Graf Canada out of business

[nystromshairstylist 14]

On September 7, 2016 at 4:23 PM, chippa13 said:

If by a solid name you mean known for slipshod workmanship and sketchy customer service, then sure, the Graf name is pretty solid and well regarded.

Not sure where you get off knocking a well respected brand, who may have on occasion had QC issues, but made a superb product.  You need to get off your high horse and stop attacking a company that sold thousands upon thousands of skates per year that everyone who wore them that I spoke with - and I have several pair myself - were exceptionally comfortable.

[All Flash 49]

[Kgbeast 195]

On 9/14/2016 at 2:21 PM, DEATHTRON said:

Thanks Kgbeast.

With that said on baking times, I can confidently say these skates do not appear to be very thermoformable (trust me, I baked mine hotter and longer). Still a nice skate, though.

Zach

 

I did bake my PK3300 as per the instructions in an improvised convection oven, which is regular electric oven where along with the skates, I threw in a fan and a digital thermimeter. I was able to maintain between 156F and 163F for 4 minutes. Yes, skate was not a playdough, but it became soft enough for me to be able to squeeze the heel to a visible dent. After baking, the most noticeable change was to the padding and forming oh the heel bone pockets. I am not sure if they are moldable enough to cure a poor fit though... just like with most other skates.

Edited September 20, 2016 by Kgbeast

[chippa13 1844]

12 hours ago, nystromshairstylist said:

Not sure where you get off knocking a well respected brand, who may have on occasion had QC issues, but made a superb product.  You need to get off your high horse and stop attacking a company that sold thousands upon thousands of skates per year that everyone who wore them that I spoke with - and I have several pair myself - were exceptionally comfortable.

On occasion had QC issues? That is like saying back in the day Nikki Sixx used heroin "on occasion".

[Monty22 832]

Several of the shops near me stopped carrying Graf about a decade or so, primarily due to the "occasional QC" issues that popped up with every shipment.  Well, that and the minimal demand wasn't worth the aggravation of dealing with Graf.

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

13 hours ago, nystromshairstylist said:

Not sure where you get off knocking a well respected brand, who may have on occasion had QC issues, but made a superb product.  You need to get off your high horse and stop attacking a company that sold thousands upon thousands of skates per year that everyone who wore them that I spoke with - and I have several pair myself - were exceptionally comfortable.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

14 hours ago, nystromshairstylist said:

Not sure where you get off knocking a well respected brand, who may have on occasion had QC issues, but made a superb product. 

Well respected? Come on, now. 

Isn't "superb product" contradicted by "had QC issues"? 

[Kgbeast 195]

All I (and few other members) ever heard about Graf from anyone is positive. All that Chippa, Monty, and Vet heard was negative. There is a number of members that are highly negative about Bauer and then there are those that believe that Bauer is the bees knees when it comes to customer service and quality of the product. No body will convince anybody through ragging on the board. If you like Graf support Graf, if you like Bauer support Bauer. There should be no mud slinging. I personally do not care who thinks what about Bauer or Graf. I have not seeing any quality issues and every question I have asked from Graf was answered in a acceptable maner. I have the same to say about CCM and Easton... it is just Graf skates fit my feet better.

Edited September 20, 2016 by Kgbeast

[chippa13 1844]

The overwhelming consensus on this board by folks who know will tell you that Graf quality over the last 15 years has been extremely suspect.

[DarkStar50 679]

The fact that Graf closed up shop speaks to QC issues. When skates come from Calgary to east coast USA with problems, it's not easy to ship back and forth to solve problems while the customer is left hanging and the shop's reputation takes the hit. If you love Graf, great but when you are selling Graf as part of your product line in your shop, love has nothing to do with it.

[icewalker_bg 126]

4 hours ago, chippa13 said:

The overwhelming consensus on this board by folks who know will tell you that Graf quality over the last 15 years has been extremely suspect.

Same can be said about other brands - Easton Stealth S15 forward QC and durability has been so bad. S15 / S17 getting unglued and rivets, Makos  - Well its makos endless problems and poor QC with those skates, Bauer NXG - Just about everyone I know the tendon guard is broken, Bauer Edge holders screw up... 

I know Graf has had issues, I am not taking sides but not sure why so much hate towards Graf. I know lots of guys that have had 709 / 735 IIRC for many many years, and are super happy with them. 

[Vet88 674]

4 hours ago, Kgbeast said:

it is just Graf skates fit my feet better.

