Hey, Kenny !! . Thanks for bringing this new PSI pen kit to our attention !!
This looks like a cool pen !!
I like the use of the Schmidt SKM-192 mechanism .... very smooth and quiet operation.
Same mechanism as used on the Everyday Classic, which was first introduced by PSI last summer, and which I have made several of.
However, you have to be rather careful with this mechanism ... don't press on it and don't drop the pen onto the mechanism ... DAMHIKT !!
The mechanism internals can be damaged if you are not careful. . Precautions are needed even after the pen is fully assembled and functional.
There are some tricky steps in the assembly, it seems to me while reading the instructions. . I have not made one of these kits.
But the instructions seem to be pretty explicit and complete and well illustrated so the procedures given should work, it seems to me.
I really like the idea of a slimline click pen based on (so-called) 7 mm brass tubes, even tho' I am not a fan of the Cross refill.
It is hard to get away from a Cross refill for this size of brass tube, given that you want to be able to disassemble the pen to replace refill.
I will be interested to hear reports on this new kit from people who buy and make this kit.
EDIT: . I see that, for this new slimline design, there is a twist version as well as the click version. . I did not notice the twist version at first.
The click version is roughly twice the price of the twist version ... mainly because of the cost of the click mechanism, I feel safe in saying.
The twist version seems much like the slimline kits that we are all very familiar with. . Refill replacement is done by PULLING the top off.
For the click version, to replace the refill, you UNSCREW the top from the bottom ... the center band is threaded ... totally new for a slimline.
To tentatively and speculatively attempt an answer to one of Kenny's questions, I doubt very much if the top end could be modified to allow refill replacement through the top end ... due to the size of the plastic top on the Cross refill, and also due the way that the click mechanism screws in.
The click mechanism has to be screwed into the cap piece before the cap piece is pressed into place. . That cap piece cannot be subsequently removed. . If the click mechanism does happen to become unscrewed and fall out after assembly ... well ... you are "screwed" !! . The pun is intended and there is no way to get the mechanism back into its threaded mount. . ( I have worked with this mechanism and have been frustrated by its design for this very reason.) . There is good reason that the instructions tell you to make sure that the mechanism is securely screwed into the cap piece before the cap piece is pressed into the upper brass tube. . There is also good reason that you should not press on any part of the click mechanism during the assembly process - pressing on it is likely to wreck the mechanism, as I have found out by actually doing that.