All click pen FRUSTRATION - a simple solution

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

thewishman

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2006
Messages
8,181
Location
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, USA.
I have been making click pens for several years and came to a conclusion - they ALL STINK! I have a market for them and they look good, but every single time I make one I cringe and hold my breath.

"Will this one actually work?!" Click, cli. CRAP!!!:mad::mad:

Why do these pens always hang up! Why do so very few of them NOT have problems?

I have filed nib openings, stretched springs, replaced refills, sanded inside nib couplers and hardly ever get a pen that will perform reliably. I give each pen a 10 click performance test - almost 8 in 10 have problems that I try to fix.

Last night I examined another new batch and discovered a universal problem across almost all manufacturers components. One simple thing that caused the failures.

My beloved Schmidt Easy Flow 9000.:frown: These refills have made me money so well over the years. I use them in every pen that will fit the style.

The wrapper gets hung up on the nib coupler on every click pen I tested. When replaced with a non-wrapped refill the click mechanism works time after time.

I want my Schmidts! I will continue to use them in every non-click pen I make. Is there a way to get this wonderful refill in a non-wrapped version?

Now I have to contact my previous customers and hope they have not had trouble. Sending smooth refills to each one is going to be an expensive pain, but I want those customers to come back and to have the kind of well-functioning pen they paid for.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

randyrls

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2006
Messages
4,821
Location
Harrisburg, PA 17112
that is an interesting conclusion, you could probably remove the wrapper, don't know if you could ream slightly the inside of the coupler.

Thanks for sharing!
 

Racer3770

Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
272
Location
Dayton, Ohio
I run into this same issue with click pens and Schmidt refills. I have removed the label from a few refills with mixed success. The glue is difficult to get off the refill, even with acetone/rubbing alcohol.
 

Monty

Group Buy Coordinator
Joined
Mar 4, 2005
Messages
8,343
Location
Pearland, Texas, USA.
I've had the same problem with several cigar pen couplers. Ed Brown suggested that since we have no control over which refill the buyer may choose when they replace the refill, I would be better off slightly filling off a little of the inside of the coupler than removing the label off the PR refill.
 

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
24,523
Location
Racine, WI, USA.
Edit in: Mike Broberg entered while I was typing.

Look again, Smitty! When I first heard of this problem, I said the same thing--but there is a label stuck on the refill.

Chris, what is the WORST pen kit you have encountered, where you believe the refill is the problem? I will make one and adapt the pen to accept ANY Parker style refill, I will video the process.

Why not just give up on the Easy Flow 9000? Because your competition will be using it and blow you out of the water on every sale!! The 9000 is engineered to fit in "Parker style" pens worldwide--the refill is NOT the problem, the engineering of the kit is the problem--I contend I can FIX any kit that was not originally manufactured to tight enough standards to accommodate ANY Parker style refill. Yes, it will take me a couple extra minutes, but, like you I want to be certain my customers do NOT have problems with my pens, no matter where they buy their refills!!

So, who's got the worst pen kit? (Among the good manufacturers, Berea, CSUSA, Dayacom, PSI)

It will be fun!!

Ed
 
Last edited:

Smitty37

Passed Away Mar 29, 2018
In Memoriam
Joined
Nov 23, 2009
Messages
12,823
Location
Milford, Delaware 19963
Edit in: Mike Broberg entered while I was typing.

Look again, Smitty! When I first heard of this problem, I said the same thing--but there is a label stuck on the refill.

Chris, what is the WORST pen kit you have encountered, where you believe the refill is the problem? I will make one and adapt the pen to accept ANY Parker style refill, I will video the process.

Why not just give up on the Easy Flow 9000? Because your competition will be using it and blow you out of the water on every sale!! The 9000 is engineered to fit in "Parker style" pens worldwide--the refill is NOT the problem, the engineering of the kit is the problem--I contend I can FIX any kit that was not originally manufactured to tight enough standards to accommodate ANY Parker style refill. Yes, it will take me a couple extra minutes, but, like you I want to be certain my customers do NOT have problems with my pens, no matter where they buy their refills!!

So, who's got the worst pen kit? (Among the good manufacturers, Berea, CSUSA, Dayacom, PSI)

It will be fun!!

Ed
Learn something new every day, I never really looked before I just thought it was painted on....On the other hand the reason I never looked is that no customer has ever complained that a Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 did not work on any click pen I have ever sold and 90% of the ones I have sold went with a Schmidt easyFlow 9000.
 

thewishman

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2006
Messages
8,181
Location
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, USA.
The Long Click from Dayacom is my worst. I am hesitant to file away too much of the coupler, don't want there to be any wallowing around on the tube.

