# Psi redwood lace burl blank, garbage?



## mikedealer (Jun 1, 2015)

So I had to order a few things from psi cause I needed them and had coupon, don't order from them that often.  
So I needed couple burl blanks, here
Premium Stabilized Redwood Lace Burl 5 in. x 3/4 in. x 3/4 in. Pen Blank from Barry Gross at Penn State Industries

I got them today, and I kinda want to see if they take returns because the 2 peices I got have absolutely no burl look to them, and one of them is mis-shapen and poorly cut, it's actually like concave (almost throwing off the minimum measurements).  I know maybe if I cut them they will have the burl look to them inside, but highly doubt it..  
Since the title says "premium" in it, along with the price, I was hoping to get some beautiful peices. Instead I'm kinda disappointed. 
Anyone have any experience with psi and returns, should I bother cutting them?
I can get some pictures later.


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## mikedealer (Jun 1, 2015)

Couple pics.


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## magpens (Jun 1, 2015)

The pictured blanks don't look anything like the advertisement picture.  Yours don't even look like redwood lace.  DON'T CUT THEM.

I would phone PSI Customer Service and get them to issue an RMA # (Return Merchandise Authorization) so you can mail them back and get a refund.  You might even be able to talk them into refunding your return mail cost.

You said the G word appropriately !!


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## GaryMGg (Jun 1, 2015)

I've given away better looking redwood lace burl.
Those don't appear to be worth $1.00
They are stabilized, so there is that.


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## SteveG (Jun 1, 2015)

There is nothing that looks "premium burl" in those blanks. I have had good experience getting replacement kit parts for defects from PSI. Just be sure someone is actually going to pick out replacements with you in mind, or you may just get more of the same. I far prefer selecting blanks from posted pics, and believe you get much better value doing that, even if the per-piece is a little higher.


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## low_48 (Jun 1, 2015)

Looks like burl to me. Depends how you cut burl, but you always get some percent where you will be parallel to the eyes. That's what yours look like. Have you called them yet?


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## TonyL (Jun 1, 2015)

How about turning one and see what it looks like? I don't think Barry would have his name on garbage.


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## TonyL (Jun 1, 2015)

You can also drop Barry a note a Arizona Silhouette and ask him what he thinks.


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## magpens (Jun 1, 2015)

What do you mean by this, Tony ???  If he turns a blank then PSI won't take it back.  

And what does Barry have to do with it ???  Ed Levy sure does, and he even came on this site a few years ago and posted an open invitation to contact him for any reason, as I recall.  And also there is napper155 here who is the Senior Designer at PSI.



TonyL said:


> How about turning one and see what it looks like? I don't think Barry would have his name on garbage.


.
.

Here is the post referring to Ed Levy's email address (BTW, Ed Levy is a member here too - name = psilevy )



> Ed Levy gave his email address in the below post.  All I will say is good luck.......
> 
> PSI complaints


Ed's email address is:  ed@pennstateind.com
.
.

But I will repeat that I think calling Customer Service is your best first approach.  They seem to be bending over backwards lately.  1-800-377-7297
But DON'T TURN THE BLANK ... if you do they will have an excuse to refuse your request.
.
.


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## WriteON (Jun 1, 2015)

How about...call customer service and explain you don't like the blank. Ask if they will take it back or send you a new one if you turn it and you are not satisfied. Do not underestimate PSI's customer service. They aim to please. Give them a chance.


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## TonyL (Jun 1, 2015)

*Turn one and Barry*



magpens said:


> What do you mean by this, Tony ???  If he turns a blank then PSI won't take it back.
> 
> And what does Barry have to do with it ???  Ed Levy sure does, and he even came on this site a few years ago and posted an open invitation to contact him for any reason, as I recall.  And also there is napper155 here who is the Senior Designer at PSI.
> 
> ...


 

Anyone can do what they want... sometimes it's a bigger hassle to return and pay return shipping than it is to see what we get once it is turned. I mentioned Barry because on the link that the OP sent the blanks were supposed to be "handpicked" by Barry Gross (unless I misread the link). Anyway...whatever you think is right for yourself is always best. Perhaps, my suggestion was silly. It is what I would do...not what I think others should do. Thanks for the question. Much Peace.


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## magpens (Jun 1, 2015)

Yes, Barry's name is on it.  But he gets paid for the use of his name.  Do you think what the PSI website says about this blank is really true ?????
.


