Please excuse my rant..........

[smitty62]

But I think members should know when there is an unscrupulous vendor out there. In late July I sent an expensive 10" combination table saw blade to a firm that heavily advertises in woodworking magazines and on line from Buffalo, NY for sharpening. I included a note that although the blade seemed sharp, it did not cut well-including tear out and bogging my contractors saw on ripping. (Yes, my fence is square with the blade) Two weeks later they advised me the blade was ready and verified my return address. They also stated the blade (a Beisemier) did not have any clearance in it and they had side ground it for an extra charge of $15. OK, good--it's fixed right? But when the charges showed up on my credit card they were $20 more than their ad stated with $13 shipping-(I had shipped it to them USPS Priority for $7.50.) After some argument :argue: in which this jerk in a condescending manner states they only used UPS and would never lower themselves to USPS, they agreed to refund $9 with no explanation as to how they arrived at that figure.
OK-- after waiting 10 days I called to advise them I had not received the blade, they promised to check into and get back to me that afternoon. After FOUR days I called again and they hesitantly told me they had shipped it to another guy with my name in a different state! Remember? they called to verify my address? Now I was to wait until they could contact the other guy--turns out he was on vacation in Louisiana and would not return for another week!:BangHead: Anyway the guy mails me my blade when he returned and even called me to see if I had gotten it--nice guy.:thumbs_up Now, on Sept. 1st., I've got my late, overpriced and well traveled-reground blade in my hands and I installed it on my saw--do I have to tell you what happens next? Yep, it cuts exactly the same in ripping a 4/4 oak board--bogs the motor down--change blade-everything is fine. All they did was resharpen the blade apparently.:gar-Cr Do not use these people!

 

[dancam]

Dick,

Please post the name of this vendor so that I will NOT use them.

Thanks,
Dan C.

PS...I used to send my Forrest WWII blades back to Forrest for sharpening but the costs (both cost to sharpen and S&H) got out of control and the quality was also deteriorating. I found a local sharpening service here in Asheville and they do an outstanding job at a really decent price.

 

[JimmyC]

Thanks Dick,

I use Raleigh Saw and haven't had a problem with them, they are fairly close and it gives me a good excuse to go to Klingspor:gar-Bi. I have thought about mailing away, but now I know who not to use.

Jimmy

 

[smitty62]

I'm sure there are fine sharpeners out there--I just seem to have the knack for picking the losers:confused_

 

[junquecol]

Without actually naming names, you have done no one a service, only created doubt. If you aren't actually telling who you had a problem with, then you should consider withdrawing your post, IMHO. I know I use a sharpening service in Buffalo NY, Dynamic Saw, and have nothing but praise for their work. But Forrest, over in NJ is a totally different story. Bruce Wrenn

 

[smitty62]

Geez.......I'm really sorry to disappoint you, Bruce. Suggest if you have a sharpener you're happy with, you continue to use them....................

 

[ehpoole]

Dick,

Not to belittle your rant in the least, but I have to agree with Bruce. Without naming the actual vendor one winds up painting with a very broad stroke. Essentially, and I am certain without intent, one ends up disparaging every sharpening company in, and around, the Buffalo, NY area, even though the experience and rant are, obviously, only specific to only a singular business. In fact, a month or two down the road, without the actual business being named, all that will stick in many readers minds is that there is a bad sharpening service in NY (having long since forgotten that it was in Buffalo). As such, there will be a temptation to avoid ALL sharpening services not only in Buffalo, NY, but in the whole of NY -- just to be safe -- because the seed of doubt has been planted (but not quite cultivated without a specific business to avoid). On the other hand, if the business is named, then nobody cares about remembering Buffalo, NY, and simply logs in their memory to avoid "ABC Sharpening Co." like the plague.

FWIW, it is neither slander nor libel to share an experience publicly with regard to exceptionally bad (or good) service. So long as the story is truthful and complete (to the very best of one's knowledge), then one should not be afraid to share it. As an open forum, if the vendor wishes to post a rebuttal, then the very same forum is available to them to explain (creatively?) how the customer's experience was the product of their exceptional & competent customer service and commitment to quality.

Please don't take this as a rant against you or your rant in any way. I assure you it is not intended as such. I just happen to agree with Bruce's point that all *I* walk away with from the OP is to avoid *any* sharpening service located in Buffalo, NY. As another individual dismayed at the utter lack of quality customer service and attention to detail I've also encountered over the last decade+ , I truly empathize with your plight! I don't expect my fellow man to be perfect 100% of the time, but, by golly, I certainly believe that everyone should take pride in their work, no matter how great or small the job may seem.

I genuinely hope your fortune changes for the better with your next sharpening job. There is nothing more frustrating, and less satisfying, than paying somebody for what amounts to a pathetically incompetent job.

 

[merrill77]

Thanks for posting. I can guess who the service was. FWIW, I've had a similarly disappointing experience with a big sharpening service in NJ. Given that you can get a pretty good blade for <$50 these days, I don't think I'll ever bother sharpening another blade (unless I do it myself...).

 

[smitty62]

Personally, I would never be so presumptuous as to tell a member what he should or should not post. I believe that's what monitors are for. I really don't think it takes a genius to figure out the vendor. What I was trying to accomplish was to tell of my experience and for those that wish to, take heed. I don't need an hypercritical would-be lawyer to advise me as to what I should post or to question my veracity--ie: "so long as the story is true".

