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Helko NA Customer Service Issues:mad:

C

cattledog

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Oct 7, 2011
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OK so I bought a Helko Classic 2.5lb axe a couple weeks ago. Opened it up and immediately liked it good balance and the weight I was looking for. Good looking axe. Their was something about the handle I couldn't quite figure out but just new from the rough sanding near the eye something was weird.

I was excited to use it so I chopped up a few pieces of stuff that was laying around. Nothing big and just getting a feel for it. Everything is checking out good but factory edge is dull so I sharpened it up a little. It didn't take much just some lansky puck action.

Decided to scrape the heavy varnish off and wipe it down with some blo.

So I go out back and start to split up some small stuff on the chop block I have.I layed pieces flat and just whacked them. Going right thru them like butter.
Then after two or three it gets stuck in the block and I tug it and it feels like I shifted a gear from first to second and comes out. Didn't register at this point so
I take a break and it comes to me, I stick it in the block again and sure enough the little strip of varnish around the eye pops off revealing a large gap in front and back of the eye.

This is what I sent to them:
"Hi there I recently received my axe and after using it for a few swings the handle has become very loose.
The axe head was not fitted with a properly sized handle. There are large gaps at the bottom of the eye, where the wood should be flush with the metal. I like this axe but I can’t use it in this condition. Please advise me what I should do. I am capable of rehandling it if you want to send me the proper handle otherwise I have no choice but to send it back.
See attachments!

I understand that sometimes this can happen for whatever reason. Please let me know as soon as possible so I can have an axe available for an upcoming trip.
Thank You"

p129671072-4.jpg


p279303137-4.jpg



Response from them:

"Hello
I am very sorry to hear that you are not fully satisfied with the axe you received. The issue that you described is certainly not typical of our axes, and I will do what I can to make this right for you. Could you please return the axe to us at the following address, and I will process and full refund plus return shipping charges, once it has arrived:

Since this problem could potentially be a manufacturing issue on that particular axe, I will remove that model from available inventory until we are able to further inspect the problem. Again, I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, and greatly appreciate your understanding. In addition, I would like to give you 10% off a future order, with coupon code:blahblah blah. Please let me know if you have any questions, or if there is anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,"
Alright sounds good right. I'm not the kind of person to return stuff But in this case I thought Helko NA would replace repair or refund my purchase.

Let me know if you want to hear the rest of the story.
 
Part 2
I was reluctant to send it back because I liked the thing. The email sounded sincere we will make it right etc.. so I figured ok send it back.
Now I got it on Monday contacted Helko on Wed sent it back on Thursday. A week goes by and today I get this email.

From Them
"Hello
We have received your returned product; however, I am not able to process a full refund since the axe has been altered in several different ways. Because of the alterations, we are not able to fully determine the cause of the head coming loose. Since we will not be able to repair this axe, it will most likely have to be discarded.

I am able to refund 75% of your original purchase. Please allow a few business days for the refund to appear on your bank statement.

Best Regards,"

Son of a bi*ch right! I would not have sent it back in the first place if I was going to lose 25% The head moved down about a good 3/4 inch with a little tapping
put another way the handle was sticking out the top about 3/4 inch. and that's how I packaged it to them.
Heres a shot showing the glue or varnish around the eye obscuring the gaps.
p262257585-4.jpg


I'm pissed now so I send this:
Wait a minute!
Sharpening and taking off the varnish is considered altered? The axe came dull so I sharpened it. The varnish causes blisters so I removed it. The varnish was probably the only thing holding the head on tight.


You can clearly see the handle sticking out of the head by a half inch as well. That was not my doing. Should that not be enough to tell you something is wrong I really don't know what else to say. I had high hopes for using this ax but unfortunately I chose the wrong company to purchase from. Do whatever you need to do and I hope it is a full refund since I will not be satisfied with less.

