Question about shortening Sierra Click

[jkeithrussell]

I have read that to shorten the Sierra click pen, you chunk the extension piece and trim the tube down to 1.882. A couple of questions: (1) why not just use a standard Sierra tube with the click kit instead of worrying about the measurement; (2) if you get rid of the extension, aren't you already making the pen shorter?

My measuring skills may not be the greatest, but I get something like 2.20 for the standard Sierra tube. I've seen where others say it is 1.885.

 

[Rudy Vey]

You have two options:
* cut the tube shorter, toss the extensions and use Parker style refills
* do not cut shorter and use the gel refills (Uniball 70207, medium), keep the extensions, or toss them
I do the latter version, and most of the customers like this much better.

 

[dalemcginnis]

The standard Sierra is still to long. I got a sierra blank from exotic woods and was anxious to make it, but the only Sierras I had were clicks. I thought what the heck lets see what happens. I wound up still having to use the extension but I had to cut it in half.

 

[jkeithrussell]

I guess the concept is a little hard for me to visualize. You are taking out length when you ditch the extension, and you are taking out length when you shorten the tube. So how does it still work? I mean, you would think the refill would stick out too far.

 

[Chasper]

Right out of the package the pen is too long in my opinion. The extension is needed because there is a gap between the receiver on the clicker mechanism and the end of the refill. I shorten Sierra clicks because I think they are too long, they don't fit in my pen cases, and I'm concerned about the customer losing the extension when they replace the refill or otherwise opening up the pen to see what is inside.

If you shorten the tube and shorten the extension by the same amount the pen looks better, the point sticks out of the nib the same amount, but it still has a now stubby extension to be concerned with. If you shorten the tube by exactly the legnth of the extension then the clicker receiver mechanism matches up with the end of the refill and no extension is needed. However, in my opinion that is getting a little too short, the point section ends up longer than the turned section.

I shorten the extensions on a grinding wheel, it the point sticks out too far I grind it down a little more until I have it the way I want it.

 

[hrigg]

If you want to use the standard Sierra barrel with the click feature, the refills for Fisher Space Pens work without any modifications. The refill comes pre-packaged with an extension that fits over it, so a customer doesn't have to worry about losing one: he'll get one with every refill.

 

[gbhazel]

Sierra Click

Instead of trying to shorten the tube of the pen I substitute the spacer and the Parker type refill with a Uniball™ #65873 black or #71207 blue gel refill. They are good quality refills. I dont send out any of the Sierra click pens without the Uniball anymore. :biggrin::biggrin:

 

[bruce119]

I shortened the Sierra click to fit my Computer pen blank. I just ground the chrome extension that comes with it to fit. The process is described a little in my thread here http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42006

All the pens below used the same length blank

Bruce

 

[dalemcginnis]

If you want to use the standard Sierra barrel with the click feature, the refills for Fisher Space Pens work without any modifications. The refill comes pre-packaged with an extension that fits over it, so a customer doesn't have to worry about losing one: he'll get one with every refill.

Not to be argumentative but have you actually tried to write with the space pen refill? The reason I ask is because I use the space pen refill with the extension that comes with it and I still have to use the adapter. When it first put the refill in with out the adapter I thought I had solved the problem of the pesky adapter but as soon as I tried to write the refill slid back into the pen. when I opened it up I found the extension had slid further onto the refill thus requiring the use of the adapter just like on a normal Parker. To make maters even worse to pin on the adapter does not fit into the hole of the space pen extension without modification. While I'll continue to use the space pen refills for myself as I prefer them I would not sell a click pen with them.

 

[johncrane]

Can someone post photos of the pen clicker parts that there modifying a before and a after shot, :frown: could help clear this clicker thing up.:biggrin:

 

[hrigg]

Sorry, I can see I didn't make myself clear. I'm talking about using the barrel sized for the standard twist Sierra, except using the click mechanism. I bought a Space Pen refill with the intent to find out in which pen it would work the best. I noticed it was slightly longer than the Parker refills, and assembled a Sierra using one of Woodcraft's colored tubes and the click mechanism. The included spacer fit down over the refill, as you pointed out, but the click feature worked smoothly, with the refill tip a little short for my taste but it seems to write well. I'm not sure how you could fit the chrome extension into that size barrel along with the one included by Fisher. I may have spoken prematurely because I haven't used the pen long enough to have encountered any problems. For that, I apologize.

 

[KenV]

There is a good picture on the AS web site showing the two side by side.

Sierra click has the advantage of using the Uniball or G2 Gell ink roller balls -- nice writing combination.

The short click has the advantage of using the parker refill -- and the added advantage of being able via shortening to recover blanks that might otherwise be junk - Think of a sierra rattlesnake turned tube with a few chips in one end that render it unsuitable for a standard sierra pen -- as little surgery to 1.882 inches (give or take a few thousands) and junk is now a very classy shorter click parker pen. (need shorter yet -- think click pencil length).

You can also make three pen sets with gell writer click, short click (parker) and click pencil -- with matching finishes and themes -- pretty nice effect.

(some people do really like the longer length -- especially for use as a desk pen)

 

[bruce119]

Can someone post photos of the pen clicker parts that there modifying a before and a after shot, :frown: could help clear this clicker thing up.:biggrin:

OK here you go. The computer blank is a standard Sierra size tube The chrome extension (you get 2 in a kit) on top of the refill is shorten I did it on a table top disk sander. It is next to a full size chrome extension that is next to a normal full size Sierra click tube.

Hope this helps. I know pictures are worth a thousand words.



Bruce

 

[dalemcginnis]

Harry:
I wished we were close enough to compare our two pens. Mine also is the twist sierra tube using the click mechanism. Like you I noticed when I put the "Parker" extension on the refill it was a little longer so I tried it in the sierra without the adapter. When I clicked on it the refill came out but as soon as I tried to write it slid back into the pen. When I took it out of the pen I saw that it was further in the extension than initially. Perhaps our refills were made by different companies?

 

[wb7whi]

If you want a click in a regular wall street size then order the gatsby click. Same size as the wall st. twist.

 

[hrigg]

Perhaps our refills were made by different companies?

That's entirely possible. It's also possible that I'm wrong. I'll have to see what happens as I use it more.