These comments are sure a great way to start the day. Thanks to you all.
In terms of taking it apart, the nib section is simple. I have the ubiquitous set of transfer punches to take pens apart. Insert the biggest one that you can from the upper (non-nib) end and punch out the nib. Then, insert the biggest one that you can through the nib end and punch out the threaded centre band section. That's it. The black piece is now history. I didn't use a tube of any kind. I did cheat a little, though. The plastic piece is something like a millimetre thick. I put the centre band into a collet chuck and turned down the shoulder that the black piece fit over. That gave me a bit more thickness for the new wood piece. I didn't do the same on the nib end, since I couldn't figure out how to hold it. There is no room for error since the piece is so thin.
I did the same thing for the finial end. Once I had the black piece off, I chucked up the band/clip piece and turned off the shoulder that the black piece fit over. The piece is still thin and a bit of a bugger to hold on to for turning, but it's not too bad. I took an old sierra bushing and turned down the end that would ordinarily go into the tube so that it fit snugly into the hole that I had already drilled into a short piece of blank. The hole was 11/32", I think. I put the bushing into a collet chuck and brought the tailstock up to the other end of the blank to hold it in place. Light cuts and it was turned easily.
Today, I want to try getting rid of the double ring chrome bit between the top of the clip and the finial. Since I wrecked a top piece from another kit anyway, I have nothing to lose. I think it would look better without all that chrome real estate on the top.
Thanks again.