Bump or Flaw in refinishing?
- Thread starter Seaspook
- Start date
Exactly right. A ding would not take the finish off so cleanly.
All it takes for a defect like that is a spot of silicone or some such contaminate to lift the finish.
I am not a cuemaker, nor do I play one on TV. I am however a long time woodworker with extensive experience using a wide variety of finishes...
That‘s very clearly a finish flaw. God knows I’ve had enough of them myself.
It happens. When it does, you fix it.
That‘s very clearly a finish flaw. God knows I’ve had enough of them myself.
It happens. When it does, you fix it.
Looks to be between layers. A drop of sweat, silicone, many things might not have been compatible with the finish. Might have looked a lot better when first done too plus we are looking at a lot of magnification.
Hu
Every single shop that handles the volume of cue refinishing that Proficient does is apt to have an issue now and then. It is how they handle the issue; that should be how they are judged. Not that there was an issue with one or two cues here and there. Call them and communicate to them your feelings and see what comes from that... Honestly that should have been the first step in the process not a post demeaning them here on AZ.
Seaspook
Has-Been
Gee...if only you had read the posts you would known that I did not initially name Proficient as the shop and I that had a phone conversation with Scot. I am just getting opinions on AZB from people more knowledgeable than me.
I did not slander or demean Proficient in any way. You however may tempt me.
Last edited:
Reading the various replies from those in the know concuring this to be a finish flaw has been educational.
I am curious if a flaw undetectable during a final QA inspection prior to shipping and again during inspection by the OP upon delivery, could other like blemishes appear over time?
I am curious if a flaw undetectable during a final QA inspection prior to shipping and again during inspection by the OP upon delivery, could other like blemishes appear over time?
I think probably 75% of the people on this site who regularly buy/sell/collect cues have used Proficient at some point- I have in the past as well. I think that his work is good- not great. I always detected a little bit of arrogance in his tone in terms of customer service- nothing serious- but certainly not like dealing with someone like Chris at Muellers- where I think the work done by Troy Downey is better quality and at a better price than Proficient - but longer turn around times in general.
Chris- your front man at Muellers just has a different tone when it comes to customer dealings- he truly makes you feel like you, the customer, is their # 1 concern at Muellers; and there is not anything they would not do to make a bad situation right to your reasonable satisfaction.
I think that Proficient is a good source for cue work - not saying don't go there; but I have experienced better care and concern from Muellers. It's all about the approach and the attitude in customer service - backed by the action of standing behind your work, even if you may have some doubts about the customer's position.
Chris- your front man at Muellers just has a different tone when it comes to customer dealings- he truly makes you feel like you, the customer, is their # 1 concern at Muellers; and there is not anything they would not do to make a bad situation right to your reasonable satisfaction.
I think that Proficient is a good source for cue work - not saying don't go there; but I have experienced better care and concern from Muellers. It's all about the approach and the attitude in customer service - backed by the action of standing behind your work, even if you may have some doubts about the customer's position.
I've had what looks to be exactly the same thing happen to 3/3 Schmelkes,
knowing 100% that they were not banged into anything.
I've always heard Scott at Proficient was the nutz for refinishing.
I'll be following this thread to see if he steps up.
knowing 100% that they were not banged into anything.
I've always heard Scott at Proficient was the nutz for refinishing.
I'll be following this thread to see if he steps up.
Proficient was one of the shops I often used for routine refinishing and wraps and I have to agree that Scot can be difficult. My last encounters with Scot could only be described as uncomfortable. A coup[le of years ago, I asked if he would shoot lacquer to which he said he would, but when I sent two cues to finish in lacquer, he telephoned to complain about shooting lacquer. When I sent him Palmers to install two color wraps, he called to complain about the difficulty in installing two color wraps.
The last time I sent cues to Proficient was in September 2019, I sent three cues for straightforward refinishing and wrap work and new tips.
Palmer Cue #1 - Refinish and wrap in black nylon.
Paradise Cue #2 - Refinish. Save existing wrap.
Palmer Cue #3 - Refinish and wrap in blue/black nylon.
Upon receipt at his shop, I received an angry call complaining about the complexity of the work and how he can't make money working on these cues at the prices he charges. (I had no preconceived notions on what the charges might be.) He was so rude and angry in his rant that I was at a loss for words. I asked several times "Do you not want to do the work?" He said he did but repeated several times: "We have a ton of work down here and I can't make money at the prices I charge." Because of his attitude I thought it best to get the cues back. That was what I did and I had the work done elsewhere, specifically by Paul Drexler/PFD Studios (see attached pic).
Attachments
Last edited:
Sometimes it helps to read what has already been posted before jumping in with outlandish claims and then chastising someone else for it.
In my own experience, their service did not live up the praise it has received here. In my case, I chose not to post about it in this forum because the issue would ultimately come down to a matter of personal opinion with regard to what can be expected service-wise. However, your comment tempted me, as well. Their serivce is certainly not infallible as some here would like to suggest, and I'm leaving it at that. I will also add, there was certainly other aspects of the job they did that I was happy with.
Honestly...I've never understood why people post with such opinionated "authority" when they haven't even taken the time to read the thread.
