A Review of a different stripe.
Feb 12, 2007 9:25:39 GMT
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2007 9:25:39 GMT
I won’t post this in the Reviews folder, as it is not technically a review of a product, but rather of a business. Now normally I would not even think of posting comments on any small business on an internet venue as it is a local place, and many would have little or no access to something which I have available to me personally.
However this company does have its own website, and will ship to anyone, anywhere at all from all that I can tell.
I can understand a review of a major sword manufacturing company as it pertains directly to their own product(s) and how their customer service rates.
This place however deserves some recognition and comment on its own merits, merits which set this business so far above and beyond what one would expect from a local sharp shiny object store as to nearly set it in its own category.
The business in question is called Stillman Blades, owned by Jim Stillman it was first opened in a heathen land somewhere in the eastern realms of the United States.
Fortunatly, Mr. Stillman recognized his error and relocated to the more enlightened land of Arizona, more specifically, to Mesa, Arizona where I had the amazing fortune, guided by my lady love, to spot this little oasis of edged items.
Unlike so many other “knife shops” out there in the world, the employees of Stillman Blades are highly educated on the products they sell, and are not only willing to chat with customers, but will take the time to explain in what ever detail one wishes on the product in question, be it a sword, a kitchen knife set, or a set of claws from Wolverine of “X-men” fame. In all the times that I’ve been in this shop I’ve never once seen any of the employees exhibit so much as a smidgen of impatience with a single customer, even myself, whom I would have tossed out of the building after the first forty five minutes of; “But I heard that this sword maker can/does/will/is cheaper…”
Every sharp shiny object that I’ve purchased in the last few months has come through Stillman Blades, and from how I’ve been treated so far, they will continue to do so into the foreseeable future.
I am aware that a few of the items I’ve purchased I could have acquired elsewhere for a lesser cost to myself, however there are several reasons why I will continue to spend my money through this business, even if it means spending slightly more than what another, online, company might charge me.
First; the employees and their knowledge base is second to none, I purchased my Hanwei PK from them before I had any information what so ever on any other manufactures or their products. I was not mislead on what the PK was or what its capabilities were in the slightest, and when I hesitated on the price of the sword, I was not directed toward the Masahiro blades they also had on display with an assurance that they were of equal ability or quality or even close to the same.
Of course they brought those swords to my attention, but failed to hesitate to inform me of the difference in both quality and use in so far as to what I’d told them I wished from a sword.
James was the first of these employees of Stillman blades I had the good fortune to speak with, and I never pass up a chance to go up to this store and pick his brain on what is the best of what ever product relating to sharp shiny things, be it the blades themselves, or the best way to care for them. I have even spent way too much of his time discussing the most effective manner of cutting with differing swords, and the best objects to cut.
James’ experience in these matters shows through rapidly, and as my education in swords and knives becomes more extensive I’ve found that every time that I believe I’ve encountered something new, James has already heard of it, and has volumes of advice on the subject. Our conversations become more educational and enlightening for me every time I speak with him.
From the bits and pieces I’ve put together through our conversations he is a historical re-enactor with the SCA (Society of Creative Anachronism) and has participated in many “wars” with the society as well as being a contributing member in many other facets as well.
I’m unsure of how many years he has been involved with the group, but the impression that I am left with is a span of several years at least, and through those years has made many contacts in the world of swords and armor that has boosted his knowledge base well past what many others would have access to.
The other employee of Stillman Blades that stands out is Liam, of Scottish origins, he still speaks with the accent and not only seems to have an even broader knowledge base but is just damned funny.
I don’t know if it’s the accent or the attitude but speaking with Liam for twenty minutes makes me yearn for the highlands of my own ancestry, and never fails to leave me in stitches over the stories he is never hesitant to tell.
I really don’t understand his approach to salesmanship, as it shouldn’t work, yet never fails.
I once walked in to order five more Tatami mats for cutting, and so informed him that I’d like those five.
“Six is a much more round number don’t you think?” he says to me.
“Right,” I say, “better make it ten.”
