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Where To Get Frank Dubiels Book In Europe


anaglyphos

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Hi,

 

the title says it all. Is the book available in the UK or anywhere else in Europe? I could not locate any shop, but probably there are some.

 

(I know the book is readily available in the States but I'd rather order it within Europe, if possible. Where I live, due to customs and postal service procedures it is a real hussle to buy goods from the US if they are sent using USPS, and this how nearly all of the them are shipped. Packages will take ages to arrive plus half a day to collect them in some very uncosy customs office.)

 

Thanks!

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Hi. Books are duty free in my country, and 6% VAT.

 

I guess tariffs in Germany will be similar.

 

Prices for sending books are also lower than other products, normally.

 

 

D.ick

~

KEEP SAFE, WEAR A MASK, KEEP A DISTANCE.

Freedom exists by virtue of self limitation.

~

 

 

 

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Hi!

 

Thanks for the information. Maybe you are right. But this is not about fees, it is about procedures. Believe me it is a horrible experience. I have ordered from the US whenever I badly wanted something not available anywhere else, and everytime I promise to myself to never again repeat this treat. Parcels get stuck in customs for weeks and nearly always have to be collected at some local customs office where you have to wait for hours in a cold and drafty place on a wooden bench. No coffee, either ;) This is true for all shipping with USPS. Couriers like UPS, Fedex, DHL Express pose no problem at all. But they are very expensive, and most shops do not use them at all or only for very valuable goods.

 

On the other hand, within the EU no problems at all. Everything gets delivered at the doorstep in a matter of a few days. That is why I prefer by far buying in the UK or someplace else in Europe. If that is not possible I will of course order the book from the US - grudgingly...

Edited by anaglyphos
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Hi!

 

Thanks for the information. Maybe you are right. But this is not about fees, it is about procedures. Believe me it is a horrible experience. I have ordered from the US whenever I badly wanted something not available anywhere else, and everytime I promise to myself to never again repeat this treat. Parcels get stuck in customs for weeks and nearly always have to be collected at some local customs office where you have to wait for hours in a cold and drafty place on a wooden bench. No coffee, either ;) This is true for all shipping with USPS. Couriers like UPS, Fedex, DHL Express pose no problem at all. But they are very expensive, and most shops do not use them at all or only for very valuable goods.

 

On the other hand, within the EU no problems at all. Everything gets delivered at the doorstep in a matter of a few days. That is why I prefer by far buying in the UK or someplace else in Europe. If that is not possible I will of course order the book from the US - grudgingly...

I know. I regularly order from either Amazon UK or DE, incidentally from FR. Works like a treat. Even got a very nice ST Dupont through DE and a good offer on a Parker Sonnet from UK.

 

Sofar no need for ordering from USA.

 

Might be though, that books go smoother...

 

D.ick

~

KEEP SAFE, WEAR A MASK, KEEP A DISTANCE.

Freedom exists by virtue of self limitation.

~

 

 

 

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I'll start this with the usual disclaimers, but have you thought of buying Marshall and Oldfield's book "Pen Repair" instead? I think it's published in the UK. While I have a copy of Frank's book, I only use it rarely now as some of his methods are questionable to say the least. The M & O book is well illustrated with photos and is very helpful. Good luck.

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I got my copy from the US, no problem on this one with the german customs.

 

As mentionned above it is interesting to read but you have to be aware that some techniques described are questionnable if not recommended at all. I got my copy of the "pen repair" directly from the authors, signed by them. Did not matter much when I bought it but it does a lot now!

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I'll start this with the usual disclaimers, but have you thought of buying Marshall and Oldfield's book "Pen Repair" instead? I think it's published in the UK. While I have a copy of Frank's book, I only use it rarely now as some of his methods are questionable to say the least. The M & O book is well illustrated with photos and is very helpful. Good luck.

 

As mentioned in my other post I have this book and I read in it a lot. It is a wonderful book. It is just that I sometimes feel I would need something even more basic with even more detailed instructions. However, it has already helped me immensely. Had I not read the mentioning of the screwed in button of the Mentmore Autoflow button filler I would propably have ruined instead of restored my first ever pen to work on.

 

I got my copy from the US, no problem on this one with the german customs.

 

Interesting. The problem is mainly one of DHL. DHL is supposed to carry out customs procedures at the International Import Centre at Frankfurt Airport on behalf of the recipient - just like the courier services. (In this process customs opens packages only randomly for checking the contents.) The transport company does check the package if it has a correct commercial invoice attached to its outside. If it does it is supposed to be forwarded to the local DHL station for delivery. Without invoice attached it is supposed to go to a local customs office where it may be collected after formal opening, the whole procedure taking a l o n g time. In reality however 95% of the packages, invoice attached or not, are not delivered directly but go to the local customs office to be collected by the recipient. I had to collect many parcels that had proper invoices attached. Mabe you were just lucky, maybe it depends on how overwhelmed DHL is at a given time.

 

Anyway, if no one can provide a European source for the book, I will have no other choice but to give it another try.

 

As mentionned above it is interesting to read but you have to be aware that some techniques described are questionnable if not recommended at all. I got my copy of the "pen repair" directly from the authors, signed by them. Did not matter much when I bought it but it does a lot now!

 

Yes, I have heard so. Still a lot of important information in it, I guess.

 

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Interesting. The problem is mainly one of DHL. DHL is supposed to carry out customs procedures at the International Import Centre at Frankfurt Airport on behalf of the recipient - just like the courier services. (In this process customs opens packages only randomly for checking the contents.) The transport company does check the package if it has a correct commercial invoice attached to its outside. If it does it is supposed to be forwarded to the local DHL station for delivery. Without invoice attached it is supposed to go to a local customs office where it may be collected after formal opening, the whole procedure taking a l o n g time. In reality however 95% of the packages, invoice attached or not, are not delivered directly but go to the local customs office to be collected by the recipient. I had to collect many parcels that had proper invoices attached. Mabe you were just lucky, maybe it depends on how overwhelmed DHL is at a given time.

 

Anyway, if no one can provide a European source for the book, I will have no other choice but to give it another try.

 

I am aware of that, I'm living in Germany. For the Dubiel one I did not find any source Europe so you'll have to buy it from the US.

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