they got this issue sorted out.

 

For my part, their amazing after sales service is not a deal maker.

 

 

Yeah I guess you're right. I've just had such trouble free action from my 580's that I find it a bit hard to believe, but the poll doesn't lie.

[bijou3owl]

For my part, their amazing after sales service is not a deal maker.

Truth. I would rather have terrible customer service that I don't need than wonderful customer service that I do need.

[Safari_Camo]

2 of 2 TWSBI with cracks

 

I've already mailed Mr. Wang.

 

 

 

530 crack on the nib grip

 

 

http://img110.xooimage.com/files/5/a/1/530_grip_02-4ebcd8a.jpg

 

 

 

 

In the Mini feeder (some pieces are stuck inside the barrel)

 

http://img110.xooimage.com/files/4/0/b/mini_01-4ebcd90.jpg

 

 

Inside the barrel (Mini)


http://img110.xooimage.com/files/1/6/7/mini_barrel-4ebcd95.jpg

 

 

Edited March 13, 2016 by Safari_Camo

[EBUCKTHORN]

How do you want us to reply if we've had one Mini with defects but another with none?

[Drone]

How do you want us to reply if we've had one Mini with defects but another with none?

 

Gee, I'm not the O.P., but the question in the Poll clearly reads, "Has your TWSBI Diamond Mini cracked?" So if you have one that cracked, you answer YES, otherwise answer NO.

[EBUCKTHORN]

I have one that cracked and one that didn't. Upon which one do I base my vote? Both "Yes" and "No" are truthful but I believe I can't submit both answers-unless I participate twice. Is participating twice allowed?

 

I realize this borders on the trivial but I like TWSBIs. Of the four I have, only one has had problems. I'm not sure what my overall feelings are regarding TWSBI (can I say that I'm "conflicted"?) As I said above, I like the pens I already have and am interested in how the company's quality control problems will eventually play out. I expect that I will be adding a few to my current inventory but am not unconcerned about the possibility of problems. It would be nice to have reason to believe that the cracking will be eliminated fairly quickly but there's no assurance that is going to happen. A conundrum indeed!

[edebill]

I've had a Diamond 580 w/ no problems for a year.

 

I got a vac-mini right when they first came out and it just cracked The barrel cracked along a seam where the cap and section screw on, and ink leaks out. I'd been carrying it in a fodderstack (which then tends to go into my pocket) for a month or so. It hadn't exactly been coddled, but I'm also careful with my stuff and it hadn't been dropped or knocked about roughly.

 

So... first vac-mini to crack? I didn't find anyone else mentioning one in the last 2 pages of this thread.

[plumista]

I have just left my vote, and taken a quick look at several posts of this quite long thread. This is not the first time I read about cracking issues for this brand, but I feel as astonished as that first time, I do feel sorry for other people´s bad experiences with TWSBI, since some photographs show discouraging facts.

 

Fortunately, mine do not show the tiniest crack at all, after several years of use! Those currently include a number of 580s, 580Als, 580Colours, Vac700s and Micartas (a full tray). Also reviewed some Minis, and no cracks either. No experience with other models.

 

It seems I am a lucky guy, at least with these pens...

 

plumista

[smiorgan]

My Vac 700 broke recently around the cap band. This has hardly left the house.

 

My mini is on its 3rd cap, cracking/cracked in the same place where the clip meets the cap, failure frequency is 6 months for first 2 and longer for this one because it's not left the house since cap number two failed. I am/was only clipping it into a shirt pocket.

 

My mini also has cracks on the filler nob.

 

Possibly the replacement mini caps were all from a batch before they fixed the issues. I'm in contact with TWSBI regarding replacements, but regardless of their customer service I'd rather not be contacting them in the first place.

 

None of the other pens I own have issues where the body has cracked. Caveat emptor

[Witsius]

 

If it is the TWSBI 580 then the screw-in part is normally called a "Nib Unit" and consists of three parts, 1) Nib, 2) Feed, & 3) Feed Collar, or Feed Housing (I've heard various names for this part). So Feeder Tube is in-fact as you put it, "as good a descriptor as any".

 

In the 580, what is normally called a Nib Unit TWSBI calls a Nib Assembly. Some other TWSBI parts use some non-standard TWSBI terminology as-well, but that's my own opinion only. I guess it is better to use TWSBI's names when discussing their products with them directly. Here are a couple of scans of the disassembled parts and parts-lists for both the 580 and the Eco. This is excerpted from the documentation that came with my pens (the Eco is from late 2015, the 580 is from late 2013):

 

The TWSBI Eco (800x217, 53.8KB, c.Late 2015):

 

 

The TWSBI 580 (800x463, 48.9KB, c.Late 2013):

 

 

Enjoy, David

 

Sorry, I checked out of this thread for a minute.

 

Philip Wang called the part in question "the feeder sleeve" in our correspondence. What you're calling the feeder tube is the same part. On the 580, the feed is friction fit into that tube/sleeve. That solved my leaking issue.

 

I have a new issue now. The grip on the nib unit spins rather easily even though the nib unit is securely fastened to the barrel. TWSBI hasn't been too receptive to my emails about this issue. I think I'm giving up on my 580. It hasn't actually cracked, but for a pen that is just under a year old, it's given me some problems. I could buy a new nib unit, and maybe that would solve the loose grip problem. However, that's nearly half the cost of the pen itself. I don't feel like throwing good money after bad if you take my meaning.

 

TWSBI makes some really attractive pens with great features at a great price. I just wish they were less temperamental.

[VinceVega]

No option to vote for the Vac Mini but mine cracked after the first fill, just inside the inner thread of the nib assembly. I had previously never disassembled it as it was new out of the box, but refilling it led to ink leaking into the assembly, so opened it up to take a look and found as per the image below.