Thank You to Jim & Barbie Chambers

[davec2]

I just wanted to confirm, once again, something almost all of you know any way.  I had a Chambers English Round Faced lock that I bought a while back still in the shipping box.  I dug it out to dismantle it, polish the parts, and engrave it.  When I took it apart, I noticed that a fair size piece of the sear nose had broken off.  I contacted Barbie with the intent to purchase a replacement.  A brittle fracture of a heat treated small cast part is just one of those things that happens and I wasn't at all upset about it and was more than willing to buy a new part.  Long story short, Barbie responded to my email, asking about the purchase price of the new sear, and said just send the broken one back and she would send out a replacement.  The new sear arrived today in good order and I just wanted to publicly say "thank you" to Barbie & Jim for the quick response and great customer service.  I do business that way with my own customers and it renews my faith in my fellow man to have a reciprocal experience like this.

Thanks again.

Dave C

[Acer Saccharum]

Amen.

[okieboy]

 It is good to be informed of the great service of certain vendors. Thank you.

[J. Talbert]

I've been friends with Jim and Barbie for a long time, and have witnessed similar transactions multiple times at their booth at Friendship.
I might add that I can also attest to the same kind of experience with Dave.  I've purchased several of Dave's wonderful little creations.  He recently made a replacement part for one them, that I had lost, within a day or two after I e-mailed him, and then apologized that he couldn't get to it quicker.

Jeff

[Mark Elliott]

They have been similarly good to me over the years.    It is appreciated.   

[gunmaker]

Those folks are what venders should all be.  ...

[whitebear]

I have called Barbie and Jim several times and always got good answers, I asked Barbie for a recommendation on a lock.  She recommended the Dale Johnson lock.
I bought it and love it, it's looks better in hand than in any of the pictures.

[Jim Hart]

I have had two similar responses from the Chambers.  I don't purchase much, but when I do it will be their products.

[C Wallingford]

Ditto--
I have experienced the same great service. Excellent products and service.

[axelp]

I own three of their gun kits and they are all three excellent guns. I have called them for advice on other locks even not of thier manufacture, and they have always provided good honest service. You really cannot go wrong with anything they make or sell.

I have done work for them as well and its always a pleasure to work with good people you can trust. Good products and excellent customer service is the best kind of advertising anyone can do.

Ken

[Keb]

I have a early Ketland from them. I took it apart and broke the main spring. I emailed them. Barbie told me to ship them the broken spring & they'd ship me a new one which they did. I got it, broke it trying to put it in the lock. Told them and shipped the whole lock. They installed a new spring. I took it out & broke #3. Emailed them. They sent another (#4) spring but this time with one of their spring vices. I'm not having any problems now.

[heinz]

You will not find better service. They also support the CLA auction every year with donated parts. The Chambers round faced colonial lock I used a couple of years back was easily tuned and did not really need any. Their lock assemblers do not just leave all the parts as hard as glass but temper them appropriately. The colonial sparks so well my wife won't let me snap it in the house. The only other place I would even consider buying a lock is a grumpy old guy in West Virginia :-)'

[Dennis Glazener]

I agree that Jim and Barbie Chambers give excellent customer service but what else would you expect from fine upstanding southern ladies and gentlemen from western NC
Dennis

[Blackpowder Barbie]

Aww shucks you guys...  You all don't realize how much kind words like this give me so much encouragement to continue this adventure in life.  The past year has been quite a trial for us as we try to transition Dad into more of a back-up role while I take on the majority of the business work.  Then add in the fact that I became a first time mom, to an eleven year old, this year and a new wife to a wonderful, and might I add very understanding, husband and my life has been tested and tried more than I ever expected.  Twelve hour work days are hard to manage with a little one needing homework help and food needing to be cooked, but so far we are all managing this thing called life (and we wouldn't have it any other way.)  We've been through a couple helpers here in the shop as well (which evidently the word 'work' is now considered a bad four letter word) and I've worked my poor mother to death on the packing side.  It feels like we are always back ordered on something or waiting on another thing, and man I really really hate not being able to get stuff to you guys right away!  I beg for mercy and paitence every day from each and every one of my customers and I owe all of you a huge THANK YOU, for being so understanding with us small muzzleloading businesses!  I'm sure there are ways to speed things up in what we do, but I also know that a lot of the time with speed comes a decline in quality and that is just not something I am willing to sacrifice.  I have added on a new lock builder out of Maryland this year and he has been doing wonderful work which I'd expect nothing less after training with LC Rice.  So this should help get lock production caught back up.  Plus, fingers crossed, should free up LC enough to get to work on those much desired but hard to come by new Jaeger locks we keep trying to build.    

So once again, it is me who is the blessed one to be able to work with such wonderful customers who send me praise when I need it most.  I tell people all the time that I work in one of the best industries in the world because of the high caliber of both character and honor that runs through the muzzleloading folks.  Thanks you for all your support!!!!   

[IKE]

She did the same for me not long ago.
THANKS!
Jerry
Eitnier Rifles
Iron Mounted Southern Guns

[kaintuck]

 
I will have to say Barbie took care of a lock problem last year I had. Small issue, but she handled it personally, and quickly. I wish her many more years in business, I will certainly send new customers her way!
I this age of big corp mega monsters businesses, Chambers is a refreshing difference, personal attention, customer satisfaction is #1 with them.

And.....MUCH better looking than Tip Cutis!
Ahahahahahaaaa.........

Marc

[Long John]

My experience with the folks at Jim Chambers Flintlocks is the same as yours; superb quality, enthusiastic customer support.  It is the only brand of lock I am using.  They have earned their great reputation.

Best Regards,

John Cholin

[Long Ears]

Like most, if Chambers have it that is where I get it. Thanks to Jim and Barbie, fantastic customer support and just great people. Bob

[Hungry Horse]

 The Chambers clan have learned what most businesses never do. That is, that customer service is the only currency that will buy customer loyalty. I have called them a couple of times, with questions about parts, and materials, and have talked to Jim, who acts like you are the only customer in the world, and he was just waiting for your call. I know his business is a busy place, but you would never know it from a phone conversation with him.

               Hungry Horse

[whitebear]

Jim and Barbie, Don't change much of anything.  Getting Mom some help and hiring the guy from Rice could be two of the best things that you have going for you.  Congrats on the marriage and the new offspring even if he is 11 years old, never too young to be brought up in the family business possibly to help Grandma, HINT, HINT.

Hang in there, and give your problems to God, He can and will solve all of the problems that you have and all the ones you don't know that you have.  I will be praying for all of you.   Love Doug "Whitebear" Johnson.

[Old Bob]

While on vacation a few years ago my wife and I swung off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Candler and I started searching for the Chambers shop. I thought it would be easy to find since I had the address, but there were no signs. About the time my wife was ready to head for the good will court, I found the place. I didn't realize it wasn't what you'd call an open to the public type of shop. Pulled up to the house, walked up to the door and knocked on the door. No answer. Went down to the basement door and knocked. Barbie came to the door and after introducing ourselves I told her what I was looking for which happened to be some parts to complete several partial Chambers large Germanic locks that I had bought at the York Shoot. After telling me that they didn't normally do any selling at the shop, she graciously allowed me to look at the parts and get all I could afford. Her mom came in and we all had a good little talk as we bagged up my loot. Meanwhile, Jim was in the garage working on a Corvette. We soon took our leave since they had work to do and we had places to go. I'm very grateful to Barbie for putting up with company that unexpectedly dropped in off the mountain top and providing me with the parts I needed. That's service above and beyond.