- Joined
- May 3, 2017
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- 900
There was a thread recently about boxes showing up without knives, which has prompted me to share my bad experience with Fort Henry custom knives, run by Vince and Marie Roberts.
Back in 2017, when I was still rather new to expensive/high end custom knives, I decided to make a purchase from Fort Henry. It was a Michal Zieba S4 'angry bird' edition, which ran me $585 plus $30 international shipping (I'm located in Singapore). I made the purchase on 24 June 2017, the package shows up on 6 July 2017, perfectly standard timing.
So I got the package, but immediately could tell it was too light. I snapped photos for proof and then the box was brought to the post office and opened there, by the employees. But there's no knife, just a business card from Fort Henry and bubble wrap.
I got in contact with them via email and them know that the box arrived empty; this was the day I received it. I inform them of the situation and send pictures of the package. Marie says that the package was clearly tampered with (though when I got it, there were no holes large enough for a Zieba hard case to be removed). She says she'll check with the post office about it, and after that I get no response. A month and a half later, I contact them again, informing them that they need to file for reimbursement from USPS (as I was instructed by my local post office). Marie tells me she'll check with USPS, but also tell me that their international shipping policy basically doesn't cover anything and that I'm up a creek without a paddle.
Fast forward to February of 2018, I send Vince an email, asking about updates and requesting the paperwork from the report they were supposed to file with USPS. He tells me USPS never replied. My local postal service, Singpost, contacts USPS and makes an inquiry about the case. USPS responds that no one ever filed a report with them. My conclusion from that was that they lied about filing a report and trying to get reimbursement. I don't know if the package was insured - they never made any definite statements. But if it was insured, and they claimed the insurance, I didn't get that money.
This is the relevant correspondence with them (I cut out the unnecessary parts):
6 JULY 2017
MARIE:
Hi Lance,
Vince forwarded your message to me about the missing item. Did it appear that the box had been opened in any way? Did you happen to take a picture? I need to determine if it looked like the box had been opened in any way.
Thanks!
ME:
These are images of the package when it arrived.
I have since taken it to my local mail office and filed for a report and search. The mail office workers opened the box to inspect it, and found your business card and bubble wrap inside, but the pelican case and it's supposed contents are missing.
I suspect that the package was tampered with at some point during shipment.
Hopefully either the post office is able to find the item, or you are able to find out what happened on your end.
I should also add that I did not open the box upon arrival at my address. The box was sealed in the condition it arrived until I went to the mail office. I knew the item was missing due to the weight, just to clarify.
Thank you,
Leon
MARIE:
Yes, it was obviously tampered with - because I know how we tape up the boxes.
I'm glad you've already done what is necessary there to try to find the item. I'm very sorry that this has occurred.
12 AUGUST 2017
ME:
This email concerns the Zieba S4 angry bird knife which went missing in transit about a month and a half ago. I have been asked by the local postal service to tell you that you need to file a report at your end and claim insurance compensation there, which you will then send to me. Please do respond. Thank you.
MARIE:
I will check with the Post Office to see if we can get any type of reimbursement for this loss. However, typically we don't have much luck with international claims. Please look at our shipping policies for International Coverage which explains this. I'll let you know if I get any results.
27 January 2018
ME:
Have there been any updates regarding the Zieba S4 that went missing in transit last year? I've been waiting on a reply and have also been trying to work with my local post office on it even till now.
MARIE:
I have not gotten any updates about the knife that went missing last year. Unfortunately, the search that I initiated from here never turned up anything.
27 FEBRUARY 2018
ME:
Hi, if you recall, an item I purchased went missing in June/July of 2017. I would like to request that you forward all the correspondence letters, forms, and/or emails that you have had with USPS regarding the matter. I need these documents and information as soon as possible.
Thank you,
Leon
VINCE:
Lance,
We filed online once to try and trace the knife but never received any response from the postal service. So unfortunately we don't have any paperwork or any other documents that pertain that this missing item. Very sorry.
I emailed them 3 times over February and March 2018 but got no response. I was busy at the time with other obligations and life in general, and eventually just gave up. I believed had done all I could, and I had contacted all the relevant postal services. Vince and Marie obviously didn't care about my $615 loss - not enough to do anything about it. I've finally found the time and motivation to write this post - I know it's late. But I was new to buying things online, overseas, etc and didn't know about these things. Hopefully this experience will potentially help others avoid the same woes from dealing with Fort Henry Custom Knives.
