CB Range discussion

Hi all, I’m new here and have been browsing through the pages. About a month ago, I bought a cb6000 from Amazon. It was such an exciting arrival! I put it on immediately after trying out various rings and spacers (though I’m still figuring out what the spacer actually does and how to choose the right size). Turns out that deal on Amazon was too good to be true; my entire unit cost me $45 USD, but it turns out to be a knock-off. Still, I won’t badmouth its quality because everything feels solid. I’ve been locked up for week-long stretches, only taking breaks on weekends for cleaning and whenever my KH permits. That said, let this serve as a warning: if your rings have grooves on both sides, you likely have a knock-off lol. Getting “ring bite,” where the skin gets caught in that groove, is quite painful. I tried making a cover for it; while it stopped the pain, a funky odor developed quickly despite daily showers and drying attempts. Eventually, I had to cut the cover off with scissors (which was surprisingly easy even while locked up haha). I’ve read that some people sand down their rings or use 2-part epoxy (sounds good, but I’m worried about toxins being absorbed through my scrotum during long-term wear). Any tips for dealing with these troublesome rings? Money is tight right now. I have a summer job and am returning to school this year (my first time in nearly 15 years), so before dipping into my emergency fund for a higher-quality belt, I need some guidance. Here are my questions:

1. Has anyone else had a knock-off ring set but purchased just the cage from the CB website? Did it fit their rings and pins properly? Or do I need to buy the full kit or perhaps just a cage plus a separate ring?
2. After being locked up, I’ve noticed odors typical of plastic cages. Q-tips aren’t working great for me; I see mentions of foam swabs elsewhere and plan to check my local Walmart for them. Has anyone found these swabs in physical stores? If so, which ones carry them?
3. The standard cage feels too large for me, so I’m considering the cb6000s (I am quite small—completely soft might be just over 2”, but fully erect is a bit over 6”. Since finding it hard to pee in the regular cage, I hope the smaller one will work better). Is the metal cage as comfortable as plastic? Living in Canada, my concern is whether the metal gets very cold or stays warm because of its proximity to the body.
4. As mentioned above, will erection pain be worse in the smaller cage since I’m a “grower,” or does it restrict the penis enough to prevent erections entirely? Does anyone have experience with this too? Well, that’s all for now. Sorry for the long post:/ Thanks for your help! C.