So I got a NOS steel frameset a few days ago, and decided to let a local bike shop install the headset for me.
The fork was also NOS, and it needed to be cut down.

It's a traditional threaded steerer.

I specified 9mm of spacers to be fitted between the top nuts (I took the spacers to them myself)

Well, they managed to cut the steerer short so much that no spacers could be fitted, not even a single lockring. So the top nuts sit right on top of eachother.

**edit** I see that a lockring can also mean a locking nut, the ring I'm referring to is more specifically a toothed washer that's supposed to sit between the top nut and the
upper bearing race. **edit**

My question is, is a lockring always necessery, or will my bike work fine without it?

If it's OK, then I'm only left with appearance issues and possibly need of a stem with more height adjustment room,
but if a lockring is always necessery, then I'm basically screwed, right?

Also, the steerer turns a bit roughly. The LBS 'mechanic' told me it will be like that before it settles, usually a matter of a couple of rides.
Is this BS or what? I haven't noticed the steerers on new bikes to be rough like this, always turning silky smoothly.

Please help me out...