modern sheaffer twist converter - one problem you should know.

The modern sheaffer converter, the twist version, has a problem which even some sheaffer sales personnels do not know. 2 words, they break. When they break, the converter will leak ink into the pen body and most notably turn with the piston when you twist the piston while it is inserted into the pen. It is not tight in the sheaffer pen.

Frequency of that happening ? i have a broken one, and i have already found 4 broken ones in new sheaffer pens sold over the sheaffer counters. I conclude it is quite high.

And i had thought a lot of people knew about this. Apparently not. And therefore this post.

How then do you detect it? First, twist the piston while the converter is inserted into the pen. if the converter twists, do a visual check, the confirmatory one as shown below;

This is broken converter. Notice the break line on the inner and second ring in black? that means it will not be tight.

This is a working converter. the 3 rings, the inner black ring, the middle black ring, and the outer metallic ring are complete. this is a working converter which will sit tightly in the pen and not leak.

Pilot kakuno - customs. Universe, pure and bronze edition.

Pilot kakuno - customs. Universe, pure and bronze edition. Made quite some time back, now playing around with the colors matching...

The Slim : Version 1

I can finally close the chapter for this pen! a metallic body, with a colorful and air tight cap! took me a long while to find that right cap to lego every thing together (and getting scorn at by Tony for being dull because it is always lying there all this while). it does not take a genius to realize, just needed that touch from The Creator above. I now prove to myself that I am stupid. :p

Nothing fanciful, all parts are not created nor bought. Marrying them together creates a pen of its kind. very light weight, durable due to its metallic body. the details are in the pictures.

Now to probably more with a green cap, a red cap, a pink cap...wait, a kakuno family?! No.......

cap: as shown.
nib, feed and holder: daiso $2 pen.
body: a not needed body part from a cerruti pen.
uses a china international cartridge converter or those standard cartridge.

 

When the direction is right, the flow cannot be stop. So I have made one pen using a daiso pen parts. I can also make another one using the daiso sold platinum rivere pen too! And they look different.

I am seriously running out of parts... 

Comparison between twsbi AL orange and AL lava.

comparison between twsbi AL orange and AL lava. I am satisfying my own curiosity too.

i have an orange and 2 lava versions. this is 1) to ensure i am fair to 2 dealers, 2) face it, lava will be snapped up in no time, 3) it is easier for comparison.

To the naked eye, their color tone is similar. Too similar. However, a close up will show that the orange AL is coated in a straight line fashion. The lava on the other hand, has a finer coat and is very much uniform. that is the biggest difference. I attribute that not due to a change in color pigment but a different method used in coating.

 

the picture will have the details.

the orange AL. note the "grains".

the lava AL. First pen.

the lava AL. second pen.

PSMKII - pen stand - mark 2

yup, it is done. using PSMK1 as its base design, it retains all its features - mobility, cheap, and fully functional - and removes all the unnecessary stuff. It is a little bit shorter than PAMK1, and removes all the protruding items which makes the keeping of the stand a little tough. grooves are added instead to the body, some a bit rough at the moment since this is a first prototype, but will certainly be smoother with its replicate. anyway, the details are in the pictures.

simple enough isn't it? you can make it yourself, i am sure. But if you live near me and wants a replication of this, i don't think it will be a problem.

Now to move on the PSMKIII. the one with the whistles.

basic internal structure of the stand.

slightly shorter than a twsbi eco. top side

another side.

bottom view.

the stand transformed.

Takes an eco. No problem

takes a short muji. note the different groove used.

even if the pen is rounded at the edge. no problem.

can be used in this way too as a "desk pen".

bottom of the pen stand.

the 2 grooves made.

the drain on top to ensure the pen stays in place.

2 piece structure, again.

comparison with PSMK1. sleeker design.

 

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i needed another pen stand, so i made another. This time with the prototype as the example, the parts are made more properly (the grooves are cut at the right depth!) and in a shorter amount of time. i think this design is starting to mature.

The top is the new one, the bottom is the prototype.

PSMK1

the first pen stand made. it is a prototype, and a working prototype. it features full mobility, cheap, and fully functional.
mobility: it disassembles for easy carrying, and assembles in seconds. as long as a twsbi eco.
cheap: takes about 14 ice-creams sticks, some glue and about an hour that includes designing. making time is about 30 minutes at most.
fully functional: it can take a big and long twsbi eco or a short muji pen. the base is stable enough, and the portion which supports the pen is fully stabilized. there are some artificial drains and intended made drains to ensure the pen stays in place.

Some details are in the picture, but it should be simple enough to understand how it works, and how it can be make. as mentioned, the key is in the design, and the design is there. you can make one yourself very easily.
Now to name it: PSMK1.  time to work on PSMK2.

Top view when kept for movement. as long as a twsbi.

side view.

bottom view

transforming it into a pen stand. it takes a twsbi eco easily.

Takes a short muji pen too.

the piece of the pen stand which slides out to become the pen support. note that angle cut which is the key to this pen stand's design.

the groove or the drain to make sure the pen cap stays in place.

The stopper at the other end of the pen stand to make sure the pen doesn't slide off. it can be beautified later, but that's not for the lazy me.

the inside of the pen stand bottom. the angle cut is the same as the pen stand support so that it flushes together when kept.

the 2 pieces support to ensure the stability of the stand.