> *Product Description*
> 
> Premium Stabilized Hand Picked Pen Blanks from Barry Gross
> These  stabilized pen blanks will make your pens “pop” and your customers  drool!  Each piece of burl is inspected and hand selected by Barry to  ensure the highest quality for your pen. His search takes him from the  forests of Oregon and Washington State to the bogs in Massachusetts and  Tennessee to find the most unique and superb wood that make up these  fine pen blanks.  _ No two pen blanks are alike and that is how Mother Nature intended it to be! _


.
.
There's a two word description for this kind of language !
.


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

I haven't contacted them yet. Reading their return policy, I don't think I'll have a problem returning them, but return shipping even for 2 bucks is something I don't feel I should have to eat. Plus I lost time because I had good hopes for these based on premium lace wood burl, but both were truly disappointing. 
I'm hesitant to turn them since all 4 sides are plain and some are really Warped. Just want them gone and not take a chance. Like I would really get 50 bucks the inside just looks poor. No way can it be lacewood. I've turned a good amount of burl and if outsides show absolutely no signs of markings of lacewood, inside will be just as bad.


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

More of other side.


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

Another side


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

Like could I be wrong in thinking even if I could drill that badly mis-shapened one, would it have an traces of burl in them?


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

I'm not gonna go the route of contacting Barry or anything either, but thanks for suggestion on that..  Just easier to return and I'll find some for sale that has actual pictures.


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## magpens (Jun 2, 2015)

Right, you shouldn't have to eat the return shipping charges, but you might have to work hard to convince them to reimburse you ... it's worth a try.



> I'm hesitant to turn them since all 4 sides are plain and some are  really Warped. Just want them gone and not take a chance. Like I would  really get 50 bucks the inside just looks poor. No way can it be  lacewood. I've turned a good amount of burl and if outsides show  absolutely no signs of markings of lacewood, inside will be just as bad.


You are absolutely right !



> I'm not gonna go the route of contacting Barry or anything either, but  thanks for suggestion on that..  Just easier to return and I'll find  some for sale that has actual pictures.


Right again. 

Contact Isaac Rapelje ( IAP name IsaacRapelje) or Rocky Bemis (IAP name RockB).  You will get pictures of the exact blanks you want to consider buying and you will get very nice blanks.  There are other vendors of quality blanks but those are two that come to my mind right now.  I have bought from both of them over the last 5 years and have been consistently happy with their products.  Tell them I sent  you !! :biggrin::biggrin:


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## truckfixr (Jun 2, 2015)

Just a suggestion. Pour a small amount of DNA on the blanks. You can see the true contrast of the grain when it's wet. DNA will evaporate and wont harm the blank at all. You can still return it if you need to.


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## crab0000 (Jun 2, 2015)

I'm pretty sure PSI has a satisfaction guarantee on their blanks. Look at this page of their catalog and give them a call. Penn State Industries, 2013 - iCatalog, page 95  Based on what that says, I would turn them, then if not happy send some pics and request replacements. JMO


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## Smitty37 (Jun 2, 2015)

crab0000 said:


> I'm pretty sure PSI has a satisfaction guarantee on their blanks. Look at this page of their catalog and give them a call. Penn State Industries, 2013 - iCatalog, page 95  Based on what that says, I would turn them, then if not happy send some pics and request replacements. JMO


I agree...PSI's clearly stated guarantee says you do not have to return the blanks and certainly implies you can go ahead and turn them.  

The blanks do look like Redwood Burl to me and don't look to me all that different from the catalog picture (which has likely been enhanced.

I would turn them and see how they turn out.


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

thats an interesting guarantee and appreciate their warranty here with reading that.  im afraid to even drill one of them, it doesnt sit well on the lathe pen jaws even, would have to sand it flush and just not worth hassle.  
just gonna get my money back and take a refund or trade for acrylic blanks.. wood ill stick to actual pictures for expensive stuff.

emailing them now


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

Smitty37 said:


> crab0000 said:
> 
> 
> > I'm pretty sure PSI has a satisfaction guarantee on their blanks. Look at this page of their catalog and give them a call. Penn State Industries, 2013 - iCatalog, page 95  Based on what that says, I would turn them, then if not happy send some pics and request replacements. JMO
> ...



i ran some alcohol over them lightly, no big difference in appearance.  there is no question its redwood burl lace, just an extremely poor and uneven cut of it.. like i said not sure if i can even drill one of the blanks without cracking it and not doing a bunch of prep work on it..

im going to get hold of pennstateind now, if they say go ahead and turn them, ill post results here.. there is nothing more than i would like than to eat my words and be 100% wrong here..

what irked me was when buying "premium blanks" from anywhere in the past.. they have always been extraordinary peices, everytime.. this is more figured burl than lace burl.. only one of the blanks has clear lace pattern and its like 1" big..

