Crappy finish on Panach hardware

[bitshird]

I just got a Panache fro CSUSA, and of course it's Rhodium, other than a couple of dings in the edges of the two end caps it looks like they buffed them with 60 grit before they plated them, Seriously you can see lines in the plating.
I realize it's not an expensive kit 16.25 but I would have expected a lot better from CSUSA,
Fortunately I have to modify the caps to use a pair of wheat penny's, which means I'm going to cut the big and small cap away from the piece of the caps that holds them in the tube and silver braze those to the penny's, but I don't think I'll ever buy another Panache kit. They seem pretty bulky even for a desk pen, BUT this is what the customer wants, so this is what the customer gets.

 

[George Watkins]

Hi ken

I've had a fair few rhodium panache's from csusa and the plating has always been superb quality. maybe you were unlucky and got that odd one" which slippped past the QC?
I would let Csusa know and let them resolve it for you

 

[bitshird]

Hi ken

I've had a fair few rhodium panache's from csusa and the plating has always been superb quality. maybe you were unlucky and got that odd one" which slippped past the QC?
I would let Csusa know and let them resolve it for you

George, considering what I have to do to the kit, it's not worth the effort, I have done many many Jr Gents and Statesmen, as well as full size ones and quite a few Emperors and a couple of Lotus, and this is the first issue I've ever had with one of their kits, had I realized I was going to have to remove the entire caps, I would have gone for a cheaper finish.

 

[George Watkins]

I would still make them aware of the problem Ken-your information may help prevent another pen turner from finding a similar problem. wouldint you like to know if there was a customer somewhere who had a problem with one of your items?

 

[SDB777]

Have you sent them a message of any sort?

$16.25 may not be that much to you, but it's what I consider too much! And if it was not up to what I thought it should be, I'd send it back to be made right.



Happen to take some photo's? I'd be interested...





Scott (hope it gets fixed) B

 

[bitshird]

Have you sent them a message of any sort?

$16.25 may not be that much to you, but it's what I consider too much! And if it was not up to what I thought it should be, I'd send it back to be made right.



Happen to take some photo's? I'd be interested...





Scott (hope it gets fixed) B

Scott, I don't think my camera could capture the finish lines, I can get pics of the couple of ding/dents in the edges, but I have to have this pen done by Monday, Having been in silver and goldsmithing for a few years, it just looks as though they forgot to do a final polish before they plated it, or their tumbling media is getting worn, but given the weight of these and the reasonably square edges, I doubt if they were tumbled, I suppose I could send Dale Nish the pieces I cut off since they are the pieces that show the scratch lines, I'm not sure I can cut them away with out doing a little more damage. AI may put a piece of masking tape on the face or a piece of moleskin to keep my vise from making them any worse.
I'd guesstimate the finish lines to be somewhere between 8 and 10 RMA "microinches" which would be about the equivalent of what kind of finish you would get with 400 to 600 grit sandpaper. 5 RMA is considered mirror finish and since the lines are all linear, I guess they probably just got tossed in the wrong bucket, but the Dings kind of bug me. The lines you have to look for the dings you don't.

 

[Sam@CSUSA]

I have sent Bitshird a pm regarding the quality of his Panache Pen kit and have hopefully resolved the issue. If for any reason you do have an issue with one of our products, please call/email us so we can resolve the issue. You may also send either myself or Mark@CSUSA a pm anytime and we will look into any issues you may have. Please let me know if there are any questions or concerns I can take care of for you.

Sam@CSUSA

(As a quick side note the owner of CSUSA is Darrel Nish not Dale Nish. Sending things to either Darrel or Dale will usually end up with the Tech Support Department. Please feel free to send in products for inspection to Attn: Tech Support and we'll look at it as soon as it arrives! :biggrin

 

[bitshird]

Sam, Thank you for you PM this morning, I do believe you have gone beyond what was necessary, I will continue doing business with Craft SUPPLIES USA.
One pen out of several hundred, is a good ratio, except for the long click PENCILS, (kind of a mistake) but they took them off the market pretty fast.
I'm glad to see our suppliers monitoring the forum, I think they will see more which will help, I wasn't going to return the pen given the way I had to modify the end caps, so didn't see why to call customer service, I am glad that SAM picked up on it.
thanks