I won't get into the 2 months worth of delays for the revamp of my Gillette Slim. What I will say is that my revamped razor does not work as well as it did before the revamp. The TTO mechanism no longer easily closes all the way, so there are times when the blade is not being held securely. My guess is that because their plating process is substantially thicker than the original factory plating, that the mechanical tolerances have been jeopardized. To sum it up... Looks new, works old. Buyer beware
Razor Emporium and Poor Service - READ POST 43
- Thread starter Great White Shavealo
- Start date
Buyer Beware is a synonym for the emporium. Sorry you got burned, but glad to have you here as a member!
I am really sorry to hear about your experience.
And some people say problems with RE are a thing of the past ... right ...
A leopard, or in this case snake, doesn't change his spots!
Leopards can't change their spots.
Antique Hoosier
“Aircooled”
FWIW, I will say this....and I am NOT defending the Vendor in the least.... but you join the World's Largest Wet Shaving Forum and your first and only post is a grievance against this vendor for not replating your vintage Gillette to your liking? You have an agenda that should be dealt with THEM and maybe just maybe mentioned to this collective IMO after you at least introduce yourself, make a few more observations and comments, etc. We might have to call in my new favorite, Capt. Obvious here but YMMV your post bothered me about as much as the way the vendor has apparently treated its customers. Is that the primary thing on your mind that you became first a lurker here( thats a B&B term not meant to be personally derogatory toward you) and your surf and search the site to try and find feedback on this vendors ill treatment of others, then Chime in on a couple year old thread to voice that your TTO isn't as smooth as when you sent it off to them? Like I said I don't really have this vendor on my radar good or bad but I find your way of entering this forum almost as bad. Am I being too harsh?
EDITED and added...The problem I see is THIS is what B&B has sorta become and I have been here for years. I don't like drive by situations and maybe its just me and Im getting old and cranky but this didn't sit well with me. JUST MY OPINION.
EDITED and added...The problem I see is THIS is what B&B has sorta become and I have been here for years. I don't like drive by situations and maybe its just me and Im getting old and cranky but this didn't sit well with me. JUST MY OPINION.
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We've no issue with members coming here and voicing opinions as long as it is factual and doesn't violate civility boundaries, regardless of how many posts they have.
These are personal opinions, and everyone is free to read them, and accept or reject the sentiment.
No one but the poster has any idea how long he lurked here before joining.
And though the thread is years old, the post before the one today was only 2 months ago - about the same time that MarkfromWH joined the forum.
These are personal opinions, and everyone is free to read them, and accept or reject the sentiment.
No one but the poster has any idea how long he lurked here before joining.
And though the thread is years old, the post before the one today was only 2 months ago - about the same time that MarkfromWH joined the forum.
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I have probably purchased four or five razors from them over the years with no problems. (I've never used them for re-plating.) However, after reading this thread, I'm going to delete them from my bookmarks.
I have used the Razoremporium revamp services. My Fatboy was returned after 11 weeks and it had become one year younger, as verified by the date code. My mails were answered with an attitude of 'a Fatboy is a Fatboy'.
Furthermore the vendor has been banned on this site for improper behaviour.
I would not send anything at all to this vendor.
Furthermore the vendor has been banned on this site for improper behaviour.
I would not send anything at all to this vendor.
I am new to B&B, but I am a long time wet shaver. Why not have a section where members can review vendors? It would be very useful for new wet shavers to be able to quickly look up the track record of a vendor.
Hi all - been reading a long time and got into traditional wet shaving last year, after travelling to China and picking up a newly made Gillette 3 piece razor (with plastic handle but steel/chromed head), as a joke to a guy who is really into wet shaving. Well, the gift never made it my friend, and I started using it. I've since upgraded to many oldies, including a 38-41 Tech, which was in miserable condition at first, but now is replated. I used Razor Emporium, though I was nervous due to some of the reviews. The Tech razor came back shiny and pretty. I am pleased with the work, and they updated well.