It all made so much sense at the moment, yet I walked out of there, without any real prompting on his part, after spending exactly twice as much as I’d intended.
The only thing that I’m deeply pleased with myself for resisting, is failing to purchase the Hanwei Wakasashi they had on display for so long. I’m racking my brain here trying to remember which one it was, but it had a $500.00 USD price tag, and was really, really nice.
I’d drool over it every time I was in there, and Liam never failed to point it out to me as an example of Hanwei forge’s finer work.
Oh so casually he’d take it down and show it to me, pointing out the forge marks and the quality of the fittings, explaining in detail how it was superior to the PK set I had already purchased from them.
Every time I fought temptation and left empty handed. Well, ok, I bought or ordered something else, but left without the Wakasashi.
I should fess up here and admit that if they’d the entire set sitting there in front of me I’d be about $1500.00 USD poorer right now. Liam never pushes a sale, yet somehow makes you just want to own what ever it is that he displays for you.
For pete’s sake, I nearly bought a Harry Potter wand and banner from him one night, and while I actually like the books, I can't stand Harry Potter merchandise.
Liam is merely such a pleasure to speak with, and is more than willing to educate one on topics ranging from European swords to fencing foils to Japanese Katana’s, to the merits of the English longbow and how it stacks up to other bows throughout history. And despite his laid back, I’m only here because it’s fun attitude also has an incredible base of knowledge to draw from, and absolutely will not hesitate to inform you of what is worth purchasing and what is not.
This shop carries not only swords and knives, but can completely outfit anyone for any period in history they care to imagine.
Period costumes are available, at amazingly inexpensive prices for the quality of the apparel, but can indeed find you what ever item is on your wish list, even if, or I should say, especially if you’ve been unable to find it elsewhere.
Helms, armor, gauntlets, even American Civil war items are available for the asking through Stillman Blades.
Bluntly, if you want it, and it is available anywhere in the world, they will find it for you.
To me, that alone worth an extra few dollars on my next sword.
The other reason that I will continue to purchase all my long sharp shiny stuff through them is that they check all items coming to them from the manufacturer.
If it displays flaws in the blade, or has anything not right with it, they will call you up, explain the situation, and if you find it unacceptable will bend over backwards to make it right for you.
Nothing that I’ve purchased through Stillman Blades has had even the slightest flaw that would have prevented me from ordering it or accepting it without my fore knowledge.
An example of this and what prompted me to write this review to begin with occurred just recently. I walked into the store to inquire on the progress of a couple of recent purchases that have been taking some time to get to me.
One of those items had been received, but as they had just moved to a new location the paperwork on these items had been misfiled.
James apologized for the error, handed me the item that had come in and assured me that they would make my order for those ten Tatami mats go through as rapidly as they could.
It was not something which really fazed me, as I honestly expected the first item to take even longer than it had, but my mats should have come a bit sooner, and I made a remark of something of the sort to James.
He apologized again for the mistake and said, “this is just embarrassing.”
I shrugged it off, and later he made the same comment about being embarrassed.
It dawned on me right then that he was really, honestly embarrassed by the whole situation.
He did not attempt to blame any one else, nor did he just shrug it off as I did, but really felt worse about it than I did. This truly surprised me as anyone else that I’ve dealt with accepts little if no responsibility for an error, but on top of that just seems to not really care.
This was an employee, who was accepting personal responsibly for an order that he did not even make in the first place, and was going out of his way to make it right for me.
I was impressed enough with how seriously they were treating this, to my mind, minor snafu, that right then and there I plunked down another couple of hundred on another sword that’s been traipsing it’s way through my fantasies for some time, and have zero worries about how it will make it’s way to me, or in what condition I will receive it in.
For anyone who is interested in this company, their website is;
stillmanblades.com/shop/
I cannot recommend dealing with these people enough, they will treat you as though you were the only customer they have, and will deal more than fairly with you.
There is one more story, which involves a $150.00 USD Masahuri sword that was on sale for $700.00 USD, but I’m afraid that the poor girl behind the counter who made this nearly fatal error has caught more than enough grief for it.
