Gentlemen's kit

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aggromere

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Mar 27, 2009
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Tampa, FL
I bought 5 titanium gold gent kits a few weeks ago and decided to turn one as a closed end pen tonite. When I got to the easy part, (fitting the finial/clip onto the top tube I could not get the clip to fit. It was just too small. Well, I opened all 5 kits and none of the clips fit any of the finials. I tried to use a deburring tool and a small file to enlarge the opening on the clip. I got it to barely go onto the finial and decide I might be able to make it work by assembling the top tube. (I do it on the lathe with some delrin gizmos I got somewhere). It cracked the sleeve so I gave up.

Im gonna call the supplier in the morning and see what they say. Just wanted to find out if anyone else has had this problem with this kit or others. I've gotten a few defective kits but this is the first time for a 5 for 5 failure.

What do you guys think.
 
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mick

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Mar 13, 2005
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Decatur AL, USA
Peter the plating will be thick a lot of the time on the clip ring. It's an easy fix. I just use a jeweler's file or take a punch small enough to wrap sandpaper around and GENTLY file away the excess plating. I figure if the platings a little thick...that's a good thing!
 

Rmartin

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Jan 14, 2007
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Columbus, Ga, USA.
I just use a jeweler's file or take a punch small enough to wrap sandpaper around and GENTLY file away the excess plating. I figure if the platings a little thick...that's a good thing!

While I agree with your suggestion of sanding out the ring, a pack of pen kits with clips that don't fit is not in anyway a good thing.
 

rej19

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Jul 19, 2008
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Indianapolis, IN
I have had that problem on less expensive kits many times. I just use a dremel with a cone shape stone and just a few touches take care of the problem. I agree that it should be that way but it is.
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
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Charleston, SC
I have had the same problem with the JR Gent kits as well. I always use a small file and go around the inside of the clip a few times to loosen up the fit. Along the same line, do you all add a drop of CA to the clip? I have had some of the clips begin to loosen ever so slightly and then they can spin around the top barrel, so I add a small drop of glue right before I press it on to keep it in place.

Dennis
 

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
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Mar 25, 2005
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Location
Racine, WI, USA.
I keep a dremel with a grinding stone in it. Titanium gold kits of all types will frequently need to be ground out for the finial to fit.

The "rhodium" Jr. Gents also need to be ground. No, I don't want to pay the suppliers to do this, just grind it out and move on. (PLEASE!!)
 

wolftat

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Aug 19, 2007
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Fairfield, CT, USA.
If you don't let your suppliers know about a problem, it will never get fixed. Look at what happened with the coupler on the Churchhill pen, it was replaced with a metal one to fix a problem.
 

jkeithrussell

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Oct 20, 2008
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Along the same line, do you all add a drop of CA to the clip? I have had some of the clips begin to loosen ever so slightly and then they can spin around the top barrel, so I add a small drop of glue right before I press it on to keep it in place.

A much safer practice is to use a dab of 5-minute epoxy. I apply it with the sharp end of a toothpick in a very thin line. CA will ruin your platings if it drips or smears (and it will), and it is pretty easy to end up with some of it on your thumb, and then on your barrel. If you get epoxy squeeze out, it wipes right off.
 

mrcook4570

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Mar 27, 2005
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Mason, WV, USA.
If a defect is a serious problem that is not avoidable by the penturner, then I certainly agree, contact the supplier to get it fixed.

If the defect is a simple 15 second fix by the penturner, then fix it and move on. It's not worth the time or expense to have the part replaced, inspected, redesigned, etc. Besides, pen kits are very inexpensive relative to their quality level. I do not think this hobby/profession would even be on the map if the kits were all perfect as the expense involved in that level of quality control would price everyone out of the market.
 

fernhills

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Jan 22, 2007
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Hellertown, PA, USA.
I bought 5 Gentleman kits and the clip didn`t fit as well. My fix was to make a wood nut sort of and press the clip on with a vice. Makes you mad that you have to use your brain and not get paid for it.
 

GouletPens

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Nov 9, 2008
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Ashland, VA
I've never bought a gentleman kit before but these problems are certainly keeping me from wanting to! I have purchased many of the WC Navigator and AS Baron kits (both Berea kits, I believe?) and have never had to file away any part of the kit. It's insane to think that kind of hand-adjusting is reasonable or necessary for a pen kit. I would let the distributor know about the problem right away and stop using them until the problem is fixed.
 
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