Sudbury electronics repairman relishes resuscitating drowned phones

Sudbury may be the mining capital of the world and has 330 lakes, but when it comes to some things, this Northern Ontario city is no different than any other place in Canada. We drop our phones and bad things happen. Gravity is so unforgiving. Cracked screens are but one of the wounds inflicted.

“Not just impacts with the ground, I see many wet phones,” says Cory Black. “Somehow they end up in the bottom of a boat and you think a bag of rice will dry it out. No, it won’t.” Black, the owner of Cory’s Phone Repair, has become a trusted touchstone for owners.

“Even though phones today are fairly resilient, kids are particularly hard on their devices,” he says. “Yes, I have many repeat customers. Sometimes I see the same phone that has suffered another damage. Everybody has a phone, so my clientele really is a huge demographic.”

Cory Black specializes in fixing broken phones. He operates a storefront repair business on Paris Street in Sudbury. His services include a wide range of products with a quick turnaround time.
Photo source: Hugh Kruzel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As an industrial electrician, Black says that many of the principles are the same. “Water and electronics just don’t interact well. If you have to fish your phone out of water, bring it to me right away. We have lots of lakes and somehow phones like to fall out of pockets.

“Don’t, please don’t, plug it in. Sometimes I can save them, sometimes I can’t.”

Are repairs unique or routine? As we talk, Black is lifting and migrating the “guts” from one unit to a fresh body. The components are packed densely into the space. His actions are confident and follow a plan. Miniscule screws, plates, and adhesives are removed with care. Parts are laid out in a design. He clearly has done this before.

Self-taught and proficient

“My career has been taking things apart and putting them back together so they work. When I was in Grade 4, I never would have guessed I would be doing this. I am self-taught and got very proficient and efficient quickly. I probably could have been a watch or clock repair person, or maybe a surgeon,” he added. It is fine and precise work and Black says he has high visual acuity. “My hands are steady.”

Deconstructing and reconstructing, “I’m kinda like a mechanic. I’ve seen the problem before and things follow basic patterns. The manufacturer and model really doesn’t matter. I do fix more iPhones. There are lots of them out there. The (iPhone) 11 is likely the most common. Most have just been dropped and it is potentially a 2- minute job to get you back on the road.

“Of course, I have to order parts. I generally don’t keep any inventory as things can be shipped overnight. Turn-around time is next day. Always.”

Part costs can all determine the expense of repair

The age of the device, availability and how much the part costs can all determine the expense of repair.

“Parts prices vary widely but labour is standardized and never a surprise,” he says.

Black says batteries can be replaced. “I help keep devices out of the landfill. The precious metals shouldn’t be tossed. There are established routes for recycling when these come to the end of their lives.”

The repair is almost complete. All the components are in place. A dry test, a fresh gasket and yet another phone is resuscitated.

“Yes, I just rebuilt this phone and it is a better alternative to the expense of replacement. It is worth getting a fix,” he says. “Cracked screen? Dropped in water? I can usually get you back up and running in 24 hours because who can live without their phone?”

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