This is a long-delayed roundtoit that I finally completed -

Back in March I ordered a 1911 Cleaning Manual, a unit of Reliability Lube, and a package of Sentry Solutions Tuf-Cloth. Shipping was great - ordered on a Tuesday and had it by the weekend - but it was the packaging that really impressed me.

The box/product ratio was like Little Bear's porridge - just right. The box was big enough to hold the largest item (the book) without being overly large or having the sides crushed/curled.

Internal packaging was also excellent. The book was wrapped in bubble-wrap, and nicely done so. You could tell somebody took the time to measure and cut the wrap to fit. Then there was enough packing material to fill the void (with the other two items securely ensconced) so that when closed the lids weren't being pushed upwards due to too much material, or falling inwards because of not enough.

Sealing the box was very good, too. Not only were the bottom and top lid lengths held in place with some good quality tape, but also the widths (both top and bottom) - which is something I rarely see.

With the items I ordered I wouldn't have blinked if C&S had sent them in a padded envelope and the book had received some wear and tear because of that style of packaging. If it were a coffee-table book, something expensive, etc., I would expect a different level of protection but to me this book is a tool and will get used so a little premature wear wouldn't bother me. That wasn't the case, though, and the C&S shipping clerk packed my few inexpensive items with the diligence and care that I would have done with expensive camera equipment when I was the shipping clerk at KEH Camera years ago.

So, I finally got 'round to it and called C&S to compliment the folks in their shipping dept. and ask if an e-mail or letter would benefit them when it comes to evaluation time. Apparently it's just one guy, so it's easy to figure out who gets the kudos, and the customer service lady said the call would be sufficient and that calls like mine were not rare, which was good to hear as their guy is a professional who takes pride in his work.

https://cylinder-slide.com/

This message has been edited. Last edited by: marksman41,

Nice to see somebody take their craft seriously nowadays.
I'm sure they appreciate there are still a few people who can recognize their skills and dedication.

I have been a long time advocate of Cylinder and Slide. They have about the best service model a store can have from customer service, parts, knowledge, etc.. I have bought a good amount of parts from them and they are all of very good quality and they back it up. I was concerned when Bill left the shop but the new owners keep it going as before.

quote:

Originally posted by patw:
I have been a long time advocate of Cylinder and Slide. They have about the best service model a store can have from customer service, parts, knowledge, etc.. I have bought a good amount of parts from them and they are all of very good quality and they back it up. I was concerned when Bill left the shop but the new owners keep it going as before.

I thought after Bill’s death, the shop was closing down; glad to hear I was wrong.