To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Round of applause for True Temper Tools

S

signcrafter

Well-known member
Joined
May 9, 2012
Messages
12,605
I'm not sure how many years ago but probably close to 15 years ago I bought a true temper contractor grade drain/trench shovel. It had a short fiberglass handle and has worked great for all these years. This year I was doing some yard work and the plastic D handle snapped. I was pretty bummed, between this and my ridgid long handled shovel they have done a lot of digging! I learned a long time ago a good quality yard tool can make the job go a lot smoother.

Most of the higher end garden tools have some sort of lifetime warranty. So I googled true temper to see if I could find out if there was anything that could be done. Found their website and didn't see my shovel listed under the true temper name, didn't see any contractor grade shovels under true temper name. So I emailed them and asked what the warranty was on these shovels or if they sold just the replacement D handle for it since all I needed was the plastic handle at the end of the fiberglass shaft. They asked for some info and we couldn't determine what model I had so they asked for a couple pictures which I sent them. They replied that they would send me a replacement handle to see if I could fix my shovel AND a new shovel. I would have been more then happy with one or the other, pretty sure a new handle would have got mine up and running again. But they said to see if I could fix the old one and keep it along with the new one.

So in the last week two packages came from Ames tools. One was a new plastic handle. The other was the whole shovel. I've been busy and just set them aside until today. True temper sells a lower end D handle drain spade so that was what I was expecting as the replacement. When I opened up the new shovel I was more then surprised! Turns out Ames owns a few different names and one of them is Jackson. They sent a brand new Jackson Professional Kodiak drain spade, http://www.jacksonprofessional.com/...Id=1361&SubFamilyId=250&FamilyId=76&LineId=75. Found it online for over 60 bucks, http://www.toolking.com/jackson-1558800-kodiak-16-in-drain-spade/.

I'd say they went above and beyond and deffinately made me a happy person. I've been wanting a Jackson wheelbarrow for a while now and the next time I need a wheel barrow I will pick the Jackson up. Since they sent a spare handle also I should be able to fix the old one also.

Old shovel,
IMG_20140721_180950_138.jpg

IMG_20140721_181004_752.jpg

IMG_20140721_181027_869.jpg

New shovel,
IMG_20140808_123739_228.jpg
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
W

Wakefield

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 26, 2010
Messages
5,173
Location
Arlington VA (but would like to get out to country
I don't remember the brand name of the nursery spades that my late boss used to procure for our tree planting activities but I think they cost at least $80. as of several years ago - they seemed to be forged in one piece with the handle and a footrest that might have had a replaceable rubber step-they definitely cut through a lot of roots and even some rocks-3 men in a circle with 3 of those things around a tree popping it out for transplant somewhere else -- might have been Jackson? pretty much indestructible-a 200 lb. man could lay on with all his weight or even bounce on it a bit
 
M

methomas70

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2009
Messages
385
Location
Chicago burbs
Good for you.
I have an Ames Diamondback bow rake (not a cheap one I might add) that I bought at Home Depot about 5 years ago. Never left it out, never got wet, still looks pretty new in fact, but it broke at the business end.
Took it to Home Depot.....um uh what um er uh you'll have to call Ames.
Ok so I call Ames, and very politely tell them of my dilemma.
They reply, "do you have your receipt?"
I said, "no, I didn't keep it."
Ames: "sorry, nothing we can do."
Me: "but the sticker on the handle says 15 year limited warranty, it says nothing on it about a receipt"
Ames: "sorry, nothing we can do."

So I hose clamped the end that broke, it works just as well as it did new.
Unfortunately the 15 year warranty works as well as no warranty.

Not a big deal, luckily your experience went better than mine did.
I'll join you in a round of applause for True Temper Tools, but I'll sit on my hands for Ames thankyouverymuch.
 
S

srmofo

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Messages
6,161
Location
SW ohio
That kind of service is what will make me pay a premium for a product.

I just had a recent experience with Weber Grills
 
C

Cato

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
636
Location
Alhambra, California
True Temper products are so inexpensive I bet a lot of people don't even think about using their warranty. Most of their customers are little old ladies who couldn't break a shovel if they ran it over in their Oldsmobile.

There's probably one guy in a corner cubicle twiddling his thumbs all day who handles warranties. He was just happy to see the phone is working.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
OP
S

signcrafter

Well-known member
Joined
May 9, 2012
Messages
12,605
Ya I was very impressed with there customer service. I try to buy the best tools I can afford and I can't remember how much I paid for this shovel but I know it wasn't the cheapest option. I bought the contractor grade for it to last.

Cato said:
True Temper products are so inexpensive I bet a lot of people don't even think about using their warranty. Most of their customers are little old ladies who couldn't break a shovel if they ran it over in their Oldsmobile.

There's probably one guy in a corner cubicle twiddling his thumbs all day who handles warranties. He was just happy to see the phone is working.
Click to expand...

I know now they don't sell top end tools but they used to sell two lines of tools. The true temper and the true temper contractors choice. I think they merged or something and now the contractors choice quality is jackson.
 
M

methomas70

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2009
Messages
385
Location
Chicago burbs
Major Ramifications said:
methomas,
How are they supposed to know if it has been less than 15 years without a receipt?
Click to expand...

1) The friggin Ames sticker on said rake has a copyright of 2003. So, using the art of subtraction, I should have about three and a half years of warranty left.

2) Home Depot's UPC sticker is still on the rake. I dont know for sure what data that sticker contains, but the Home Depot location I bought it at didn't exist 15 years ago.
Maybe Major Ramifications is a UPC code expert and can tell us?
But regardless, see 1.

3) It's just a rake, I'll be ok.
 
H

Haveblue

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 8, 2013
Messages
1,484
Location
kansas
I have owned a LOT of True Temper tools over the years and my opinion is that they are professional quality tools at a great price...sorry to sound like a commercial...but I wont buy anything else unless I have to.
 
J

jake00

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 21, 2005
Messages
2,645
Location
illinois -- NW Burbs
methomas70 said:
Ok so I call Ames, and very politely tell them of my dilemma.
They reply, "do you have your receipt?"
I said, "no, I didn't keep it."
Ames: "sorry, nothing we can do."
Me: "but the sticker on the handle says 15 year limited warranty, it says nothing on it about a receipt"
Ames: "sorry, nothing we can do."
Click to expand...

Had a similar incident w a broken proto puller that I bought off Amazon. They told me it wasn't covered cause amazon isn't an authorized dealer..... Umm, WTF.???? Told the lady ok. Boxed it up and wrote a letter basically telling them they could get Effed.

Brand spankin new one showed up.
 
B

buridan

Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2022
Messages
8
methomas70 said:
1) The friggin Ames sticker on said rake has a copyright of 2003. So, using the art of subtraction, I should have about three and a half years of warranty left.

2) Home Depot's UPC sticker is still on the rake. I dont know for sure what data that sticker contains, but the Home Depot location I bought it at didn't exist 15 years ago.
Maybe Major Ramifications is a UPC code expert and can tell us?
But regardless, see 1.

3) It's just a rake, I'll be ok.
Click to expand...
If you bought the rake with a credit card, you might be able to access old statements and receipts online.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom