Patiently Waiting

[sten guy]

I sent my WH M1 to P.k. almost 4 months ago. How long do you guys normally wait? I saw some of you were getting things back and thought I would ask..

 

Sten

[TactAdv]

This is probably not the answer you're looking for.

It doesn't matter whether you're sending your prized possesion to PK or another, these true Master Craftsman are few and far between. You sent your gun there because you (correctly) believed your gun was deserving of the Master Craftsman-type of care you will receive, if you had truly been concerned with speed-of-return you would have placed that on the top of your list of requirements when sending it off, Right? You made the decision to give your prized gun the very best care possible. It is hard to just sit back and wait, patiently, for it's return but that's the honest reality of just what you need to do.

Paul K. is indeed a Master at what he does, but there is a price to pay for that. He treats each and every gun that enters his shop as the most important project he ever took on, and that care shows through when each gun is returned to it's patiently waiting owner, as you have seen all over this board. The question you need to think about is who's gun would you have him rush through......to start and finish yours faster?? Or worse yet, would you mind if he rushed through *yours* to get to another's???

I am not taking you to task for asking, but the honest answer is.......Paul will finish your project when it is done to perfection. Or another way to look at this is, at what level of finish should he return your gun so you get it back "faster"??? You made the right decision when you sent it out, while away the time you will be waiting reflecting upon how pleased you will be when it arrives.

BTW, I too might have wished he could have "hurried along" my own Savage M1A1 project simply because I was anxious to see it, but I will tell you right here and now I made the absolute right choice in sending it where I did, and patiently waiting all the time I did.

-TomH http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/wink.gif

[21 smoker]

I too, have sent my Westy to the far west and have waited longer than I originally hoped it would take,..however due to the overwhelming positive feedback I read daily on this board, I still feel I made the right choice and plan on sending my Savage 28 for rewatting when the Westy returns.Just remember the excitment you had when the paper work came thru on the M1 and double that when Paul gets to yours! I`m told mine is next on the list so I can wait a little longer for my prized possesion,my .02,out. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/wink.gif

[PK.]

Tom H.- thanks for that well thought out response- I really can’t add anything to it- I do consider each job to be, as it were, my own.

 

Customers e mail me from time to time and I am honest in my response concerning time in shop- right now guns are shipping in about 6 months. That time is not “dead time”, but often is used in acquiring parts and grouping operations from other like jobs where that will save the affected customers $$. You see- I’m a customer too and don’t want to spend any more time or money than I have to, but I’d rather spend it once than have to do it again.

 

Reducing time in shop is always a goal, but it has been a long while since I told anyone I’d have their gun in less than 4 months (unless a very basic job), logistics simply won’t allow it. I have spent two months on occasion just finding some hard to get parts.

 

I guess the bottom line is; if you have a question ask- you will get an answer and I’ll try not to bite. http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/wink.gif

 

I pledge to give my customers the very best effort possible- I can do no more.

 

 

[PATHFINDER]

We have a saying in skilled trades: You can have it cheap, fast or right. Pick two.

[TommyFan]

Well said Pathfinder!!!

 

I sent mine to PK at the same time I sent in my Form 1 to get at least part of the wait happening together. I'm positive the wait will be worth it!!!

 

Like anything else if it's worth having, it's worth waiiting for-If you wait for your dream house-the one you plan to enjoy for life- to be built from the ground up, six months is a very short period of time.

 

 

[Zamm]

Sten Guy,

Believe me, it is well worth the wait, in fact triple the wait.

All the more sweet when it comes and you can't believe what this great national treasure of a guy has done!!

Zamm

[Chopper28]

Sit back and relax in the knowledge that your gun is in the best possible hands it could be in. When it comes back, you will be glad you sent it to Paul and it will be done right. You will never think about the time it took when you are enjoying a gun that is 100% reliable. Just my .02 from a satisfied customer.

[Ron A]

I sent a Kahr 27 to PK with the instructions that I wanted it to look like my 21 or 28. It took several months - during that time not unlike others, I felt my gun was the only one he was doing, and why was it taking so long?

 

When the gun came back, and they do come back, I received an outstanding piece of work. Well worth waiting for. The gun was a SBR, and 28 lower was used and the bolt holdopen installed. The blueing was outstanding.

 

The wait is well worth the end result...

[The1930sRust]

You guys don't know what waiting is. For example. My other passion is astronomy. Way before my interest in Thompsons, I always wanted to have my own observatory. After a great deal of research, I decided on an Astro-Physics telescope mount and drive. The problem was the 9 month waiting list! Half down, and I waited. 11 months and $5400 later, it arrived. Wow. The cream of the crop. (I guess it would have to be a Colt on the Thompson scale;-)

 

http://www.darklightimagery.net/Ap900.jpg

 

Now I am looking at a new scope, and the list is 12-18 months long! But they are the best. So is PK's work. You have all seen images of my West Hurley he worked on. The man does not cut corners at all. Paul's level of attention and workmanship is hard to come by these days. And good things such as all that are just worth the wait.

 

http://www.darklightimagery.net/thompson/thompsonweb.jpg

[full auto 45]

So chris, If I buy a you really kool scope, you'll trade it for your Westy......right? Oh and don't forget to get shots of Venus in the morning. Or is that Uranus at night? I always get that mixed up.

[Sgt]

Chris--

Your Westie looks sooooo good! I never get tired looking at that picture. The scope looks a little too large for it though.

 

Sten--

I know what you mean about the wait, but like the guys say, it will be worth it to get it done right. I've sent several non-Thompson projects out to cheaper and seemingly faster gunsmiths. Believe me, those jobs turned into major fiascos and I still ended up waiting many months beyond their promises.