Thread: Is there a test for "Honemeister"?

I've been reading quite a few of these posts and everyone keeps saying things like "True Honemeister". Is there a way that we can get a system going so people can be assured that when they send a razor out to be honed by someone advertising in the classifieds here, that they can be assured they will get a quality job done? I have a ad in the classified's here and I would like to be checked out by anyone to see if I hone good. If I don't I will definitely pull my ad from here if I don't meet people's expectations. If we set up some sort of quality control so no one will get burned, then it could help answer any question's someone might have when they want to have a razor honed by someone from here. I hope I don't upset anyone by asking this! It's just a thought that's been running through my head reading alot of these post's.

The only test is the result and rep i should imagine i class my honing as very good i do all my own honing and i also have honed for other people i don't charge as i enjoy honing as an hobby but the guys on the classifieds do have good write ups but still i don't think you can please every one and that is down to client and there experiance in using a straight razor so i think honemeisters have a tough job.

The way things work, have worked, and don't work...

The truth of the matter is there is no test other then the public opinion one...

Way back in the old days if you wanted to establish yourself, you just jumped right in, Joe Chandler actually explained it to me... About doing some work for free, actually just helping out when needed.. So that's what I did, I saw a newb struggling, I would just jump in and offer.. Doc had a few razors for the troops going out, I offered, someone had their great grandfathers razor to fix up, I offered, pretty soon people were asking me to do more and more, and they offered $$$, that was the old way and it still works...

What happened next was the newer way, people started posting "Free Honing Offers" at first we thought this was a good thing, but quickly realized that this actually was not so good, so we stopped those offers on the forum...As some people took advantage of it and basically were running a supermarket promotion out of it, basically buy one get one free... this was just not in the true spirit of the forum...

You can definitely just hang your shingle out in the classifieds, but if people don't know of you, and haven't heard of your skills then business will be slow starting...
Still the best way of getting established is "JUST HELP" if you read about some poor newb stuck in the hone zone, just offer to help. If yer a restorer just offer to help out in the monthly giveaways...
There are tons of people on the forum that just need help...
I still do this, so does Lynn, and Max, and we all are swamped with work...
Remember what the forum is really about, and it all just comes together...
we are really here just to help each other out....

The more people you help, the more people will know your name, and the ball starts rolling along...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

What happened next was the newer way, people started posting "Free Honing Offers" at first we thought this was a good thing, but quickly realized that this actually was not so good, so we stopped those offers on the forum...As some people took advantage of it and basically were running a supermarket promotion out of it, basically buy one get one free... this was just not in the true spirit of the forum...

I haven't had time to be on this forum lately, but I just came on today to take a quick look around, found this thread, and felt obliged to respond.

I was probably the first person to do what was called a buy one get one free offer. It was not, as I was told, "marketing." I deliberately did not piggyback my free honing offer with any listing in the classifieds. I had no intention of charging for any honing, especially since I considered that the free honing was helping me gain more honing experience. The only reason I charged for some razors was because I was getting barraged with people asking me to hone 3 or more (up to 12) razors for them for free. I felt it was more important to hone one razor for as many people as possible so most of the time I thought it best to limit it to one per person. For some people who were on hard times, or for some other reasons, I still went ahead and honed more than one for free. For some people, I did major restorations for free. I spent 12 hours grinding and hand sanding one blade and got paid nothing. That's because I didn't ask for anything. I also did not restrict the condition of the blades that came to me. I honed many that had chips that extended way beyond the bevel, that is, if there even was a bevel. I was willing to hone just about anything, no matter the condition. I thought it was reasonable though to charge for occasional extra razors.

Whenever I received a honing inquiry about multiple razors, I told them the same thing--"I'm limiting the free honing to one per person. If you want more honed than that, I'll charge the standard $15 per razor. Whether you want just the free honing, or if you want to pay for additional razors, either way is fine with me." Most of the time I got no response back after sending that message.

During my free honing period, I honed 117 razors. I was paid a total of $170 for those honings, so it was hardly a successful marketing campaign. When I have the time, I will be mailing refunds to each person who paid me for honing during my free honing offer. I will do this to maintain "the true spirit of the forum."

