Went to HL last weekend for some supplies. Came home with a few, one of which was a new 15 blade dispenser of Excel #11 blades. That same evening I replaced the tired blade in my handle and began to trim. The blade wouldn’t cut. Odd.
Checked the blade with the optivisor and the tip isn’t sharp. Hmmmm…
Let’s try another blade. Same thing. Check. Also dull on the tip. Crud.
Went back today, first chance since the last, and the lady manager reluctantly said I could swap them for another. I didn’t have either the package or the reciept so that’s good enough. I opened the new pack with her there to check them. Same thing.
I didn’t knowwhat to do. I didn’t want to open a bunch of stock looking for a good set and neither did the manager but she refuse to give me a refund OR trade me for a couple of smaller, $2 packages of fewer blades. I thought I was screwed.
I ended up going back to the aisle and taking a package from the bottom slot and checking it. I was prepared to go through ALL the inventory until I found a sharp set (I was leaving with good blades one way or another) but luckily the next set I checked was good to go.
I told the lady these were fine and offered the package for these to her for the set I returned. She once more refused to give a refund. I finally explained I didn’t want a refund, I just wanted sharp blades. It was a confusing debacle.
She was questioning whether or not I bught the blades there. Fine. But how could the same problem be explained between the product I had and the one off the shelf otherwise? And besides, all I wanted was sharp freeking blades! I finally got it across but after driving 45 mins and arguing for ten minutes over a $7 package of blades… c’mon, lady.
I have only returned something to HL twice in all the years I have shopped there. I shudder at the thought of ever having to take anything back because it is a freakin nightmare if you have no receipt! The fact I am a male and can lose the receipt between the checkout and the exit door doesn’t help! LOL…
Sorry to hear this happened to you. I know from my experience at Hobby Lobby the clerks do not know jack about the products Hobby Lobby carries. One suggestion is to resharpen the tip with a fish hook sharpener. I have used a pocket fish hook sharpener to resharpen my #11 X-acto blades with good results.
Send me a sample of those blades and I will talk to Excel about them…I’ve never heard of that being an issue with them before. In fact I exclusively use their blades because of the sharpness and durability they provide. PM me for more details.
you know I must have eight or ten knives in three sizes. Three of them are Xacto’s that are about 40 years old, and have just about had it. Up and untill about three or four years ago I used nothing but Xacto blades. Then I found some Excel blades on the shelf, been using them every since. I like their products. They sell this little blue bar clamp that is a gem, and I must own a dozen of them. I’ve never had a bad blade from them. I’d like to see them do a very thin razor saw similar to the JLC, but one that would mount in the large knife handle like the regular saws will.
My wife finally got me to where I keep a reciept until A. I have determined that the item I bought is going to work or B. the reciept is for a high dollar item (eg digital camera) which means it goes into a file until the warranty or guarantee period ends. Having been burned a couple times because I lost the reciept, I finally figured out she had a good idea.
Get Olfa blades. Online or at Michael’s (cut the coupon from the Sunday paper). Best #11 blades made – from Japan. And their art knife handle is probably the best one available.
Obviously one of the best, but the KA-4 and its replacement blades are something like 5 times the prices of xacto.
That’s why I’m looking for 30 degree Tajima, also high carbon steel, but in snapoff form it would be fraction the cost of olfa. (olfa doesn’t make 30 degree snapoff as far as I know).
For excellent #11 blades made in the UK, search online for surgical supply houses that sell Swann-Morton hobby blades in bulk. http://www.cincinnatisurgical.com/ is one dealer online.
General observation about Hobby Lobby: Any major chain store today that doesn’t use a central computerized system based on bar codes / sku numbers to check out customers and track their inventory has a MAJOR problem.
I use Swann-Morton with the retractable blade so my kids can’t cut themselves by my carelessness, keeps my kids safe. There are about 4-5 different styles that fit the handle. They are surgical quality so are always sharp. But you don’t need to get a retractable. Check their web-site.