Sierra Pen Problem. Grip and patterned coupler failure?

[philb]

Hi,

Just had a sierra returned and the grip section and come away from the patterned transmission coupler section! So basically the patterned bit!

Just wondering if anyone else has and this or knows what might if happened. As the pen is only around 3 months old and has by the looks been used lightly but everyday.

Phil

 

[tim self]

I had my daily writer do the same thing. Found it in my pocket in pieces. It would go back together fine but come back apart. Application of a little epoxy and all is good.

 

[philb]

Sounds similar to this one. Looks like there only glued in place anyway? Thought they'd be a better click fitting or similar. Any idea how yours came apart? Heat/cold to much use?

This one seems to have only a tiny amount if hue holding it together, maybe enough wasn't there to start with?

Phol

 

[maxwell_smart007]

yep, has happened to me too...

Transmissions have been stuck inside the pen also...

All in all, the Sierra isn't worth the trouble for me anymore - I've had too many returned!

 

[SteveG]

I had one come apart in the same way. Was returned by a customer:frown: It appeared to have not enough glue. I also am about to abandon Sierra, with this and the other design problem of the tranny unscrewing into the cap.

 

[philb]

What to replace with though. The elegant and aero are if a very similar design?

 

[ed4copies]

It is not a design flaw, it's a manufacturing flaw.

All "sierra style" pens have three pieces in the nose end. They are NOT all equal in assembly. This, to me, is a question of "quality" of manufacture. Instead of "damning" the whole design, perhaps you would be better advised to change your supplier and see how someone else's products perform.

Just a thought. And, yes, this is an area where I have conducted serious "information gathering" over the past year. My comments are based in research, not "a stab in the dark".

FWIW

 

[1080Wayne]

Had one fall apart immediately after assembly . Checked my kit stock and found another which came apart with a slight tug . Supplier (from ON ) didn`t believe me . Now , I give them all a heck of a tug .

 

[philb]

It is not a design flaw, it's a manufacturing flaw.

All "sierra style" pens have three pieces in the nose end. They are NOT all equal in assembly. This, to me, is a question of "quality" of manufacture. Instead of "damning" the whole design, perhaps you would be better advised to change your supplier and see how someone else's products perform.

Just a thought. And, yes, this is an area where I have conducted serious "information gathering" over the past year. My comments are based in research, not "a stab in the dark".

FWIW

No problem with the kit supplier, he's shown his usual excellent customer practice.

I do agree though that it seems to be a manufacturing problem, as the amount of glue or epoxy in the joint was tiny, so a sharp knock or over-zealous twist transmission tightening would crack the joint and result in a failure!

PHIL

 

[ed4copies]

Phil,

The kit sellers (including exotics) buy what they hope will be the best product for the money. If one or two of his kits "fall apart", the rest are unlikely to be any better, unless he changes his source of supply.

I say this not to condemn ANY supplier, but to shed light on the fact that these components will be "copycatted" by newer sources in China and, potentially, other countries. Buying wholesale is a bit of a "crapshoot". But if a supplier gets a couple thousand kits that have a problem, can they afford to "eat" them?? Will their source take the defective kits back or argue that you should "expect a failure rate".

For a while, (months, years???) this is going to be a problem.

 

[bad]

So the Sierra design is just a design? Nobody has a patent on the design? A Sierra pen kit (or any other kit for that matter) could be manufactured by anyone?

 

[ed4copies]

So the Sierra design is just a design? Nobody has a patent on the design? A Sierra pen kit (or any other kit for that matter) could be manufactured by anyone?

Before YOU do it, run it past an International Law expert, which I am NOT!!!

Fact: Chinese plants are turning out products that look very similar to the products we have been buying, made in Taiwanese plants. This is VERY true of slimlines (and comfort offshoot) and sierras. There are more "in the works."

 

[workinforwood]

Best thing for ya'll to do is just remove the transmissions and send them to me to make real pens out of them, and toss the rest into the bin. Oh...and might as well send me the spring off the refill too.:biggrin:

 

[Smitty37]

Time

Before YOU do it, run it past an International Law expert, which I am NOT!!!

Fact: Chinese plants are turning out products that look very similar to the products we have been buying, made in Taiwanese plants. This is VERY true of slimlines (and comfort offshoot) and sierras. There are more "in the works."

You might add to that "and have been for several years"

 

[Smitty37]

Patents

Before YOU do it, run it past an International Law expert, which I am NOT!!!

Fact: Chinese plants are turning out products that look very similar to the products we have been buying, made in Taiwanese plants. This is VERY true of slimlines (and comfort offshoot) and sierras. There are more "in the works."

I am also far from an expert on patents, but there are any number of countries that do not recognize patents or even trade marks issued by other countries. That is why "counterfitting" is sometimes perfectly legal in the country where the knockoffs are being made. Also, less known but still true many "valid" patents do not hold up in court because the idea was not actually patentable to begin with.

Ran into this all the time in the electronics industry which is why all of the big players eventually enter cross licensing agreements with each other. It is too expensive and too difficult to win patent infringement cases and usually little reward if you do.

I often reviewed ideas submitted for patenting while working for a big electronics company. Most of the idea's I reviewed were rejected for patent submission but were published in an in-house technical journel
that could be used to overturn a patent issued to someone else.

I don't think I've ever seen a patent notice on any of the pen information that's come with the kits I've bought and I've surely never seen any stamped on any of the kits.

 

[Smitty37]

BallPoint Pen

So the Sierra design is just a design? Nobody has a patent on the design? A Sierra pen kit (or any other kit for that matter) could be manufactured by anyone?

I seriously doubt that there is much of anything patentable about ballpoint pens which have been around for years. The basic patents have expired years ago (Patents in the USA last 17 years). What could you patent? I'd almost wager that the only thing a new patent might be issued on would be a new ink formula. In order to get a patent there has to be something Unique about the pen. What is unique about a Sierra? Nothing that I can see...every part on the pen seems to be used in the same or nearly the same form in some other pen.

 

[bad]

Before YOU do it, run it past an International Law expert, which I am NOT!!!

Fact: Chinese plants are turning out products that look very similar to the products we have been buying, made in Taiwanese plants. This is VERY true of slimlines (and comfort offshoot) and sierras. There are more "in the works."

No, I'm not planning on doing it. This thread got me wondering about the Sierra pen kits that I get from Jimmy at Woodpenpro. Are they Sierra knock offs? And just out of curiosity, who makes Sierra pen kits?

 

[Smitty37]

Wrong glue

No problem with the kit supplier, he's shown his usual excellent customer practice.

I do agree though that it seems to be a manufacturing problem, as the amount of glue or epoxy in the joint was tiny, so a sharp knock or over-zealous twist transmission tightening would crack the joint and result in a failure!

PHIL

Sounds like the manufacturer might have used CA instead of epoxy...CA gives a good bond but has poor shear strength and might easily break loose in a twist application if twisted a bit too hard.

 

[Smitty37]

Interesting

No, I'm not planning on doing it. This thread got me wondering about the Sierra pen kits that I get from Jimmy at Woodpenpro. Are they Sierra knock offs? And just out of curiosity, who makes Sierra pen kits?

That would be interesting to know....if anyone can answer. It isn't uncommon to have 3 or 4 or more suppliers offering essentially the same pen kit under different names. Who was first to offer the style? Are all the rest knock-offs? I know the suppliers (both Chinese and Taiwanese) will label the kits with your company name and I suspect they will put any thing you want to call the kit there too.