Well, until the next time I see her anyway…
Red John
P.S. Paul, given that you also run a business I sincerely hope that this is not offensive to yourself, I can't but help give a positive review of these people given how well they've treated me to date.
However this company does have its own website, and will ship to anyone, anywhere at all from all that I can tell.
I can understand a review of a major sword manufacturing company as it pertains directly to their own product(s) and how their customer service rates.
This place however deserves some recognition and comment on its own merits, merits which set this business so far above and beyond what one would expect from a local sharp shiny object store as to nearly set it in its own category.
The business in question is called Stillman Blades, owned by Jim Stillman it was first opened in a heathen land somewhere in the eastern realms of the United States.
Fortunatly, Mr. Stillman recognized his error and relocated to the more enlightened land of Arizona, more specifically, to Mesa, Arizona where I had the amazing fortune, guided by my lady love, to spot this little oasis of edged items.
Unlike so many other “knife shops” out there in the world, the employees of Stillman Blades are highly educated on the products they sell, and are not only willing to chat with customers, but will take the time to explain in what ever detail one wishes on the product in question, be it a sword, a kitchen knife set, or a set of claws from Wolverine of “X-men” fame. In all the times that I’ve been in this shop I’ve never once seen any of the employees exhibit so much as a smidgen of impatience with a single customer, even myself, whom I would have tossed out of the building after the first forty five minutes of; “But I heard that this sword maker can/does/will/is cheaper…”
Every sharp shiny object that I’ve purchased in the last few months has come through Stillman Blades, and from how I’ve been treated so far, they will continue to do so into the foreseeable future.
I am aware that a few of the items I’ve purchased I could have acquired elsewhere for a lesser cost to myself, however there are several reasons why I will continue to spend my money through this business, even if it means spending slightly more than what another, online, company might charge me.
First; the employees and their knowledge base is second to none, I purchased my Hanwei PK from them before I had any information what so ever on any other manufactures or their products. I was not mislead on what the PK was or what its capabilities were in the slightest, and when I hesitated on the price of the sword, I was not directed toward the Masahiro blades they also had on display with an assurance that they were of equal ability or quality or even close to the same.
Of course they brought those swords to my attention, but failed to hesitate to inform me of the difference in both quality and use in so far as to what I’d told them I wished from a sword.
James was the first of these employees of Stillman blades I had the good fortune to speak with, and I never pass up a chance to go up to this store and pick his brain on what is the best of what ever product relating to sharp shiny things, be it the blades themselves, or the best way to care for them. I have even spent way too much of his time discussing the most effective manner of cutting with differing swords, and the best objects to cut.
James’ experience in these matters shows through rapidly, and as my education in swords and knives becomes more extensive I’ve found that every time that I believe I’ve encountered something new, James has already heard of it, and has volumes of advice on the subject. Our conversations become more educational and enlightening for me every time I speak with him.
From the bits and pieces I’ve put together through our conversations he is a historical re-enactor with the SCA (Society of Creative Anachronism) and has participated in many “wars” with the society as well as being a contributing member in many other facets as well.
I’m unsure of how many years he has been involved with the group, but the impression that I am left with is a span of several years at least, and through those years has made many contacts in the world of swords and armor that has boosted his knowledge base well past what many others would have access to.
The other employee of Stillman Blades that stands out is Liam, of Scottish origins, he still speaks with the accent and not only seems to have an even broader knowledge base but is just damned funny.
I don’t know if it’s the accent or the attitude but speaking with Liam for twenty minutes makes me yearn for the highlands of my own ancestry, and never fails to leave me in stitches over the stories he is never hesitant to tell.
I really don’t understand his approach to salesmanship, as it shouldn’t work, yet never fails.
I once walked in to order five more Tatami mats for cutting, and so informed him that I’d like those five.
“Six is a much more round number don’t you think?” he says to me.
“Right,” I say, “better make it ten.”
It all made so much sense at the moment, yet I walked out of there, without any real prompting on his part, after spending exactly twice as much as I’d intended.
