Yes, I actually bought two...

DurocShark · Oct 18, 2009

Two Button Click kits. I realized I'd been avoiding clicks just because of the posts from folks here.

I wanted to buy Sierra clicks, but Rockler was out. So I bought button clicks. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18552&filter=button click

I tossed two together to use as test pens, one for me and one for my wife. I handed her one and she said, "This feels cheap."

Sigh. And I agree.

Some other comments (nothing about the plating. I bought gold because I was testing the mechanism, not the plating.)

Can't do away with the CB: I suppose it could be relocated higher or lower by cutting the tubes, or the visible portion ground down, but they designed it to be threaded to remove the refill.
One-piece click mechanism: The mechanism includes the button, clip, and mechanism. Ugh. Makes it difficult to replace or modify.
I like the nib shape. This is my favorite style, and exists in a few kits.
Feels unbalanced when writing: The finial feels too heavy and the nib too light. I wonder if relocating the CB lower would help...
Clip's too big! Seriously. It's friggin huge compared to the size of the pen.
Ugh- Hole's too big: They say to use a 11/32" drill bit, or a 9mm drill bit. I don't have a 9mm, so I used 11/32. The hole is huge compared to the tube. Wasted that blank. Did a new one with 21/64" and reamed it out a bit. Nice fit.

I'll use these for a while to see if the mechanism improves with use, but I'm not holding out a lot of hope.

This is killing me because I really want a GOOD click pen. I may have to incorporate throwaways or something to get one.

hunter-27 · Oct 18, 2009

I made several of these awhile back, every one was giving as a gift because I did not want to sell, the "inferior" feeling pen. All but one the click button mech broke within 6 months. I bought some long clicks from Aaron at Lau Lau and replaced all of them and threw out the bushings, instructions, and everything else associated with the kit. I have not yet had one of Aarons pens returned.

DurocShark · Oct 18, 2009

Yeah, they're on my list for Tuesday...

Manny · Oct 18, 2009

the long clicks are outstanding. I agree with Hunter.

You can also try a sierra click look at bear tooth they sell em.

be warned I find both pens are very sensitive to tube length.

Manny

DurocShark · Oct 18, 2009

Manny said:
be warned I find both pens are very sensitive to tube length.

Manny

So is the button click. I think that's the nature of the click beast.

GoodTurns · Oct 18, 2009

hunter-27 said:
I made several of these awhile back, every one was giving as a gift because I did not want to sell, the "inferior" feeling pen. All but one the click button mech broke within 6 months. I bought some long clicks from Aaron at Lau Lau and replaced all of them and threw out the bushings, instructions, and everything else associated with the kit. I have not yet had one of Aarons pens returned.

+1 ... only click that I like the feel of the mechanism (don't particularly like the long click or Zen family of pens, but the mechanism seems first rate).

Wildman · Oct 18, 2009

I have made several "Button Click Pen with Double Center Ring, pens. Order them from Berea. Doubt you can modify this kit very much. My wife and several other women carry them in their purses. Some are more than three or four years old.

This is an easy kit to make, click mechanism good too! Only trouble encountered early on is aggressive cleaning of glue from tubes. Parts like nib, center ring, and clicker mechanism fit loose. CA glue just will not hold these parts. Also, the drill bit bought from Berea not the best for the kit. Much better results with my 11/32" bit from index.

Found the click mechanism on Berea Cushion Grip less than reliable!

An even easier click pen in this style was Click pen from CS. Have not made any of these in awhile.

dalemcginnis · Oct 18, 2009

The Sierra click is very reliable. I have one as my personal pen and like it very much.

keithlong · Oct 18, 2009

I made my wife a wall street II click pen to use at work, she uses it every day and it is holding up just fine.

Texatdurango · Oct 18, 2009

DurocShark said:
Two Button Click kits. I realized I'd been avoiding clicks just because of the posts from folks here.....

Good Grief! Half the people on this forum haven't got a clue, so why listen to them?

Take some characters who can't assemble a simple pen without botching things up then they post here and knock perfectly good kits... and you trust their judgement? These guys are the same ones who need 7/8" "jumbo" blanks for slimlines... then complain about crooked bits or bad drill vices when they blow out the side of the blank!

Go out and grab some click kits that YOU like, put them together and form your own opinion!

DurocShark · Oct 18, 2009

Yup. That's why I just decided to start buying some.

I peeled the tubes on mine and put new blanks (well, scraps, lol!) on making the lower barrel a bit beefier. It seriously improved the balance of the pen. Handles much nicer now. I'm thinking aluminum or brass bottom half of the lower barrel, merging the rest of the lower barrel into the top and putting the cb between the metal barrel and the resin/wood/whatever remaining tubes would give the pen some nice balance.

hunter-27 · Oct 18, 2009

Texatdurango said:
Good Grief! Half the people on this forum haven't got a clue, so why listen to them?

Take some characters who can't assemble a simple pen without botching things up then they post here and knock perfectly good kits... and you trust their judgement? These guys are the same ones who need 7/8" "jumbo" blanks for slimlines... then complain about crooked bits or bad drill vices when they blow out the side of the blank!

Go out and grab some click kits that YOU like, put them together and form your own opinion!

George, I assume the other 1/2 do have a clue and their feedback is welcome, just not sure which 1/2 you fall into.

Texatdurango · Oct 18, 2009

hunter-27 said:
George, I assume the other 1/2 do have a clue and their feedback is welcome, just not sure which 1/2 you fall into.

It doesn't matter, at least Don understood and that's all that matters in this thread isn't it!

DurocShark · Oct 19, 2009

Here's the improved one:

The scraps are from two different pours of Comic Flame, and a bit of Black Gold, with brass separating them. I added a gentle swell to the lower barrel and that greatly improved the balance of the pen.

Didn't do much for the elephantitis of the clip or the click mechanism however.

Texatdurango · Oct 19, 2009

I like the brass ring, nice touch! You're right though, that clip and button are half the size of the pen!

DurocShark · Oct 31, 2009

I finally got around to making one of the long clicks. Here's a pic of the long click next to the button click.

The long click is much larger and heavier. And, of course, has better plating and a better clip.

BUT.

I hate the mechanism even more than the button click! The button click in that pic has been "broken in" and actually feels pretty good. The long click feels horribly sloppy in comparison.

I gave it to my wife to wear test, but my hopes aren't high.

Displaced Canadian · Oct 31, 2009

PSI has a nice gel click pen and you can get it in a black TI finish.

DurocShark · Nov 1, 2009

Displaced Canadian said:
PSI has a nice gel click pen and you can get it in a black TI finish.

Is this the one you're thinking of?

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKEZPEN.html

Yes, I actually bought two...

DurocShark

Member

hunter-27

Passed Away Aug 14, 2013

DurocShark

Member

Manny

Member

DurocShark

Member

GoodTurns

Member

Wildman

Member

dalemcginnis

Local Chapter Leader

keithlong

Member

Texatdurango

Member

DurocShark

Member

hunter-27

Passed Away Aug 14, 2013

Texatdurango

Member

DurocShark

Member

Texatdurango

Member

DurocShark

Member

Displaced Canadian

Member

DurocShark

Member