Twsbi Eco Dripping Ink!

[Aditkamath26]

Hi guys,

There is a problem with my TWSBI Eco of dripping ink from the feed. While I had emailed TWSBI they said to wipe the feed after filling the pen and that seemed to have solved the issue, but only for a while. What happens is when I write for a long time, ink rushes into the feed making it very saturated and it starts to drip. Is there any solution for this? It may be the heat from my hand and I live in UAE (it is summer here) but I have my ACs on. Can anyone help me?

 

Regards,

Adit

[Beechwood]

I would try using silicone grease on the piston. The twsbi supplied silicone grease is a bit thin, more like oil, being in the uae I expect that you will have scuba supplies shops, suggest that you buy some silicone from there and lightly grease the piston using a fine paint brush or a Q tip. Whilst the pen is open also try some grease on the piston rod.

 

You could also try filling the pen half full, then hold the pen nib uppermost out of the ink, continue to turn the knob so that the piston draws in air. Wipe the nib, holding a tissue over the front of the nib for a few seconds.

Edited April 14, 2017 by Beechwood

[Driften]

If its from air in the pen heating up and causing a burping action then not letting the pen get as empty will help. Less air in the pen the less its heated at the back to push ink out of the nib in use. To see if that is the issue maybe keep track of how full the pen was when you experience the issue. If its always at 1/2 full or less that could be the answer. If you find it happens as often when its full as when its empty there is some other problem going on. You might also verify the nib/feed is properly seated all the way into the section. If not maybe more ink is being allowed into the feed then it can handle...

 

Good Luck

[Aditkamath26]

I have tried it all but there seems to be some other play. I will try empty it remove the nib and feed and assemble it all again. I noticed that this issue occurs when I clean the pen and fill it up again.

[Sasha Royale]

True, a human hand in India is "hotter" than a human hand in Wisconsin. However, I suspect

air leak. Silicon grease is a good idea. If results is not satisfactory, send it to TWSBI.

[Jamerelbe]

I have tried it all but there seems to be some other play. I will try empty it remove the nib and feed and assemble it all again. I noticed that this issue occurs when I clean the pen and fill it up again.

 

My experience with Ecos, combined with some of the comments I've read online, suggests to me that because the friction fit of nib and feed into the grip section is *less* tight than in TWSBI's other pens, they can be prone to drift a little loose - especially if you've pulled the pen apart and put it back together again. Have you tried seating the nib and feed more firmly - just pushing them in a little harder?

 

Of course, it's possible that 'positive pressure' from air expansion inside the pen contributes too - the best way of eliminating that as a cause of the problem is to use the piston mechanism to expel air from the pen (hold it upright and twist!). If you're still getting ink drips with little or no air in the ink reservoir (in front of the piston seal), then that's almost certainly not your problem.

[Aditkamath26]

If I were to put silicone grease where would it be? I tried cleaning it, soaking the nib in a tissue, nothing worked. If I send it to TWSBI, the shipping cost will be more than the pen.

[Beechwood]

You remove the piston using the spanner that came with the pen, you then follow the instructions to grease the seal.

 

It may help you to follow the instructions from the Goulets here:

 

http://blog.gouletpens.com/2015/07/answering-your-twsbi-eco-questions.html

 

 

or there are how to vids on Youtube.

Edited April 16, 2017 by Beechwood

[Driften]

I really don't see why greasing the seal on the piston would help. That would only help if it can't draw ink into the pen when filling or the piston moving stiffly. There are no seals on the front of an ECO.

[TonyTeaBags]

I had the same problem. Read through this thread... feed oversaturated - Tags - Forums - The Fountain Pen Network

 

You may gain some insight as to why the leaking is occurring. I was lucky; others were not. But it is a good pen design, and I think it is a good pen when it is working properly.

 

Good luck!

[Aditkamath26]

I did it. Will post a topic soon.

