One of the best things about TWSBI Fountain Pens is how easy they are to take apart for cleaning and maintenance.
In fact, not only does TWSBI encourage you to take apart their pens, they even give you the tools you'll need.
In this video, we'll cover how to disassemble and reassemble a piston-filled TWSBI.
We'll be using a TWSBI Eco in this video, but these steps work for any piston-filled TWSBI fountain pen, including the Diamond 580 or the Diamond Mini,
the Classic, and the Precision.
Before you start, make sure the pen is empty and the cap is removed.
Begin by twisting the end cap counterclockwise to expose the connector underneath it.
Next, take the wrench that was included with your pen, which may be either plastic or metal, and slide it under the end cap so that the jaws of the wrench line up with the flat sides of the connector.
Screw down the end cap until the wrench is clamped firmly in place.
Turn the wrench clockwise to unscrew the piston mechanism from the barrel of the pen.
This is the opposite direction you normally twist things to unscrew them, so be careful.
Once you have unscrewed the piston mechanism, slide it out of the barrel.
Now with the wrench still clamped between the connector and the end cap,
you can apply some silicone grease to the piston and clean out the inside of the barrel.
If the piston mechanism is still in one piece with a wrench clamped in place between the end cap and the connector, then reassembling the pen is a breeze.
Simply slide the piston back into the barrel, twist the piston mechanism counterclockwise to screw it into place;
try to give it one little extra twist at the end to make sure it's secure.
Twist the end cap counterclockwise to release the wrench,
and twist the end cap clockwise to tighten it down.
If you took the piston mechanism apart, use these steps to reassemble it.
Make sure you have all of the parts of the piston mechanism ready: the piston, the screw, the connector, the screw bolt, and the end cap.
First, slide the piston onto the end of the screw, then drop the screw bolt into the top end of the connector.
Screw the end cap onto the top of the connector, covering the screw bolt.
When you do this, screw it down just until the end cap lines up with the end of the threaded section on the connector.
This is the trickiest part in reassembling the pen.
If the end cap is not quite in the right place, the piston will not work correctly when you assemble the pen.
Next, insert the screw into the bottom end of the connector, then twist the end cap clockwise to retract the piston into the mechanism.
There should be a small gap between the piston head and the connector when the end cap is fully tightened down.
If there is a large gap, then the end cap was screwed down too far before the piston was inserted.
To reduce the gap, press a finger lightly against the end of the piston, then start to unscrew the cap.
After the screw has been fully extended, you'll notice it slide back slightly into the connector, sometimes with a small jump.
Screw the end cap back down and the gap should now be smaller.
If the gap is still too big, you can repeat this step until you're satisfied.
If the piston touches the connector, then the end cap was not screwed down far enough before the piston was inserted.
You'll need to remove the piston and try again.
This time, make sure to screw the end cap down further before you start.
Just like that.
Once you've got the piston mechanism ready, unscrew the end cap until you're able to insert the wrench between the end cap and the connector.
Then tighten the end cap to wedge the wrench in place.
Insert the piston mechanism into the barrel,
and then turn the wrench counterclockwise to screw the mechanism into place.
Once you feel resistance, give a little extra turn to make sure that it's tight.
Now you can turn the end cap counterclockwise to release the wrench,
then turn the end cap clockwise to tighten it down.
Once you know how to disassemble and reassemble your TWSBI Fountain Pen,
keeping it clean and working smoothly is a breeze.
For more information on disassembling and reassembling TWSBIs, check out our full guide at JetPens.com, linked to you in the description below.
And be sure to check out Part 2 where we show you how to do this with a vacuum-filled pen.
Thanks for watching!