Thought id share a funny little incident from a couple weeks ago.
Being in need of fletching tape I stopped at a couple of Pro shops in my area, and upon my request for said tape, not one but both shops asked " what color ?" and promptly laid out a vast array of colorful cap wraps !!
It gets better, at both shops they tell me that cap wraps and fletch tape are the same thing !! after explaining the difference that cap wraps and fletching tape are two totally different things, both shops admit to not having a clue what fletch tape is and admit defeat.
Now for the best part, at the second shop that I stopped at, following the tape incident, the fellow behind the counter asks " what bow do you shoot ?" at which point I stated that I shot a Howard Hill ( I left out the longbow part) at which point he states that if I have any problems with it, that they carry parts for it, and can service it as well!
This is the point where my people skills really start to decline and my goal of being a total ass kicks in, for it is now question and answer time.
It is at this point where I started asking questions about brace height, adjusting my tiller, arrow choices, hitting left, hitting right, ETC,. and this guy had an answer for every thing until I finally dumped his apple cart, by telling him that a Howard Hill, is a "longbow!"..... the look on his face was priceless ! for it is was at this point, that he realized that he had just talked sh&# for 30 minutes, and didnt have a clue about longbows or recurves,..... and I knew it.
I learned two things that day.
NO. 1
If your gonna talk sh&$ about something you know nothing about, be prepared for a bad after taste when you run into someone that does know, and lacks people skills.
NO. 2
Stay away from Pro shops, stick with people who know trad., such as our great sponsors, when it comes to bows, arrows, equipment, supplies and set up, they know there stuff and will help you any way they can to get you headed in the right direction. :knothead:
Priceless!
Seeing that would have been worth the price of admission!
I had a episode much like that. I was making a string for one of my bows and had absolutly nothing in the way of silencers in the house. Was driving by a "pro shop" one day and stopped in to get some cat whiskers. They said no one uses those any more and suggested string leaches. I thought I would try them and said give me a set. The salesman told me I would have to bring my bow in and have them put it on the bow press to install them. I assured him tha I could install them myself. Even as I was walking out the door, he was trying to convince me that I would HAVE TO use a bow press. Just left shaking my head.
quote:
Originally posted by moleman:
.......This is the point where my people skills really start to decline and my goal of being a total ass kicks in, for it is now question and answer time...........and this guy had an answer for every thing until I finally dumped his apple cart, by telling him that a Howard Hill, is a "longbow!"..... the look on his face was priceless ! for it is was at this point, that he realized that he had just talked sh&# for 30 minutes, and didnt have a clue about longbows or recurves,..... and I knew it. :saywhat:
QuoteOriginally posted by Hermon:
I had a episode much like that. I was making a string for one of my bows and had absolutly nothing in the way of silencers in the house. Was driving by a "pro shop" one day and stopped in to get some cat whiskers. They said no one uses those any more and suggested string leaches. I thought I would try them and said give me a set. The salesman told me I would have to bring my bow in and have them put it on the bow press to install them. I assured him tha I could install them myself. Even as I was walking out the door, he was trying to convince me that I would HAVE TO use a bow press. Just left shaking my head.
Would have loved it if you would have gone home brought your bow back to him and asked him how he was going to get it on the press. Would have been great!
I had a chuckle.
That's not so bad as when you do go looking for something for your trad equipment and they try to sell you a compound or crossbow while they put down your equipment. That's why I keep a folded picture of Bart Schleyer, Self bow and the Moose he took with it. I like to show them that and ask them if they can do that.
:archer:
That's awesome.
My favorite thing when I see someone trying to work on their bow with a bunch of allen wrenches or the press at the club is to walk over and say, "I hate adjusting my bow. Takes all the fun out of shooting it. But some times you just have to do it." Then I slip my string off, add a couple of twists, and brace it back up, all in about 30 seconds. "Much better. What are you doing there anyhow?"
What'd you say about people skills? :laughing:
I had a guy about fight me over glue-on field points. He kept saying "you can glue them if you want to I guess but they have threads on them....". I finally had to show him in his own catalog that there really were glue-on points with NO threads. Then he was all nice and offered to order me some. I went elsewhere...
C'mon Moleman.....you never know when your Hill may need a new flex capacitor or johnson rod! :thumbsup: .....as opposed to the B.S artist who get by or thrives, blowing smoke and sunshine.
And you are spot on with avoiding the "pro" shops....everything a bow guy needs is actually right here on this site! Lucky us! :clapper:
That's funny, right there... Sometimes I still feel like the second fellow that tried to help you :D
I had a fella pick a bow up I had for sale and asked what arrows I should get, I told him he asked how much and explained shaft coat feather cost points coast. were talking GT carbons and he said his dads friends could get him arrows as he owns a pro shop. I told him he can follow my advice or by the arrows twice as alot of new archers do.