If they say turn em, ill post pictures up of them turned.. maybe they will be beautiful haha..


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## Smitty37 (Jun 2, 2015)

mikedealer said:


> Smitty37 said:
> 
> 
> > crab0000 said:
> ...


 You might be surprised, I have some stabilized Redwood burl and have gotten some pretty nice pens from blanks that didn't look spectacular. 

But that being said,  I personally have a problem with blanks that say "premium" because I have not met anyone yet who can tell me where "real nice typical" ends and "premium" begins.


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

Smitty37 said:


> mikedealer said:
> 
> 
> > Smitty37 said:
> ...



i agree where people and companies use terms that dont actually mean anything.. its not like you can say "mint condition, or very fine" to grade wood.. But for $7.50+ship i was expecting better.  i was going to buy ebay item 191539091157 which i may buy still now for a replacement to these.  This is what i was expecting when it came to quality in that rough price range (the ebay ones are bigger in size so little more money)

Now im tempted to turn them, but waiting to see what PSI says first.. dont want to throw away $15 bucks.. for 2 bucks they woulda been turned as an experiment, $15 is expensive experiment


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## vakmere (Jun 2, 2015)

On EBay you see exactly what you are getting. PSI will not hassle you about a return on these. Talk to Thor, very helpful. 215-676-7609. They handle this all the time and have good customer service.


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## magpens (Jun 2, 2015)

If you email PSI, I doubt you will get a reply ... reports on IAP suggest that is people's experience.

Phone them at 1-800-377-7297 to get an RMA number and return the blanks as is.


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

yea they never responded to my email.  Im in cisco ccie training today so do have time to call from where im at, thanks for thor's number there i will try him tommorow hopefully


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

So got home tonight, never got an email back. Kicking back with a buddy here and he was intrigued at this point with the story and is like "you have to cut into one now let's go."  
So since didn't want to risk drilling it, he said make him a new pipe tamper tool (for tobacco or glass pipes to press down tobacco to keep even burn, and the other end I carved in a spoon to scoop up tobacco with and pours right into pipe barrel with no spillage.  
So I went for it and cut it. Cut like soft butter with a carbide tool, no issues since its stabilized. I'll post couple pictures here below. 

So well yea it's redwood. And it's a burl, but more of a figured burl rather than premium lace burl. But it came out alright. My buddy shot a load off in his pants and thought it was amazing. I was disappointed, but guess my feelings on it don't matter since he loves the unique look of it. 

Other peice I want to return but I have a feeling he is gonna make me turn it to another style tamper. He already slapped down 20 bucks to cover cost of the 1 piece which covers cost of both for me Haha. Maybe more pics to follow of next one. Undecided.


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

Another shot


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

Another shot of it. Used friction polish and carnauba wax on spoon inside and bottom tamper barrel to press into tobacco.


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

Couple lathe shots before carving


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## mikedealer (Jun 2, 2015)

Another lathe shot


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## WriteON (Jun 2, 2015)

Looks good from here. Nice turn/finish job.


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## 79spitfire (Jun 3, 2015)

The results look good to me. It is a burl piece, just not as figured as you were expecting. The bottom line, so-to, speak is always make the customer happy, and it looks like you did.


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## mikedealer (Jun 4, 2015)

I ordered lot of eBay redwood lace burl blanks. Buddy wanted another tamper, peice looked good and came out nice and lacy.


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## mikedealer (Jun 4, 2015)

One more before final polish. The end tamper tip and inside spoon are coated with carnauba wax and rest is acrylic coated.


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## magpens (Jun 4, 2015)

Darn !!! . I was hoping you were going to send them back to PSI.... would make a more interesting story that a tobacco tamper !!!


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## mikedealer (Jun 4, 2015)

I still didn't return one of the peices from psi. At least the one peice and a new peice will serve with a new life purpose haha.


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## WriteON (Jun 5, 2015)

mikedealer said:


> I still didn't return one of the peices from psi. At least the one peice and a new peice will serve with a new life purpose haha.



You do nice work


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