Sharp edges on americana clips

[bitshird]

I just pulled 10 pen out of inventory, I had a customer call me about a pen I sold last week he noticed a sharp edge on the clip of an S2000 Americana fountain pen. I had him bring it by my house and sure enough the edges near the top of the clip were sharp, so I unscrewed the finial and was going to change the clip, I went through all of my kits and the were all the same way, Chrome, Black TI, 24 kt gold, so I checked my old stock all of them were the same.
I hate making this kit any way, but it and it's cheaper cousin the Americana double twist ball point are great selling pens, Funny how after making 20 or 30 of these I just now find out about how crappy they are.
The only reason for this is a junk worn out die, and really bad quality control, not all of these kits came from the same vendor and some were close to two years old, they all had the same problem, if you use or sell these pens, check the area just under the cap, Now imagine that pen clip in a nice hand tailored silk dress shirt.

 

[ngeb528]

Could you smooth the sharp edge with a file, maybe a bead reamer or similar qualityfile, without making it obvious that it was done?

 

[bitshird]

I don't believe it would work Nancy, the sharp edge is partially on the outer edge of the clip, it would be difficult to do with out damaging the plating,.

 

[ngeb528]

If you can mail me one of the extra clips, I'll see if it works. I make bead jewelry and have a couple of things I'd like to try. What do you think?

 

[bitshird]

If you can mail me one of the extra clips, I'll see if it works. I make bead jewelry and have a couple of things I'd like to try. What do you think?

I can mail you one, I tried stoning one and the plating is so thin went right through it was with a 1200 grit diamond stone plate but I'll send you one to see if you can do any better, PM your address I was going to try a pumice wheel, I may just scrap all of the others replate the gold and rhodium the chrome setrs and get rid of them, they make a nice pen, but ar a PITA to get the tenon and not flare crush the tube so it doesn't bind on the grip section , the ball point's arent too ban and the being the cheapest of my Fountain pens sell well I can always uste the transmissions and tubes on cartridge pens.

 

[RichB]

I have never made one of these kits but would a burnishing tool work. I have used this to remove burrs before. It just rounds over the burr.