Reminds me of the young boy running the pro-shop that had no idea what a bow square was :confused:
" Pro Shop "
That alone is funny. If those jackwaggons are considered a pro that would make me the Grand Master.
"PRO SHOP" ........... total misnomer!! :banghead:
:knothead:
Aww come on guys,, you just have to remember we are old fashioned and they live in the real world. Its not near as bad as going to an auto parts store where almost everyone working in there cant even change the oil in their car.Being old fashioned i once went to a car parts placed and asked what a carborator costs for an old bronco i had. He told me $485.I says,,no you dont understand,,i only want the carborator, not the whole engine.Yea yea i know,but i can remember when you could buy the whole engine for around that,lol.
I can relate Moleman. The ones that get me are the ones that don't have a clue what you are talking about so they try to play it down and come off as arrogant and to look down there nose at you. I think that's some peoples way of trying to save some face.
Beautiful!!! I would have had a little fun at his expense also. :biglaugh:
Lol, sometimes it's just too hard to resist.
:biglaugh: :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
What is the old saying.Better to keep you're mouth shut and be thought a fool,than to open it and remove all doubt.LOL
Well Done Paul!! :thumbsup:
Eric
A wise man admits not knowing and then goes in search of answers.
Had he admitted to not knowing and asked questions, I would have been more than glad to share any knowledge that I have, but by trying to come across as all knowing, he opened a door that one such as I just couldnt help but enter. :banghead:
I would have asked him if he had any cam modules in stock for my Hill. When he came back and said no, I would have asked him to order me some, and gave him my number to call when he got them in.
Awesome :clapper: Would love to have been a fly on yhe wall.
Most "Pro Shops" are a joke. My wife bought me a Hoyt Dorado for our first wedding anniversary from the pro shop here local. That was my reintroduction to traditional archery. I was so freaking excited about having that bow. I just fell in love with it.
The "Pro Shop" had it all set up for me when she brought it home. They said, "Whatever he does, don't let him twist at the string." Well I didn't know any better so I took them at their word because the were supposed to be the pros.
I shot that damn thing the way they had it set up for two years! I couldn't hit a damn thing with it. I made the 45 minute drive to them many times to try to do something different with it. They said it just is what it is. They had the nerve to tell me that I should just buy a compound and be done with my "playing around."
At the time, I had two compounds that were nicer than anything they had in their inventory. I didn't want or need another damn compound. I shot that recurve poorly, every single day, POORLY, because I was dedicated to what I wanted to do.
All I can say now is thank The Lord above for this site and others like it. If it hadn't been for Google searches and Traditional Archery sites I would have never known any different. I was ready to quit and just be done with it all because of the way the "Pro Shop" had me set up. Call me a slow learner I guess...I should have searched for info long before I did.
Thanks to everybody here. If it hadn't been for yall and the search function here, I would have missed out on one of the most enjoyable things I've ever had the pleasure of trying. Its not only a part of my life now...Its a way of life.
I teach archery in the local shop here in town and sometimes help out with sales. The owner sends most of the trad customers my way. I try to set them up right and always include three free lessions if they buy from us. I'll pretty much teach all types but the majority of my students are learning traditional.
I try to catch new folks before they spend alot of money on things they don"t need and get them set up right to start. Many times they are shopping for the best price and end up on fly bay or the big box stores.
They then go buy gear at the local Di//s Sporting Goods or the "pro shop" in the next town. Both places don't have a clue what they are selling.
By the time I see them they are frustrated and become more so when they find out the "PRO's have sold them the wrong stuff or just slapped on a nock point and they have to start over or have their bows adjusted.Then they get upset and don't understand why I won't adjust their equiptment for free.
I point out that if they buy from the store I teach at. We take care of our customers and will adjust and tweek till the bow is shooting well. If they buy elsewhere and want me to "fix it" the going shop price is $45.00 an hour with a one hour minimum
"The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignornance." - Ben Franklin
Bet he can can get you some real good expandable broadheads for that Hill and paper tune it for you too. Also don't forget you need to get that bow through the chrono after they get you some new super light arrows!
I'm sure all us trad guys have had an experience such as this. My favorite is when someone tells me you can't kill a deer with a recurve or longbow. Guess they don't know that traditional equipment pre-dates recorded history???
This sounds like a pro shop in my area!
I fell and broke a tip on my longbow once. I wish I would have known about a pro-shop that carried parts for them, would not have had to rework it to make it shoot again.
Only trad archers understand trad archer needs. String gun fanatics have no clue...I learned this as a boy
don't ya just love it.
That's funny Moleman!!
I don't go to a dentist to ask him about my car.
Don't see the point in wasting my time and thinking it's fun.
This reminds me of a saying:It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool,than to speak and remove all doubt.
That's hilarious!! I like the part where your "people skills really start to decline". Great story!!
Awesome story, great laugh for a Saturday AM.
Great stories, thanks for posting.