[edgarspencer]

I think the original intent of the OP, the member who was pleased with work he received from Bachelders, was simply to state just that. If other's felt the same way with work they have gotten from the current Bachelder organization, it wouldn't be inappropriate to say as much.
However, I find it in very poor taste to both use the OP's post to argue points which are the opposite of his, and to disparage the work of the organization the OP refers to.
I can speak first hand to being thrust into a position I thought would never come, and to be under the microscope of those expecting me to pick up precisely where my father left off, as though nothing happened within the company, nor any traumatic loss within my own family, and especially to me.
I worked for a man who was arguably one of the best in providing a technically challenging product, from drawing, to finished product. These weren't widgets, but high strength alloy, and stainless steel castings used in power generation, oil and gas drilling, and surface and submarine building. What everyone assumes, almost always incorrectly, is that the father teaches as well as he performs. That I was able to succeed was because I was paying attention. Some people learn by hearing a description of how it's done, and others learn by watching it being done.
As a businessman, and individual, who had experienced this, I had several long conversations with Parker about loosing a father, and being immediately expected to fill his shoes.
I think almost all of us have had a project worked on by a gunsmith. Many of us have had too many projects to even remember, worked on, and were glad there was someone out there to take those projects on. I wouldn't even begin to guess how many of us demanding customers are out here, and then guess how few good gunsmiths there are to service our needs.
Any organization worth going to, is going to be expected to do precisely what the customer wants, with zero defects; within an often unrealistic time-frame, and at a price they want, and often negotiated downward. Delivering one or two out of the three features; price, quality and delivery, is as good as failure.
A lot of dust collects on the stack of guns in nearly all shops, and being a little guilty of what a lot of customers do, I have no right to bitch: Guilty of leaving a gun, saying 'no rush, when you get to it, tell me what you think" lots of those customers don't even know what they want, but expect the smith to read their mind.
I spoke with Brad about a project I wanted him to tackle. He was forthright in his time frame; 5-6 months. Then he died. It hasn't been a year, and both the company, and a customer visiting the company, have told me my project is nearly done.
I sent Brad a gun many years ago, to have barrels finished, and re-case harden frame, and ancillaries. I told Brad, over cocktails a few years ago, in Baltimore, How much I liked it, and he thanked me and pointed to his son, saying "He did the barrels.