Frequently Asked Questions
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Some questions are quite common so I've tried to answer them here. How do I place an order? Each web site page contains "Add to Cart" buttons that allow you to add one or more items to our Shopping Cart. When you do this, the item will appear on your shopping cart order form. Follow the on-screen instructions to either continue shopping or go to the checkout. You can use the cart to calculate the total cost including postage, packing and handling (without any obligation). You can edit the amounts of items or delete them from your cart before finally ordering. WE CAN NOT TAKE ORDERS BY EMAIL! How do I delete an item from the cart? Simply change its quantity to zero and click the "Recalculate" button. To change the quantity, click on the number or 'swipe' the cursor across it. It should then be highlighted and then just put in the number you want. What if I change my mind about ordering? We will not receive your order unless you complete your address and payment details. You can simply abandon your cart. We have no way of seeing its contents, ever. If you return to the website within a few minutes your order is often still held there for you - in case you were accidentally disconnected - but if you return much later all record of it will have been deleted. If you complete the ordering system and then feel you don't want to continue with it use the "Cancel my order" email form on the website. I sent you an email a few days ago but have not had a reply - why not? I probably tried to reply but unfortunately you may have given an incorrect e mail address or your spam filter or ISPs spam filter may have blocked it. In such cases I try to put a reply on this special web page for you so go here. If there is no reply for you, please e mail me again as I probably did not receive the original - I never deliberately ignore e mails (unless they are stupid or abusive!). Take a look at the Index page as well - just in case there's a holiday message at the top. If there is then I can't reply until I get back! Can you post to ...? We can post almost anywhere except
certain countries where credit card fraud is known to be a
big problem (such as African countries, Russia, China India
and others. Do you accept credit/debit cards, UK cheques, cash, UK postal orders? Yes. Please refer to our Terms. What's the price in Dollars/Euros? Click on the link below to Convert British Pounds to your own currency When paying by card the price you pay to us is converted by the bank into your own currency, so we get paid in Pounds and you get billed in Dollars (or whatever you use). The conversion rate is whatever the bank applies on the day of the transaction - we have no control over it and certainly cannot make any profit on the conversion! How much will the postage be to...? Simply add the item(s) you want to the shopping cart. Select the destination for shipping then click "recalculate". The cost of shipping will be calculated for you without any obligation to buy. In some cases (particularly destinations outside the UK) the calculation may not be quite accurate, in which case we will let you know the correct cost (if it's higher than you were quoted) after you place your order. You can then decide to accept the cost or cancel your order. If the true cost is significantly lower than that calculated we will normally just use the lower rate without contacting you for approval! The minimum cost to ship small items is £2.50 per order. The minimum cost to post a stick is £5.00. These prices include postage, packing materials and our time to pack your order and drive to the Post Office. If you think it's dear, work out the cost of coming to Helmsley to collect it (visitors are welcome :-). If you still think you've been overcharged, ask me politely and I will consider your individual case. Demanding a refund or being abusive will get you nowhere! Do you charge VAT ? No, not at the moment. How do I know that my credit card details are safe? Firstly, your details are taken by a secure server. I can only access the details after entering three passwords and I delete the details as soon as I've taken your order. So it's a LOT safer than faxing your details (when the fax sheet might end up on the local tip). Also, your card details NEVER get sent by email. They remain safely encrypted on the server till I delete them. It's actually far safer than giving me details over the telephone - anyone can hack into a normal phone line if they know how to! Secondly, I'm not going to run off with your card details or deliberately overcharge you. I live in a small town where just about everybody knows me. How long do I have to wait for a stick? The animal head sticks made from your photographs take the longest time. Of course, it takes only a matter of days to make each stick but at present I have back orders which will take weeks or months to clear and it would be unfair to "jump the queue". If you really need a present in a hurry I can send you a "Gift Certificate" that you can give to your friend which tells them their stick is being specially handmade and will be sent as soon as it's ready. Standard sticks (such as walkers, hikers and thumb sticks - not animal/bird heads) are often in stock. At most you may have to wait two or three weeks but quite often I can post them next day. If you choose to have a screw-joint fitted in the middle of your stick I may have to make a complete stick, since not every stick is suitable for jointing - only those of correct diameter and taper can be jointed. Similarly, engraved collars take time to have the engraving done and are usually fitted when the stick is being made. In the run up to Christmas the demand obviously increases and it is unlikely that we can make anything for you without at least three weeks notice. If a stick is in stock - you can have it next day. It might be wise for you to email before you order to check on availability if you need something in a rush. Most items on the D.I.Y. pages are always in stock. If they are likely to be out of stock for more than a few days I try to indicate it on the particular page. How durable is a painted stick? Acrylic paints are used because they are totally waterproof once dry. In addition, they are given several coats of clear varnish to give extra protection. Having said that, you cannot expect paint to last forever if it is constantly rubbed by grubby hands. If the stick is to be used frequently then I suggest you wipe it clean of dirt after each trip out - it will only take a few seconds but it is the dirt which is abrasive. Most of my painted sticks are designed to be held under the painted head, so limiting the amount of hand contact. If the paint becomes worn, will you retouch it for me? Yes, if it really needs it, but most paint will "age" rather than simply wear out, so it may actually look quite good with a bit of natural wear and tear. Will my stick break if I use it to beat my dog/wife/pig? I sincerely hope so! If my stick breaks can it be repaired? If anything breaks it is usually the shank about half way down. This is normally caused by misuse - as in the cases above (beating the wife etc). In normal walking it is possible for the stick to drop down a hole or between rocks and for the user to continue walking for a step or two. Result - the shank will crack and may snap in two. Hazel is very strong and tends to split lengthways rather than straight across. If this happens try to bind the cracked area with sticky tape or string - this emergency repair will often last quite a long time. When you can, bring or send the stick to me for a new shank to be fitted. If your shank does break you can simply cut off the head or handle with a small saw and post it to me - this is much cheaper than posting the whole stick. Cut it at least 50mm - 2" - below the joint, having first measured the full length! I can fit a new shank for about £20 and, in most cases, you won't be able to tell it's been repaired. I often re-shank handles made by other stick makers so if you have any old broken sticks it may be a cheaper way of getting a new one! Does a screw-joint weaken a stick? In simple terms, yes! By cutting the stick and fitting a joint it obviously causes it to behave differently. Downward pressure - as in normal use for walking - appears to make little difference. Sideways pressure, such as hitting something, swiping down nettles, or leaning on the stick at an angle, puts 'unnatural' strains on the joint which can result in the joint itself breaking or the stick around the joint splitting. Putting the stick in the car and piling luggage on it is also very bad - but then you should have unscrewed the parts to make the stick easier to put in the car anyway! Basically you have to weigh up the options - do you want a stick that is long and difficult to take on a journey but is slightly stronger than a jointed stick - or would the joint make the stick far more 'user friendly' and so outweigh the slight weakness? I want to make my own sticks - when should I cut natural shanks? What type of wood should I use? These and lots of other questions are answered on my stickmakers page |