- Joined
- Apr 23, 2015
- Messages
- 9
I hate to make my first thread here so negative, but Richard Derespina has left me with no recourse after numerous attempts to communicate with him over the past year have been met only with silence. I am out $895 for knives that he told me would take TWO WEEKS. This was over a year ago. I have heard NOTHING in eight months.
And now the long version:
On 5/20/15, I contacted Richard and told him I'd been looking for a Kris for a while and asked if he could take an order. I didn't think he was, but felt it worth a shot. I also asked about any karambits available. To my surprise, he responded the next day. And I quote...
I couldn't believe my luck! A Kris AND a karambit? I paid him $520 the next day, 5/22/15, for the Roided Kris, and made further inquiries about the Geometer. During this period he was quick to respond to emails, sent me pictures, and was generally very helpful. I had some concerns about the Geometer design, so near the end of one of his emails he added this:
I decided I would indeed prefer a Model 1 and paid him on 6/2/15.
Shortly after, communication slowed to a crawl, then stopped completely. Given he had told me both models were already available and would be ready to ship in two weeks, I inquired about progress about two weeks later, on 6/17/15.
He responded same day. In retrospect I think he was quicker to respond during this period because I still had time to file a claim dispute with Paypal.
Since he failed to get in touch with me during the promised week (or month), I asked for an update on 7/16/15, again on 7/26/15, again on 8/9/15, and again on 9/9/15. No response to all of them
So as you might imagine I was getting pretty nervous at this point. Having been scammed in the past, I recognized scammy behavior, but everyone told me what an upstanding guy he was, so I told myself "he's just busy." Finally on 9/29/15 I sent an email that actually got a response two days later. It seems the key was the subject line: "Requesting refund or status update." His reply, below.
By this point I had picked up a definite pattern with Richard. If he doesn't have your money or thinks the money is in jeopardy, he lies and/or makes excuses in order to appease you. If he has your money and there's nothing you can do about it, he doesn't bother communicating. To him, it's a waste of time to spend two minutes sending a status update every couple months. Other knifemakers don't seem to have a problem with this, but Richard does. By the way, I still have not received this progress report that he promised within one week. 35 WEEKS LATER. Nothing.
Oh, he did send out one mass email on 2/11/16. I won't quote it here due to length, but basically he made excuses as to why he can't fulfill orders, and meanwhile urged people to order the next batch of Model 10s. If Richard really is so far behind that a two week project takes him YEARS, then maybe he should stop taking orders and expanding with corporate clients
So I kept inquiring for updates: 10/1/15, 1/10/16, 4/19/16, and 5/23/16. Haven't heard from him since the message quoted above, where he promised me a progress report within one week, which message was sent 16 weeks after the progress report he promised in the second quote. And keep in mind he had told me that both knives were already done WHEN I ORDERED. They were spares, but it appears now that he used my spares to fulfill someone else's order and put me on a waiting list. I did see both a Roided Kris and Model 1 pop up brand new on a well known corporate knife-selling site in the interim, interestingly enough.
In my most recent email I gave Richard fair warning that I would post my experience with him here if he continued to blatantly ignore me. I guess he doesn't care.
Anyway, at this point I have mostly given up on getting either my knives or my money back. This message is a hail-mary that maybe someone can give me an alternate way to get in touch with Richard, or that he will show up to explain himself.
But as I see it, things seem pretty clear. The guy is at best an unprofessional liar, and at worst a selective scammer. I'm leaning towards the latter explanation. I know there are others with outstanding orders from Richard who have heard nothing. Be warned: if your project with Richard involves significant effort (as opposed to say, the Model 10s) and you're not a corporate or long-time customer, he may happily take your money with promises of pie in the sky, only to forget about you altogether. I strongly suspect Richard is lying to select customers about waiting times, then putting those customers on the bottom of his wait list when higher-priority clients come calling. He has lied to me repeatedly--and not small lies, but outlandish ones. Multiple promises of being in touch within a week, and then not hearing from him in ages, or at all.
If Richard shows up with a REALLY GOOD EXPLANATION as to why his two-week project not only has not been completed, but why he hasn't even responded to an email of mine since 10/1, then I will apologize to him. But it better be good.
In the mean time, buyer beware. Personally I wouldn't deal with this man again if you paid me. It is just not worth the headache. I'd rather be mugged for $900 than deal with lies and silence. At least I'd know where I stand.
Thanks to anyone who read this, and if you can get me in contact with Richard please message me.
And now the long version:
On 5/20/15, I contacted Richard and told him I'd been looking for a Kris for a while and asked if he could take an order. I didn't think he was, but felt it worth a shot. I also asked about any karambits available. To my surprise, he responded the next day. And I quote...
Richard Derespina said:Thanks for the inquiry and enthusiasm! Well, you're in luck as I will have a "Roided Kris" done in a couple weeks. As well as a spare Geometer karambit. Grinding my butt off on a large batch of those as well as some other models and happen to have a couple spares. Let me know if you're still interested and we can discuss further.
I couldn't believe my luck! A Kris AND a karambit? I paid him $520 the next day, 5/22/15, for the Roided Kris, and made further inquiries about the Geometer. During this period he was quick to respond to emails, sent me pictures, and was generally very helpful. I had some concerns about the Geometer design, so near the end of one of his emails he added this:
Richard Derespina said:PS, a Model 1 Karambit free'd up as well. So if you preferred that model for a more traditional hook, the price is the same as the Geo.
I decided I would indeed prefer a Model 1 and paid him on 6/2/15.
Shortly after, communication slowed to a crawl, then stopped completely. Given he had told me both models were already available and would be ready to ship in two weeks, I inquired about progress about two weeks later, on 6/17/15.
He responded same day. In retrospect I think he was quicker to respond during this period because I still had time to file a claim dispute with Paypal.
Richard Derespina said:No worries, your Roided Kris is almost done, needs a handle but the bevels(which I do first) are stellar! The Model 1 is here with the primary finishing started on the bevels as well, but I ran out of belts! Everything but 400 grit belts so I ordered some last friday and am waiting for them. Will be in touch in about a week or so. Thanks!
Since he failed to get in touch with me during the promised week (or month), I asked for an update on 7/16/15, again on 7/26/15, again on 8/9/15, and again on 9/9/15. No response to all of them
So as you might imagine I was getting pretty nervous at this point. Having been scammed in the past, I recognized scammy behavior, but everyone told me what an upstanding guy he was, so I told myself "he's just busy." Finally on 9/29/15 I sent an email that actually got a response two days later. It seems the key was the subject line: "Requesting refund or status update." His reply, below.
Richard Derespina said:There are 2 years worth of orders before yours. Yours was a spare. Theirs was owed to them for a long time. Yours is done, but your Kris isn't which is what the hold up is. I will have progress for you this coming week with pictures and shipping info.
I do not cease all communication, I communicate when I have work to show. If up until now I haven't completed your pieces(which I said I hadn't) then I would be wasting both our time just talking to you about your pending order.
I will be in touch end of next week with the progress report as mentioned above.
Thanks for your patience.
By this point I had picked up a definite pattern with Richard. If he doesn't have your money or thinks the money is in jeopardy, he lies and/or makes excuses in order to appease you. If he has your money and there's nothing you can do about it, he doesn't bother communicating. To him, it's a waste of time to spend two minutes sending a status update every couple months. Other knifemakers don't seem to have a problem with this, but Richard does. By the way, I still have not received this progress report that he promised within one week. 35 WEEKS LATER. Nothing.
Oh, he did send out one mass email on 2/11/16. I won't quote it here due to length, but basically he made excuses as to why he can't fulfill orders, and meanwhile urged people to order the next batch of Model 10s. If Richard really is so far behind that a two week project takes him YEARS, then maybe he should stop taking orders and expanding with corporate clients
So I kept inquiring for updates: 10/1/15, 1/10/16, 4/19/16, and 5/23/16. Haven't heard from him since the message quoted above, where he promised me a progress report within one week, which message was sent 16 weeks after the progress report he promised in the second quote. And keep in mind he had told me that both knives were already done WHEN I ORDERED. They were spares, but it appears now that he used my spares to fulfill someone else's order and put me on a waiting list. I did see both a Roided Kris and Model 1 pop up brand new on a well known corporate knife-selling site in the interim, interestingly enough.
In my most recent email I gave Richard fair warning that I would post my experience with him here if he continued to blatantly ignore me. I guess he doesn't care.
Anyway, at this point I have mostly given up on getting either my knives or my money back. This message is a hail-mary that maybe someone can give me an alternate way to get in touch with Richard, or that he will show up to explain himself.
But as I see it, things seem pretty clear. The guy is at best an unprofessional liar, and at worst a selective scammer. I'm leaning towards the latter explanation. I know there are others with outstanding orders from Richard who have heard nothing. Be warned: if your project with Richard involves significant effort (as opposed to say, the Model 10s) and you're not a corporate or long-time customer, he may happily take your money with promises of pie in the sky, only to forget about you altogether. I strongly suspect Richard is lying to select customers about waiting times, then putting those customers on the bottom of his wait list when higher-priority clients come calling. He has lied to me repeatedly--and not small lies, but outlandish ones. Multiple promises of being in touch within a week, and then not hearing from him in ages, or at all.
If Richard shows up with a REALLY GOOD EXPLANATION as to why his two-week project not only has not been completed, but why he hasn't even responded to an email of mine since 10/1, then I will apologize to him. But it better be good.
In the mean time, buyer beware. Personally I wouldn't deal with this man again if you paid me. It is just not worth the headache. I'd rather be mugged for $900 than deal with lies and silence. At least I'd know where I stand.
Thanks to anyone who read this, and if you can get me in contact with Richard please message me.