Northern Tails Sharpening

• Your contact and return shipping information must be inside the box, either on a piece of paper, a business card, or the "Inventory Sheet" filled out.
• AVERAGE SIZE ORDER: Consists of up to 18 blades, any number of shears, and one electric clipper. If your order is larger than this it may take an extra day.
• If we talked on the phone about something special prior to your shipment, please write it down on paper and stick it in the box to remind me. I'll ask you to do that anyway because I talk to so many people and its usually while I'm driving down the road. I appreciate it!!
• Its your responsibility to check your blades over before shipping them to me for sharpening.  If the blade has a freshly broken tooth (possibly from shipping) I will call you. I check this by looking at the break, if its a light grey color its a fresh break, if its rusty its an old break. If the blade has one old broken tooth on the very outside of the blade I will sharpen it without calling because Im assuming this blade has been in service and want me to sharpen it. New broken teeth I will always call you. Cutter teeth cannot be fixed and the cutter will need replaced. I will never sharpen a blade that has several teeth in a row missing to expose the cutter that might cut a dog, I will call you. Check those 40's over good! Broken teeth cannot be fixed. If you have blades with broken teeth that you use under combs, please write a note saying to sharpen it to save confusion. I double check everything so don't worry if you miss something.
• Take the time and pack your box securely. Use a "blade box" to hold your blades or wrap them up in paper or bubble wrap. Your box will be tossed around during shipment alot so after you pack it shake it to see if anything rattles. If you hear something moving, re-pack it more tightly with paper, peanuts, or bubble wrap.
• Remember, there are 20 people handling your box after you mail it, and there is also 20 people handling it after I mail it back to you. They throw boxes most times and this can jam the contents no matter how good you or I pack it. Sometimes blade teeth get busted off, scissors get bent and don't cut, and clipper bodies can get cracked up just from the jarring. The funny part is the box may show little or no damage at all. I get boxes in sometimes where items are busted or bent and it wasn't that way when it was packed, and the box may have a slight indentation on the corner. I sometimes photograph box contents when high dollar equipment is mailed out just in case it ends up damaged on the customer end, this helps insurance claims. So don't get mad, call me immediately like I suggest on the invoice so we can get some answers. Never assume I did this to your equipment, I'm a professional and call when things show up damaged or I damage them.
• We do not automatically add insurance to any shipment, nor automatically ship back to you the same way you shipped to us. If you want insurance for the return of your stuff, put this in writing inside the box or on the "Inventory Sheet". I can only add up to $500 worth of insurance because I get postage online only. Northern Tails Sharpening will not be responsible for damage to your equipment AFTER it has been given to the US Post Office for shipment. We will not repair or replace any equipment damaged in shipment regardless. Ask for the insurance.
• Insurance Claims - You are required to file an insurance claim for your damaged equipment, NTS cannot do this for you. If you requested insurance, we can give you the tracking numbers to do so. For online help go to the help page for insurance claims on the US Post Office website. Online Insurance Claims  Download and fill out USPS Form 1000
• YOU PAY RETURN SHIPPING. Our prices are lower than many other services so you are spending less even when you pay the postage. We ship Priority Mail / Delivery Confirmation through the US Postal Service exclusively. Priority Mail takes 2 - 3 days to get anywhere in the lower 48 states, and I've never lost a box through the USPS. Delivery Confirmation (cost: 65 cents), will tell us when the box was shipped and where it was delivered. When the box is undeliverable, we know where its at and I will get it back in some circumstances. You can't lose using the US Post Office.
• It is appreciated if you can try to clean the hair out of your blades. It carries parasites and who knows what other viruses and fungus spores. I have opened a box and had fleas jump all over me, Id like the fleas to remain at your place. If you don't want to clean the hair out I guess Ill just have to do it, it just slows me down. Some trimmer blades will retain hair in the springs and felt pads, no one can get this out because its part of the blade now. I understand this.
• If you don't have time to go to the Post Office, and you want to mail your stuff to me, try "Click & Ship" from the USPS. If you have internet access, the USPS website will let you get postage online. Then take your box to the shop and let the mail carrier pick it up there. I explain this service in detail at the bottom of this page. Check it out if your swamped most days and can't get away to go to the Post Office.
• Please don't send any postage stamps to cover the return postage, I buy postage and labels electronically from the US Post Office.
• The 48 hour turnaround starts when I pick up the box from the UPS store. This means I will have it only 48 hours before I mail it back to you, and it does not include the shipping times both ways. Expect from the time you mail your box until you get it back to take 7 - 10 days depending if a weekend was in there someplace. Mail usually leaves the post office the day after you take it there. The Post Office does not move mail from city to city on weekends anymore since February 2009.
• Don't "overnight" a box to me because your desperate or forgot to send it earlier, and expect me to sharpen everything in an hour and "overnight" it back to you. I'm on a mobile route a couple days a week, so Im not good at doing "overnight".
• During the months of November, December, January, and February, there is more mail going to and from the war zone. More boxes are scanned searching for bad things during these months so a slight delay may occur in the travel times to me or back to you. We all have to be sympathetic during these periods.
• The "Inventory Sheet" (downloadable) lists items and prices so you can itemize your shipment, and get an idea of the cost. It will even print out a label for the shipping box. Please don't fill out a check for the amount of the itemized inventory sheet, because you'll forget to include your return postage.
• The Post Office is not working weekends anymore except for the sales counter. No mail is moving city to city anymore over the weekends. If a box is mailed on Friday chances are it will not leave that Post Office until Monday at 6am.  UPS, FEDEX, or DHL will move your box over the weekend for about $50 more than regular postage. You have to make the decision "Is it worth it"? The US Post Office is still the best way to ship boxes because they guarantee 2 day delivery on Priority Mail to any lower 48 state from any state. Yes, that means Miami FL to Seattle WA in two days. Distance means nothing anymore when mailing out sharpening, it takes the same amount of time no matter where you live. (Miami FL to Seattle WA has the longest distance between two US cities in the lower 48 states)
• I know I went over alot here, Im sorry, but I wanted to be thorough about everything. How many times did you assume something and it didn't turn out that way? Not with me, I want first time shippers, as well as seasoned shippers to know what the facts are and not guess or worry about anything. Sharpening is a team effort, lets do it right the first time!!

Flat Rate Boxes

These are free from the Post Office. You would want to use the big one as it will hold more things. The cost for postage is "One Rate" to anywhere in the US regardless of how much it weighs. If you have alot of stuff, or your shipping a long way, this is the best deal. If you have a small amout of stuff just use a regular box. Get the box that measures 8 X 11 X 6, its free at the post office. A picture of one is at the left. There is also a "Large Flate Rate Box" that holds 50% more than this box, the flate rate for this box is a few dollars more.

The Blade Box

These two boxes will hold up to 25 blades when you put more than one in a slot. They will save your blades from having broken teeth during shipment, and organizes them while its in the grooming shop. If you want to ship scissors as well, get a bigger box that will hold the blade box with some extra room. Wrap your shears real good with bubble wrap and put them in the bigger box along with the blade box. Make sure you put a rubber band around the blade box to hold it shut because it will come open.

We charge $3.00 for either box and they are the best on the market and it will hold together for quite a long time. We can return your blades in the box, just tell us you need one.  The larger box (pictured on right, is one inch wider), can accomodate any blade out there especially the WIDE blades.  Just $3.00 !!