Inspecting Kits

[Fibonacci]

When you receive a kit, what do you inspect it for?

Unfortunately, I think I got some kits with oddball plating, but I am working with the vendor to correct it. My biggest problem is that I didn't look for that.

When I first started, I didn't inspect kits.

Then I got a pen half made before discovering that the tube was slightly bent. It still fit in the blank, but when I went to put the tranmission in, I discovered that it wasn't aligned with the blank. As I turned the blank off, I discovered that they whole tube was curved. In looking at the other kits I got at the same time, I found that several of them had curved tubes.

So I started inspecting for tubes in good condition. I have had a few with tube issues, but the vendors solved those problems easily.

Then one day I was trying to put together a kit and knew something was wrong, but couldn't figure out what it was. I showed it to my wife and she wanted to know why I left the clip off. Doh. So I started inspecting kits to have all the right parts in the right colors.

On my latest order, I got my kits, pulled them out, checked the parts, and checked that the finish was "right". Thus creating my problem. I looked through the plastic to say that the finish was good. Upon starting to assemble one, I discovered that my kits (3) were all silver colored metal, but there was a random mix of polished and satin finishes. Now I have to contact this vendor about getting some replecement parts. Given past experience, I expect that to be fairly painless, it just delays me a bit.

If I had pulled each piece out of the bag and lined them up on the table, this would have been very apparent from the start, but I didn't take them out of the bag because the bags are so convenient for storage.

So, in the interest of not having such issues in the future, how do you inspect your kits, and what do you look for?

 

[TomW]

I get em, take em out of the bags and put in tray tackle boxes by pen type. Then when building a pen (e.g. Jr Gent 2). I get the Jr. Gent 2 box and pick the parts out, being sure I have the correct color/finish. Keeping a pile of stuff assures I wont be needing one thing late at night on Thursday before a long weekend. I guess the estate sale that succeeds me will have quite a pile of stuff (but some will be bent, some have bad plating, etc. Don't say we didn't warn you!

 

[Fibonacci]

Out of curiousity, roughly how many kits do you keep on hand at a time?

Also, how many do you order at a time?

I imagine that contributes to how you do inspection/storage.

I generally order 6-8 at a time (or less) and order more when I run out. I keep all of my kits in thier bags in some clear latching boxes from walmart.

 

[Smitty37]

right away

When you receive a kit, what do you inspect it for?

Unfortunately, I think I got some kits with oddball plating, but I am working with the vendor to correct it. My biggest problem is that I didn't look for that.

When I first started, I didn't inspect kits.

Then I got a pen half made before discovering that the tube was slightly bent. It still fit in the blank, but when I went to put the tranmission in, I discovered that it wasn't aligned with the blank. As I turned the blank off, I discovered that they whole tube was curved. In looking at the other kits I got at the same time, I found that several of them had curved tubes.

So I started inspecting for tubes in good condition. I have had a few with tube issues, but the vendors solved those problems easily.

Then one day I was trying to put together a kit and knew something was wrong, but couldn't figure out what it was. I showed it to my wife and she wanted to know why I left the clip off. Doh. So I started inspecting kits to have all the right parts in the right colors.

On my latest order, I got my kits, pulled them out, checked the parts, and checked that the finish was "right". Thus creating my problem. I looked through the plastic to say that the finish was good. Upon starting to assemble one, I discovered that my kits (3) were all silver colored metal, but there was a random mix of polished and satin finishes. Now I have to contact this vendor about getting some replecement parts. Given past experience, I expect that to be fairly painless, it just delays me a bit.

If I had pulled each piece out of the bag and lined them up on the table, this would have been very apparent from the start, but I didn't take them out of the bag because the bags are so convenient for storage.

So, in the interest of not having such issues in the future, how do you inspect your kits, and what do you look for?

Well if you happen to buy from me - I hope you will inspect right away.

Most of the faults with my kits have been missing parts and the sooner I find out the better. I'm not usually hard nosed about replacing pieces on popular priced kits, but in some cases (i.e. the Emperor kits just in the mail from Taiwan) I have to go to the vendor to get a replacement part or be stuck with a $50.00 incomplete kit. Needless to say if someone comes with a complaint about a missing piece after a month they might well not be greeted with a smile.

 

[Fibonacci]

That is kind of the point of this thread. What to look for during inspection.

In this case, I got the parts Monday, so it has only been a couple days.

 

[ed4copies]

This is kind of interesting.

