"RZ" stamped on slimline clips?

[Bats]

I recently placed an order that included a dozen or so assorted slimlines, and, when I went to assemble the first one, I was rather shocked to discover someone had snuck into the box and stamped the initials "RZ" (presumably for "Rizheng", although the manufacturer wasn't specified anywhere) on the top of all my pen clips. Sorta like this:

(in fact, exactly like that)

If you're thinking "What's the big deal? The finial will cover it!", then you may be an idiot. Not because it's a particularly unreasonable thing to think, but because that's exactly what I thought, and I've been frequently informed that I'm an idiot (if not necessarily for that reason). Either way, us idiots gotta stick together. Coincidentally, I was also entirely wrong (see: idiot). The dainty little slimline finial does nothing to obscure the stamp.

This is something I'd never seen or heard of before, and, after contacting the seller, it turned out they hadn't spotted it before either (or heard mention from customers), but said that, after checking, it looked like that manufacturer had been doing it for a fair while, and were apparently doing it on all their slimlines that aren't made under special contract.

The seller (who I don't want to drag into this, since they're pretty awesome, were very responsive - on a weekend, no less - and, more importantly, have already suffered through my dumb jokes once) offered a refund on the kits, so I'm hardly without options, but I was more curious if any of you had run into this, and how you tended to deal with it - or how would you deal with it. Do you send them back, or keep them? Do you sell them like that, or save them as gifts for nearsighted relatives who won't ask too many questions? What do you tell customers who wonder whose initials "RZ" are, and why it's stamped on their pen? Do they pay extra if you say it was previously owned by Robert Zemeckis?

Or is this something everyone else has already seen and just takes for granted, like that "YKK" stamp on your zipper pull? They mentioned Dayacom does something similar, too (although I don't think I've used any Dayacom hardware).

Don't ask me how I know what's on your zipper pull. And don't ask which of your zippers I was checking out. And definitely don't investigate that typing sound coming from behind your closet door.


-Bats
(Buy our new Rabid Zebra awareness pen - because you should always be aware when rabid zebras are around!)

 

[magpens]

I have not seen that before. . I think it would annoy me sufficiently that I would send the parts back.

 

[its_virgil]

Dayacom stamps the backside of the clip. Not visible when assembled.

 

[studioseven]

I wonder if someone stamped the wrong side of the clip?

Seven

 

[Mortalis]

I wonder if someone stamped the wrong side of the clip?

Seven

I doubt they stamped the wrong side of the clip. Rather a new employee put the wrong side up in the press that forms the clip after the company initials were stamped during the cutting process. This visual variable is most likely not on their Final Inspection Report and was missed by QC.

Yes, I'm a Manufacturing Engineer and Quality Manager. Obviously, their training program needs to be updated.

Kidding aside, This would bother me as it will surely generate questions as to what does it mean? Why is it there. And, are these your initials?

 

[wolf creek knives]

To Mals point, I would be pretty ticked off about this especially if these were sold or advertised as something other than a "Rizheng" kit. I would send them back for sure and would also make sure the other kits you bought were not Rizheng kits.

 

[Bats]

Kidding aside, This would bother me as it will surely generate questions as to what does it mean? Why is it there. And, are these your initials?

I suppose I could just change my name to Roger Zimmerman and solve the whole problem that way.

Of course, then things get awkward when someone else starts making "my" signed RZ pens.


-Bats
(but "Renaldo Zarathustra" also has a nice ring to it...)

 

[Bats]

To Mals point, I would be pretty ticked off about this especially if these were sold or advertised as something other than a "Rizheng" kit. I would send them back for sure and would also make sure the other kits you bought were not Rizheng kits.

I was pretty ticked off... I just wasn't sure how justified it was (thanks for helping me out on that front, guys - justified off-tickery is so much more satisfying than unjustified).

The manufacturer wasn't specified at all - on the site, or the kits (neither of which is unusual) - so I'm only assuming (which, of course, makes an ass of U and Ming the merciless) that that's what the RZ stands for, as it seemed more logical than the other possibilities, like Revolting Zoetropes or Ravening Zealots (Reclining Zombies was in the running, though). Ironically, the kits I got that were identified as Rizheng were clean of any markings. In any case, I'm usually pretty brand-agnostic - and still don't know if this would cause me to boycott Rizheng - but I'll definitely be checking with vendors before ordering from now on. Regrettably, I probably won't be able to order any more slimlines from this supplier in the future.

