[MACTICULOUS]

Hey guys, if you can help me out with this, I'd appreciate it. I just bought a shifter knob from Ebay and I'm not sure how I should feel about it. The seller said that it was in excellent condition. It has some scratches on the chrome and I couple of marks on the wood. My next concern goes out o those who have the wooden shift knobs, when you look down at the shifter, is the top of it a dark cloudy, fugly (fu**in' ugly) brown? The one that I bought has the top 1/3 of the shifter like that. It's just doesn't look right. I'm sure that all of them can look different but I would like to know if any of you have the same thing or not. If it's common, than I won't worry about the coloring and I'll learn to live with it, but if it isn't, I will have to take steps to get in touch with Ebay. Please let me know what yours look like so I can do this as soon as possible.
-Mac

 

[EcSTSatic]

Mine doesn't look that bad. Does the shifter look like the pictures in the auction? If they don't, or you were misled by the description, I'd return it. If it looks like the seller described it, you don't really have an argument - unless he says something like "satisfaction guaranteed or your moeny back".
Ebayers don't want to get negative feedback if they are return auctioners. Otherwise no one will buy from them again. What does his current feedback rating look like?

 

[MACTICULOUS]

His currnt is 99%, the ones that said negative stuff said things like "Not as described", "Not excellent condition as stated", things along those lines. I wouldn't go on and try to bash the guy at all. He can sell what he wants, but I just want to be taken care of. I'm not out to screw anyone, I just want what I was promised. The marks were all on one side and one on the backside of it. He only supplied one picture... the good side.
-Mac

 

[iametarq]

Mine that I bought off ebay used from a 2003 STS, is in mint condition. it's not cloudy at all. I'll take pictures of mine tomorrow morning and post them online. (i'd take them now, but it's dark, and my car is on top of the hill, and my house is at the bottom...and i'm tired.

 

[Boombottz]

Hey Mac,
Have you ever considered refinishing it? It is quite easy and I could tell you how.

 

[MACTICULOUS]

Hey Mac,
Have you ever considered refinishing it? It is quite easy and I could tell you how.

My assumption is that maybe this guy did that and botched the job. The marks in the wood look as if they're under the protective coat on the outside because I can't feel them. The more I think about it, the fugly brown on top just turns me off, it looks like... shat. I'm watching one that is on Ebay right now ending at midnight. By it's pictures, it looks much better than the one that I did buy (the one in question).
-Mac

 

[Boombottz]

You are probably right about the botch job. The protective coating is nothing more than urethane. You would have to sand the entire shifter, sand to bare wood, restain and re urethane. I used to be a gunsmith and gunshop owner. GunStock refinising kits when used properly will produce the cadillac results you are looking for. The Cadillac wood is finished to excellent quality, but with time and constant contact with body oils will diminish. Buying a mint one is certainly the easy fix, as long as you don't get ripped off.

 

[iametarq]

How much Urethane goes on one of these shifter knobs to make it shine so much!?

 

[Boombottz]

I can't speak to Cadillac's method, but I would use between 7 and 10 coats to achieve the same results. It is also possible that they may have used a self flowing and leveling resin. The resin would be harder and more resistant to wear. The resins are available at Home Depot (this is more of a pour-on or dip method). Birchwood Casey makes two spray on urethanes for gunstocks, matte and gloss. Clearly the gloss would give the best shine. The B-C spray cans should be available at Dick's sporting goods or any good gun shop. The spray method allows you to control grain texture while still providing excellent shine or gloss.

 

[MACTICULOUS]

I went ahead and bought a second one on Ebay, I'm hoping it'll be here for tomorrow. I'm sure that it'll look alot better than the first one that I bought. Now I'll have to take care of the first one that I bought.
-Mac

 

[Boombottz]

Now you can afford to tinker around with some wood finishing, if you are so inclined Mac. If you mess it up, you will still have a spare. You might be suprised at your results. Don't throw it out!