In over a decade of making pens for shows, I handled thousands of kits. Never called a vendor or had a problem I considered "noteworthy". And, yes, I made "boxed kits" that cost over $50 each.

Now, the problems seem much more common. As a vendor, I can say it is easier when you can email a picture, so I know where the problem lies. We are always willing to "stand behind" our products--but if there is a recurring problem, we need to explain it to the manufacturer. To solve a problem, it must be properly identified. So, when you hear me ask for pictures, it does NOT mean I don't believe you, it is merely an attempt to accurately assess the scope of the problem.

Thanks for your cooperation--we ARE in this together!!!

 

[76winger]

Might be something I need to think about doing. So far, in the 2 1/2 years of ordering my kits from PSI, I've never had this as a problem. I usually order 5 to 20 kits at a time about every other month on average. Since I've started getting more active in here this year, I've branched out a order a few bits and pieces from other suppliers, so it sounds like I may need to keep an open eye for this.

Any particular types of kits this happens with?

 

[Fibonacci]

In over a decade of making pens for shows, I handled thousands of kits. Never called a vendor or had a problem I considered "noteworthy". And, yes, I made "boxed kits" that cost over $50 each.

This is an interesting comment.

Now that you sell kits, do you have people contacting you on a regular basis for issues that you would not consider noteworthy? Having been in this industry for a long time, do you think you have seen a change in the quality of parts (up or down) in that time?

When I was just getting started, I posted a question about plating quality and at what point it was worth calling the vendor over an issue. In that case, it looked like the parts were not properly polished before plating. My thought was that I paid $1.60 (or something like that) for these pens, expecting perfection is unreasonable. I didn't complain, but got a lot of feedback that said I should have done so, because the vendor is going to keep shipping flawed parts until they get enough complaints to change.

For those that are vendors, (Smitty, Ed, I am looking at you), do you think that that low price of a slimline for example excuses some defects in manufacturing, as long as those defects do not affect the functionality of the kit? I think that everyone would agree that plating mistakes in an emperor kit, or some other very expensive one would warrant reporting, but how far does that extend?

I completely agree that a customer should be willing to either provide pictures or return the parts with an issue. If it cannot be documented, then nothing can be done to ensure that the problem does not continue.

I worked in sales for a manufacturing company for a while, and nothing was more frustrating than getting a call about a nebulous problem that "happens all the time" that the customer can't explain and/or has never called about before.

 

[Fibonacci]

In over a decade of making pens for shows, I handled thousands of kits. Never called a vendor or had a problem I considered "noteworthy". And, yes, I made "boxed kits" that cost over $50 each.

Another thought on this is what is considered a "noteworthy" issue. As a purchaser, did you overlook small things that were not worth the time to pursue? Has your opinion on what is noteworthy changed over time?

I also want to make a note that I have not had a lot of problems. Looking back at my original post, it sounds like there are parts epidemics going on.

I have bought around 50 kits at this point (hardly any compared to many of you) and only had 2 verifieable issues. I found the small plating issues on 2 or 3 slimline kits, which were the same ones that had the curved tubes. I talked to the vendor and they sent me replacement tubes with my next order. No big deal, any time large numbers of parts are being made, there will be manufacturing defects. Given the price of slimlines, I imagine it is much cheaper for the manufacturer to replace a few parts here and there than pay for a lot of quality control.

Now I am having this issue with what looks like the wrong parts being put in the bags. Again, it happens, and they are pretty similar. I didn't notice the difference until I put the pieces side by side and realized they were different.

As far a missing parts, I have no proof that I didn't just lose the clip on the one I mentioned above. I don't believe that I did, since my shop isn't that big, and I think I would have found it since then if it just got misplaced, but I might have. To me, that means I should be more careful about tracking the parts and making sure they are present when the kits arrive. The first time you take pieces out of the box is really the only time you can say with certainty whether it came that way or you screwed it up.

I don't mean this to turn into a bash on suppliers or kit quality. Given my experience in other industries, I find the vendors around here (and pen turning vendors in general) to offer particularly high quality items with amazing customer service.

My intention was to solicit advice on what to look out for and have that info available to other new turners.

 

[ed4copies]

Another thought on this is what is considered a "noteworthy" issue. As a purchaser, did you overlook small things that were not worth the time to pursue? Has your opinion on what is noteworthy changed over time?

