The PSI Shake Pen Kit - A Question

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magpens

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I have long thought that this is an "interesting" pen kit, and I have even made a couple of them.
The instruction sheet has a date of 2018, so it would seem that this kit is a fairly recent addition to the PSI offerings.

If you read the reviews for this pen kit, there seem to be fairly equal "for" and "against" opinions. . I am somewhere in the middle.
Yes, the finished pen is a little noisy because it rattles as you carry it around in your shirt pocket. . And, yes, the pen operation is somewhat unreliable.
But, overall, it is a good looking pen with a nicely formed and robust solid metal clip (which I think is important). . And the concept of having a click pen's operation without actually having to depress a push-button is a good idea, in my opinion, as long as the mechanism is reliable ... which is one of my sticking points.

The "interesting" part comes up when you scrutinize the "shake" mechanism on which this pen operates. . I just examined this today.

By now, most of us have been exposed to the Schmidt SKM-88 click mechanism which had a "splashy" entry onto the "Click Pen Kit Stage" sometime early in 2019. The SKM-88 has been talked about quite a bit after its appearance at that time on the PSI DuraClick EDC pen kit. . Some other pen kits, including the Berea Sierra Super Button Click pen kit and the Luxor pen kit by William Wood-Write, have also made use of the SKM-88.

Now if you compare, as I did today, the SKM-88 mechanism and the Shake mechanism, they look to have very similar, if not identical, operating principles.

Has anyone else noticed this similarity ?

And if so, do you think we could adapt the Shake mechanism to be used as the click mechanism in a more conventional, but non-shake manner ?
Specifically, could it be used in the usual "push-to-extend" and "push-to-retract" method that most click pens depend on .... instead of the "shake method" ?

Myself, I think that this might be possible but, at the same time, I question my sanity for thinking of doing this, because it might be just an academic exercise.

Wondering if anyone else, with knowledge of these two mechanisms, has any comments to share, please. . I'd appreciate hearing from you.

By the way, PSI does not have a named "Clearance" section, but the Shake pen kit might be in the "clearance category" based on its marked-down price. . . I am thinking of buying a few of them and playing with it, even though I don't like the way it uses the Cross refill.
 
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Mal, and all others, if you're looking for the sale items on PSI's website go to "specials" on the main tool bar (is that what you call it?) you can even break it down by category. It's one of the features on their website that I really like, and save a bunch of $$$$.
 

Gersh

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Hey Mal
I've got an unassembled one in front of me and you are correct it definitely is like the skm. I think the biggest issue would be the travel length. Based off a quick dirty measurement it is about 2mm more of travel.
But if we determine the threading of the mechanism it is the exact same principle and could be easily used as a push mechanism. In fact the opening is big enough for a standard parker refill.
 

magpens

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Hey Mal
I've got an unassembled one in front of me and you are correct it definitely is like the skm. I think the biggest issue would be the travel length. Based off a quick dirty measurement it is about 2mm more of travel.
But if we determine the threading of the mechanism it is the exact same principle and could be easily used as a push mechanism. In fact the opening is big enough for a standard parker refill.

Hi Billy, .... Yes, that is pretty much how I had it figured out. . You think the travel length is too long ? . I think we could compensate for that.
A Parker refill would fit in the cavity but would not go through that small size hole in the moving part .... but I would not want it to because we would just push on the refill butted up inside the cavity. .

Where you say "In fact the opening is big enough for a standard parker refill." ... I'm not sure what opening you mean ... not the hole that goes right thru.
I think that the Cross refill goes into that small hole that goes right thru.

I don't know if this is a worthwhile idea or not. . It's just a curiosity at this stage.

Thanks for your reply.
 

Gersh

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The cross refill is just press fitted in. You can remove it and the remaining opening fits a standard schmidt refill.
The travel is an issue though in my head. You would need to leave enough room to fully depress the mechanism but when the mechanism is in its unextended state the spring would be exposed.

I'm not sure if that is a good explanation Mal
 

magpens

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Thanks, Billy. .... Let me think about it some more with the actual Shake kit in my hands. . I'll get back to you. . Thanks.
 
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