Berea double twist problems

[driften]

I was showing off a Berea Elegant American Double Twist pen at a AAW meeting last night and some ham handed guy twisted it too far. Now the internal stop that allows you to unscew the top of the pen after it extends does not work. The pen extends and retracts in both directions but allows continued movement to retract it. You can never change the refil now.

Is this a problem with this mechanism or was it a bad mechanism. I see the Perfect Fit 2000 kit says it has a twist clutch mechanism to keep it from breaking from overtwisting.

Does Berea/Woodcraft warranty the pen kits for this type of thing? I actually bought the kit at the local Woodcraft store.

I just would hate for it to have happend to a customer pen insted of mine.

Is some other supplied better then Berea on Parker refil based ballpoints?

 

[dougle40]

I've had that problem with a couple of them . I think that the problem could be a tube I/D that is a slight bit O/S . Try to remove the transmission then apply a small bit of CA INSIDE the tube and re-assemble . That should lock the transmission inside the tube .

 

[driften]

Originally posted by dougle40
<br />I've had that problem with a couple of them . I think that the problem could be a tube I/D that is a slight bit O/S . Try to remove the transmission then apply a small bit of CA INSIDE the tube and re-assemble . That should lock the transmission inside the tube .

No you are not getting the problem. The pen worked fine for me for days and then someone over twisted it. The transmission is not slipping. It does it job in extending and retracting the ballpoint but insted of extending and then turning back to center to retract it allows you to keep turing the same direction to retract. It will go 360 degrees clockwise or counter clockwise. It should unscrew after extending in the counter clockwise directing but now it just retracts the point and starts another extension cycle. []

 

[dougle40]

OK , I miss-understood what you said . I think you could have a problem there . Can you diss-assemble it by twisting and pulling ? The same as you would do with a slimline !

 

[krose38]

I had the same problem with the elegant american. All you have to do is hold down on the pen holding the point firmly against something hard and turn the top barrel counter clockwise and it should screw off. It worked for me. []

 

[ctEaglesc]

Does the transmission need to be "seated" in the cap staud after it is installed?
I have had problems with Woodcrafts American classics made by Berea.
That is one reason I Stopped using them.
It is ossible to take the pen apart for a tranny transplant.
If you are not happy with Kroses solution send me an e-mail.
I now use the perfect fit by Berea and love it.

 

[driften]

Originally posted by krose38
<br />I had the same problem with the elegant american. All you have to do is hold down on the pen holding the point firmly against something hard and turn the top barrel counter clockwise and it should screw off. It worked for me. []

Keith your idea worked! I can change the refil that way. So the only fall out from the guy is now the grain no longer lines up. But that is ok since its my pen.

Thanks for the help.

 

[krose38]

I had the same problem with mine Jeff, trying to get the grain to line up.

This one is for <b>Eagle</b>, is the perfect fit a double twist like the elegant american? If so, is the grain easily lined up? I'm really trying to stay away from the parker type mechanism, I like the cross mechanism much better.

 

[driften]

Originally posted by krose38
<br />I had the same problem with mine Jeff, trying to get the grain to line up.

This one is for <b>Eagle</b>, is the perfect fit a double twist like the elegant american? If so, is the grain easily lined up? I'm really trying to stay away from the parker type mechanism, I like the cross mechanism much better.

Actually I had the grain lined up just right before it was over twisted. The secret there was to thread the mechanism that gets pressed into the cap onto the centerband which is part of the bottom of the pen and then press the bottom into the cap as a unit. It worked just right that way.

I was told the Perfect fit uses friction to attach the cap like the cross type of mechanism and is only a "single" twist.

What I would like is a mechanism that is as silky smooth as my Mont Blanc. The double twist is nice but not as nice. I think the double twist mechanism would have been better with just supporting the twisting one direction to extend and back to retract.

 

[ctEaglesc]

The Perfect Fit is a single twist.
The action is extremely smooth.Smoother than any other parker I have seen.
The grain can easily be lined up and it is not a one shot deal.
I don't think you'll be dissapointed.
Maybe Old Griz will chime in, he also makes PF's.
The Red Palm in my album is a PF.

 

[Old Griz]

I like the PF's also and make a lot of them... they are my second best selling pens after the cigar...
I just put the mechanism in place then line up the grain and push the top on... the mechanism is extremely smooth... and it is a single twist... it is a friction fit and you need to take the top off to change refills, but it is not that tight that the customer has a problem if you show them what to do... and you should show every customer how to change refills when you sell them the pen...
I usually include a card explaining how to change refills and care for the pen with every sale... I just use standare ink jet business cards and print on both sides... works like a dream...

 

[rickkop]

I am new to this pen making. Have picked up a lot of information reading everyones posts but have a question. What is the perfect fit you are all referring to? Is this the name of a certain pen?

 

[driften]

Originally posted by rickkop
<br />I am new to this pen making. Have picked up a lot of information reading everyones posts but have a question. What is the perfect fit you are all referring to? Is this the name of a certain pen?

Its on page 25 of the Berea Hardwood catalog. Its a American style pen that uses a parker refil or pencil mechanism. One kit makes both pen or pencil.

Here is the URL for it.
http://www.penkits.com/page14.htm

 

[rickkop]

Thank you.

 

[krose38]

Tom, I really appreciate your input on these subjects because I'm new at this and have been able to learn a lot from your input as well as others. I think the next pen I make will be a PF.