What is "noteworthy" to me? When I buy 100 kits, I pay a discounted price. I always considered that discount was to cover any difficulties I might encounter. So, "noteworthy" would have to be what others would consider "substantial"--at least a 10% "unusable" kit failure.


My opinion of "noteworthy" has not changed, for me. However, as a vendor, I respond to YOUR opinion, not mine.


In this vein, I do think there are more "substandard" kits available now than ever before. And, I believe if the kits are "popularly priced", it is understandable that quality control is less rigid.

 

[Smitty37]

overlook????

In over a decade of making pens for shows, I handled thousands of kits. Never called a vendor or had a problem I considered "noteworthy". And, yes, I made "boxed kits" that cost over $50 each.

Another thought on this is what is considered a "noteworthy" issue. As a purchaser, did you overlook small things that were not worth the time to pursue? Has your opinion on what is noteworthy changed over time?

I also want to make a note that I have not had a lot of problems. Looking back at my original post, it sounds like there are parts epidemics going on.

I have bought around 50 kits at this point (hardly any compared to many of you) and only had 2 verifieable issues. (If I was dealin with 2 issues out of every 25 kits I sold I would be very upset with my supplier)(I found the small plating issues on 2 or 3 slimline kits, which were the same ones that had the curved tubes. I talked to the vendor and they sent me replacement tubes with my next order. No big deal, any time large numbers of parts are being made, there will be manufacturing defects. Given the price of slimlines, I imagine it is much cheaper for the manufacturer to replace a few parts here and there than pay for a lot of quality control.(The Japanese proved to us 30 years ago that isn't the case - the cheapest way to handle defects is to prevent them at the source)

Now I am having this issue with what looks like the wrong parts being put in the bags. (this is part of the most frequent fault in kits I sell. Wrong or missing parts - sometimes an extra shows up but that doesn't hurt the kit) Again, it happens, and they are pretty similar. I didn't notice the difference until I put the pieces side by side and realized they were different.

As far a missing parts, I have no proof that I didn't just lose the clip on the one I mentioned above. (I think with most vendors that really doesn't matter - normally I just take my customers word for it if they tell me a part was missing. Why lose a customer over something like that as long as it is reported in a timely fashion) I don't believe that I did, since my shop isn't that big, and I think I would have found it since then if it just got misplaced, but I might have. To me, that means I should be more careful about tracking the parts and making sure they are present when the kits arrive. The first time you take pieces out of the box is really the only time you can say with certainty whether it came that way or you screwed it up.

I don't mean this to turn into a bash on suppliers or kit quality. Given my experience in other industries, I find the vendors around here (and pen turning vendors in general) to offer particularly high quality items with amazing customer service.

My intention was to solicit advice on what to look out for and have that info available to other new turners.

That is the truth but there are only a few vendors that are really hard-nosed about how fast you get back to them, and they are usually dealing with expensive kits. If you are buying slimline kits from me I don't care if you come back to me 6 months from now....if you're buying an Emperor, you'd better be back in a week or so because that's about how long the supplier gives me to report problems.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

I don't buy a lot of kits I just look through the bag for anything that catches my eye and in 2-3 years of pen making I have yet to have an issue with any kits. When I have an issue with a kit it is self inflicted. On a few I have had to file out the eye of the clip so it would fit. To me that is a non issue.

On a non-pen making note, in my industry we but and use a lot of assorted pieces and parts and quality control has gone out the window in an effort to save money and other times you will order the same thing you ordered last week and a similar but different part will show up without the vendor telling you.

 

[Smitty37]

Still

I don't buy a lot of kits I just look through the bag for anything that catches my eye and in 2-3 years of pen making I have yet to have an issue with any kits. When I have an issue with a kit it is self inflicted. On a few I have had to file out the eye of the clip so it would fit. To me that is a non issue.

On a non-pen making note, in my industry we but and use a lot of assorted pieces and parts and quality control has gone out the window in an effort to save money and other times you will order the same thing you ordered last week and a similar but different part will show up without the vendor telling you.

That was probably with kits you bought from me. I ran into it myself. If it happens with recently purchased kits - I'd like to know. I have had that reported before and the supplier assured me it was fixed. If it is raising its head again I'll get after them again.

 

[Fibonacci]

I have bought around 50 kits at this point (hardly any compared to many of you) and only had 2 verifieable issues. (If I was dealin with 2 issues out of every 25 kits I sold I would be very upset with my supplier)

Statistically speaking, I would agree. In this case, I don't think that 50-ish kits is statistically significant. To me, how they deal with a problem is far more important to me.

