Hock Shop Quality

[CAP428]

I've heard some folks talk about the Hock Shop being a bit lower quality on some stuff as compared to Vanguard, but...
...I need to order some C/SSgt insignias and corresponding Wright Brothers ribbons.  I don't really have time to do the song and dance routine with Vanguard, so does anyone know how good of quality the Hock's insignia and ribbons are or if there is another place that manufactures them and delivers quickly, can you PM or something?  Thanks.

[Becks]

The insignia is usually perfectly fine.  The ribbons however sometimes look a little faded even though they are brand new, but you should be fine.

[MIKE]

The metal insignia is usually fine... It's the cloth stuff that most people have issues with... And as Becks said the ribbons can be a little off when compared to the same product from Vanguard.

[Jolt]

As far as metal chevrons go, The Hock's quality is fine.  In fact, I like the pips that they sell better than the ones from Vanguard.  The ribbons are a good quality, too.  The only thing is that the blue on white insignias come with some funny material on the back that make them hard to bend and sew on, Vanguard doesn't have that.

[Eclipse]

As far as metal chevrons go, The Hock's quality is fine.  In fact, I like the pips that they sell better than the ones from Vanguard.  The ribbons are a good quality, too.  The only thing is that the blue on white insignias come with some funny material on the back that make them hard to bend and sew on, Vanguard doesn't have that.

I'm sorry, the ribbbons and wing patches feature incorrect colors, and inferior manufacturing.

I would buy anything commercially available and in limited quantity or special to the Hock, but nothing of insignia, uniform items, or the like.

Vanguard's quality is better, and you can find better prices, without the attitude, elsewhere.

Maybe in the days before the internet, in the days of the depot, when everything was done by phone and snail mail he was a good source, but these days there's lots easier sources to deal with.

Get new uniform items from AAFES or MCSS.

Used items from ebay.

Insignia from Vanguard or eBay.

Also, the SEARCH button would have brought you at least 10 threads with this same discussion.

[Smokey]

I miss the CAP Supply Depot.........sniff

You could get survival equipment, pilot supplies, some uniform stuff and a whole lotta stuff at a good price.

RIP Supply Depot

[DNall]

I'm sorry, the ribbbons and wing patches feature incorrect colors, and inferior manufacturing.

You've said that before, especially about yall's wing patch, and I'm not doubting you, but have you noticed how many shades of ultramarine blue there are? Back w/ the bookstore they moved progressively darker with it. I got an order in from Vanguard & tapes from another supplier. The tapes are right. They match my older stuff & our wing patch that features that color. The lettering & spacing ar a bit dif, but that's the same level of variation you see in teh military too, & they look good so oh well. However, the background cloth for the observer wings is the dark purplish looking shade of blue you see sometimes (especially w/ grade it seems like), & the master GT badge is an in-between shade that looks passable. The material is a dif matting also. Now how do I sew those two on together & not have that look horrible?

I'm sure there's things the Hock is good & bad at, as it would seem is the case w/ Vanguard, and any other supplier too. It seems to me it would be better if CAP issued specs like the military does that specifically designates the explicit details of every item. Then issue those standards & allow other manufactures to send in a sample for certification & be subject to royalty fees & quality control checks. If CAP wants to take their royalty check that's fine, even if it pushes up the price a few pennies, but I don't care about the company's profit margin as long as they keep making the stuff. So let the competition run.

[Hawk200]

. It seems to me it would be better if CAP issued specs like the military does that specifically designates the explicit details of every item. Then issue those standards & allow other manufactures to send in a sample for certification & be subject to royalty fees & quality control checks. If CAP wants to take their royalty check that's fine, even if it pushes up the price a few pennies, but I don't care about the company's profit margin as long as they keep making the stuff. So let the competition run.

I've thought that myself, just never thought to mention it to anyone. At least I know that I'm not alone.

National should put together a package for potential vendors. Specify colors of thread and material weave, number of stitches, and exact dimensions. Specify this for everything that would be embroidered, or anything printed on a leather nameplate. And allowing multiple badges on leather nameplates would increase income.

Specify a yearly fee, instead of royalties on individual orders. National doesn't need to know specifically whose purchasing what. A flat fee on a yearly schedule would handle this nicely, and bring in some income.

[DNall]

I think you did mention it, I thought that's where I got the idea from.

Yearly fee might be a bit stiff when they don't know what kind of volume they'll be doing each year. Maybe an either/or kind of option, or varrious levels (silver/gold/platinum suplier) that entitle them to a number of items or dollar amount or auth more items as they move up. Doesn't sound all that hard really.

And I say this as I'm about to email Vanguard about my jacked up order & missing items the paper says are included.

[Eclipse]

The other problem with some of this stuff, especially tapes and insignia, is that depending on how you care for the garment, they fade to sky blue fast.

So unless you replace them all when you get a new rating lie GLT or MO, it'll still look weird.

[mmouw]

I really like dealing with them on a personal level, but my experience is that it takes weeks in some cases to get what you order. I put in an order for grade insignia last September and I needed a new blues shirt so instead of buying it from Vanguard or going to the BX, I just ordered it from them at the same time. It took 9-10 weeks for the shirt to show at my house. I called a couple of times and they told me they were waiting on their order to come in from who ever they order from. So do they order from Vanguard and then ship to their customers?

[Becks]

I'm sorry, the ribbbons and wing patches feature incorrect colors, and inferior manufacturing.

You've said that before, especially about yall's wing patch, and I'm not doubting you, but have you noticed how many shades of ultramarine blue there are? Back w/ the bookstore they moved progressively darker with it.

Yeah, but after I got a GTM badge from Hock that was darn near purple I stopped ordering cloth related items from Tom.