[TheDutchGuy]

Had the same issue and thankfully managed to fix it. When I bought my Eco it had a faulty nib. TWSBI was kind enough to send me another nib,. Since I put the new nib in, occasionally the feed suddenly became totally saturated with ink. I incorrectly assumed this to be because of the ink, because I also changed to a new ink when I changed the nib and the pen had never leaked before. Today I spent some time investigating the issue. The cause is simple: the nib/feed assembly isn't pressed tight enough into the section. When writing, sometimes a minute space will appear between the underside of the nib and the top of the feed. Ink flows through and saturates the feed. The section should have been just a fraction more narrow, but its dimensions might have been deliberately chosen to prevent the stress cracks that (used to?) plague some Ecos. Anyway, I took some plumber's tape, cut out a strip 2.5 cm long and 0.5 cm wide, wrapped it around the nib/feed assembly just at the point where the steel nib ends, and very, very carefully nudged the assembly back into the section. Plumber's tape is very flexible, thin stuff that a plumber wraps around the threads of water pipes to prevent connections from leaking. If you wrap it tightly around the nib/feed, it becomes very thin. It's flexibility then assures a tight fit and prevents leakage. Plumber's tape is usually white, so if the pen still leaks you'll be able to see where the ink passes over the tape. My pen was sealed instantly.

Edited March 24, 2018 by TheDutchGuy

[RetiredAdman]

Great idea on the plumbers teflon tape.

Regards,

Ed

 

 

Had the same issue and thankfully managed to fix it. When I bought my Eco it had a faulty nib. TWSBI was kind enough to send me another nib,. Since I put the new nib in, occasionally the feed suddenly became totally saturated with ink. I incorrectly assumed this to be because of the ink, because I also changed to a new ink when I changed the nib and the pen had never leaked before. Today I spent some time investigating the issue. The cause is simple: the nib/feed assembly isn't pressed tight enough into the section. When writing, sometimes a minute space will appear between the underside of the nib and the top of the feed. Ink flows through and saturates the feed. The section should have been just a fraction more narrow, but its dimensions might have been deliberately chosen to prevent the stress cracks that (used to?) plague some Ecos. Anyway, I took some plumber's tape, cut out a strip 2.5 cm long and 0.5 cm wide, wrapped it around the nib/feed assembly just at the point where the steel nib ends, and very, very carefully nudged the assembly back into the section. Plumber's tape is very flexible, thin stuff that a plumber wraps around the threads of water pipes to prevent connections from leaking. If you wrap it tightly around the nib/feed, it becomes very thin. It's flexibility then assures a tight fit and prevents leakage. Plumber's tape is usually white, so if the pen still leaks you'll be able to see where the ink passes over the tape. My pen was sealed instantly.

[ErrantSmudge]

 

My experience with Ecos, combined with some of the comments I've read online, suggests to me that because the friction fit of nib and feed into the grip section is *less* tight than in TWSBI's other pens, they can be prone to drift a little loose - especially if you've pulled the pen apart and put it back together again. Have you tried seating the nib and feed more firmly - just pushing them in a little harder?

 

 

I had exactly this experience today while taking notes in a class. The Eco started dripping ink, then the nib ran completely dry with ink remaining in the tank. The problem turned out to be the nib drifting loose, sliding outwards and separating from the feed. Reseating the nib with my fingers fixed the problem.

 

This has happened to me once before, in about a year of ownership of the pen. I have yet to pull the Eco apart, so the separation happened from normal writing use.

Edited April 14, 2018 by ErrantSmudge

[Fermata]

 

 

I had exactly this experience today while taking notes in a class. The Eco started dripping ink, then the nib ran completely dry with ink remaining in the tank. The problem turned out to be the nib drifting loose, sliding outwards and separating from the feed. Reseating the nib with my fingers fixed the problem.

 

This has happened to me once before, in about a year of ownership of the pen. I have yet to pull the Eco apart, so the separation happened from normal writing use.

 

 

Thats interesting, I was thinking half way through your post that the problem must be due to the removal of the nib and feed a little too often, but if you havent had the pen apart then it must be summat else.