Case in point, I just got off the phone with CSUSA (the vendor in question with the plating issue). I had looked on the website and noticed that they pulled the kits I had ordered. When I called, they said that they had pulled the kit because they got several complaints on that issue, checked thier stock, and discovered that much of thier stock had this issue.

The manager of the person I talked to was on the phone with the manufacturer as we spoke, and they are going to contact me when they have more information.

As far as I am concerned, they are doing exactly the right thing. Would I have preferred to not get erroneous parts in the first place? Yeah. Would I be more upset if I had a pile of orders backing up on me because of the lack of parts? Probably. If I needed to make something happen right now to solve my problem, would they work with me? I have no doubt that they would.

Given my background as the guy who answered the phone for such complaints for a while, I might be more understanding than some.

 

[Fibonacci]

Another thought on this is what is considered a "noteworthy" issue. As a purchaser, did you overlook small things that were not worth the time to pursue? Has your opinion on what is noteworthy changed over time?

What is "noteworthy" to me? When I buy 100 kits, I pay a discounted price. I always considered that discount was to cover any difficulties I might encounter. So, "noteworthy" would have to be what others would consider "substantial"--at least a 10% "unusable" kit failure.


My opinion of "noteworthy" has not changed, for me. However, as a vendor, I respond to YOUR opinion, not mine.


In this vein, I do think there are more "substandard" kits available now than ever before. And, I believe if the kits are "popularly priced", it is understandable that quality control is less rigid.

If you happen to be in CA, I want to go get some coffee with you. You have a number of interesting ideas.

I have seen a number of idea regarding bulk pricing, but the idea that it pays for the inevitable issues that occasionally crop up is interesting. I am curious if that is a common belief among bulk producers.

 

[HSTurning]

For me I dont look them over. I know I should. I have only had 2 problems that I can remember.
I bought a pack of funlines from PSI just to play with . On the 5 gun metal in the pake I received 6 caps and 4 center bands. I just make a pen with out a center band. I still have the cap and dont expect to ever have a use or it as I will not be making that pen style again.
I pick up a couple Sierras Black Ti with platinum trim from Rockler. The cap/ clip was missing. I noticed it about a month later and mentioned to the manager. I just brought back the kit and they gave me a new kit. A couple months or so later I bought a couple more and noticed about 6 months later the cap/ clip was missing again. I just figured it was my isue at this point being so far past when I purchased. I just mentioned it in passing when I was talking to the manager at another point and he pulled one from a kit. I think some how the kit ended up on the shelf again.

I will buy a couple here and there if I have a coupon to rockler or woodcraft, also if I want to try out a new style and they have it.
I like to buy 10-20 of a style when I buy something I know I like.
Slimlines I like to get 50-100 at a time.
I have also joined a few others and only like to buy the Ti and other high end platings. After seeing the finish on my daily use gold Sierra. I will still purchase chrome also if I want to keep the cost down and knowing what the people I plan on selling them to are looking to pay.

 

[Smitty37]

My point of view

In over a decade of making pens for shows, I handled thousands of kits. Never called a vendor or had a problem I considered "noteworthy". And, yes, I made "boxed kits" that cost over $50 each.

This is an interesting comment.

Now that you sell kits, do you have people contacting you on a regular basis for issues that you would not consider noteworthy? Having been in this industry for a long time, do you think you have seen a change in the quality of parts (up or down) in that time?

When I was just getting started, I posted a question about plating quality and at what point it was worth calling the vendor over an issue. In that case, it looked like the parts were not properly polished before plating. My thought was that I paid $1.60 (or something like that) for these pens, expecting perfection is unreasonable. I didn't complain, but got a lot of feedback that said I should have done so, because the vendor is going to keep shipping flawed parts until they get enough complaints to change.

For those that are vendors, (Smitty, Ed, I am looking at you), do you think that that low price of a slimline for example excuses some defects in manufacturing, as long as those defects do not affect the functionality of the kit? I think that everyone would agree that plating mistakes in an emperor kit, or some other very expensive one would warrant reporting, but how far does that extend?

I completely agree that a customer should be willing to either provide pictures or return the parts with an issue. If it cannot be documented, then nothing can be done to ensure that the problem does not continue.

