Milk Creek Sutlery Review

[NoahBriggs]

I have finally received the three surgical instruments from Milk Creek (MC) Sutlery. I ordered two tenacula and a nealton probe. The tenacula were $25 each, and the probe was also $25. They asked for a six dollar shipping fee which seemed somewhat excessive, considering they shipped it by regular mail. I ordered on the 25th of December, 2009, and received it on January 4th, 2010.

The ordering process was very smooth. I filled out the online info, placed the order, and they accepted my payment (a gift credit card). I also received an e-mail stating my order had been shipped on December 30, 2009.

I will not be overly critical of their delivery time. We can order things whenever we want, but the plain fact is that it takes someone at the warehouse to pick and pack the order, and several other someones in the mail services to deliver it. I had placed my order on December 25, and we had the chaos of the post-holiday season kick in, which is why received my items yesterday.

My order arrived in a standard first-class Priority Mail envelope. Each item, as you can see from the pictures, had been individually placed in small ziploc-style bags. The shipper also placed a piece of corrugated cardboard to keep the package flat. Despite their precautions one of the tenacula had been slightly bent - whether from careless handling or because the item was not as well manufactured, I do not know. I carefully straightened it.

The tenacula:

These are, for the newbies among us, the infamous hooks used to draw blood vessels from the stumps of amputations, so that one could tie a ligature around it. I'll get to showing how to set yours up in a moment. For now, I want to review exactly what I got in relation to the originals. I had to go by some of my photos of Archer (A&S) repros - since he was the first and only known maker of repro 19C surgical instruments before MC and Two Flags (TF), he becomes the benchmark his competitors must meet.

The A&S version was slim, lightweight and had a sharp point as per the originals. He had also lightly stamped on the tang "Archer & Son" so as to identify the item as his and not as an original.

I suspect the MC version was ordered from another manufacturer and then marked up for retail sale. The MC version feels thicker and more crudely hammered into shape. The hook does not end in a very fine point. Rather, it looks like the end had been snipped off and filed in an attempt to make it sharp. The manufacturer also stamped "Tissa" deeply onto the tang, far deeper than what you would see on manufacturer's stamps on originals. The tang has been inserted into the wooden handle and is held in place with four metal studs. The handle has been stained dark brown. I don't know what kind of wood the manufacturer used.

The tenaculum holds okay in my hand. It does feel somewhat bulky, but it's not a major impediment to its overall use. Once I try a few ligatures I will be able to tell if it's worth the time and money invested.

The probe:

This is a metal rod some eighteen to twenty inches long, with a white bulb on either end. It balances rather well, is not bulky and seems long enough to track ballistics. I don't know what substance they used to make the bulbs on the end. I don't think it's worth $25 myself - $20 ought to cover it, considering the materials need to make it.

Unfortunately I don't have a real A&S probe to which I can compare it. The closest would be the one from my old mentor's A&S capital kit, but it's been so long since I've dealt with one of those I don't think to compare them would be fair. The photo I have is of the one that screws into the wooden handle of the A&S pocket dissection kit. (That's the one with the hammer, chisel, chain retractor and the small saw.)

I'd recommend Milk Creek to help you fill out missing items from your kit, especially on originals. I'd also like to see them make a Heys saw, too. The originals spiral to almost $300 each, and Archer always seems to be out of stock on his site.

[k6j3p]

I purchased a number of items from them, service was great until I sent some items back for a refund.... I'm still waiting for the refund (items were received back to them in August), and I had to go through paypal dispute in order to get a refund for items purchased but never received. Every time I contacted them about my order and refund they said it was on the way, but never came. I would not recommend them. Their medical equipment is just OK and over priced, I'd stay with Archer.
KP

[David Meister]

I have had the opportunity to examine a milk creek capital amputation set with one from archer and sons. The archer one seems to have better craftsmanship and more attention to detail than the M.C. kit.

I have been meaning to ask this for a while but I have been busy. I have noticed that the picture of the capital amputation set on the two flags web site was labeled archer and son does anyone have anymore information on that.

[cwdoc45]

I have both. The Ed Archer kit has fine blades, really nice handles and the teak box is super. He used an asian firm that made current hospital instruments. The other kit is good for working in the field but it really shows that it was cheeply made. My biggest complaint is that the interior is not glued well.

My Archer kit is for display only. It is too good to use on the field. Ed really went for high quality. I have the second version of the kit. If you ever have the chance to get a used one, the second version from the late 1990's I think was the best. The quality is better than version 1 or 3.

[retter]

I just received my instruments that I ordered from Milk Creek last week. I ordered them on Jan 15 and they arrived on the 19th. I got 1. olive point artery forceps 2. small bone saw 3. foreign body probe.
The probe is actually a screw bullet extractor like the ones listed in Archer kits. With the wood handle it is about 11.5 inches long and is threaded on the end. It balances well in my hand but feels too heavy for a simple probe like a Nelaton. The finish is average, looks like brushed steel and brass. The checkering on the wood handle started off good but the finish was applied unevenly. The bone saw blade was finished bright but the assembly appears to be a little below average. The wood to metal fit on the handle is sloppy and the blade attachment has a gap. The saw and handle have T Issa stamped a little too deep it appears. I probably would have raised a fuss if it had come from Archer with a finish like that. The quality and price of these I think makes them fine for taking to the field. Like Doc, my Archer kit will stay home under glass unless I have a presentation. I was trying to do a comparison with Two Flags. Has anyone else had problems getting on their site?

[MAryland Field Hospital]

i purchased a bone saw from them on March 10th and received it on march 15th unfortunately the saw was broken so i sent it back on march 16th and they received it on the 19th ( i payed the extra 2 bucks to make sure they got it after reading some not so wonderful return issues) I called them the week of April 5th since i hadn't received the replacement and was told it would be sent out the next day on the 6th . i have yet to see it and they refuse to answer any emails nor do they answer the phone . i needed this saw for May 1st and now seems im sol since no one has had any in stock for the past month besides milk creek . I will never use them again. i have never had such issues with any online seller at this point i just want my money back so im going to call my bank and see if they can get the money back since i used my debit card . . should have looked at the BBB first seeing as how they have an F rating .

[k6j3p]

I have been waiting for $60 credit to be refunded to me since August 2009, many phone calls and e-mails have proved fruitless. I even made an additional order that I wanted credit applied to, that was never filled and I only got a refund buy making a dispute with paypal. I tried the BBB route also but MC refused to respond. I spent a few hundred dollars with them over the past 2 years, I never had a problem until I tried to return something. They sure are quick to take and order, but as for a refund..... I am still waiting.
KP

[MAryland Field Hospital]

after 31 days , 5 emails , numerous phone calls and a complaint to the BBB i finally got the saw and its a POS . The blade is crooked and wouldnt even fit in the handle . I tapped it in with a rubber mallet and am calling it a lesson learned . Im not sending it back again because of these defects , just ticks me off how they lie to you on the phone and in emails when they actually decide to respond . Never again will i order from this place .

[k6j3p]

You are lucky they returned anything to you. I am still waiting for a $60 refund for items that were shipped back to them in August 2009. I have even asked for items to be sent and took shipping into account but no items and no refund.
KP

[MAryland Field Hospital]

i had to pay shipping on the saw to return it and did ask for it to be taken off my purchase . I doubt i will see it . Like i said a lesson learned ...the hard way