Is Travis Wuertz still in business?

Y

yanivgur

Joined
Dec 11, 2015
Messages
2
Hi,

I've been trying to get in touch with Travis for a while now, email, phone, Facebook. I have a few questions and eager to place an order but so far no reply. Anybody knows if he is still making grinders?

Thanks!
 
I received one of his grinders Nov. 16. I placed the order on his web site. It took 6 weeks for delivery, but it's worth it. I now have two of his grinders and think they are the best ones on the market.
When I spoke with him on the phone, he said he had been the only one working and was overloaded for the time being.
Keep trying to contact him, I think you will eventually get an answer.
 
Tom's right go ahead and place your order online first.It's the best way.I had similar issues when I ordered my S.G. from him.Any and all questions concerning the grinder can easily be answered here.Hell Tom has 2 of them.
 
You need to just get a Wilmont TAG instead... Chris is extremely responsive and helpful and it's the main competitor to the tw90 😉
 
You have to realize that a one man shop has to work all the time to fill orders. Every moment spent on the phone or by email costs money. That, plus travel to shows makes communications a problem for some folks, Travis does good work and has quite a backlog of orders, which he works to fill day and night. But from what I hear, he gets to the communications when he can ... which isn't as fast as many people want.


Just a personal note on dealing with backed up sole proprietors:
Years back, when I took orders, I took and order for a wakizashi. The requirements were specific, and the person was willing to pay the price. I told him upfront I could give no finish date, and it could be six months or two years ... when it was done it would be ready for delivery. After about two months,he sent email every couple weeks, asking for an update. I politely answered the first several, and then just read them and let them sit. After a few months, I told him I was making good progress on the sword, and though that it would be ready the next spring. I told him I would let him know as it approached completion. He started sending emails and calling after two more months. I was polite for a while, then asked him to allow me to work on his sword instead of answer emails and phone calls. He said he was going to cancel the order if I couldn't have better communication than that. I replied, "That's GREAT, I have many others who will buy it when it is done. I'll call you then and give you first right of refusal if you wish." He was taken aback a bit, but still continued to send emails every few weeks asking for a status update. I sold the sword the day it was finished ... to another person.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
You have to realize that a one man shop has to work all the time to fill orders. Every moment spent on the phone or by email costs money. That, plus travel to shows makes communications a problem for some folks, Travis does good work and has quite a backlog of orders, which he works to fill day and night. But from what I hear, he gets to the communications when he can ... which isn't as fast as many people want.


Just a personal note on dealing with backed up sole proprietors:
Years back, when I took orders, I took and order for a wakizashi. The requirements were specific, and the person was willing to pay the price. I told him upfront I could give no finish date, and it could be six months or two years ... when it was done it would be ready for delivery. After about two months,he sent email every couple weeks, asking for an update. I politely answered the first several, and then just read them and let them sit. After a few months, I told him I was making good progress on the sword, and though that it would be ready the next spring. I told him I would let him know as it approached completion. He started sending emails and calling after two more months. I was polite for a while, then asked him to allow me to work on his sword instead of answer emails and phone calls. He said he was going to cancel the order if I couldn't have better communication than that. I replied, "That's GREAT, I have many others who will buy it when it is done. I'll call you then and give you first right of refusal if you wish." He was taken aback a bit, but still continued to send emails every few weeks asking for a status update. I sold the sword the day it was finished ... to another person.
Click to expand...

Great story! It's nice when you get to a point that you don't have to jump for those that aren't listening or are being rude. I know a contractor like that. He met with a couple who wanted him to build their "4000 square foot cabin." He turned down the job because he felt they would be too difficult to work with. They were so worked up. They hounded him for a number of months and offered to pay much much more. Money wasn't an object. Bob turned them down. He felt his mental peace was far more important than the extra $$.
 
Stacy Apelt, The problem you had is the reason many knife makers do not take custom work orders including myself. I had one customer who called my phone almost daily after I gave him a 9 week estimate for a knife I had already ground but needed heat treatment and finishing as well as special scale material. He took all the fun out my knife making until I finished the gosh darn knife. No amount of money would get me to do it again. I just wished that I had done what you did and sold the knife to someone else. I sold many knives on this basis with no problems but one unreasonable and irritating customer made me adopt this policy. I just hope others read your post and consider the possibility before taking on custom work....just my opinion. Larry Lehman
 
I just made 2 matching gyutos and even though the fella I made them for was great the pressure of having to make them did take the fun out. Also, when a knife is ordered the there are certain expectations. I make every knife as best I can but all are a little different being handmade. When someone picks it up they see exactly what they're getting. When ordered expect the exact same thing they saw or imagined. I can only imagine they stress and pressure he is under. Just be patient.
 
Thanks for all the advice. I did go ahead and placed the order but with $5000 on the line and still no communication from Travis I am worried. The simple truth is that basic, minimal communication with your customers is a necessity to be successful in business. Even if you have a superior product. I would appreciate even a single line reply indicating that Travis is super busy and will reply as soon as he can.

I would really appreciate it if somebody can let me know if you hear anything.

Thank you and happy holidays.
 
Having just gone through a similar experience with Travis, I can understand how you feel. It took six weeks for me to get mine, but it was worth the wait. Try calling Travis. The first several times I called, his mail box was full. Eventually I was able to leave a message and he called me back within an hour or two. Hopefully Travis will get some help and the communication will improve.
 
Communications should open up for you now.As bad as this sounds, once I placed my order he gave me all the time I wanted.I wouldn't worry.Phones are the best way with him.As Tom said call leave your phone # once he realizes you ordered he'll call you in short order.
 
In business, the difference in communication requirement from the proprietor is strongly influenced by whether or not the order was prepaid or not.
 
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