3 weeks ago I bought a personal Holborn Zip filofax in wine. It's beautiful!!
BUT... it has a major problem
Gap in the top rings
Gap in the bottom rings
(My finger isn't pushing them apart, actually it isn't touching them, it's just there because it was hard for my camera to focus otherwise).
Normally, I wouldn't be bothered about gaps in the rings if they weren't getting worse. Some gaps are bad because the paper snags on them as you move pages across the rings. This isn't happening on mine, but I do think the problem will get worse. Normally, gaps in a ring mechanism don't get worse, unless you pull at them or drop your filofax. I always open the ring mechanism properly using the buttons at the top and bottom of the mechanism, and I've never dropped it, so I know it's not my fault, and it shouldn't get worse for these reasons. Instead, the problem started, and will get worse, because of the way the filofax is constructed.
I have heard a few examples of the ring mechanism of the Holborn Zipped range having this problem. In fact, this filofax range was pulled by Filofax because of some problem with it- I can only think it was the ring mechanism's issues. After using mine for a couple of weeks, I think the problem is the way the ring mechanism is attached to the binder itself. When I first got mine, I felt that the leather was so supple the filofax would start to lay flat within a couple of days. I trained it a couple of times using paperweights, but I noticed when I did this that the rings slightly opened. I can only think this is because of the way the ring mechanism is attached to the leather, so that when the leather is pushed down and stretched, it pulls the rings open. In the few weeks that I have used it, it hasn't got flatter at all (naturally, as I've stopped training it)- I think this is because the ring mechanism is pulling the leather so that the binder doesn't lay flat.
Every time I open the rings (once per week, to put in new diary pages), I notice that the rings open more and are misaligned worse than normal- they ease up a bit after a couple of days of use, but this is a continual problem when I open the rings- they get misaligned, ease up (but don't close fully), then get misaligned again.
So I think this problem will continue. I love the binder in itself- I love it being zipped because it protects my papers from the rain etc, and I love the pocket layout. But I don't want the ring problem to get worse!!
So I have the option to return it to the seller. I have 28 days to return it, and today (Wednesday 22nd Feb 2012) is day 21, so I only have a couple of days to make up my mind before I have to send it off so it can actually arrive by day 28 (next Wednesday, 29th Feb). Also, I have to take into consideration the fact that the Royal Mail doesn't move any post on Sundays...
So what do you guys think? Should I just put up with the rings, or send it back to the seller and get a refund/exchange? I've put a poll up for you to vote, it closes on Sunday night so I have time to send it off on Monday morning if I decide to do so.
For reasons which I don't have time to explain (homework awaits!!), I don't want a replacement, just a straight-forward refund, so the question is just: Should I return my faulty Holborn Zip. Yes means return it, No means keep it. There's no 'Exchange it' option!! ;b
For reasons which I don't have time to explain (homework awaits!!), I don't want a replacement, just a straight-forward refund, so the question is just: Should I return my faulty Holborn Zip. Yes means return it, No means keep it. There's no 'Exchange it' option!! ;b
Thanks for your help!!
I have had the ring "issue" with 3 Filofaxes as you know, two cuban zips and my deco! My dad managed to fix mine with a pair of pliers, large ones lol
ReplyDeletebut it still annoys me and kind of tainted the filofax in a way so i dont use it now :( x
Oh no!! I knew 1 of your Cuban zips was bad but I didn't realise your other cuban and deco were!! how horrible!! would you return them if your dad hadn't already fixed them?
DeleteWhere did you buy it from? It won't get better without some attention to those rings.
DeleteNot had any ring issues with all of mine so far
City Organiser, so customer service should be good
DeleteGive them a call asap and get it back to them.
DeleteHi TPS - I thought you had sorted this out last week after your post on Philofaxy! The 28 days is offered by City Organiser "if you change your mind". There is no set time limit on a faulty item of manufacture. The product must perform as described. Your's doesn't. Send it back. You'll find City Organiser very helpful. Don't feel bad. They will get THEIR money back from Filofax.
DeleteHi Tim, thanks for your advice! I was just reluctant to send it back because I loved it so much! But I have sent it back now, I'm going to get a refund. It's not like I don't have loads more filofaxes on my shelf to use instead! It will be missed though!
DeleteKate, I'm still waiting on my replacement A5 Holborn from Pens & Leather. I'm bracing myself for it to have the same problem, though. If Filo UK pulled all their zipped Holborns because of quality control problems, I'm not holding out hope that the "replacement" one will be fine.
ReplyDeleteMy A5 laid flat right out of the box, no training required. I noticed that once I loaded my inserts in, the rings started to separate.
It's gonna suck if the replacement has the ring problem as well.
It should be replaced. I am a bit frustrated with Filofax right now because I have purchased four defective ones in the last year. I have returned all but the last at my expense. The last defective one I may keep because I'm about to give up on Filofax. It has ring problems similar to yours and was a quite expensive model. I find the ring problem unacceptable at any price range.
ReplyDeleteOh, too bad about this! Very disappointing.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, anytime you are not 100% happy with a Filo, return it. They are too expensive not to be fully happy with them. (Not that I haven't been guilty of the "I'll make it work" mentality myself.) My ochre malden has a similar situation - the rings are still together, but the pages do snag on them when I turn pages. Right now I'm only using it as a storage binder so it's not much of an issue for me. Plus, I got it as a hand-me-down since there's an imperfection on it to begin with. Since it cost me nothing I can't complain. But if I had paid for it, I would have exchanged it. It's very sad that this is a common issue with the Holborn - they are lovely binders. I thought about getting the slimline version until I read all the issues with the rings... Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI had this same problem with 2 Metropol pocket filos and 1 finsbury personal. It actually made me not want to use filofax at all anymore. But I contacted customer service and they were really helpful. One of the Metropols had a ring mechanism that didn't even work at all, and that was one of the replacements. I notice that almost all filofaxes have the slightest of gaps in the rings, and I think it is the mechanism they use. Filofax should use more sturdy, and stronger ring mechanisms. Much like they use in school binders with the levers to open it, rather than the buttons. I hope you get your filo fixed.
ReplyDeleteI purchase my original nude Personal on Filofaxusa.com, and I have the same ring issues as you do, they even look worse than yours, and everytime I flip pages they got stuck. It's just SO Disappointing. I only started to use it right now but I had purchased it for around 27 days. But I don't have any original packaging anymore. I am contacting their customer service and waiting for a reply. If this happens again, I will never use Filofax. $100 for ring gaps..... gotta be kidding me.
ReplyDelete