As I said, I use the Schmidt for every single pen that it will fit, I will continue to use it in non-click pens. If modifications work, I'll gladly put them to use.
 

southernclay

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2013
Messages
2,260
Location
Dawsonville, GA
Interesting timing, I was messing with a Civil War pen this weekend and couldn't figure out the cause. Sure enough it's got an Easyflow 9000 in it.

Generic refill works great. I tried a Schmidt P 900 and it works well too.

While the P 900 isn't as good as the EF9000 it's better than the standard supplied refills. May be a good option without having to mess with the components.

That being said, Ed a video sounds like it could be in the works, I'll be a viewer.
 

EN Pens

Member
Joined
May 5, 2014
Messages
49
Location
Kingwood, Tx
My personal pen is a Vertex with a S9000. Never a problem. The Stratis has the same mechanism and all I have made work perfectly with the S9000.
 

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
24,523
Location
Racine, WI, USA.
The Long Click from Dayacom is my worst. I am hesitant to file away too much of the coupler, don't want there to be any wallowing around on the tube.

As I said, I use the Schmidt for every single pen that it will fit, I will continue to use it in non-click pens. If modifications work, I'll gladly put them to use.


Just took a look at one, I have a hypothesis--expect will have a video by the end of the weekend.

Ed
 

mecompco

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
1,607
Location
Fairfield, Maine
The Long Click from Dayacom is my worst. I am hesitant to file away too much of the coupler, don't want there to be any wallowing around on the tube.

As I said, I use the Schmidt for every single pen that it will fit, I will continue to use it in non-click pens. If modifications work, I'll gladly put them to use.


Just took a look at one, I have a hypothesis--expect will have a video by the end of the weekend.

Ed

I've had some Sierra Elegant Clicks that were a little sticky with 9000s. Now, if there's any question, I wrap a small punch with 500 grit and run it through the tip a few times--seems to smooth up the transition where the catch can occur.

Regards,
Michael
 

vtgaryw

Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
Messages
657
Location
Milton, VT
I hadn't made click pens for years because I was disappointed in all of the mechanisms. The only returns I ever had were click pens.

Then PSI came out with the Stratus and Vertex (Spartan as well, but I don't like the style as well.) Smoothest click mechanism I've seen. Nice long bodies, you can really show off wood or acrylic blanks. I sell quite a few of them now.

Gary
 

larryc

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2009
Messages
1,135
Location
Mableton, GA (Near Atlanta)
The Long Click from Dayacom is my worst. I am hesitant to file away too much of the coupler, don't want there to be any wallowing around on the tube.

As I said, I use the Schmidt for every single pen that it will fit, I will continue to use it in non-click pens. If modifications work, I'll gladly put them to use.


Just took a look at one, I have a hypothesis--expect will have a video by the end of the weekend.

Ed

Ed

Did you ever post the video?

Larry
 

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
24,523
Location
Racine, WI, USA.
The Long Click from Dayacom is my worst. I am hesitant to file away too much of the coupler, don't want there to be any wallowing around on the tube.

As I said, I use the Schmidt for every single pen that it will fit, I will continue to use it in non-click pens. If modifications work, I'll gladly put them to use.


Just took a look at one, I have a hypothesis--expect will have a video by the end of the weekend.

Ed

Ed

Did you ever post the video?

Larry

No, I made several attempts at getting it to "hang up" and never succeeded. Can't fix a problem I can't replicate.
 

larryc

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2009
Messages
1,135
Location
Mableton, GA (Near Atlanta)
The Long Click from Dayacom is my worst. I am hesitant to file away too much of the coupler, don't want there to be any wallowing around on the tube.

As I said, I use the Schmidt for every single pen that it will fit, I will continue to use it in non-click pens. If modifications work, I'll gladly put them to use.


Just took a look at one, I have a hypothesis--expect will have a video by the end of the weekend.

Ed



Ed

Did you ever post the video?

Larry

No, I made several attempts at getting it to "hang up" and never succeeded. Can't fix a problem I can't replicate.


Good old Murphy strikes again!
 

thewishman

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2006
Messages
8,181
Location
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, USA.
Ed, I apologize. He asked me to send him a pen that has this problem and I have not done that yet. I have not made a new click pen in a while. The lack of video is due to my procrastination, not Ed's.
 
Top Bottom