Originally Posted by Utopian

During my free honing period, I honed 117 razors. I was paid a total of $170 for those honings, so it was hardly a successful marketing campaign. When I have the time, I will be mailing refunds to each person who paid me for honing during my free honing offer. I will do this to maintain "the true spirit of the forum."

I don't see $170 for 117 razors as making any profit and do not feel you should refund the money just to 'keep the spirit of the forum", as noble an act it is.. I also feel that all others reading this post should comment on this act as your feelings dictate.

Originally Posted by Joed

I don't see $170 for 117 razors as making any profit and do not feel you should refund the money just to 'keep the spirit of the forum", as noble an act it is.. I also feel that all others reading this post should comment on this act as your feelings dictate.

+1 on this. IMHO I think you have enough to worry about ATM. If someone feels slighted (or whatever word fits) they can ask for a refund.

Originally Posted by Joed

I don't see $170 for 117 razors as making any profit and do not feel you should refund the money just to 'keep the spirit of the forum", as noble an act it is.. I also feel that all others reading this post should comment on this act as your feelings dictate.

I agree with Joed and Bart 100% Ron. Your offer was well within the spirit of the forum and you don't owe anyone a refund.

I always thought free honing offers from members was great thing... still belive it is... But can someone tell me why free honing is now "not allowed" on the forum?... is there a thread with that discussion?

Originally Posted by Utopian

Whenever I received a honing inquiry about multiple razors, I told them the same thing--"I'm limiting the free honing to one per person. If you want more honed than that, I'll charge the standard $15 per razor. Whether you want just the free honing, or if you want to pay for additional razors, either way is fine with me." Most of the time I got no response back after sending that message.

During my free honing period, I honed 117 razors. I was paid a total of $170 for those honings, so it was hardly a successful marketing campaign. When I have the time, I will be mailing refunds to each person who paid me for honing during my free honing offer. I will do this to maintain "the true spirit of the forum."

Ron,

Do as you please, but in my mind you haven't done anything wrong, and I salute you for your willingness to help people out with your honing skills. What you did, was making sure people would not prey on your goodness, and I find that perfectly acceptable.

You haven't honed for me, (there was no need ), but I would not accept a refund from you for work that you had done for me and I accepted paying for. That SRP in the mean time apparently decided on ruling out to offer free services on those terms, is understandable in one way or another, but it goes against my sense of fairness, if you, out of all people, were going to pay back your few sourly earned honing bucks. Buy your wife something nice instead. I'm sure she earned it more.

Kind regards,
Bart.

A perfect example of SixGun being amazingly helpful once again!!

Originally Posted by gssixgun

The way things work, have worked, and don't work...

The truth of the matter is there is no test other then the public opinion one...

Way back in the old days if you wanted to establish yourself, you just jumped right in, Joe Chandler actually explained it to me... About doing some work for free, actually just helping out when needed.. So that's what I did, I saw a newb struggling, I would just jump in and offer.. Doc had a few razors for the troops going out, I offered, someone had their great grandfathers razor to fix up, I offered, pretty soon people were asking me to do more and more, and they offered $$$, that was the old way and it still works...

What happened next was the newer way, people started posting "Free Honing Offers" at first we thought this was a good thing, but quickly realized that this actually was not so good, so we stopped those offers on the forum...As some people took advantage of it and basically were running a supermarket promotion out of it, basically buy one get one free... this was just not in the true spirit of the forum...

You can definitely just hang your shingle out in the classifieds, but if people don't know of you, and haven't heard of your skills then business will be slow starting...
Still the best way of getting established is "JUST HELP" if you read about some poor newb stuck in the hone zone, just offer to help. If yer a restorer just offer to help out in the monthly giveaways...
There are tons of people on the forum that just need help...
I still do this, so does Lynn, and Max, and we all are swamped with work...
Remember what the forum is really about, and it all just comes together...
we are really here just to help each other out....

The more people you help, the more people will know your name, and the ball starts rolling along...