I worked in sales for a manufacturing company for a while, and nothing was more frustrating than getting a call about a nebulous problem that "happens all the time" that the customer can't explain and/or has never called about before.

As a seller of low priced kits, from my perspective the short answer is "no" low price is not an excuse for defective kits unless they are sold as seconds. Even if replacement is not necessary or practical I want to know about defects....so does my supplier.

 

[ed4copies]

Now that you sell kits, do you have people contacting you on a regular basis for issues that you would not consider noteworthy?
NO, usually the calls we get are reasonable.
The "customer with a problem" can make my life much easier if they also have a caliper --frequently in "problem analysis", dimensions matter!!!


Having been in this industry for a long time, do you think you have seen a change in the quality of parts (up or down) in that time?
Yes, I have seen a parabola. When I started, we were informed that kits were starting points for craftsmen. Adapting the kits was EXPECTED.
Then, the vendors (CSUSA, Woodcrafters of Oklahoma, PSI, Berea and The Woodworking Store (now Rockler)) improved the kits and the fit between parts was good, the transmissions all worked, very little "adaptation" was needed. I believe this is STILL the case with Berea, but the others are experimenting with lower cost items and accepting lower tolerances and higher "failure rates".

Of course there are new players as well, including me. So, for those who say you can't be objective and still be a player, I guess I am no longer objective. Personally, I view it this way: When Dawn asked me to help with Exotics by choosing kits, I did extensive comparisons. In the end analysis, Exotics carries MOSTLY Berea components because they have been reliable for the whole time I have made pens and they are NOT inclined to change their source of supply. Instead they will pay a little more for dependable quality.

MY reputation was based on the pens I sold---most of which I never saw again. But, I also had a good following among the vendors at shows we did--several of the "jewelry ladies" bought dozens of pens from me. Some of them are still buying from me--"Jewelry ladies" do know a little about gold and silver plating--I consider their repeat business a strong endorsement of my component selection, at the retail level. So, I am willing to spend a little more for each pen component set.

Some of you will not be surprised to learn that I also sell my pens at a price a little higher than some other folks. I can justify my price to my customers' satisfaction---THAT is the real equation here---each of us has his own "comfort level". Personally, I am more comfortable asking for a higher price, rather than selling a lower quality.

Smitty is correct when he says the "popular priced" kits, including 24kt gold sell far more "units", so it is clear that MY preference is in the minority. I'm ok with that.

 

[jttheclockman]

I get em, take em out of the bags and put in tray tackle boxes by pen type. Then when building a pen (e.g. Jr Gent 2). I get the Jr. Gent 2 box and pick the parts out, being sure I have the correct color/finish. Keeping a pile of stuff assures I wont be needing one thing late at night on Thursday before a long weekend. I guess the estate sale that succeeds me will have quite a pile of stuff (but some will be bent, some have bad plating, etc. Don't say we didn't warn you!

Boy if I had to do that I would have pen parts all over the place. A couple things I would find very hard to do with this system is to keep track of the platings because so many look alike today and the kits all look alike also. I keep in the bag.

What I don't like is when vendors do not label things such as blanks and this includes faux casein and other blanks. No reason in the world if you are selling something you can not put a simple label on it no matter how obvious it may seem to you. Also vendors that use numbers instead of names of kits. I stopped buying from a particular vendor for this simple reason. Again no reason a simple label calling a kit what it is and not a catalog number. Pet peeves of mine, YOU BET.

When you receive a kit, what do you inspect it for?

Unfortunately, I think I got some kits with oddball plating, but I am working with the vendor to correct it. My biggest problem is that I didn't look for that.

When I first started, I didn't inspect kits.

Then I got a pen half made before discovering that the tube was slightly bent. It still fit in the blank, but when I went to put the tranmission in, I discovered that it wasn't aligned with the blank. As I turned the blank off, I discovered that they whole tube was curved. In looking at the other kits I got at the same time, I found that several of them had curved tubes.

So I started inspecting for tubes in good condition. I have had a few with tube issues, but the vendors solved those problems easily.

Then one day I was trying to put together a kit and knew something was wrong, but couldn't figure out what it was. I showed it to my wife and she wanted to know why I left the clip off. Doh. So I started inspecting kits to have all the right parts in the right colors.

On my latest order, I got my kits, pulled them out, checked the parts, and checked that the finish was "right". Thus creating my problem. I looked through the plastic to say that the finish was good. Upon starting to assemble one, I discovered that my kits (3) were all silver colored metal, but there was a random mix of polished and satin finishes. Now I have to contact this vendor about getting some replecement parts. Given past experience, I expect that to be fairly painless, it just delays me a bit.

