potential problem with well respected local gunsmith

[jbett98]

Tagged, just for the gossip.

 

[RVTECH]

The last gunsmith I visited made me pay $30 to tell

Any businessman who charges for a look-see, estimate, evaluation etc. is greedy! NOW if I went to a jobsite and the person who I was supposed to meet with was gone, forgot etc. I would bill them for an hour of my time.

 

[cigars]

Geeze... why don't you just email the guy this thread already? Put the ball back in his court. This is not a case of "any publicity is good publicity....".

 

[Mygrainman]

Any businessman who charges for a look-see, estimate, evaluation etc. is greedy!

In most cases that's true, but it does depend on the situation... Sometimes to get give a proper estimate it may take a significant amount of (diss/re)assembly that may require expensive, specialized tooling, and then you run the risk of them taking it elsewhere or going DIY route after you did all the legwork.. soin some cases it's not entirely unreasonable to charge a shop minimum that iin my experience ranges from $10 to a box of tacos..

 

[Ura-Ki]

I personally don't like sending an email or text in situation like this. Personally I would walk into the store and look the guy square in the face. You can tell a lot about a person by there body language.

I would be polite and ask him what he plans on doing? Like everyone has said we are human and make mistakes but if he values his reputation then he will fix the problem.

This is where I have the biggest problem with this whole deal:
1st, he should have contacted YOU before you came in to pick up your rifle and informed you that there ***WAS*** a problem, but that he had taken care of it at no charge and..........
2nd, he should have handed you the final bill with a big fat ZERO in the amount owed, and there shouyld have some really nice Ceracoating done atno charge, or, Even better, an offer to do a "custom" coating job of your choice, ALL at no charge!!!
3rd, he should have offered you a SERIOUS, HEART FELT apology for messing it up in the first place
You should not have to seek any recompense from him, nor should you have to do any thing to redress this issue, it should have already been handled!
That you are having to do ANY THING at all, speaks to a poor business, run by someone that doesn't really care about you or your continued business now or in the future, AND, this person hasn't taken into account the wonders of the innerwebs, We have 3 pages of comments and advice all ready, and none would willingly hand over our valuable firearms OR our hard earned money to a fly by night operation like this!
I have a strong suspicion I know this "Smith" you speak of, and based on your AO, it's likely! Not some one I, or others here would have recommended!!!

 

[11Charlie]

This is where I have the biggest problem with this whole deal:
1st, he should have contacted YOU before you came in to pick up your rifle and informed you that there ***WAS*** a problem, but that he had taken care of it at no charge and..........
2nd, he should have handed you the final bill with a big fat ZERO in the amount owed, and there shouyld have some really nice Ceracoating done atno charge, or, Even better, an offer to do a "custom" coating job of your choice, ALL at no charge!!!
3rd, he should have offered you a SERIOUS, HEART FELT apology for messing it up in the first place
You should not have to seek any recompense from him, nor should you have to do any thing to redress this issue, it should have already been handled!
That you are having to do ANY THING at all, speaks to a poor business, run by someone that doesn't really care about you or your continued business now or in the future, AND, this person hasn't taken into account the wonders of the innerwebs, We have 3 pages of comments and advice all ready, and none would willingly hand over our valuable firearms OR our hard earned money to a fly by night operation like this!
I have a strong suspicion I know this "Smith" you speak of, and based on your AO, it's likely! Not some one I, or others here would have recommended!!!

I agree with every dang word you said my friend. But if it happened to me I would walk my azz right into his store with a look of WTF on my face and politely say fix it or else. At that point you will know quickly if he knew about it or not by his body language. I try to give the benefit of the doubt to everyone until they don't deserve it. I guess its me trying to have faith in the human race.

 

[ageingstudent]

Well I know Velzey didn't do that!
If you get any grief let me know, I will make that go away!


I'm wondering how they did this..

Are they a vendor here?

I trusted my S&W 27-2 to that Velzey guy and it came back healthy and happy and feeling all brand new. I'm pretty sure he tucked it in a baby crib every night and sang it lullabies.

