After much impatient waiting, I received my Wolf Tools last week.
Boy, I wish I’d had these a long time ago! I didn’t realize how dull
and uneven my reused dental tools were (and what a huge difference
it makes to the quality of my work) until I got to use these
precision carvers.
Thank you, Kate, for all the effort and time in R&D that these tools
must have taken. I hope it turns out to be a profitable venture for
you. Now does anyone know if there will be a dealer in Tucson who
has Wolf Wax in stock?
I spent 25 years as a consumer in this industry, I’m looking back at
all the times I called up one of my favorite suppliers and was
frustrated to hear that the tool, finding or stone I counted on
having in my grubby little paws the next day was out of stock. I
always assumed that a backorder was the result of the distributor’s
poor planning, disorganization or apathy.
As a new vendor, with product that is on backorder I’ve got an
insight as to what suppliers are up against. I’m driving my
distributors nuts. As a result of Hanuman’s kind words and Rio
Grande’s feature article about the tools in their Fall 2003 News and
Product Review http://www.riogrande.com/news.htm hundreds of orders
have poured in, far exceeding what we imagined. The distributors
have frustrated customers, expecting immediate gratification (my
favorite!) only to be told that they can expect delivery in 2 to 3
months. aaargh!
Here’s the scoop. Tool production is a lot like jewelry production.
Early production runs can be slow. Often the transition from
prototype to production can be tricky, or worse- a dreadful
disappointment. I spent many insomniac nights, imagining a mountain
of tools for me to touch up on my beloved Power Hone. I’ve been
fortunate to have gorgeous production. My manufacturer really cares
about their product, they take great pride in their work. I’ve been
happy with every edge of every tool.
It’s going to take us a little time to fill these orders, and get
the production up to speed. If I have to choose between quality and
quantity, I’ll choose quality every time. Good things are worth the
wait.
So if you call up one of your suppliers and find something is out
of stock, pause and think of the chain the product goes through on
it’s way to you, And maybe cut the person on the other end of the
phone some slack.
If you are one of the distributors who is waiting for product, thank
you for your patience, and I’m sorry for making your customers
cranky.
Best Regards,
Kate Wolf in Portland, Maine
P.S. There will be a set of Wolf’s Precision Wax Carvers at the
Tucson Silent Auction.
Now does anyone know if there will be a dealer in Tucson who has
Wolf Wax in stock?
Greetings Laurie,
Thank you so, so much for your kind words about Wolf’s Precision Wax
Carvers. I am glad you found them worth the wait.
Yes, you can buy Wolf Wax by Ferris in Tucson. I suggest you make
your purchase early in the show, in case they run out of inventory
(in which case you can order it). The following exhibitors have
product:
Rio Grande=B9s Catalog in Motion, Tucson Hilton East, Friday,
February 6- Monday, February 9. Stop by the Wolf Tools/Wolf Wax
booth and meet Kate. I’ll post more on this tomorrow.
Otto Frei- MJSA Pavilion at AGTA. Booth 2101, Wednesday February
4- Monday February 9.
Stuller - MJSA Pavilion at AGTA. Booth # 2200- Wednesday February 4-
Monday
Gesswein- Holidome, Tucson. Booth #s 877-879-881-883 Dates:
Thursday, February 5- Friday, February 13th
I hope to see you in Tucson!
Best Regards and happy carving!
-Kate Wolf, in Portland, Maine hosting wicked good workshops
Laurie, I am in total agreement with you. Kate’s tools are amazing.
The color booklet that comes with the tools is worth its weight in
gold. I have called around to all the vendors listed on her website
without much luck in having anything other than ring tubes in stock.
Everything else had to be special ordered. I sent her an email asking
about her wax being in Tucson, but knowing how busy she is, I haven’t
heard back. Let’s hope someone out there knows!