Pen platings.... again

[GBusardo]

I turn mostly Cigars, Sierras, Comforts and Jr Gents. The Sierras and JR Gents ALWAYS have a flawless finish to their platings. Being cheap, I look around for the best pricing on the Comforts and Cigars. Depending on what else I need, I usually buy from where I can get the most bang for the buck. I thought I was in luck when those pens started coming out with the premium platings. What I been getting, from most bargain suppliers, is a lumpy, bumpy, marred mess. The other problem is that the kit does not always fit nicely in the tubes. Probably from the varying thickness of the plating. It's my own fault for being cheap.
Two reasons I am posting this:
1. Just because the catalog says rhodium, platnium or ti, does not mean that it will have a fine finish.
2. There have been a lot of posts recently about getting kits made in China. I would be very wary. Imagine getting 500 kits that you want to throw into the trash? Imagine trying to get your money back?

This is not to say I haven't gotten nice kits from re-sellers. I don't think I ever got a real bummer from WoodPenPro.

 

[Rifleman1776]

To the best of my knowledge, all our kits come from China. I don't know who your "bargain" suppliers are. Even though I have had excellent service with some of the smaller suppliers, and lousy with one, I still tend to get most of mine from one larger company because of consistency and good service.

 

[IPD_Mrs]

From my understanding Woodturningz went to a cheaper kit for a while, but have switched back to what they were selling a year ago. I think most of the clearance/closeout stuff was the el-cheapo kits.

Mike.

 

[karlkuehn]

You know, I've been building Barons all day from the group buy, and I was just noting how much pleasure I get working with good kits. Dealing with Bill (Arizona Silhouette), Ernie (Bear Tooth Woods) and CSUSA (Gents and Statesmans, I haven't tried their lower-end stuff) has been a joy. Even the slimlines that I get from them are far and away better than what I see from other suppliers.

I've worked with most of the kits that Berea (Bill and Ernie) supplies, and without a doubt they've been top notch. The only problems I've had (I think it's been 3 out of manymanymany) have been with the Carbera/Atlas kits, and it's only been small goobers in the plating around the twist finial in the little grooves of the 'teeth' that are noticeable, but not bad. The few that I've gotten I've used as personal/shop pens. If I begin seeing more problems there, I'll start returning them, but again, the problem is not too bad for the number of kits that I've gotten.

These Barons from Bill (via Joe's group buy) have been awesome. Perfect plating, and the kits fit together so well that I can almost press them together with my fingers, but not quite. They still require a little bit of pressing help from a tool, but I've not seen one yet that feels like I have to grind/scrape off a bunch of crap to get the pieces in there without blowing up the blank, and the few Berea things that I've found to be loose are usually my fault, being a little too aggressive in cleaning the blanks and hogging out the holes. Nothing a little dab of CA don't cure!

You definitely get what you pay for, and with all the bargain suppliers having to compete with each other for our business, they're going to cut corners however they can, resulting in 'great customer service', which is a pain. As much as I enjoy talking with Bill and Ernie on the phone on a personal level, I really appreciate the fact that from a business standpoint, the only thing I really have to say to them is "Here's my money, where's my stuff, have a nice day".

I'd much rather spend my time turning wood and profit than opening, inspecting, cussing, calling/emailing, repacking, shipping, WAITING/wondering, opening, and inspecting while I half expect to be disappointed and having to go through the whole thing again. To me it's just worth the extra money to buy from a supplier that I know is going to take care of me by making sure that their 'great customer service' is 95% 'make sure good @#%! goes out the door in the first place', and that's who gets my money.

If I was to pay myself $5.00 an hour for the amount of time I've spent dealing with all the crap that goes along with 'great customer service', I think the end result would be that I've got several dozen $8.00 slimline kits sitting here that I've not had the intestinal fortitude to inspect for quality; I just don't have the time! []

The outcome of my experiences with this issue is that I'm more than willing to support guys like Ernie and Bill with all of my business since I can count on 99.99% 'great customer SATISFACTION'!

Okay, Ernie and Bill, go ahead and hook me up with that endorsement/discount deal we talked about! Kickbacks, men! This is America, you know! hehe

 

[arioux]

Originally posted by Rifleman1776

To the best of my knowledge, all our kits come from China. I don't know who your "bargain" suppliers are. Even though I have had excellent service with some of the smaller suppliers, and lousy with one, I still tend to get most of mine from one larger company because of consistency and good service.

Frank,
Most of the better quality kits comes from Dayacom in Taiwan. The cheapo crap is coming mostly from Rhizheng (sp?) in China.
There was about 10 thread about this in the last few weeks.

Alfred

 

[GBusardo]

I think was bugs me the most is that I thought I was getting Taiwan kits and I ended up getting China Kits. Service is not an issue. Except for one particular company, the smaller "bargain" company's service has been great. I really do not like to knock smaller companies in an open forum like this. Send me an email however, and I will spill my guts...[}]
Also, I am really glad Woodturninz went back to the PSI kits. I like them and I would really have hated to stop buying from them.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by arioux

Originally posted by Rifleman1776

To the best of my knowledge, all our kits come from China. I don't know who your "bargain" suppliers are. Even though I have had excellent service with some of the smaller suppliers, and lousy with one, I still tend to get most of mine from one larger company because of consistency and good service.