 

[Ura-Ki]

i'm right there with ya Skrueger, BUT.............
If I had walked in to this shop expecting to pick up my finished rifle and noticed an issue like this, I would have handed it right back and asked what he was going to do to fix it and make it right, and when I could expect to return to pick it up, once completed!!!
I had something like this happen at a car repair shop, Took my Mercedes in for some work and when I came to pick it up, there was a huge dent in the passenger door!!! Wasn't there when I dropped it off, and there was no explanation made or offer of repair, UNTIL I walked my onesome into the service managers office and asked him what HE, HIM SELF was going to do about it?!?!?! Got some positive action then, but they were not going to do it on their own if I had not lit a fire under there azzess! Short story long, I will never take any of my cars to them EVER, and I tell every one I know, Not to do business with these people!!!

 

[GOG]

I thought he only did that to K Frames?

 

[Goosebrown]

I trusted my S&W 27-2 to that Velzey guy and it came back healthy and happy and feeling all brand new. I'm pretty sure he tucked it in a baby crib every night and sang it lullabies.

I actually heard him singing in a soft and worldly baritone to a Lee enfield no4 mk1 one afternoon as I came up with some of my arms to drop off. Such soul and depth that tears welled from my eyes and my heart yearned for hidden mysteries afar.

That man can sing.

 

[Ura-Ki]

.....................And, He never wears pants

 

[11Charlie]

i'm right there with ya Skrueger, BUT.............
If I had walked in to this shop expecting to pick up my finished rifle and noticed an issue like this, I would have handed it right back and asked what he was going to do to fix it and make it right, and when I could expect to return to pick it up, once completed!!!
I had something like this happen at a car repair shop, Took my Mercedes in for some work and when I came to pick it up, there was a huge dent in the passenger door!!! Wasn't there when I dropped it off, and there was no explanation made or offer of repair, UNTIL I walked my onesome into the service managers office and asked him what HE, HIM SELF was going to do about it?!?!?! Got some positive action then, but they were not going to do it on their own if I had not lit a fire under there azzess! Short story long, I will never take any of my cars to them EVER, and I tell every one I know, Not to do business with these people!!!

Oh I wouldn't go back that's for damn sure!! People like that shouldn't be in business or work in customer service but they do so guys like us have to call them on it or they will do it to the next guy!

 

[jbett98]

Promise less, deliver more.

 

[Goosebrown]

.....................And, He never wears pants

That too...

 

[ageingstudent]

.....................And, He never wears pants

Yeah I was a little uncomfortable watching him test shoot my 1907 Winchester like that but who am I to argue with artistic expression.

 

[ageingstudent]

In most cases that's true, but it does depend on the situation... Sometimes to get give a proper estimate it may take a significant amount of (diss/re)assembly that may require expensive, specialized tooling, and then you run the risk of them taking it elsewhere or going DIY route after you did all the legwork.. soin some cases it's not entirely unreasonable to charge a shop minimum that iin my experience ranges from $10 to a box of tacos..

I always offer tacos for an estimate. It's the right thing to do.

 

[etrain16]

Legend has it @Velzey taught John Moses Browning everything he knew

 

[ageingstudent]

I responded mildly... Under the assumption that we both know there is an issue, he has admitted fault... We'll see what he thinks.

Personally, I think Duracoating a barreled action is a small price to pay for taking a chunk out of an otherwise flawless receiver.

I'll see what he proposes... or tells me to eat it...

I won't out him until we actually reach an impasse.

I think you're handling this quite well good for you. Just a word of support and encouragement .

 

[Joe13]

I agree with every dang word you said my friend. But if it happened to me I would walk my azz right into his store with a look of WTF on my face and politely say fix it or else. At that point you will know quickly if he knew about it or not by his body language. I try to give the benefit of the doubt to everyone until they don't deserve it. I guess its me trying to have faith in the human race.

Hardly anyone is quite as, um memeorable as you are my friend

 

[Ura-Ki]

Hardly anyone is quite as, um memeorable as you are my friend

I was just thinking the same thing! SK could probably go toe to toe with a Big "Ol Colorado Grizzly, and the Grizz would be lookin at his claws and for arms askin if he REALLY wants to try his luck!