The only thing that I’m deeply pleased with myself for resisting, is failing to purchase the Hanwei Wakasashi they had on display for so long. I’m racking my brain here trying to remember which one it was, but it had a $500.00 USD price tag, and was really, really nice.
I’d drool over it every time I was in there, and Liam never failed to point it out to me as an example of Hanwei forge’s finer work.
Oh so casually he’d take it down and show it to me, pointing out the forge marks and the quality of the fittings, explaining in detail how it was superior to the PK set I had already purchased from them.
Every time I fought temptation and left empty handed. Well, ok, I bought or ordered something else, but left without the Wakasashi.
I should fess up here and admit that if they’d the entire set sitting there in front of me I’d be about $1500.00 USD poorer right now. Liam never pushes a sale, yet somehow makes you just want to own what ever it is that he displays for you.
For pete’s sake, I nearly bought a Harry Potter wand and banner from him one night, and while I actually like the books, I can't stand Harry Potter merchandise.
Liam is merely such a pleasure to speak with, and is more than willing to educate one on topics ranging from European swords to fencing foils to Japanese Katana’s, to the merits of the English longbow and how it stacks up to other bows throughout history. And despite his laid back, I’m only here because it’s fun attitude also has an incredible base of knowledge to draw from, and absolutely will not hesitate to inform you of what is worth purchasing and what is not.
This shop carries not only swords and knives, but can completely outfit anyone for any period in history they care to imagine.
Period costumes are available, at amazingly inexpensive prices for the quality of the apparel, but can indeed find you what ever item is on your wish list, even if, or I should say, especially if you’ve been unable to find it elsewhere.
Helms, armor, gauntlets, even American Civil war items are available for the asking through Stillman Blades.
Bluntly, if you want it, and it is available anywhere in the world, they will find it for you.
To me, that alone worth an extra few dollars on my next sword.
The other reason that I will continue to purchase all my long sharp shiny stuff through them is that they check all items coming to them from the manufacturer.
If it displays flaws in the blade, or has anything not right with it, they will call you up, explain the situation, and if you find it unacceptable will bend over backwards to make it right for you.
Nothing that I’ve purchased through Stillman Blades has had even the slightest flaw that would have prevented me from ordering it or accepting it without my fore knowledge.
An example of this and what prompted me to write this review to begin with occurred just recently. I walked into the store to inquire on the progress of a couple of recent purchases that have been taking some time to get to me.
One of those items had been received, but as they had just moved to a new location the paperwork on these items had been misfiled.
James apologized for the error, handed me the item that had come in and assured me that they would make my order for those ten Tatami mats go through as rapidly as they could.
It was not something which really fazed me, as I honestly expected the first item to take even longer than it had, but my mats should have come a bit sooner, and I made a remark of something of the sort to James.
He apologized again for the mistake and said, “this is just embarrassing.”
I shrugged it off, and later he made the same comment about being embarrassed.
It dawned on me right then that he was really, honestly embarrassed by the whole situation.
He did not attempt to blame any one else, nor did he just shrug it off as I did, but really felt worse about it than I did. This truly surprised me as anyone else that I’ve dealt with accepts little if no responsibility for an error, but on top of that just seems to not really care.
This was an employee, who was accepting personal responsibly for an order that he did not even make in the first place, and was going out of his way to make it right for me.
I was impressed enough with how seriously they were treating this, to my mind, minor snafu, that right then and there I plunked down another couple of hundred on another sword that’s been traipsing it’s way through my fantasies for some time, and have zero worries about how it will make it’s way to me, or in what condition I will receive it in.
For anyone who is interested in this company, their website is;
stillmanblades.com/shop/
I cannot recommend dealing with these people enough, they will treat you as though you were the only customer they have, and will deal more than fairly with you.
There is one more story, which involves a $150.00 USD Masahuri sword that was on sale for $700.00 USD, but I’m afraid that the poor girl behind the counter who made this nearly fatal error has caught more than enough grief for it.
Well, until the next time I see her anyway…
Red John
P.S. Paul, given that you also run a business I sincerely hope that this is not offensive to yourself, I can't but help give a positive review of these people given how well they've treated me to date.