Sierra click issues

[longbeard]

Has anyone experience any issues with the Sierra clicks? I just got 2 back that won't click. They are only a week old too. I've been selling them for a few years now and these are the first ones returned with mechanical issues.


Harry

 

[mark james]

Has anyone experience any issues with the Sierra clicks? I just got 2 back that won't click. They are only a week old too. I've been selling them for a few years now and these are the first ones returned with mechanical issues.


Harry

Where from Harry!

 

[longbeard]

Has anyone experience any issues with the Sierra clicks? I just got 2 back that won't click. They are only a week old too. I've been selling them for a few years now and these are the first ones returned with mechanical issues.


Harry

Where from Harry!

I don't think where i got them from is relevant. Although they are very reputable


Harry

 

[magpens]

The Sierra Click has been my favorite pen kit for a long time. The mechanism was changed 2-3 years ago, as you would know, Harry. . I can explain the change if you wish.

Very recently I had my first problem with the new style kit ... the click mechanism did not operate reliably, in the sense that the refill would not properly retract all the time.

Actually, it may not be the fault of the mechanism; it may be the fault of the kit-supplied refill, which may have a wider than normal tip on it.

I corrected the problem, I think, by enlarging very slightly the nib opening. I did this by carefully selecting just the right size numbered drill bit and gently forcing it backwards through the nib hole. Note that I was not using the bit as a drill ... just as a "rod" only *very* slightly bigger than the nib hole. I think it was a number 37 bit.

Perhaps this action simply flattened a tiny burr on the inside of the nib hole.

I should have tried a high quality refill (Schmidt or Private Reserve) first of all but I didn't.

Time will tell if this has been a permanent fix.

I will be carefully monitoring my use of the Sierra Click kit in the near future as I make more pens of this type.

 

[longbeard]

The Sierra Click has been my favorite pen kit for a long time. The mechanism was changed 2-3 years ago, as you would know, Harry. . I can explain the change if you wish.

Very recently I had my first problem with the new style kit ... the click mechanism did not operate reliably, in the sense that the refill would not properly retract all the time.

Actually, it may not be the fault of the mechanism; it may be the fault of the kit-supplied refill, which may have a wider than normal tip on it.

I corrected the problem, I think, by enlarging very slightly the nib opening. I did this by carefully selecting just the right size numbered drill bit and gently forcing it backwards through the nib hole. Note that I was not using the bit as a drill ... just as a "rod" only *very* slightly bigger than the nib hole. I think it was a number 37 bit.

Perhaps this action simply flattened a tiny burr on the inside of the nib hole.

I should have tried a high quality refill (Schmidt or Private Reserve) first of all but I didn't.

Time will tell if this has been a permanent fix.

I will be carefully monitoring my use of the Sierra Click kit in the near future as I make more pens of this type.

It's in the mechanism. It will extend the refill but will not retract it. When I made them, I click it each one probably 20 to 30 times, worked fine. (But they always do)



Harry

 

[mecompco]

I am interested in any potential fixes. Was showing a customer an Elegant Sierra click at a show last weekend and several times the refill failed to lock out--embarrassing! I always use Schmitd 9000 refills. Swapped the lower part of the pen, including refill and spring onto another Sierra click and it works fine. The issue is in the mechanism and now it is failing to lock about 20% of the time. Oh, and I made it about a year ago, FWIW.

Regards,
Michael

 

[mark james]

Has anyone experience any issues with the Sierra clicks? I just got 2 back that won't click. They are only a week old too. I've been selling them for a few years now and these are the first ones returned with mechanical issues.


Harry

Where from Harry!

I don't think where i got them from is relevant. Although they are very
reputable


Harry

I was actually curious of the original manufacturer as there are several "Sierras" from different sources. I was not going in the direction of poking a finger at a vendor, just to narrow down the possible issues.

 

[jttheclockman]

Has anyone experience any issues with the Sierra clicks? I just got 2 back that won't click. They are only a week old too. I've been selling them for a few years now and these are the first ones returned with mechanical issues.


Harry

Maybe this


www.penturners.org/forum/f19/all-click-pen-frustration-simple-solution-142013/

 

[mecompco]

Has anyone experience any issues with the Sierra clicks? I just got 2 back that won't click. They are only a week old too. I've been selling them for a few years now and these are the first ones returned with mechanical issues.


