Customer Service Story in Progress

[Scissors]

Yesterday, the knot came out of the handle of my Merkur Long Handled Silvertip brush:



(Click for larger image)

I can simply stick the knot back in the handle and use it, but that's not something I'm going to do: next thing you know the knot itself will start coming apart.

I bought it back in July from an internet vendor that isn't much mentioned here, royalshave.com. Knowing what I know now, I'd buy from someplace else, but I didn't even know there were wetshaving communities on the web, so...

I'm going to be in touch with them to see if they'll replace or repair it, and y'all will get to know the results as they happen. I don't know if telling them I intend to report my experiences with them to my fellow members at Badger and Blade will make any impression on them, but I suppose that'll be a good index of how savvy they are to wetshaving communities on the web; I figure no reasonably in-touch vendor would want to seem unresponsive to any of the major forums.

Anyone have any experience on buying / getting customer support from royalshave.com? Everybody else, wish me luck....

 

[mmack66]

Get a hold of Merkur. They will probably send you a new brush.

 

[Left Coast DJ]

Get a hold of Merkur. They will probably send you a new brush.

+1 Most retailers warrant against shipping damage and initial use. After almost 5 months of use, warranty work will most likely be then handled by the manufacturer - Merkur.

 

[Scissors]

I figure that a repair/replacement would ultimately go back through DOVO/Merkur, but wouldn't royalshave handle that as a DOVO/Merkur dealer? After all, they know I'm the original purchaser and when I bought it. To DOVO/Merkur, I could have just found the thing in the street or had it ten years.

 

[Chevyguy]

I had the same problem with another brand of brush. Not enough glue was used to secure the knot in the handle. Go to a hardware store and get some loc-tite marine epoxy and reglue the knot to the handle. I guarantee the knot is going to stay put. Reglued mine over a year ago and haven't had a problem. Price of the epoxy is going to be a whole lot cheaper than paying shipping charges to send your brush back to the vendor.

Clayton

 

[Scissors]

I had the same problem with another brand of brush. Not enough glue was used to secure the knot in the handle. Go to a hardware store and get some loc-tite marine epoxy and reglue the knot to the handle. I guarantee the knot is going to stay put. Reglued mine over a year ago and haven't had a problem. Price of the epoxy is going to be a whole lot cheaper than paying shipping charges to send your brush back to the vendor.

Clayton

Was your knot in a basket or brace that came loose, or was it glued together like mine seems to be? I was originally thinking along the lines you suggest, but then it occurred to me that since the knot itself seems to be held together with glue, just gluing the knot back to the handle might just be putting off the day the knot itself disintegrates.

 

[Chevyguy]

Was your knot in a basket or brace that came loose, or was it glued together like mine seems to be? I was originally thinking along the lines you suggest, but then it occurred to me that since the knot itself seems to be held together with glue, just gluing the knot back to the handle might just be putting off the day the knot itself disintegrates.

Mine was just like yours. Knots come looking like that when you buy them for brush restorations. Just rough up your knot base with some sand paper, also do the inside of the handle. Mix the two part epoxy in equal amounts and apply enough to cover the inside of the handle on the very bottom. Don't cover the sides because it will squeeze out and might get on the brush hairs. It doesn't take much and the amount that you apply to the inside bottom of the handle will be enough to secure the knot for eternity.

Clayton

 

[WhosYerBob]

I wondered if that would happen with a metal handle brush. Non-metal materials don't have the same level of expansion and contraction issues with hot water. Were I to repair it myself, I'd use a glue that had some elasticity to it to accommodate expansion and contraction.

 

[Chevyguy]

I wondered if that would happen with a metal handle brush. Non-metal materials don't have the same level of expansion and contraction issues with hot water. Were I to repair it myself, I'd use a glue that had some elasticity to it to accommodate expansion and contraction.

Mitch, The handle has an inside liner. Marine epoxy will hold it.

Clayton

 

[Scissors]

Mine was just like yours. Knots come looking like that when you buy them for brush restorations. Just rough up your knot base with some sand paper, also do the inside of the handle. Mix the two part epoxy in equal amounts and apply enough to cover the inside of the handle on the very bottom. Don't cover the sides because it will squeeze out and might get on the brush hairs. It doesn't take much and the amount that you apply to the inside bottom of the handle will be enough to secure the knot for eternity.

Clayton

Clayton, OK, thanks—but I still want to see how royalshave.com's customer service handles this. At best, I'll have two brushes—a replacement and the restored one ! If they blow me off—well, that's something the folks here ought to know if they consider dealing with 'em, and I can still repair the brush with your instructions.

 

[rickboone1]

They make good superglues these days. Maybe customer service will send you a tube of glue.

 

[CJayhawk]

I would be very surprised if the online retailer does anything for you. Most online sellers will replace within a certain small window (30 days) and then leave you to deal with the manufacturer.

It would probably depend on if the retailer bought parts directly through Merkur, or if they buy through a distributor. If it was purchased through a distributor, it would mean you shipping to retailer, retailer shipping to distributor, distributor shipping to manufacturer, and then the distributor will receive a credit from the manufacturer, which he will then credit the retailer, or the retailer gets another piece he has to sell.

The point of this story is your retailer could do 10 steps to take care of you, or could do 1 step and tell you to call Merkur, since they are the one who built the sub-par piece anyway. I'm betting on the latter.

 

[Drubbing]

I would be very surprised if the online retailer does anything for you. Most online sellers will replace within a certain small window (30 days) and then leave you to deal with the manufacturer.

It depends on the value the vendor places on service. I had some rust spots appear on my HD razor head 2 months after purchase. I contacted the vendor, who said they'd contact Merkur. Merkur asked the vendor for a pic, I gave them one, and then vendor arranged for Merkur to deliver.

 

[Scissors]

It would probably depend on if the retailer bought parts directly through Merkur, or if they buy through a distributor.

The DOVO/Merkur website lists them as a US internet dealer for their shaving products (one of only seven, incidentally). Given that, and this—

It depends on the value the vendor places on service. I had some rust spots appear on my HD razor head 2 months after purchase. I contacted the vendor, who said they'd contact Merkur. Merkur asked the vendor for a pic, I gave them one, and then vendor arranged for Merkur to deliver.

I want to see if they make that same effort. I think it's worth investigating.

 

[Scissors]

Update: my experience is like Drubbing's. royalshave.com asked for a photo of the brush that they'll send to DOVO/Merkur.

I'll call again today and ask what the turn around would likely be. I might build an argument for buying another brush if its sufficiently long.