Here's a brief recap of the problem I had when sending another razor, a 40's Super Speed to them:
1. Purchased the Razor Revamp service in early August. Promptly forgot to send the razor.
2. End of September, I send the Gillette 40's Superspeed (no date code) to them, with the form required. Sent it USPS priority mail and had tracking number. Received Oct. 1 in Phoenix at the facility.
3. No word last week, no email like the first razor I had done. I send email asking status. Also check the Razor Emporium site, nothing, no updates to this razor's status. Sent another email earlier this week. No response. Called this morning their time, left message, no response this afternoon.
4. I called them again this afternoon, got a person. She first tried to direct me to the site to download the form to send in the razor, but I stopped her and said the tracking number was received on Oct 1. Oh... she says, no update in the computer.... then says, oh I found something, yes, it will take 30-45 days, sorry the shipping manager is gone (or something). Apologized nicely and updated the account to say received.
5. I then tell her nicely but firmly that I've read bad reviews on some sites and this is probably why, and it's important to notify people. She's interrupting me the whole time and I just keep on talking.
6. Immediately after, she tells me I have a Gillette X-4 body and it's aluminum, and it may melt during the replating process. I'm taken by surprise... ask her is that on the website? She says it is... so I ask her to send back the razor and we left it at that, both annoyed.
7. I go to the computer and pull up the site. Can't see anything on the Razor Restoration services page about X-4 razors. I didn't even know this thing is such a code, as there isn't any code on the razor that I saw on the underside. Anyway, I find some information, and apparently X-2 is a 1952 razor.
8. I receive an email message from my Razor Restoration account, and it's from the person I spoke to. She says sorry about that, sending it back, and here's a blurb from the site.... and it includes X4 razors at the end of the list! I go to the site page I have open - it's not there! I take a screen shot of that page... and refresh the screen.... and there it is... X4 Razors.
She updated the site after our call. I sent her back a message calling attention to that and just said "Wow".
Is that nuts?
It's fine they couldn't replate it. I don't like the lack of status updates, failure to respond to emails or a call, but the most egregious thing is changing the website after a call. That is crazy.
After I found out... I asked them to admit they did it. I was going to let it go. But no response. So this forum post.
I shoulda listened to my gut.
Here's a brief recap of the problem I had when sending another razor, a 40's Super Speed to them:
1. Purchased the Razor Revamp service in early August. Promptly forgot to send the razor.
2. End of September, I send the Gillette 40's Superspeed (no date code) to them, with the form required. Sent it USPS priority mail and had tracking number. Received Oct. 1 in Phoenix at the facility.
3. No word last week, no email like the first razor I had done. I send email asking status. Also check the Razor Emporium site, nothing, no updates to this razor's status. Sent another email earlier this week. No response. Called this morning their time, left message, no response this afternoon.
4. I called them again this afternoon, got a person. She first tried to direct me to the site to download the form to send in the razor, but I stopped her and said the tracking number was received on Oct 1. Oh... she says, no update in the computer.... then says, oh I found something, yes, it will take 30-45 days, sorry the shipping manager is gone (or something). Apologized nicely and updated the account to say received.
5. I then tell her nicely but firmly that I've read bad reviews on some sites and this is probably why, and it's important to notify people. She's interrupting me the whole time and I just keep on talking.
6. Immediately after, she tells me I have a Gillette X-4 body and it's aluminum, and it may melt during the replating process. I'm taken by surprise... ask her is that on the website? She says it is... so I ask her to send back the razor and we left it at that, both annoyed.
7. I go to the computer and pull up the site. Can't see anything on the Razor Restoration services page about X-4 razors. I didn't even know this thing is such a code, as there isn't any code on the razor that I saw on the underside. Anyway, I find some information, and apparently X-2 is a 1952 razor.
8. I receive an email message from my Razor Restoration account, and it's from the person I spoke to. She says sorry about that, sending it back, and here's a blurb from the site.... and it includes X4 razors at the end of the list! I go to the site page I have open - it's not there! I take a screen shot of that page... and refresh the screen.... and there it is... X4 Razors.
She updated the site after our call. I sent her back a message calling attention to that and just said "Wow".
Is that nuts?
