Bought A C.s. Osbourne Draw Gauge, Seems Just A Bit Off

[TXAG]

Well...I get irritated by high shipping too, but it's not just for packing materials...you're also paying for their time to pack it and take it to the post office, plus gas to get there, etc.

My mail carrier picks up my packages when I ship though, so I don't have to deal with that, but I guess some sellers might...

[Mike516]

I drop my packages off as well, but I guarantee next day shipping. Otherwise, as you say, you can schedule a pick up for them, so the buyer shouldn't get hit with a charge for that. It's only a couple of bucks, but over the course of a year this guy probably makes out like a bandit.

[bruce johnson]

Yes, I tried switching the gibs top to bottom and flipped them around, so 4 different positions. It's off about a full 16th of an inch. I can cut strips but the leather folds after the handle and frays the edges. It's not the end of the world but I really expected this thing to be at least as good as the wood one from Tandy.

So I returned it and now the seller is telling me he evaluated and compared it to 3 others and he's confident it will work perfectly. He's going to be a real pain in the a$$, I can see it already.

The other thing that roasts me, and it wasn't bothering me but now I'm getting annoyed and it's all going to build up, he charged $7.50 for shipping. I know everyone says they have to pay for packing material and boxes etc etc. but he wrapped it in newspaper and put it in a small flat rate box so $0 cost to him for materials but he overcharged anyway. I'm not looking to make a stink even though he should have paid an extra couple of bucks and mailed it in something that it fit in, but now he's going to give me a hard time.

Mike, Sorry to hear about continuing problems. It is sure possible he could be comparing yours to three others that are off just the same. It may take some emails of the pictures directly to Osborne to get somewhere here. It wouldn't be the first run of tools they have had problems with. Several years ago they had some bad cantle pliers, I have seen the draw gauges like yours and have been able to tune them to work though. I get some old ones like that rarely, but more common with recent manufacture - TLF and Osborne. My thoughts are that it in your deal should be fixed at the corporate level, not by an Ebay reseller. However it is much like some other modern makers here and abroad, They seem to be riding the reputation of the tools their grandfathers put out, and have to/choose to cut corners now to be price competitive. FWIW, I use a wooden strap cutter as well for some things. I have had a few of the Original Strap Cutters and not a problem. A few years ago the wooden strap cutters went on sale at TLF. I thought it would be nice to have 4 set to the common widths. A buddy picked them up for me and they were now a TLF item, not the "Original" they previously sold. Three of the first four were off in the blade slot. I went to the store and between the manager and I, we could not find anymore of the lot that were true. I haven't heard much since so expect that problem may have been somewhat corrected.

[dirtclod]

Charging way more than it cost for shipping is a biggie for me to. I was going to but something the other night and everthing was fine till i got the shipping. $12.50 for something that would fit a small flat rate box or heaven forbid they acutely weighted and it put it in a regular USPS box. I send quite a few things out through the mail and charge $6.00 for priority mail. Sometimes it a little less sometimes a little more so i know what it should cost or close to it anyway. That person lost my business by gouging on the shipping. I guess some sellers don't care and more important customers don't care.

Edited November 23, 2013 by dirtclod

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

I have several draw gages of different persuasions, and a couple of wooden ones too. A while ago I broke down after 20 years of using them, and bought a plough gage from Bruce. Now I can't imagine using anything else. The draw gages are just collecting dust hanging on the wall. Nothing like a good tool!! !Bob

[Mike516]

@Bruce, it looks like the guy I'm dealing with isn't a saddle maker as I had thought. If he was, I can't imagine him having to take more than one look at the tool to determine it's off. And the fact that he's comparing it to other tools bewilders me. Still waiting for a reply, but I did give him instructions on how to test it. If the next message from him isn't; "your refund is on the way" I'm going to do something I have never done and that I HATE having to do and this guy for making me do it...I'm opening a case on him and I'll just eat the return shipping.

@dirtclod, overcharging for shipping seems to be common practice these days. I must be getting old, but I feel like it isn't fair to overcharge. A lot of people estimate because they're too lazy or too cheap to weigh their merchandise. I ship mainly with free shipping. But for things I can't ship for free, I have a 25lb digital scale and weigh everything so there's no discrepancy. I'm about done buying on eBay. Too many dishonest sellers.

@Bob, The plough gauges are nice, just a little pricey for me right now. I may revisit this in a few months, but right now for a hobby they're a little steep for me.

[Mike516]

Looks like I'll get original purchase price plus shipping but I'm going to eat the return shipping. On a defective tool. What a shame.