Frank,
Most of the better quality kits comes from Dayacom in Taiwan. The cheapo crap is coming mostly from Rhizheng (sp?) in China.
There was about 10 thread about this in the last few weeks.

Alfred

Yes, there have been several threads on this. I made one sample Cigar from Rhizheng and had problems. But, I seem to be alone in that. As I recall, their kits are as good as anyones.

 

[mrcook4570]

The plating on the Rhizeng kits is just awful - pitted, bumpy, etc. The fit of the components in the tubes is also hit or miss with them.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I bought a few slimlines and teacher kits from Ryan and his group.. they were on closeout and I think the Rhizeng kits.. there was some really bad transmissions in some of the kits... fortunately I had spares (also from Ryan) and just tossed the bad ones.. at the price I paid, it did not pay to bother with returning or replacing.. otherwise, I've had little to no trouble with anyone's plating or kits... I still buy all of my SL & Cigars from Ryan.... except for two of the new Ultra Cigars I just bought from Bill at AZ.

 

[cdcarter]

My frustration is that you can't usually tell just by looking if something is gold, upgrade gold or ti gold etc. We have to trust our suppliers, and they have to trust theirs. Too much temptation for somebody along the supply line ... Worries me.

 

[ed4copies]

Originally posted by cdcarter

My frustration is that you can't usually tell just by looking if something is gold, upgrade gold or ti gold etc. We have to trust our suppliers, and they have to trust theirs. Too much temptation for somebody along the supply line ... Worries me.

Carl,

Eliminate the worry.

Take a component you are not going to use (make a closed-end out of one) and buff it with white diamond. If it comes off - its 10-24Kt, if it doesn't it's TN. NOW you KNOW!!

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Originally posted by karlkuehn

If I was to pay myself $5.00 an hour for the amount of time I've spent dealing with all the crap that goes along with 'great customer service', I think the end result would be that I've got several dozen $8.00 slimline kits sitting here that I've not had the intestinal fortitude to inspect for quality; I just don't have the time! []

Karl if you would type just 10% less you would have plenty of time. [}]

Look at it this way, being frugal is a good thing but not always the best approach. If this is a product that you are selling, then you should buy from a quality source. Here is an exapmle for you:
You can buy a 24K gold cigar from a vendor for $3.39. Plating looks good but it will wear very fast. Another vendor is selling a Ti Gold cigar on sale for $6.50. The only way the plating will wear off the latter is if Karl writes with it. [:0] So you tell me which has the better pricing and gives you more bang for your buck?

Mike

 

[ed4copies]

Mike,

Karl doesn't write, he types.

Hopefully, he "touch types" cause I'm guessing the letters on the keys are all worn off, by now.

 

[gerryr]

I only use gold and black titanium, platinum, rhodium, sterling silver and chrome on a regular basis. I sometimes use satin nickel and copper. I use CSUSA and Berea kits only, except for a few PSI kits I recently bought and some Dayacom(Taiwan) kits from Aaron. I have never had a single complaint from any customer about those platings in over 2 years of selling pens, nor have I seen any problems with the kits.

 

[karlkuehn]

Originally posted by ed4copies

Mike,

Karl doesn't write, he types.

Hopefully, he "touch types" cause I'm guessing the letters on the keys are all worn off, by now.

Actually, I spent the extra cash and got the titanium plated letters. I did have to heat up a bent paper clip and melt some new little 'nubbins' on the 'F' and 'J', as the molded plastic ones disappeared long ago...[]

It's amazing how well you can communicate when you learn how to type without the hunt-and-peck method. Give it a shot! [}]

I'm just hoping that you'll get better at reading so you guys can keep up with me. Try not moving your lips so much maybe...

 

[ed4copies]

<center>NO ONE is required to read the above post

See

"Plug for Mug" thread</center>

 

[Jarheaded]

Gentlemen, please restrain yourselves. This is a topic about plating. This is not about how Karl picks and pokes at the keys and gets lost in the middle of a sentence. And this is not about how the photo of Ed has been retouched and improved. This is about plating.So now where was I? Oh yeah, the only way to know what plating you are really getting is to plate your own parts or to clear powdercoat everything and wait to see what happens. In the mean time, buy from a good vendor and buy some quality kits or be prepared to look like a retired penmaker as your reputation gets around.

 

[karlkuehn]

"About how Karl gets lost in the middle of a...", why, I never in all of the time that I've been on this forum (which has been a good while, I assure you) been accused of losing my way in the middle of sentence especially regarding a topic so important as plating and the ramifications of buying substandard kits resulting in the disappointing and regretful outcome of pens that a person can't sell, and I tastefully object to your implication that I might get off topic simply by expanding on the subject at hand, which almost usually requires, nay, demands a deeper look into the underlying cause of said dilemma which can cause the average pen crafter to lose interest and give in to the demons of self doubt and questioning.

 

[Jarheaded]

I'm just hoping that you'll get better at reading so you guys can keep up with me. Try not moving your lips so much maybe...

It just seemed to me as though you could go so much further with that thought, and normally would.

 

[karlkuehn]

LOL...okay, I'll try harder! []

 

[Jarheaded]

I did like the photo touch-ups. They were what I am talking about. I know it is late and I can't expect 100%.

 

[loglugger]

Explain to the buyer that all you can do is guarantee the plating that if it wears you will replace it. The family and friends have used penstate 24k slimlines for 3 years and have not had any wear at the last time I ask.
Bob