Spent a couple of hours of quality time in the shop tonight and tried the new PSI gear shift pen kit. I ordered 6 of them in chrome and made 5.
I ordered the chrome as opposed to the pewter and brass because I wanted to capture the spirit of the muscle cars I grew up with (yes, I am that old
). So I thought that the chrome, coupled with some of the popular colors (couldn't find a good candy apple red) would make the point. I used black ebonite (Classic Nib) - you can't beat chrome and shiny black; burgundy madrepearlato (Exotic Blanks) for a classy look; green pearl (PSI); purple mesh (plum purple - close enough - from Exotic Blanks); Fire Feathers for a flame look (PSI).
I was impressed with the kit itself. It is hefty and the components have a sturdy feel - nothing seems cheap or tinny. The gear shift action is similar to the bolt action, but feels stronger to me (just my opinion). Overall, I'm pleased with the appearance of the kit and the mating with the blanks.
The ebonite turned well as expected, as did the madrepearlato. The green pearl from PSI was one of their pre-drilled 7 mm blanks and turned okay. The purple mesh turned nicely as well. The fire feathers was a bear to turn - brittle and chipped easily - but has incredible pearl highlights and has a great overall appearance.
I couldn't resist using one of my grandson's cars to hold up the pens. As a side note, the black background is a "dead" laptop screen I got from my local computer repair shop.
I'll be going to a show in Wyoming at the end of this month, that will also have a car show, so I'll be interested to see how well they are received. I'll let you know.
C & C welcome.
I ordered the chrome as opposed to the pewter and brass because I wanted to capture the spirit of the muscle cars I grew up with (yes, I am that old
). So I thought that the chrome, coupled with some of the popular colors (couldn't find a good candy apple red) would make the point. I used black ebonite (Classic Nib) - you can't beat chrome and shiny black; burgundy madrepearlato (Exotic Blanks) for a classy look; green pearl (PSI); purple mesh (plum purple - close enough - from Exotic Blanks); Fire Feathers for a flame look (PSI).I was impressed with the kit itself. It is hefty and the components have a sturdy feel - nothing seems cheap or tinny. The gear shift action is similar to the bolt action, but feels stronger to me (just my opinion). Overall, I'm pleased with the appearance of the kit and the mating with the blanks.
The ebonite turned well as expected, as did the madrepearlato. The green pearl from PSI was one of their pre-drilled 7 mm blanks and turned okay. The purple mesh turned nicely as well. The fire feathers was a bear to turn - brittle and chipped easily - but has incredible pearl highlights and has a great overall appearance.
I couldn't resist using one of my grandson's cars to hold up the pens. As a side note, the black background is a "dead" laptop screen I got from my local computer repair shop.
I'll be going to a show in Wyoming at the end of this month, that will also have a car show, so I'll be interested to see how well they are received. I'll let you know.
C & C welcome.
