So, I received my "Black Edition" clone yesterday. My order was placed on the 16th and it shipped the very next day. I haven't had a chance to build on it yet, but I did take it to bits so I could inspect and clean it. I'll rate certain aspects from 1 star to 5 stars (5 stars being equal to or better than the real KFL+ or R91)
First, as to the exterior finish on the atty; it's every bit as nice as my legit KFL+. It's a "brushed" finish, but appears to have been brushed using a slightly finer abrasive than the real one. Exterior Appearance: 5 stars
The threading on most of the device is quite exquisite. The only place it falls short is where the lower chimney threads to the deck. It's not that it's terribly crunchy or anything, but it isn't a smooth thread either. However, it threads down tight just fine. Threading: 3 & 1/2 Stars.
The parts are pretty much all of equal quality to both the KFL+/R91. The heads on the deck screws are slightly smaller than those on the KFL+, but appear to be the same as the R91. They should be much easier to work with than the ones that came with my Tobeco clone. The o-rings are also comparable in quality to the legit ones. They are also seem to be of higher quality than the ones that came with the Tobeco.
The adjustable 510 screw is basically the same as the R91's. However, unless it's screwed up all the way tight against the inner center pin, it spins freely, which could lead to losing contact or losing the screw. I remedied this by slipping one of the extra tiny o-rings from my R91 over it. The other strange bit is the upper chimney. I'm not sure why these clone makers feel the need to add an o-ring to the threaded part of the upper chimney. Maybe it stems from the concern that they don't have the QC to machine the chimney so they all seal without the use of an o-ring like the originals do.functionally, it shouldn't make a difference, so it really doesn't bother me.
The AFC screw using an Allen key instead of a flat head is a double edged sword. On the negative side, it's a pain to have to worry about carrying an Allan key to adjust your airflow. On the plus side, the Allen key makes it MUCH easier to re-install the screw. I was going to replace it with a spare AFC flat head screw from my Russian or KFL+, but after fumbling around for over 5 minutes and dropping the screw multiple times I gave up.
The airflow hole on the side of the device is slightly smaller than that on the R91 and even KFL+. However, it doesn't seem to lead to a noticeably tighter draw. Some people may want to drill it out to 1/16", but for now, I don't think I'll have any problem with the airflow.
The other thing, and this shows some forethought on the part of the vendor is the inclusion of about a half dozen spares of the o-ring that connects the top of the chimney to the top cap. Since this seems to be the o-ring most people have issues with, it was pretty smart of them to make the surplus of spares part of the kit. Parts: 4 stars
The only bummer is that, much like the other clones, you do have to be sure to take the whole thing to bits and clean it thoroughly. I didn't find more than maybe a trace of machining oils in mine, but there was some excess plastic from the insulator blocking the airflow hole on the center pin. Also, even after soaking in vodka and then soapy water, I did remove a fair amount of black grease from the inside of the drip tip when I ran a couple q-tips through it. I still think that vendors need to demand that the manufacturers do a better job cleaning these things before they go out. Cleanliness: 2 Stars
Overall, I'm ecstatic with the quality of the Black Edition clone. It's well worth the $50, and IMO certainly worth the $15-20 more than the other clones out there. Like I said, I've still got to put a build on it, but there aren't any issues I can for see there. In all honesty, I'm still planning on getting at least 1 more R91 or KFL+, but with the price point and quality of the BE clone, I'm probably gonna scoop up 2 more of them before they're sold out. Other than the cleanliness (which is par for the course from China), it really is a great clone.
Overall: 4 stars
Edit: Just finished my first build on the Black Edition about an hour ago. 3/32" bit, 28g Kanthal, 8 wraps, 1.4 ohms. Vapes identical to the original KFL+ and R91. With the AFC wide open, it may be the slightest (and I mean slightest) bit tighter than the original KFL+. Should be a non issue, even for lung-hitters like me. This thing is a clear winner!
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