PenMakingSupplies.com Review

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haplo

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Jan 22, 2015
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2
Hi all, I'm new to the pen turning hobby but I'm excited to get into it! I apologize if this is not the correct forum to post this, moderators feel free to move it to the correct one if that is the case!

My experience with my first supply purchase was not great and I felt compelled to share my experience, perhaps it will save someone else the trouble.

After browsing through a number of supplier sites, I decided to purchase my kits from penmakingsupplies.com. I ordered a fair number of pen kits and tools to get me started, not a small order by any means! The transaction seemed to go smoothly. I received updates for my order periodically. Then I received the package. It was loosely packed, the contents were free to move around, but there didn't appear to be any damage. I methodically went through the contents to ensure everything was there. Well it wasn't, the most expensive of the kits was missing! I immediately alerted the supplier that a kit was missing. The response was slow. About a week later and after a second slightly agitated email, I received a reply from John. He apologized and said it will ship out that very day. Three weeks later it still hadn't arrived so I emailed again. And again. And again. Four more times in fact, all without any response. That first brief reply was apparently the last I would ever receive from the supplier, and the one reply I did receive was clearly a blatant lie. It has been months and I have never received the missing pen kit or any further response.

If you are planning a purchase, I would have to recommend against penmakingsupplies.com.

Regards,

New Canadian Turner
 
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ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
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24,523
Location
Racine, WI, USA.
IF you check the "about us", you will find this is a Steebar company.

Usually if the website has a really simple, very pen related name, it is from Steebar. Last time I did a real search, I found over a dozen names.

Now, search for "Steebar" and the misspellling Steelbar on IAP. Let me know if you find anything positive---that would be a new development.

Stick with IAP vendors, you will be happier!!
 

MikeinSC

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
495
Location
SC
That's a very unfortunate intro into the hobby.

I pretty much order exclusively from beartoothwoods.com and have ordered from PSI, Craft Supplies USA, Woodturningz.com and Berea Hardwoods without issue. There are other vendors here that are highly regarded as well such as Smitty's, Exotic blanks, Classis Nib, Arizona Silhouette, Laser Lines, etc so you have a choice in the future.

Out of curiosity, which kit are you missing?
 

haplo

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2015
Messages
2
Thanks for the info Ed, good to know!

Mike, I don't remember the exact kit offhand but I know it was a Rhodium kit.
 

MikeinSC

Member
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Mar 10, 2014
Messages
495
Location
SC
Seems like they're a reseller of PSI stuff. Pennstateind.com so nothing exclusive to them. I have no rhodium kits at all but if I did, I'd gladly send one your way.
 

JohnU

Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
4,925
Location
Ottawa, Illinois
Welcome to the madness and the Best site on the web. You will find the best of the best artists and craftsman here, not to mention real nice people full of knowledge and advice. Sorry to hear you learned a very valuable lesson right off the bat. Stick with IAP vendors and they will never let you down. They don't just sell the merchandise, they use it and know what works and how it works. The members that stick around here make up one great big family that help and take care of each other.
Welcome aboard!
 

zig613

Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2008
Messages
647
Location
Canada
I don't know if your tag "New Canadian Turner" is in reference to being from Canada. If you are you may want to check out the Canadian supplier William Wood-Write Ltd.. Good products and good service.

All the IAP suppliers listed above are great but unfortunately the exchange rate between the US and Cdn is a killer at the present time.

Wade
 
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Whitehat1994

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2014
Messages
123
Location
Temple, Tx
Steelbar

I had the same experience with that "supplier".
I never got my ordered pen kit. After multiple phone communications and speaking to the dude and him saying "I'll put in the mail tomorrow" I finally called my credit card company and they refunded my money.

My cc company eventually sent me a letter saying the issue was resolved.
I never got my pen kit but I got my money back.
 

