I'm Embarrassed, but HELP

[writingrav]

Ok, so I'm not much of a repair person and knowing that I wouldn't normally fool around with a pen, but this seemed easy enough even for me:
Now I have this problem for the second time and I am hoping someone will help without laughing to hard.

First it started with a Sailor Sapporo. There is a plastic insert inside the cap and ink got behind it. So I unscrewed the top of the cap and the clip, cleaned out the cap and couldn't figure out how to screw the top and clip back on. I assumed I had somehow lost a little nut or something into which the top screw must go and I've been searching for a replacement. The today the same thing happened with my Twsbi 580 and this time I was very careful. I lost no parts. The top won't screw back and doesn't seem to have anything to screw into. What am I doing wrong? Should I not have taken the tops off? Have I ruined the caps? HELP!

[KrazyIvan]

Some pictures would help to identify the issue.

[Flounder]

I don't have either of these pens, but usually either the inner cap is threaded to accept the top screw, or the inner cap conceals something above it.

If you see threads in the inner cap (the 'plastic insert') the rubber end of a pencil will help prevent the inner cap turning while you tighten the top screw back in place.

If the inner cap is unthreaded, there will be something above it for the clip retaining screw to screw into. I don't know about the 580, but have read of in earlier TWSBIs having a 5mm nut (http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/214586-how-to-disassemble-twsbi-cap/) to do this job.

[earthdawn]

Ok, so I'm not much of a repair person and knowing that I wouldn't normally fool around with a pen, but this seemed easy enough even for me:
Now I have this problem for the second time and I am hoping someone will help without laughing to hard.

First it started with a Sailor Sapporo. There is a plastic insert inside the cap and ink got behind it. So I unscrewed the top of the cap and the clip, cleaned out the cap and couldn't figure out how to screw the top and clip back on. I assumed I had somehow lost a little nut or something into which the top screw must go and I've been searching for a replacement. The today the same thing happened with my Twsbi 580 and this time I was very careful. I lost no parts. The top won't screw back and doesn't seem to have anything to screw into. What am I doing wrong? Should I not have taken the tops off? Have I ruined the caps? HELP!

OK.. The Sailor I cant see into BUT the TWSBI .. that one I can help you with.

First... to get the inner liner out just use a pencil eraser as seen below. It comes right out.

Second... in the pic below that you can see there is a small nut screwed onto the screw or tiny bolt. Those are the parts you need as far as I know... My question is how did you get that apart ?

EDIT... the pics came out better then I though so you can see that tiny bolt in both pics.

http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/ac10/thevaporcafe/2E226B6F-1A18-42B6-BAA1-CE3ED78767A3-12773-00000382B2D53AAB_zps061962b7.jpg (http://s880.photobucket.com/user/thevaporcafe/media/2E226B6F-1A18-42B6-BAA1-CE3ED78767A3-12773-00000382B2D53AAB_zps061962b7.jpg.html)
http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/ac10/thevaporcafe/DF9570F7-D345-48C1-96D8-057BAA425846-12773-00000382B93978AB_zps1a49e23b.jpg (http://s880.photobucket.com/user/thevaporcafe/media/DF9570F7-D345-48C1-96D8-057BAA425846-12773-00000382B93978AB_zps1a49e23b.jpg.html)

[writingrav]

So the problem seems to be (probably in both cases) that there never was a nut. With the Sailor, which I did first, I have to assume a slight possibility that I lost it, but I was extra special careful not to so it must not have been there to begin with. Cann't figure it out. Meanwhile, where would I get replacement nuts; the local hardware stores couldn't match it.

[KrazyIvan]

The Sailor does have a nut. It might be on the floor somewhere around your work area???

[Flounder]

How and where did you clean out the caps after disassembly? If you used an ultrasonic cleaner, they might still be in the basket. If you rinsed them under a tap, check in the sink's trap. Good luck!

[earthdawn]

A nut that small... Maybe a hardware store or maybe a local jeweler.

You can email speedy or Phillip to see if they have any stateside to send you. If not they would at least know the size if the nut you need.

[trefste_metrese]

Cleaning behind my Sailor's "plastic insert" in the cap is always a problem for me. I found that inserting three or four q-tips into the cap, then turning them will generate enough friction to pop out the plastic insert. IIRC it's friction fit and will enable you to clean behind the insert.

That being said, I've never taken off the top of the cap/clip so I don't know if there is a nut there. Mine is a demonstrator, and looks to be glued on.