By the way the axe is is actually worthless in the condition it was sent to me after just a handful of swings.
Would I have known it was defective before I sharpened it I would have sent it back.
I am really confused about your policy here.
Sincerely

Now reply from them

Hello Alan,

I am sorry that you feel this is not satisfactory, however our warranty and return policy clearly states that any alterations, including re-sharpening of the blade, void the warranty. You can read about our warranty here: helko Warranty

Then This

Hello Alan,

When you originally emailed me about the return, you never mentioned the alterations that you made, and only indicated that it had been swung a few times. I'm sorry you feel that way, but as I said before, all of our policies can be viewed online.
Best Regards,

That's It in a nutshell!
So since I originally emailed them they have pulled the Light Classic axe from their site pending investigation of defect.
They won't fix it and send it back to me.
They pull this warranty defense when all I wanted was a new handle, they offered to refund me.
I had the thing for three weekdays and probably swung it < 50 times. The steel is fine the handle was wrong.

Lesson Learned!
Sharpening a Helko axe voids the warranty!

What it amounts to is $25 loss on my part and an ax I liked. I won't pursue it further because I can tell the guy was towing the company line with his responses and it aint worth the aggravation. Not what I expected from a major company.
What really got me was when he replied and said I only put a few swings on it. Well Duh I only had it three days without any thing to freaking chop!
The refund is not in my account yet either but it takes a couple of days.

Well let me know what you guys think.
 
Wow--they really went out of their way to turn a crappy situation into an even crappier one, didn't they? I'd call them and ask to speak with a manager. What you did was WELL within the bounds of normal use, and the defect is in no way connected to your "alterations." This should be a no-brainer.

Within the bounds of reason, a business should go to great lengths to take advantage of situations like this. It gives them a huge opportunity to create a loyal customer by providing exemplary service. But a response like that totally shoots them right in the foot. :eek:
 
thats BS if you ask me!
like 42 said, call them. they simply are not treating you right IMO...
any quality company would make it right...
 
Yeah that doesn't sound like great customer service. I'm really surprised they'd go back on their word after you shipped it back. Isn't Helko NA fairly new? Maybe they haven't quite figured out good customer service yet.
 
trailmaker said:
...they haven't quite figured out good customer service yet.
Click to expand...

Looks like they are going to lose a lot of potential customers here at the axe forum if they don't make it right.
I suggest that you tell them this when you call, for what it's worth.
 
Thanks for the replies. Appreciate it.
This one has the plastic wedge in it too, which I left in place but could probably have pulled it out quite easily.
I am thinking the man who is handling all of this probably never swung an axe and when he looked at it he saw that it didn't look factory fresh prompting his reply.
The stone did put some scratches on the edge but who cares right. The crappy little edge guard popped it's rivets too while handling it.
I will give them a call on Monday and keep you posted.
have a great weekend all!
 
That sucks, cd. They are clearly in the wrong. This won't make any friends, that's for sure.

So, who were you dealing with exactly? What retailer, I mean?
 
I will continue my *devestating* boycott of production axes. (Except for the 2 wetterlings I already have, oops)
 
It's a bad situation. :mad:


Generally handles working loose over time is to be expected,

...and any axe user expects to have to do some maintenance from time to time.


That said, a Poor Fitting handle hidden from view is not acceptable.


Sounds like the axe could have not been re-hung using the provided handle.


This is all bad enough, but then customer service steps in and makes things worse. :thumbdn: :jerkit: :thumbdn:



Who did you buy it from, and did you contact them first? :confused:




Big Mike
 
Thanks all for your show of support. Appreciated.
Nothing much new to add but I did send another email giving them options. Replace or repair as stated in the warranty that way I'm not out any money and have an axe to use. My money is not in my account yet either so I am waiting for it to hit before drawing any conclusions. This is where I purchased the classic light axe from directly.

http://www.helkonorthamerica.com/index.php?main_page=contact_us

As it stands right now they are refunding 75% but they did not say whether that includes shipping or not. We shall see. This amounts to about a $25 loss for me.
Not happy about it but nothing I can do. Quite honestly I'm not going to let it get to me because time is money and I already have an hour into the whole process with shipping and writing emails to them.

HELLCO I like that. funny stuff right there.
Anyway I'll update when I know what they are finally going to do.
PS Helko classic light axe still not showing on their webpage since I sent mine back. Maybe Recalledl?
 
Sounds like Americas production today from automobiles on down.
Throw it together,sell it to the public and let them find the bugs then start the little song and dance.
 
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