Skeleton2014

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2013
Messages
497
Location
Lynnwood, WA. USA
PM me your address and I'll send you a couple of kits (1 rhodium/1 gunmetal) from one of the venders listed here. I'm out of town until 03/23 so be patient as I will also dig through and find you an extra set of bushings for this kit to send along, too.
Jeff:)


Hi all, I'm new to the pen turning hobby but I'm excited to get into it! I apologize if this is not the correct forum to post this, moderators feel free to move it to the correct one if that is the case!

My experience with my first supply purchase was not great and I felt compelled to share my experience, perhaps it will save someone else the trouble.

After browsing through a number of supplier sites, I decided to purchase my kits from penmakingsupplies.com. I ordered a fair number of pen kits and tools to get me started, not a small order by any means! The transaction seemed to go smoothly. I received updates for my order periodically. Then I received the package. It was loosely packed, the contents were free to move around, but there didn't appear to be any damage. I methodically went through the contents to ensure everything was there. Well it wasn't, the most expensive of the kits was missing! I immediately alerted the supplier that a kit was missing. The response was slow. About a week later and after a second slightly agitated email, I received a reply from John. He apologized and said it will ship out that very day. Three weeks later it still hadn't arrived so I emailed again. And again. And again. Four more times in fact, all without any response. That first brief reply was apparently the last I would ever receive from the supplier, and the one reply I did receive was clearly a blatant lie. It has been months and I have never received the missing pen kit or any further response.

If you are planning a purchase, I would have to recommend against penmakingsupplies.com.

Regards,

New Canadian Turner
 

Smitty37

Passed Away Mar 29, 2018
In Memoriam
Joined
Nov 23, 2009
Messages
12,823
Location
Milford, Delaware 19963
Buying on the internet always carry's a bit of risk. Some companies are very good and some are complete duds. Steebar is as Ed said -- a company that seems to have a lot of websites under a lot of names (I suspect this gives some advantage in search engines). If you have not gone too long -- stop payment for non delivery and your credit card could help you. Pay through PayPal...they do tend to favor buyers in disputes.... but in any case learn from it.
 

nativewooder

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Messages
1,193
Location
Fort Pierce, Fl 34982
Remember, when you have no experience with a vendor, the first thing to do is look for someone with experience! Remember, just because it is on the internet doesn't mean it is true, honest, reputable, fair, etc.!!!:cool:

Welcome to the IAP site. The Vendors who advertise on this site have passed all tests as far as customer service, product knowledge, years of experience, ETC!:biggrin:
 

BigE

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
64
Location
Oregon
Thanks for the review and sorry to hear about the terrible service.

If you were in the US, I'd offer you the choice of any one kit or blank on my site for free. Unfortunately, I've had way too many items lost on their way to Canada that I don't even try anymore.
 

Quality Pen

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
1,403
Location
Lumberton, Texas
Never even heard of them. But the keyword stuffing on that home page reminds me of early 2000's get rich quick web sites. That's enough to turn me off from even wanting to browse...

Sorry you had bad luck.

The vendors on the IAP have great reputations and they post on this forum to offer personalized service. I've never been disappointed by any of them them other than when Ed included 2 bags of M&M's instead of 17.






:biggrin::wink:
 

NCwoodworker1

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2014
Messages
109
Location
Franklin, North Carolina
Credit card hijacked

Hi everyone, I'm pretty new on this site, and I just saw that someone talked about having their CC hijacked.

I have had an online business (not pen related) for many years and I have always taken PayPal. As a vendor it protects me and as the customer you are protected.

For the last few years, anything that I order online I pay with PayPal, if the company doesn't take PayPal, I contact them and request that they do, if they won't, I go buy it somewhere else.

If you have any type of problem with the company you ordered from, PayPal will hold back the money from the company and refund it back to you. It's amazing how that will make an online business "want" to make it right for you the customer.

Just be fair to the company and give them an honest chance to do the right thing before you contact PayPal.
 
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