Warning for Bros/Sisters Here Customizing Straps from JnS

[nilfire77]

Didnt know about 'iso spore' until I see this thread
quite informative
i looked at my h18 gator strap - no iso spore confirm genuine gator not croc

my next question: is alligator hide alot more expensive than croc hide? By how much

I had the same question as you, so I went ahead and do a little research by comparing price samples (Caiman vs Nile Crocodile vs American Alligator) from rojeleather.com. Based on belly hides of similar sizes, the result came out as follows:

1. Crocodile/Alligator is about 300% more expensive than Caiman
2. Alligator is only about 5% more expensive than Nile crocodile, which is rather negligible in a sense.

Do bear in mind that the result is just a rough guide based on a single source.

[kel12]

didnt expect to get a good read bout crocs & gators on my fav watch forum!
never dealt with jason personally... but i love my JnS straps... they smell good, side water-proofing is great, slightly thinner than most other straps, real comfortable...

[kadios]

Very few good and dedicated strap makers can be found, even more
So if local. JNS has been good and
Nice people to deal with. Dun let a single event affect their Past records of good straps & exp..

[taxico]

i have not purchased straps from JNS before. having read this thread three times, the outcome, in my opinion, is unsatisfactory (although the OP may be satisfied with the outcome).

to continue using the chicken and turkey example... how will a discount voucher at the restaurant make the current meal of chicken better? (even if it is top shelf organic free range massaged chicken)

this is acceptable only in singapore restaurants, and i have heard of such stories regularly from friends and colleagues... whereby the restaurant makes a mistake and offers some vouchers for a future meal.

and if you didn't kick a fuss to the right person, you will only get apologies and blank looks (whaaat? what you want me to doooo? i am only the waiter. i cannot do anything.)

if it were me, i would have insisted the restaurant take the food back to the kitchen and give me what i ordered off their menu. i demand a remedy now, not a bad taste in my mouth.

what if the buyer was not from singapore? would the seller still rectify the situation the same way? i think not.

dedication to a craft is useless if the craftsman is unable to stand behind his product (at least) 100% or spend 101% of his effort righting a wrong.

i ordered a custom 21mm x 18mm shell cordovan strap from eastern europe. when it arrived, the shorter half was not cut to my satisfaction.

the maker offered to make a new set of straps for me or return the product for a full refund.

[roguehog]

i have only started daling with Jns a few months ago. During the same period, i was in contact with another local strap maker that came highly recommended. Both took my orders at the same time, though the latter did mention that he was going to take some time to complete the 6 or so straps I asked him to customised. I even told him he could complete them in intervals instead of all in one go. Told him that it might be easier on my wallet too. I orered 4 straps from Jason as well at the same time.

JNS completed all the straps within a month. It's been at least 4 or so months since then and the other strap maker had not even contacted me, even though dimensions were taken and my offer to pay a deposit was rejected.

N ow between the two, I'd give jns full marks in this case.

Sadly for Jason, I'm a frequent eyesore at his place. I've personally witnessed him redoing the entire strap for someone because he took the wrong measurement.

I believe this the TS's experience is a one-off incident that was regretable, especially for Jns.

To be brutally honest, I've bought and ordered no less than 12 pairs of straps from him since 4 months ago and the service has been top notch, to say the least.

But I must say, if the situation was not resolved amiciablly, I would probably not purchase anyting from them. But based on my personal dealings with them, i will still continue to buy from them.

i have another example to share.

let's talk cars instead of turkeys.

I bought a brand new VW golf sport in 2009. and in 3 1/2 years of ownership, i had to send the car back to the workshop more than 25 times, excluding servicing. Tables were banged, flipped, and threats of torching the buildings were issued. but the management simply shrugged their shoulders and imply too bad. you chose the ride. My 5 other friends, driving VW were equally pissed off by their service and the breakdowns and down time they faced with their own rides as well.

getting a replacement car was nearly impossible each time. even when the car broke down right outside thvw workshop, the mechanic they refused to come out to take a look.