If I had pulled each piece out of the bag and lined them up on the table, this would have been very apparent from the start, but I didn't take them out of the bag because the bags are so convenient for storage.

So, in the interest of not having such issues in the future, how do you inspect your kits, and what do you look for?

I think the more pens you make and the more familar you become with a company the less likely you will inspect kits. Any defects are overcome by volume of sales and a parts bin takes place. Now if there is a run of defective parts in one particular kit then attention needs to be addressed to seller no matter what time lapses. Again there is a particular vendor that has a policy that he requires you to inspect the kits you order and let him know of problems within a certain time frame. He sends cards stateing this and you are aware when buying them.

Now if you are buying a particular kit for a certain client you better inspect as soon as you get it. Then again not all problems get noticed upon a glance. So good luck with the inspecting thing.

 

[Smitty37]

Yes and No

Another thought on this is what is considered a "noteworthy" issue. As a purchaser, did you overlook small things that were not worth the time to pursue? Has your opinion on what is noteworthy changed over time?

What is "noteworthy" to me? When I buy 100 kits, I pay a discounted price. I always considered that discount was to cover any difficulties I might encounter. So, "noteworthy" would have to be what others would consider "substantial"--at least a 10% "unusable" kit failure.


My opinion of "noteworthy" has not changed, for me. However, as a vendor, I respond to YOUR opinion, not mine.


In this vein, I do think there are more "substandard" kits available now than ever before. And, I believe if the kits are "popularly priced", it is understandable that quality control is less rigid.

If you happen to be in CA, I want to go get some coffee with you. You have a number of interesting ideas.

I have seen a number of idea regarding bulk pricing, but the idea that it pays for the inevitable issues that occasionally crop up is interesting. I am curious if that is a common belief among bulk producers.

From my point of vies Yes and No .... I offer discounts on 100 kits but they are mix and match so while some one buys 100 kits from me they might only by 10 (say) copper kits. So a missing part means they have lost 10% of their copper kits. If all of the 100 kits were copper they'd only be loosing 1%. Most, but not all, bulk buyers don't ask for replacements. If they do ask or even tell me about a problem, I offer a replacement. You buy 100 kits from me, you save money and I make money with a lot less work than selling 10 orders of 10 kits.

 

[ed4copies]

We're on the same page, Smitty.

When I bought 100 kits at a time, if one or two had problems, I knew I would need the components at some future time--so that kit became "spare parts".

I sold my pens for significantly more than I bought the kits. So, overall, a "bad" $10 kit was no big deal.

I truly don't ever remember getting a bad $50 kit--so never had to make that value judgement.

 

[sbell111]

I typically buy 50+ kits at a time. Sometimes hundreds of kits at a time. Obviousy, I'm not going to take the time to sort through every single one to ensure that everything is there and that the plating is perfect. At this quantity, most kits are cheap enough that I'm willing to eat the problem.

When I receive a shipment of more-expensive kits, I give them a quick glance to see if any parts were obviously missing or damaged. Recently, I made a really small CSUSA order of something like ten kits. They sent the order in a padded envelope instead of a box. My quick inspection found one crushed tube (a good reason to use boxes, imo) and one missing ink cartridge. I ignored the ink cartridge issue because I upgrade those anyway, but I called them regarding the tube. A fresh one was received in a few days.

Edited to add that a few years ago, we were making a bunch of Polaris pens for some reason. I guess someone ordered a bunch of them, but I don't recall. Anyway, we were working from a big batch of Rizheng Polaris kits. Much to our surprise we had a huge failure rate on the clips. Over half of the ones that we put together would snap in two. It was super frustrating because you have to disassemble the pen every time this happens. A couple emails back and forth to the company resolved the situation, sort of. They agreed to include replacement clips in our next order.

That wasn't a perfect solution for two reasons: First, we had no short-term plans to make a 'next order'. So the replacements wouldn't actually arrive for a couple months until our next regular order. Second, I didn't trust the replacement clips well enough to use them in pens that go out to our customers. We ended up making a quick order to PSI to get polaris kits for those pens. (They probably bought them from Rizheng, but it's probably best not to investigate that idea topo far.) The polaris kits from Rizheng and the replacement clips (because I eventually made another order) are still hanging out in the shop.