Quality, service, and attitude can all change over time. Seen it happen a few times and once I was directly involved. A gunsmith did great work. Good service, great attitude. Benchrest and long range gunsmithing is challenging to say the least. Perfection is barely adequate, much like finishing a cue. I was highly respected on a forum as big as AZB at it's biggest. My glowing comments and those of my friends that started using him early were responsible for making this gunsmith. Five years down the road, he took a couple of my friends over the hurdles on totally different deals. It was with real regret that I had to make a post on the subject, I liked the smith. However, I couldn't let my numerous recommendations of him over the years stand. For whatever reason his service and quality had went to crap. Proficient hasn't went to that stage yet but it is fair that people know that if there is an issue with a job there may be an issue with customer service also. I do hope that this thread causes them to reevaluate their customer skills.
I had a great veterinarian too. His bedside manner got horrible while going through an ugly divorce for a couple years. Once past that, he resumed his original personality. We don't know what is going on with Scot in his personal life or if he is just overloading himself. It doesn't really matter. It is a businessman's responsibility to not let other things interfere with his business. I was in business for many years and know that can be tough or impossible sometimes. I lost my brother suddenly to an accident. With an issue of that importance I couldn't give a damn about my business for the next few months. I finally took a job with somebody else for a short time just to be responsible for working a forty hour week. Once I settled down I went back to my own business.
We don't know Scot's issue or issues. I hope he moves past them. It would be a shame to ruin a great reputation that he has with well over 90% of his customers because of how he handles issues with a few. My shop was extremely high quality. A crappy job was done on a car. The car was just a daily driver and I knew it was the old couple's only car so I gave them a choice. Take it as it was for free or I would have to keep it another forty-eight hours to raise the work to my standards and repaint it. They took the car for free and I fired the two men that had worked on it. Tough gig working at my shop. I too demanded perfection. I kept a six month waiting list to get in a standard auto body shop. Seemed crazy to me, but good!
Hu
I had a great veterinarian too. His bedside manner got horrible while going through an ugly divorce for a couple years. Once past that, he resumed his original personality. We don't know what is going on with Scot in his personal life or if he is just overloading himself. It doesn't really matter. It is a businessman's responsibility to not let other things interfere with his business. I was in business for many years and know that can be tough or impossible sometimes. I lost my brother suddenly to an accident. With an issue of that importance I couldn't give a damn about my business for the next few months. I finally took a job with somebody else for a short time just to be responsible for working a forty hour week. Once I settled down I went back to my own business.
We don't know Scot's issue or issues. I hope he moves past them. It would be a shame to ruin a great reputation that he has with well over 90% of his customers because of how he handles issues with a few. My shop was extremely high quality. A crappy job was done on a car. The car was just a daily driver and I knew it was the old couple's only car so I gave them a choice. Take it as it was for free or I would have to keep it another forty-eight hours to raise the work to my standards and repaint it. They took the car for free and I fired the two men that had worked on it. Tough gig working at my shop. I too demanded perfection. I kept a six month waiting list to get in a standard auto body shop. Seemed crazy to me, but good!
Hu
I completely agree with your post. We are all capable of having a bad day and possibly regretting the way we have dealt with a customer/situation.
After owning/operating a Poolroom/grill and dealing with customers for 25 years, I’ve learned not to sweat the small stuff. If a customer has a complaint with a meal or whatever, just simply offer to refund them or comp them the next time they are in. Yes, it’s important to find out what the complaint was so you can investigate and make sure it doesn’t reoccur, but regardless, you assume the customer’s beef is legit and you handle it the correct way, even if you take a loss on the transaction.
Over the long run, it will only serve to improve the reputation of your business as well as allowing you to sleep better at night.
I had the same experience with them, almost an identical blemish. I'm done with him, I don't care how many people post they had "great experiences". Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, I'm a moron.
He did do a quality job on a previous cue I sent him but 50% success rate doesn't cut it for me.
Seaspook
Has-Been
Before this thread disintegrates further, here are my final thoughts/plan.
I am sure there are many on AZ that have both positive and negative experiences with Proficient as happens with any business.. I personally believe my issue could have been handled better. This was never meant to be a review of their work. Maybe he was just having a bad day.
A neighbor does restoration (mostly documents) work for the Smithsonian and she believes, as many on here concur, that there was an issue with the finish possibly brought out by something as simple as sliding the cue butt first into my case ....heat from friction much like a blister. Under high magnification, there is no evidence of a cut or injury to the under finish.
Other cue repair shops I contacted understandably would not recommend or perform a touch up.....and I am not going to pay half the cost of a complete refinish to have one done.
So I am going to wait. My neighbor is going to hit it with some kind of UV magic to protect and prevent and when this Covid thing is over and we can all go back out and play I will have it redone.
Thanks for all the input.
I am sure there are many on AZ that have both positive and negative experiences with Proficient as happens with any business.. I personally believe my issue could have been handled better. This was never meant to be a review of their work. Maybe he was just having a bad day.
A neighbor does restoration (mostly documents) work for the Smithsonian and she believes, as many on here concur, that there was an issue with the finish possibly brought out by something as simple as sliding the cue butt first into my case ....heat from friction much like a blister. Under high magnification, there is no evidence of a cut or injury to the under finish.
Other cue repair shops I contacted understandably would not recommend or perform a touch up.....and I am not going to pay half the cost of a complete refinish to have one done.
So I am going to wait. My neighbor is going to hit it with some kind of UV magic to protect and prevent and when this Covid thing is over and we can all go back out and play I will have it redone.
Thanks for all the input.
Last edited: