How to deal with a dishonest bladesmith?
Jul 11, 2011 16:34:27 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2011 16:34:27 GMT
Hi, first of all this is my first post on these forums and normally I'd contribute more before asking questions, but there's been an ongoing issue with me for the past month or so that I'm trying to resolve. About 6 months ago I ordered a custom karambit from a blade smith that appeared to be reputable from other customers comments on some other blade forums (url here maniordknives.com/ ). I placed the order with him for a knife I designed myself and paid a $50 deposit, he said that he'd recieved it (by email) and supposedly commenced work. later, also by email, he sent a picture of my knife apparently almost finished and asked for the remainder of the payment. I sent the remaining $175 and... nothing.
At first there was no response or confirmation of receipt of payment, but after 5 increasingly desparate emails or so, came one with a story of how he'd been having a rough time, health problems, he'd be right on it. At this point I was happy for contact of any time and just told him to finish when he could. a week or so later, I email again... nothing. about 3 weeks go by with none of my emails receiving any kind of response until finally one comes with a new story of a bad break up, time in jail, religous redemption and other details. he said he was pretty much done but had no money for shipping. this email was sent from a Blackberry. cue another three weeks to a month of no responses, and I finally get one about how he's been working on a barn and will mail the knife that week and it should be to me soon. I live less than 1000 miles away and in the same country and there's been no knife and no response for weeks. At what point do I yell SCAM! and is there any form of legal recourse for me if I have been scammed?
At first there was no response or confirmation of receipt of payment, but after 5 increasingly desparate emails or so, came one with a story of how he'd been having a rough time, health problems, he'd be right on it. At this point I was happy for contact of any time and just told him to finish when he could. a week or so later, I email again... nothing. about 3 weeks go by with none of my emails receiving any kind of response until finally one comes with a new story of a bad break up, time in jail, religous redemption and other details. he said he was pretty much done but had no money for shipping. this email was sent from a Blackberry. cue another three weeks to a month of no responses, and I finally get one about how he's been working on a barn and will mail the knife that week and it should be to me soon. I live less than 1000 miles away and in the same country and there's been no knife and no response for weeks. At what point do I yell SCAM! and is there any form of legal recourse for me if I have been scammed?
I feel for you brother... the only comfort I can really offer you is that so far your out 225... which is VERY small compared to the amounts I have seen some people lose in exactly this sort of situation.
i hope things turn out well with you're kerambit skirata,this sort of thing is becomming more and more common,not a good thing at all in a smallish community like ours,i would keep up with the emails though,you never know it may turn up