Really? And here you are squeezing the sides in to a visible dent to try and get a better fit?

Your a consumer dealing with one or a couple of experiences with a graf skate, if it works for you then well done and of course you may have nothing negative to say about it. That is your experience. Yet there are a number of comments here from members that deal with skates at the coal face, ie those customers who come back with QC problems. And of those customers, my experience was that there were disproportionately more Graf customers than any other skate brand. Note that I'm still not saying the skate is rubbish, when the issues were put right customers loved the skate but dealing with these issues was a constant pita. If Graf ever want to get the support of retailers back again to sell their product then this is the kind of thing they need to overcome.

[Kgbeast 195]

1 hour ago, Vet88 said:

...And here you are squeezing the sides in to a visible dent to try and get a better fit?

 

I guess, I have used this wording in a way that made you to believe that the dent was permanent or a QC problem.. This is not what I was trying to say, I was just trying to illustrate that once skates are heated to 160F, they are pliable enough to squeeze the heel with fingers. That said however, I am not saying that there are no unhappy customers. Quite obviously, there are. All I am saying is that you experience shows that majority of customers have coal face about these skates and in my experience shows majority are happy. This is all a personal experience and personal bias and opinion thing.  I doubt you have conducted a world wide poll to determine the accurate statistics. In my opinion, poor marketing is why their skates are not at the top. And this is my opinion and yours is probably different. As far as customer support and QC goes, the Graf Canada is the sole perpetrator in lack of that and it is gone now and we all can move on. It is literally is a dead horse beating at this point. 

[DarkStar50 679]

My NXGs are from November 2011 and still 100% A-OK. The tendon guards are in perfect condition, not broken at all. But then I unlace the top 2 eyelets, pull the laces out a lot of the next three eyelets and let my foot slide out of the boot instead of kicking off the skate in the locker room.

[chippa13 1844]

It is amazing how well your skates will hold up when you treat them properly.

[JR Boucicaut 3795]

20 hours ago, DarkStar50 said:

The fact that Graf closed up shop speaks to QC issues. When skates come from Calgary to east coast USA with problems, it's not easy to ship back and forth to solve problems while the customer is left hanging and the shop's reputation takes the hit. If you love Graf, great but when you are selling Graf as part of your product line in your shop, love has nothing to do with it.

Exactly.  I'll never forget the one time that a holder was seriously mismounted.  The story I got from the rep was something about how all of their mounts are laser guided and there was no way that could've happened.  They rejected the claim without even seeing it.  Had to eat the skate and put the customer into something else.

[GiancarloSFL 15]

Is there a way to order custom Graf skates from the Switzerland factory from here in the US?

[Kgbeast 195]

26 minutes ago, GiancarloSFL said:

Is there a way to order custom Graf skates from the Switzerland factory from here in the US?

You can email to support@grafskates.ch. They answer emails pretty fast. Also, since Graf has a distribution/manufacturing/rnd agreement with Vaughn Hockey, try mvaughn@vaughnhockey.com. He is responding to his emails pretty good as well. Vaughn, probably can make the skates already as they have all Graf machines and were working on putting them on-line for a couple of month now.

[GiancarloSFL 15]

Thanks!!!

[akravetz 29]

I saw Graf advertising on Facebook just recently. I thought they were out of business. Are they still around but under different management or did someone buy the name?

 

Andy in Peoria

[IPv6Freely 2092]

19 minutes ago, akravetz said:

I saw Graf advertising on Facebook just recently. I thought they were out of business. Are they still around but under different management or did someone buy the name?

 

Andy in Peoria

They have an agreement with Vaughn hockey for North American distribution, or something like that. Just trying to delay the inevitable.

[GiancarloSFL 15]

Switzerland has done well. I think Vaughn move is a good one there is still a niche market that they can work. 

[chipster 1]

http://vaughnhockey.com/product/goal-skates/gx3-goal-skate/ 

Looks an awful lot like a Graf goalie skate, I think this may answer Vaughn's overall intention. In other words, if they distribute Graf skates from Europe, it seems a side business, as they are now officially in the goalie skate business, producing their own using what appears to be Graf's equipment. Pretty good turn around time I must say, the R&D people at Vaughn really are amazing.

Edited January 9, 2017 by chipster

[EvilPepe 24]

Vaughn goal skates predate this particular agreement with Graf.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

4 hours ago, chipster said:

the R&D people at Vaughn really are amazing.

I mean, I guess if having your R&D team decide to sit on their hands year after year, then sure. They're awesome.