That said, at this point the only thing keeping me from sending them back is that shipping would eat a substantial chunk of the refund. If I did keep them, I'd have to either cannibalize the parts for other (semi-kitless?) pens (which would then need clips from somewhere else?), and/or build them clipless - something that always felt a little unfinished to me (and constantly rolls off the damn table), but that @sbwertz, in another thread, suggested a lot of women prefer... so it might not be a total loss.

The main reason I'm still tempted to eat the cost and send them back anyhow, is the off chance (way off) that returns will - directly or otherwise - eventually send a message back upstream to the manufacturer that this ain't cool... but it's not like my order has a lot of clout (again, only a dozen kits would be going back).

On the brighter side, I did find another source with the same finishes who confirmed that their kits are free of stamps - so at least I'll be able to order some replacements while I deliberate. I don't know whether this means they've got older stock, use a different-yet-suspiciously-similar manufacturer, or if the stamps were some sort of improbably vast fluke at the hands a factory intern.

Either way, I'm concerned by the first supplier's comment that, due to evolving import regs, this sort of thing may be more prevalent in the future.


-Bats
(how many kits make up a clout, anyhow?)

 

[Doctor G]

I recently placed an order that included a dozen or so assorted slimlines, and, when I went to assemble the first one, I was rather shocked to discover someone had snuck into the box and stamped the initials "RZ" (presumably for "Rizheng", although the manufacturer wasn't specified anywhere) on the top of all my pen clips. Sorta like this:
View attachment 289027
(in fact, exactly like that)

If you're thinking "What's the big deal? The finial will cover it!", then you may be an idiot. Not because it's a particularly unreasonable thing to think, but because that's exactly what I thought, and I've been frequently informed that I'm an idiot (if not necessarily for that reason). Either way, us idiots gotta stick together. Coincidentally, I was also entirely wrong (see: idiot). The dainty little slimline finial does nothing to obscure the stamp.

This is something I'd never seen or heard of before, and, after contacting the seller, it turned out they hadn't spotted it before either (or heard mention from customers), but said that, after checking, it looked like that manufacturer had been doing it for a fair while, and were apparently doing it on all their slimlines that aren't made under special contract.

The seller (who I don't want to drag into this, since they're pretty awesome, were very responsive - on a weekend, no less - and, more importantly, have already suffered through my dumb jokes once) offered a refund on the kits, so I'm hardly without options, but I was more curious if any of you had run into this, and how you tended to deal with it - or how would you deal with it. Do you send them back, or keep them? Do you sell them like that, or save them as gifts for nearsighted relatives who won't ask too many questions? What do you tell customers who wonder whose initials "RZ" are, and why it's stamped on their pen? Do they pay extra if you say it was previously owned by Robert Zemeckis?

Or is this something everyone else has already seen and just takes for granted, like that "YKK" stamp on your zipper pull? They mentioned Dayacom does something similar, too (although I don't think I've used any Dayacom hardware).

Don't ask me how I know what's on your zipper pull. And don't ask which of your zippers I was checking out. And definitely don't investigate that typing sound coming from behind your closet door.


-Bats
(Buy our new Rabid Zebra awareness pen - because you should always be aware when rabid zebras are around!)

Is there a reason, since everyone missed this but you that the supplier wouldn't send you blank clips at their cost?

 

[Bats]

Is there a reason, since everyone missed this but you that the supplier wouldn't send you blank clips at their cost?

I should've followed up here (lest anyone think any less of the unnamed supplier). I talked to them again, and, without being asked, they sent me a shipping label. So they did cover the return and had already offered a refund, but, if I interpreted their email right, it sounds like they may not even have had blank clips to send as a replacement (they did say that, based on their inventory, the manufacturer had been doing this for some time).

Under the circumstances, I think they were entirely fair (and if you're reading this, guys, thanks!). I would've been happier if I could've talked them into mentioning the stamp in the pen descriptions, but I figure it takes more than a single low-volume customer's whining to justify that sort of action.

-Bats
(of course, now I have to actually make it to the post office...)

 

[LK&T]

I am the newest of newbies and am not qualified to say anything at all, but that's not gonna stop me. I made a slimline from Woodcraft yesterday that has no stamp on the clip. I have no idea if I got lucky and got an old one, or if all the Woodcraft kits are "stampless". YMMV....