Customer Service is what its all about!

[jonathan snyder]

Hi Folks,

I often see customer service disaster threads, so I thought I would post a customer service success story!

I ordered a O1 Hock iron from Craftsman Studio for my newly acquired 4 1/2 T11 . I have never bought a Hock iron before, but have heard great things about them. They were on sale and offering free shipping. Free shipping to Alaska, that is unheard of! I was a bit dismayed when the iron arrived. Although it was in the factory packaging, it had many small spots of rust on both sides. I e-mailed Craftsman Studio customer service last night, with pictures and politely asked if this was typical. I received a prompt message saying thanks for the pictures, that is not typical of Hock products and that Ron Hock himself would be sending me a new iron.

Kudos to Craftsman Studio and Ron Hock for such excellent customer service. I will be buying more Hock irons and will definitely do more business with Craftsman Studio!

I honed the iron tonight, and its cuts like a dream. I guess I will hit the rust spots with steelwool, oil the iron good and put it to work.

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I couldn't resist a gloating on the 4 1/2!!!

Jonathan

[David Weaver]

That looks like a type 14 if that's the stubby knob on the front of that thing.

I have the same thing if that's corrugated on the bottom - got it covered with grease from someone who couldn't seem to get rid of it because of just that. It cleaned up almost perfect. It's a great size to have as a smoother.

I almost went the same direction with a replacement iron, but I got a LN iron and chipbreaker instead, and haven't installed them. The sweetheart iron that came with my plane hasn't been resharpened yet, and I've probably planed with it for 20 minutes worth of work. It feels like Ice when I'm sharpening it - much different than the A2s feel.

I like craftsmanstudio.com - I've always had good service from them - kind of expected them to be a no-budget no-getting-back-to-you-drop-ship-from-the-manufacturer kind of place with their prices, but I was totally wrong - they stock a lot of the stuff and they're quick to respond and friendly.

[Doug Littlejohn]

Craftstudio customer service, but it's good to know and I will look at buying from them in the future.

As to the 4-1/2, I love mine, until I got my LV LAS and LAJ, it was by far my most favored plane. Now it shares that with the 2 LVs. I also have a Hock iron in mine.

What's really nice is I can set it to general use and then to whisper thin shavings.

Oh yeah, Mine is a T11 as well, my most favorite type for Stanleys.

Enjoy that plane/iron combination.

[Bob Jones]

I have used Craftsman Studio for a couple of large orders. GREAT customer service. I had a question about my order, so I sent and email on saturday and the owner personally called me in about 1 hour! He resolved the matter right then. I will roder from them anytime I need more LN planes.

[jonathan snyder]

Glad to hear others have had good service for Craftsman Studio as well.

David, I think it is a type 11. Three patent dates, low knob, and 1" depth adjustment nut. It is corrugated. Its the newest addition to my family to type 11's.

Jonathan

[Ryan Cathey]

Drool...Corrugated Type 11's....I'm in love with those but it's ok I've come to terms with that.

[David Weaver]

Drool...Corrugated Type 11's....I'm in love with those but it's ok I've come to terms with that.

Ryan - you're right. i got type 14 confused with type 11. I have two type 11s (three patent dates and short knobs) - one of which is the 4 1/2C that I mentioned.

[Ken Werner]

Ditto on good experience with Craftsman Studio. I've been very happy with their products, prices and promptness.

Ken

[Kyle Stiefel]

They were on sale and offering free shipping. Free shipping to Alaska, that is unheard of!

Jonathan,

Glad to hear you had great customer service, but free shipping to Alaska! I comply with your feelings there. I still remember a year or 2 ago when Lee Valley (who gets a lot of my business) still just shipped up here via the cost point (150 merchandise, 15 shipping or whatever) now it is by weight. The price to pay to live in paradise.

[jonathan snyder]

Kyle.

Yeah I guess thats the price we pay. I have asked Lee Valley repeatedly to use flat rate priority mail boxes, but they refuse. I just ordered a med shoulder plane, which would have easily fit in a flat rate box for $8.95, but I paid $15.95. If they would use flat rate boxes, I could buy more tools from them!! Perhaps Rob Lee will see this post!!!!

Hartville Tool, will stuff a flat rate box right to the brim. They once squeezed 8 swivel casters in a box for me and shipped them to AK for $8.10. They are another good outfit to do business with.

Glad to see another Alaskan Creeker.

Jonathan

[Dave Anderson NH]

Jonathan, Lee Valley answers the phones from Ogdensburg NY, but the actual shipping is done from Ottawa at their warehouse. As far as I know, Canada Post does not have flat rate priority boxes and believe me, you don't even want your stuff to go regular Canada Post. LV is still fighting with CP over problems from many years ago. Rob Lee is pretty accomadating, but he can't provide a service which isn't available from Canada.

[jonathan snyder]

Jonathan, Lee Valley answers the phones from Ogdensburg NY, but the actual shipping is done from Ottawa at their warehouse.

Dave, I think its the other way around. They may answer the phones in Ottawa, but they ship US orders from Odgensburg. I just checked the box, my last order was shipped Priority US mail from Odgensburg, NY. As I understand it, odgensburg, is just south of the border and many Canadian business have warehouses there to ship orders to the US from.

Of course I could be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time today

Jonathan, who loves living in Alaska, but hates to pay a-lot for shipping!!