Customer service

[nevrknow]

Once again, the service Ken provides is above and beyond reproach. Kudos to you Sir. I think you and Mark have set the bar too high for almost anyone else to compete with. Not only with the knowledge and willing to share but also with personal availability. There doesn't seem to be many places where you get a phone number and then actually speak to who you are doing business with.

Customer for life here for both of you.

Thanks,

John B

[ken123]

Thank you! Much appreciated!

I'm more than pleased to have one on one conversations with customers - or people who just want sharpening advice. I'm a one man show, so if you have questions complaints or just want to bullshit about 'sharpening', give me a call 209 612 2790 anytime.

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Ken

[Kit Craft]

Or BS about cars, drinks, or anything else. I had a lengthy post about this previously, needless to say I too am happy with not only the service that Ken provides but the level of interest he takes in those who buy products from him. Honestly, 10 minutes turns to hours before you know it and you feel like old friends. I think I called Ken three times for 2-3 hour conversations each time before deciding on my first order. That does not count multiple PM's and facebook chats. Hell, we even chatted when I was living in Spain via skype calls and an 8 hour time difference. In that case he called me and at what would have been most convenient for me and least for him.

I too enjoy chatting with Ken and making orders as well as recommending others to do so as well. He goes out of his way, always.

[ken123]

Kit,

Thanks for the post much appreciated! Here's to our next chat!

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Ken

[Gregory27]

Had a brief (for Ken, evidently, but for me, very long) 15 min conversation about some stones that I'm purchasing. He talked me into the cheapest fine grit Nubatama stone that he carries. I, and my wife, appreciate him not upselling me on something that I don't need. Because I'd probably have wound up doing whatever he told me to, being a complete neophyte. Though he did bring up the notion of affordable natural stones... I need some of those now, right?

[mark76]

Yup, I have had more than one free Skype call with Ken, sometimes lasting an hour. I learned a lot!

[Kit Craft]

Had a brief (for Ken, evidently, but for me, very long) 15 min conversation about some stones that I'm purchasing. He talked me into the cheapest fine grit Nubatama stone that he carries. I, and my wife, appreciate him not upselling me on something that I don't need. Because I'd probably have wound up doing whatever he told me to, being a complete neophyte. Though he did bring up the notion of affordable natural stones... I need some of those now, right?

Ken did the same with me, saved me money! However, this was on naturals. He talked me out of an 8 inch stone in favor of a 7.25 inch stone due to the massive price difference. Ken is always doing great stuff like that. Saving me $50 here and there means adding a whole new stone to the lineup!

If you have to ask, then you need a natural. Kind of the opposite of a yanagiba.

[Kit Craft]

Kit,

Thanks for the post much appreciated! Here's to our next chat!

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Ken

Yet another great chat was had. Looking forward to ordering a stone today at some point. Thank you for sharing all of the info on aoto stones and simply shooting the breeze.

[ken123]

My pleasure!! Thoroughly enjoyed the chat! I have two good Monzen choices for you to pick from I'll give you a call.

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Ken

[Kit Craft]

My pleasure!! Thoroughly enjoyed the chat! I have two good Monzen choices for you to pick from I'll give you a call.

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Ken

Cool!

[ken123]

Went out today. Sent you tracking. Enjoy.

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Ken

[Kit Craft]

Went out today. Sent you tracking. Enjoy.

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Ken

Thank you. My internet is being wonky so I am regulated to the use of my phone and that makes things slow, living in the boonies and all. Not much service. Otherwise I would have responded sooner.

[keithmarder]

I sent a knife in. It arrived on Friday. I can't wait to get it back.

[keithmarder]

I got my knife back the other day. The job, the service, the attention to detail all were great.

[Kit Craft]

I got my knife back the other day. The job, the service, the attention to detail all were great.

Glad to hear it. I too have never had anything but great experiences with Ken. It has been awhile but when I call him we chat for like 3-4 hours!

[dantee]

Likewise I have to give props to Ken here.
He is super generous with sharing information and advice, and besides hooking me up with my first and serious proper set of stones to get started on my sharpening journey, he also patiently gave me tips and almost virtually coached me on how to go about sharpening and improving.

Looking forward to my next long chat with him to plan out my next purchase of a couple of natural stones. :p

[ken123]

Thank you!

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Ken

[lsboogy]

I've now had the pleasure of talking with Ken - all of my previous experiences with knives and stone have been simply buy and try (too many knives and stones, most are just eye candy that does not work as well as my 30 year old items). He knows about stones and sharpening - I don't but was able to describe what I wanted - call him and discuss what you want. He is a great source of translation from what I think to what I need

[Gregory27]

I forgot to mention this from earlier this year:

I bought a cheap Amakusa Torato and wanted to get an Aono Aoto from Ken. I was asking him about sealing my Torato, and he offered to seal it for free and send it back with the Aoto, if I shipped it to him. USPS reported it delivered, but he never got it. The whole time, I'm laughing at the idea of someone stealing a package, opening it, and finding a rock. Ken, however, is amazing, and offers to send a new Torato to me, which is, likely, a far superior stone.

It turned out that the stone got delivered to a neighbor, but the point is, he replaced a stone that was lost, through no fault of his own, with a better stone. How great is that?

I've only gotten, like, 4 stones from Ken, but my wife refers to him as my "crack dealer."

I'm glad that I hate talking on the phone, because if I talked directly to Ken more, versus messaging, I'd probably be far more poor, but with lots of great stones.

[lsboogy]

I'm going down the rabbit hole - getting my third stone from Ken (big Monzen). The man knows how I sharpen and what I like. He shipped my last one (Nubatama Platinum 6K) before I had even paid him. Can't thank you enough Ken - I wish most knife shops would listen and figure out what their customers actually like - I love the eye candy of Korin, but I think I've found a better place here. Just plain ol great customer service from everyone on the site (bought some knives from classifieds and have a bunch from Mark, as well as many other goodies), and Ken and Mark both listen to me and direct me to what I want but can't explain to many others. Ken tells me when he gets the stones I want and understands what I want. Talk to him before you buy a stone - he may steer you away from what you think you want and into what you really want.

Thanks again Ken - excellence in you my friend