Harry

Maybe this


www.penturners.org/forum/f19/all-click-pen-frustration-simple-solution-142013/

So there was no real resolution in that thread. Smoothing the hole in the nib seems to be the fix for the refill refusing to retract, but what about the refill failing to engage in the deployed position? Perhaps Ed will chime in. I would be willing to send mine in for diagnostics.

Regards,
Michael

 

[longbeard]

Has anyone experience any issues with the Sierra clicks? I just got 2 back that won't click. They are only a week old too. I've been selling them for a few years now and these are the first ones returned with mechanical issues.


Harry

Where from Harry!

I don't think where i got them from is relevant. Although they are very
reputable


Harry

I was actually curious of the original manufacturer as there are several "Sierras" from different sources. I was not going in the direction of poking a finger at a vendor, just to narrow down the possible issues.

Oh, they are Berea


Harry

 

[longbeard]

The refills had no issues extending or retracting.
The issue is in the click mechanism.

Harry

 

[longbeard]

Also I might add...
Does the the click sierra really have an issue or is it the operator?
How was it used ?
This we'll never know for sure



Harry

 

[mecompco]

Also I might add...
Does the the click sierra really have an issue or is it the operator?
How was it used ?
This we'll never know for sure



Harry

Mine has never been out of the pen case. I know it is this particular mechanism as swapping the lower section and refill to another identical pen works fine.

Regards,
Michael

 

[tomtedesco]

I stopped making click pens because I was having so many issues with them. I thought it was just me messing up, glad to read this post. Some of the pens require a lot of pressure on the top to make them retract or extend, not something I would like to give away.

 

[jttheclockman]

Within that link I gave one of the problems mentioned was the label on the refills getting hung up at times because it moved around some.

It is actually amazing that these companies can not make a great click pen and yet all these cheap pens you get for $1 work flawlessly. I have a bunch of pens I had made for me way back before I started making my own. I use to give them out at my craft shows as a promotional thing. I use to get click pens, twist pens and even pocket knifes for $1. Yes you had to order 50 at a time but worth it to me. Had my name engraved and all. One time set up fee and all the promotional products every year were sent to you. I still use these pens even today. have them all over the house and in the trucks and gave so many away to family and friends. never had one problem with the click pens. they work so smooth. By the way if anyone is interested in the company it was Myron. Very nice products, at least back then.

 

[mecompco]

Within that link I gave one of the problems mentioned was the label on the refills getting hung up at times because it moved around some.

It is actually amazing that these companies can not make a great click pen and yet all these cheap pens you get for $1 work flawlessly. I have a bunch of pens I had made for me way back before I started making my own. I use to give them out at my craft shows as a promotional thing. I use to get click pens, twist pens and even pocket knifes for $1. Yes you had to order 50 at a time but worth it to me. Had my name engraved and all. One time set up fee and all the promotional products every year were sent to you. I still use these pens even today. have them all over the house and in the trucks and gave so many away to family and friends. never had one problem with the click pens. they work so smooth. By the way if anyone is interested in the company it was Myron. Very nice products, at least back then.

I can certainly see the label catching and not allowing the refill to retract--easily fixed by smoothing up the inside of the nib a bit. What perplexes me is the random failure to lock the refill in the deployed position, I can't see how the label would interfere with that. If I can't fix it, I'll just punch my nice buckeye burl blank off and put it on another pen.

 

[Brian G]

I've had to repair two Sierra Click mechanisms on Elegant Sierras. I don't have pictures to illustrate. There were two different issues, which I can't tell if they were mechanism or user errors.

Shine a flashlight down the barrel first. I noticed a cracked housing where it looked like the refill had (by user?) been jammed in and caused the crack.

You should be able to disassemble by stuffing a piece of paper towel down the barrel and tapping the mechanism out with a disassembly punch. Unscrew the metal click button, and you should be able to push the plastic mechanism out.

I was able to replace the cracked housing, which unscrewed from the plastic mechanism, with a spare.

On an earlier repair, the "clicker rocker" (I don't know what it's called, but it's a piece of plastic in a slot that allows the refill to extend or retract) was chipped. I was able to swap it for a spare.

Overall, this might help with the fix, but it doesn't solve or answer the question of durability. I'm becoming skeptical. I suspect if you contacted Berea, they would supply a replacement.