It's fine they couldn't replate it. I don't like the lack of status updates, failure to respond to emails or a call, but the most egregious thing is changing the website after a call. That is crazy.
After I found out... I asked them to admit they did it. I was going to let it go. But no response. So this forum post.
I shoulda listened to my gut.
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As Ouch would have put it: you could have knocked me over with a feather...
Let's hope you get it back. I got somebody elses razor back - it had grown a year younger.
Let's hope you get it back. I got somebody elses razor back - it had grown a year younger.
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You read the negative reviews, and the also the awesome experiences people have with Chris at Razorplate too, I assume?
You made a choice, the wrong one obviously.
You made a choice, the wrong one obviously.
They are bad news & its been well posted. Dale at reliable plating is first rate.
I no longer have razors related by anyone. It is too "iffy"
I've had great restores as well as destroyed razors all from the same source.
SO.....
If it is funky it is funky and I live with it.
I've had great restores as well as destroyed razors all from the same source.
SO.....
If it is funky it is funky and I live with it.
Being a bit tough aren't you? Are you saying he deserves what he got because he was not as up to date as you on 'who can be trusted'? Seems more than a bit harsh - not to mention rude. I thought this place was about helping each other out.
-s
Nah ... not at all.
The OP says:
So I guess he made an informed choice, a bad one, but informed ... yes?
Razor Emporium was once a banned vendor, I understand. I also understand that they are not banned anymore, as the customer service issues were supposed to be resolved. I like their website and their ordering/status process. All very slick. And the first razor they replated turned out very nice (only months ago). In any vendor I choose for anything, customer service is very important - and timeliness. I can't go with Dale's fine work, because I'm not personally interested in a vendor that you must call, isn't email friendly, and has an open ended timeline for completion - no matter how good the service is. Not my thing, but it's all good. I'm sure he does very fine work.
@Nuclearblast, I'm not sure how long Chris with Razorplate has been around, but he was not on my radar. Is he a friend of yours?
But Razor Emporium, wow. Anyone who would do what they did today (and not mention a refund, but I've already taken care of that with Amex), well they do not care anything about the customers. Small thing, here, razor restoration, and really not a big price. But they have proved to be unethical, and the place is probably rotten to the core if they do that. They lie about the small stuff, brother, they're lying about the bigger stuff. I doubt I will see my old razor back, but I will make it a point to give them a bad rating on any service I come across.
@Nuclearblast, I'm not sure how long Chris with Razorplate has been around, but he was not on my radar. Is he a friend of yours?
But Razor Emporium, wow. Anyone who would do what they did today (and not mention a refund, but I've already taken care of that with Amex), well they do not care anything about the customers. Small thing, here, razor restoration, and really not a big price. But they have proved to be unethical, and the place is probably rotten to the core if they do that. They lie about the small stuff, brother, they're lying about the bigger stuff. I doubt I will see my old razor back, but I will make it a point to give them a bad rating on any service I come across.
Chris is a B&B Hobbyist and he does some beautiful work.
http://www.razorplate.com/
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/member.php/70577-nocutsnonicksnoweepers
In the end you were lucky, it's "only" a Super Speed ... other people have lost valuable razors, including heirlooms.
Btw ... they are still banned, and I don't think that will ever change.
Agreed. They can keep the razor if they really want it. I want nothing to do with them. Weird how this stirs me up. I guess getting treated like that just ticks people off. I wanted them to succeed, it was so easy and right in their grasp.
Like the scorpion riding the frog across the river, when the scorpion promised not to illogically bite the frog and kill them both. But the scorpion did bite the frog, halfway across. As the frog dies and they start to sink, the frog asks, why- now we both shall die! And the scorpion says, it's in my nature...
It's like that. It's just who they are. Poor people.
Like the scorpion riding the frog across the river, when the scorpion promised not to illogically bite the frog and kill them both. But the scorpion did bite the frog, halfway across. As the frog dies and they start to sink, the frog asks, why- now we both shall die! And the scorpion says, it's in my nature...
It's like that. It's just who they are. Poor people.
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