‘Top Click” pen kits?

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Chasboy1

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Jan 11, 2019
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Morristown, NJ
Someone gave me a couple of cheap pens a few days ago. They are the type where on pushes the entire top barrel to release the tip for writing. I remember when I first saw one as a kid I thought they were pretty neat. Does anyone make a kit like that?
 
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magpens

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I am not aware of any pen kits which have the "barrel push" integrated with the click mechanism.

The current "rage" in kit pens with click mechanisms are these :

1. . The Duraclick EDC pen kit from PSI - uses the German Schmidt SKM-88 click mechanism

2. . The Luxor pen kit from William Wood-Write - uses the German Schmidt SKM-88 click mechanism

3. . The Sierra Super Button Click pen kit from Berea Hardwoods - uses the German Schmidt SKM-88 click mechanism

My preference is for #2, but I won't tell you why unless you write to me and ask .... the reason may not be what you might expect.

There are other kits that use the small Schmidt SKM-192 click mechanism (very similar to the SKM-88 in operation but very different in appearance).
Frankly, I do not recommend these unless you want to make a slimline clicker - just as quiet but more awkward to use.

Of the pen kits listed above, the PSI Duraclick EDC was the first to appear, right around the early part of 2019, so that's only 2 years ago.

Happy to offer more info if you want it. . I have tried all of the above kits, and most of the others using the same or similar mechanisms.
 
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leehljp

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Feb 6, 2005
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Tunica, Mississippi,
I have not done any, but an important item that was brought up before there were decent click pen components and designs: Doctors and nurses need click pens, maybe others, but those professions in particular need one hand operation pens that will click in an instance to write things down while holding a clip board or paper.

It is good to see that this has been addressed with some decent quality pens. Thanks Mal.
 

greenacres2

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May 2, 2017
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Northwest IN
I have not done any, but an important item that was brought up before there were decent click pen components and designs: Doctors and nurses need click pens, maybe others, but those professions in particular need one hand operation pens that will click in an instance to write things down while holding a clip board or paper.

It is good to see that this has been addressed with some decent quality pens. Thanks Mal.
Add police officers, medical first responders (EMT's, Paramedics, etc.), firefighters. Almost any emergency personnel who work in the field.
earl
 

bmachin

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Jul 28, 2013
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Owensboro, KY
I have a Namiki of this (barrel push, cap actuated) design that I purchased at the Ohio Pen Show in 2019. Definitely not a cheap item. As I recall it was a new-old-stock item and I paid somewhere in the neighborhood of 300+ bucks for it. I've had to give up fountain pens due to my essential tremor so I've gone over to high end ballpoints (kind of an oxymoron). Anyway this style is really rare and I love this pen.

Parker 75 ballpoints also use this type of mechanism, and if you look around you can find them (the mechanisms) fairly cheaply with the advantage that they work with Parker style refills. I have a few but not for sale and I've lost track of the guy I bought them from.

Of course with a bit of cogitation you can always adapt one of the Schmidt mechs to do the job.

Bill
 

qquake

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Feb 8, 2004
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Northern California
I think it was Berea that used to make a so-called "push" pen kit. It was a flat top American style, and you pushed the entire cap to click it. I made a few back in the day. I believe they were discontinued many years ago.
 

hippi

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Apr 5, 2014
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sedalia mo
I used to get them from woodcraft but they dropped them it was called American classic I do not have ant kits anymore but I still have the pen I made somewhere in my collection
 

DrD

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Jun 26, 2019
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Columbus, Mississippi
I think it was Berea that used to make a so-called "push" pen kit. It was a flat top American style, and you pushed the entire cap to click it. I made a few back in the day. I believe they were discontinued many years ago.
@qquake is exactly right. I had and made a bunch of these. Larry from BHW cautioned me that if made from wood, there was a high likelihood the pen wouldn't function properly due to seasonal swelling of the wood. Found out the hard way he was right as well. Thus those I made after that were all acrylic and as far as I can tell, no malfunctions. I sold what few, 5 or so, kits that I had left to a chap here on IAP several months ago. BHW called them the Flat Top American Push Cap and the cat # was 4160/JB-xyz-1, where xyz gave the finish, e.g., CHR - chrome, HP - upgrade gold, IPG - titanium gold.

Hope this helps.
 
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