Back in 2017, when I was still rather new to expensive/high end custom knives, I decided to make a purchase from Fort Henry. It was a Michal Zieba S4 'angry bird' edition, which ran me $585 plus $30 international shipping (I'm located in Singapore). I made the purchase on 24 June 2017, the package shows up on 6 July 2017, perfectly standard timing.
So I got the package, but immediately could tell it was too light. I snapped photos for proof and then the box was brought to the post office and opened there, by the employees. But there's no knife, just a business card from Fort Henry and bubble wrap.
I got in contact with them via email and them know that the box arrived empty; this was the day I received it. I inform them of the situation and send pictures of the package. Marie says that the package was clearly tampered with (though when I got it, there were no holes large enough for a Zieba hard case to be removed). She says she'll check with the post office about it, and after that I get no response. A month and a half later, I contact them again, informing them that they need to file for reimbursement from USPS (as I was instructed by my local post office). Marie tells me she'll check with USPS, but also tell me that their international shipping policy basically doesn't cover anything and that I'm up a creek without a paddle.
Fast forward to February of 2018, I send Vince an email, asking about updates and requesting the paperwork from the report they were supposed to file with USPS. He tells me USPS never replied. My local postal service, Singpost, contacts USPS and makes an inquiry about the case. USPS responds that no one ever filed a report with them. My conclusion from that was that they lied about filing a report and trying to get reimbursement. I don't know if the package was insured - they never made any definite statements. But if it was insured, and they claimed the insurance, I didn't get that money.
This is the relevant correspondence with them (I cut out the unnecessary parts):
6 JULY 2017
MARIE:
Hi Lance,
Vince forwarded your message to me about the missing item. Did it appear that the box had been opened in any way? Did you happen to take a picture? I need to determine if it looked like the box had been opened in any way.
Thanks!
ME:
These are images of the package when it arrived.
I have since taken it to my local mail office and filed for a report and search. The mail office workers opened the box to inspect it, and found your business card and bubble wrap inside, but the pelican case and it's supposed contents are missing.
I suspect that the package was tampered with at some point during shipment.
Hopefully either the post office is able to find the item, or you are able to find out what happened on your end.
I should also add that I did not open the box upon arrival at my address. The box was sealed in the condition it arrived until I went to the mail office. I knew the item was missing due to the weight, just to clarify.
Thank you,
Leon
MARIE:
Yes, it was obviously tampered with - because I know how we tape up the boxes.
I'm glad you've already done what is necessary there to try to find the item. I'm very sorry that this has occurred.
12 AUGUST 2017
ME:
This email concerns the Zieba S4 angry bird knife which went missing in transit about a month and a half ago. I have been asked by the local postal service to tell you that you need to file a report at your end and claim insurance compensation there, which you will then send to me. Please do respond. Thank you.
MARIE:
I will check with the Post Office to see if we can get any type of reimbursement for this loss. However, typically we don't have much luck with international claims. Please look at our shipping policies for International Coverage which explains this. I'll let you know if I get any results.
27 January 2018
ME:
Have there been any updates regarding the Zieba S4 that went missing in transit last year? I've been waiting on a reply and have also been trying to work with my local post office on it even till now.
MARIE:
I have not gotten any updates about the knife that went missing last year. Unfortunately, the search that I initiated from here never turned up anything.
27 FEBRUARY 2018
ME:
Hi, if you recall, an item I purchased went missing in June/July of 2017. I would like to request that you forward all the correspondence letters, forms, and/or emails that you have had with USPS regarding the matter. I need these documents and information as soon as possible.
Thank you,
Leon
VINCE:
Lance,
We filed online once to try and trace the knife but never received any response from the postal service. So unfortunately we don't have any paperwork or any other documents that pertain that this missing item. Very sorry.
I emailed them 3 times over February and March 2018 but got no response. I was busy at the time with other obligations and life in general, and eventually just gave up. I believed had done all I could, and I had contacted all the relevant postal services. Vince and Marie obviously didn't care about my $615 loss - not enough to do anything about it. I've finally found the time and motivation to write this post - I know it's late. But I was new to buying things online, overseas, etc and didn't know about these things. Hopefully this experience will potentially help others avoid the same woes from dealing with Fort Henry Custom Knives.
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