When my vw salesman got wind of me intending to change rides, he told me I should check out their tiguan as I was looking at the x1. no prices for guessing what my response to him was.

I know my car example is rather extreme but i reckon it boils down to one thing - customer satisfaction. TS was pleased with JnS' gesture. I'm glad. I only wished VW were as forthcoming as he was.

[gmt8300]

VW over-rated?

[triton]

rather than using examples on food/cars/etc and discuss if one would accept this and that.

let's stick to the facts what the thread starter is saying.

order customized material A but got customized material B instead
thread starter seeking partial refund but got rejected as strap maker counter with explaination
thread starter accepted the goods

what thread starter want to share - VERIFY order with strap maker and check that you have the item you ordered and not something else.

thanks to thread starter for this thread for making me aware how to DIFFERENTIATE between alligator and crocodile leather

Just a few days ago, I collected my Vecchio brown ALLIGATOR straps from JnS. After that, happily went home...

Then today, upon closer inspection, i found ISO pores on the leather, which is an indication of crocodile hide and not the advertised alligator hide.

Feeling shortchanged, I contacted Jason about this issue, at the same time asking for a partial refund. Although he admitted his oversight, his reply was that crocodile hide has many different grades blah blah blah and what I got was the higher grade ones and that those cost the same as alligator hide. (Put simply, he doesn't want to redo my actual order (i.e an alligator strap and NOT crocodile strap) nor does he want to refund any of my money).

Well, being the nice guy, I didn't want to argue with him so I just accepted his whatever reasons and blame it on my piss poor luck.

So there you go guys, be warned. So next time if you want to go the route of JnS, be sure to VERIFY your order with Jason before hand. Make sure what you order is what you get. Good luck!

[roguehog]

vw = very worrisome

that's the only car i ever owned that i dare not even drive up north as it's a ticking time bomb.

they replaced so many things on my ride i should've demanded a new car.
buy a vw if you like coffee and chees sticks.

[clocking]

Look at chicken and turkey without head easily can see the defriend.
Look at lion and tiger without head easily can see the defriend.
Look at alligator and crocodile without head very hard to recognize unless you super micro.

Hi TS what was done was done but what can be done to stop the "Tulan"...........
Never the less JNS did the service recovery, Jason has offered to channel a partial refund to my next strap purchase.

Alligator and crocodile without head very hard to recognize, if you have to put this aside Top-Class in workmanship if I not wrong. Anyway Christmas just around the corner the bell almost ringing. Why not enjoy your new strap post wrist shot here, (left right up down). What you say bro, my grandmother always said this to me when bad things happen good thing on your way. Have a nice day bro & Merry Christmas.

[nilfire77]

Didnt know about 'iso spore' until I see this thread
quite informative
i looked at my h18 gator strap - no iso spore confirm genuine gator not croc

Bro, fyi caiman hide does not have iso pores as well. However, they are pretty easy to spot because they stick out like a sore thumb. Generally, caiman hide has small and concave scales (abt 1/4" in width) and has a very dry texture. Also, the ridges between the scales "stretch" a lot when you bend the leather.

[eastsider]

Thanks to TS. I will also ban the supplier

Base on your story.the supplier refused to give u partial refund isnt it? Its after u post it here then only he give u back something. It just means if the buyer is not from this forum or any forum that the supplier also reads. He will stick to his initial response which is NO refund. U bought it u took it home. Ur problem

Thx TS

[lthg25]

Had a few straps made by Jason and experience was all good! I would recommend him.

[focus69]

hmmm seems like cant find a good attitude local straps maker here....also encounter one ya ya papaya maker....after all we are customer who pay for what we asking for......also most of us is rookie ....
by request or mentioned wrong design , will kena look down by the maker.......what a weird way f doing business n services.

[focus69]

I recommend simona di stefano
Very humble very good service and quality is top notch

Local ? tks

[Trinidad]

vw = very worrisome

that's the only car i ever owned that i dare not even drive up north as it's a ticking time bomb.

they replaced so many things on my ride i should've demanded a new car.
buy a vw if you like coffee and chees sticks.

Muayhahahaha!