I have used quite a few of these kits. The only universal problem is that the little brass tube that slides over and drives the transmission is too long. That is easily corrected in a few seconds on my disk sander.
Beyond that, sometimes the inside diameter of the centerband is not much larger than the outside diameter of the coupler that it supposed to slide over. This causes the two halves of the pen to bind. I test the fit of the parts before assembly and ream out the centerband when needed.
On rare occasion, the threads on the coupler will be miscut (or uncut). In that case, the remainder of that kit becomes spare parts. The threads are not different than those on other cigar kits I've tried. I have substituted transmissions from other brand kits.
The plating quality seems to me to be the same as a regular cigar pen kit. I do notice that it takes more pressure to squeeze the two pen halves together than other cigar kits do. Once assembled, however, it works just fine. I've swapped refills around (and used gel refills) without problem. The Dayacom brand Parker-style refills are a little nicer, in that the spring grips the refill (these do not).
For nice cigar pens, I much prefer the other kits that woodpenpro sells - the ones with the black ti accent parts. They are much more durable than the typical black enamel coating.
These "factory seconds" kits, however, are my kit of choice for prototype projects. When I'm making a pen just to try out an idea and see how it looks, I like to use a dirt-cheap kit.
Regards,
Eric