FWIW-this situation was a real hassle for me and an expensive and unforgettable one. If something like this occurs to me again, I'll keep it to myself. For those of you that messaged me with thanks---the kind words were appreciated. For those of you that took exception to my message, I wish you ............................Good Luck?:nah:

 

[NCTurner]

Easy y'all let's keep this civil.

 

[wayne]

Just my .02 worth

If the BOD were smart at the next meeting they would add vendor bashing of any sort to the list of forbidden subjects.
These type forums are not the proper venue for that sort of thing.
As was so eloquently pointed out by Ethan they tend to be one-sided.
Just my HO for what its worth.


Wayne

 

[Dragon]

Just my .02 worth

If the BOD were smart at the next meeting they would add vendor bashing of any sort to the list of forbidden subjects.
These type forums are not the proper venue for that sort of thing.
As was so eloquently pointed out by Ethan they tend to be one-sided.
Just my HO for what its worth.


Wayne

So........you're saying that if someone here has a bad experience with a particular vendor, be it customer service, shoddy merchandise, whatever, and you're about to spend major $$$ with said vendor, you wouldn't want to know that you may be about to get reamed?? :crossedlips: Not trying to be argumentative, just stating the obvious. Maybe instead the BoD might consider a "wall of shame" of sorts wherein less than reputable vendors could be spoken about?:dontknow:

 

[wayne]

What I'm saying is there's two sides to every story and having served the public for 95% of my adult life there are a major percentage of the public out here that if they had Jesus in a wheelbarrow they would want Moses to push it for them.
As for me spending my $$ I feel quite capable of making an informed decision of what something is worth to me without having to solicit everyone else's opinion.
If I get shafted I am quite capable of handling my own resolutions to the problem and if I make a bad decision I put the blame where it belongs
I also don't take your post as argumentive or personal for that matter.
I still think this forum is not the place for two people or entities to air their dirty laundry, it is the last thing I want to read about.


Wayne

 

[TracyP]

I still think this forum is not the place for two people or entities to air their dirty laundry, it is the last thing I want to read about.


Wayne

Thanks Wayne. Well stated.

 

[BKind2Anmls]

I believe you can post about your experiences, good or bad, in an objective way and I believe it is valuable to the community. However, without knowing the name of the company in question, the value of the post is greatly diminished.

A couple of years back I had bought some thin lumber from an online source at the recommendation of Steve the scroll saw guy. After a couple of weeks of not hearing anything and being unable to contact the company, I contacted Steve who said that the company was suddenly having problems and other people were having the same issue of not receiving what they had paid for. (He was very apologetic and I do not blame him for the debacle in any way. From all accounts, this was a very good company to deal with up to this point.)

I posted this disturbing information on a couple of the sites and several people thanked me for posting since they had been about to send in their money as well. As it turns out, one of the owners absconded with the company's money and those of us who had sent our money and did not receive our wood got shafted ending up without the money or the wood. If the rules did not allow me to post my experience, including naming the company, many more of my woodworking friends may have lost their money, as well.

When one posts a good or bad experience, one needs to understand that they will probably be influencing someone to spend, or not spend, their hard-earned cash.

 

[jerrye]

Another option might be posting "I am about to spend money with ____ company. If anyone here has any experience with them please PM me."

MTCW, YMMV :dontknow:

 

[Gofor]

Personally, I think to limit ones expression to only saying good things about a wood working related company greatly devalues the worth of this forum. Good or bad, best is to be objective. As for some company being wrongfully maligned, I think all of us take what we read here and add the filter of credibility as to the poster. The more one posts, the better feel for that person's experience in the matter and the validity of what they say. Not to say a first time poster has no validity, but I for one will just put a "noted" checkmark unless the info in the post jives with my own personal experience.

If a company is giving a fellow wood-worker grief, I for one would like that info in my arsenal if I am planning to do business with that same company. It may lead me to ask questions that I otherwise would not have thought to ask to clarify that I am getting what I expect. If they misrepresent themselves, I also want to be able to relate that to others.

JMTCW

Go

 

[Dragon]

Well stated Susan and Mark. Thank you.:icon_thum

 

[RickC]

Some very good points. Seeing what a company does well, and the areas in which it could improve are quite valuable. I also see nothing wrong in sharing your EXPERIENCES with a particular company / vendor. Stating what service / goods you were trying to obtain, what happened and where they fell short or excelled is quite useful. It isn't necessary to address the company / vendor as an entire entity, but just share your experience. If you don't make any value judgments about the company, but just relay the details of your transaction, then you will be just fine.

As with any of us on the forum, a company / vendor can have an off day, or perhaps get caught doing something extraordinary. Neither scenario may be the norm. But the more we hear, the more informed decision we can make.

 

[nelsone]

Interesting thread. I do like to know the good, bad, and ugly of companies I do business with and I find on-line reviews quite helpful. I think most people understand almost every company can slip and someone have a bad experience. I wonder if it would be possible to set up a review forum that would not allow responses, but would allow members to rate a company or business they have done business with? If a company has 80% good responses, would that be a company I want to do business with? What about 70%? I don't know but I would have a somewhat informed decision to make.