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Ripped off by Dale Reif

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If anyone lives in MN and has some shady pals they can get the $600 some A$$ wipe took from me (Vintage fishing reels that never came) I will give them 66% of the money, hell I may even give them all of it as long as I get the satisfaction of knowing it was taken back from him. I can even supply a local lawyers name to write the 'demand for payment' letter that they could take with them.
 
I too have been ripped off by Dale Reif. I have been working with the State of Kansas, Office of Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division to recoup my lost funds. I strongly encourage all that have been victimized by Mr. Reif to file a complaint
here
 
Keith Montgomery said:
Dale has probably spent your money and doesn't have any to send you a refund. That is one of the big problems with paying for a knife up front. The other is that the maker no longer has any motivation to make the knife.
This is the part where I would tell him he better get "motivated" or he'll be getting a "personal" visit from me if I don't have my knives or money PRONTO!!!!!!!!! :mad: Sorry to hear about you getting screwed so flagrantly!!!! And by an ex-cop of all things!!!!!! :eek: Hope you get your money back!!
 
Well, well, well. Here we are at the begining of the middle of 2005, and guess what? Dale Reif still owes me money, sorry to all those that just lost a bet (anyone? Beuller? Beuller?). Some things never change. I have done the occasional search through the knife retailer sites and I see that everyone has dropped Reif like the shitbag he is. I tried calling him on Christmas Eve to let him know he still owes me money, but his phone was disconnected, guess I am not the only one he owes money to that he isn't paying.

After a long battle withass bag #1, I got him to send a couple of really ****** knives and managed to get what he owes down to less than three hundred bucks. The postal inspectors gave up on me, paypal can't do anything because its been too long, etc, etc, etc. Could be worse, I could still be looking to get 4 digits out of him. These days I'd settle for one digit, his finger!

Yes, lawnmower man is still the same old POS we all love to hate, and so deservingly.

The last message I left Dale was on his cell phone which said, more or less, "Hey Dale, this is the guy in california you ripped off, tell you what, you can keep the money as long as you go out, have ten or twelve drinks, and drive home with no headlights on". His response was, more or less, "I don't drink". Did somebody miss the point???? I think so.

If you ever read this Dale you slimey invertebrate, I'll make it through Kansas one day, what do you say we get together for a little chat? Did I ever tell you why they call me Big John?
 
John, i'm with you here, just saw this thread and have only read your first and last reply. I'd say go for it, take him to court if possible or else have a chat with him if you get to his state. When you have made a deal and you have payed him you should have your knives! When you have tried for a very long time to get your knives and nothing else works I see no other way out than to have a "chat" with him... :D :D :D

But I really hope you'll get your knives and that it will stop there and not go any further. :)
 
After reading this thread, the first and last page, I agree with Mr Sage, even though I haven't heard the side from Mr Reif. If he was having medical problems, marital problems, whatever, he could've just refunded your money, until he could get the knife done. It sounds like he has written you off. Now it is time to take him to small claims court, at least. If you have the opportunity to go to his home, don't. Giving him a much deserved beating will not get your money back, it will only get you a vacation behind bars. Stay frosty...
 
To file small claims, wouldn't I have to go to Kansas? Also, according to a few of my lawyer friends (Hey, I live in California, everybody here has lawyer friends!) have told me that a judgement against him would be worth about as much as the paper it is printed on. All he has to do is not pay it. What then? Hope he does something stupid(then again....), gets pulled over and has a warrant out for contempt? Maybe I should file against him...... Does anyone know if I would have to be there to file?
 
I've filed small claim against parties in another state, it worked fine, that might be a state by state thing.

Where I live it works like this, from memory I probably have it goofed up:

File Small claim,
Show up for court hearing.
You win judgement.
Doesn't pay.
File another claim for "show cause" hearing (why they can't pay)
Have papers served.
Win again.
Still doesn't pay
File claim to issue an arrest warrant.
 
Hey John. . . .sorry to hear that dip shit still hasn't stepped up to the plate. :( And was really hoping he would ! :grumpy:
 
Damn! I've read through this whole thread and it's a shame that a knifemaker can be so irresponsible. What's surprising is that after his name has been dragged through the mud here on the forums he hasn't even made an attempt at doing the right thing to clear his name. He obviously has no integrity at all and I think this thread should remain at the top as a warning to any prospective buyers.
 
The only problem with getting paid via an Out of State small claims judgement is that no one will execute an arrest in his State and hold him as a "Fugitve from Justice" because of a civil small claims warrant.

So, you would be in the same situation; no payment from Dale Thief, oops I mean Reif :rolleyes:

It would screw up his credit but my guess is that he has NO credit.

Just beat him up!!!! :D
 
wolfmann601 said:
The only problem with getting paid via an Out of State small claims judgement is that no one will execute an arrest in his State and hold him as a "Fugitve from Justice" because of a civil small claims warrant.

So, you would be in the same situation; no payment from Dale Thief, oops I mean Reif :rolleyes:

It would screw up his credit but my guess is that he has NO credit.

Just beat him up!!!! :D

gotta agree with wolfman on that, throwing good money after bad to boot, it really sucks there is just no real recourse for the aggreived party in a case like this...........
 
If you file with Small Claims, and win, and he doesn't pay, you can place a lein against his property. Including, but not limited to land, business + supplies, vehicle, etc..

All that does is make it so that if he sells the item, you get your cut off the top before he is legally allowed to transfer ownership. Also, if he still fails to pay, you can file with a good collections agency and they can repo something convenient and sell it to pay you off.

And then there is the "know a guy" collection system....

Do you know a guy (legality optional) who wants to make 10% to get your $$ back?

Hope this gets resolved well, and thanks for the warning
Ben
 
BigFunWMU said:
Do you know a guy (legality optional) who wants to make 10% to get your $$ back?


Lawyers typically want 30 - 33%. . . .


$300 X 10% = $30


. . .but, if anyone finds a lawyer willing to take 10% on $300. . . .shoot me their addy. :D ;) :D
 
John; I'm sorry to hear that he hasn't made it right with you. I guess I just lucked out when he agreed and did make me a new knife of my choice in place of a "junker" that came out of his shop. It was as you and I dicussed shortly after you made your problem public. Needless to say when I received the knive I sold it quickly at a major discount. Yes, the guy I sold it to knew of the situation and how I got the knife. Wish I could help but unless a "statement" in support of his ethics would help seems little I can do. Stay after him!
 
Hey Guys...

Even if you get your knives from the guy,, they are worthless, and tainted..

They'll be tossed into a drawer somewhere and never touched, let alone be used..

It'll be like a good shirt with a puke stain down the front, you paid so much money for, but you can't sell it,, give it away. That little black rain cloud like on the Wiley Coyote cartoon that follows the knives around..

How could you proudly wear or show anyone a knife like that.

I'd cut it up with a plasma torch and send it back to him.

Rough situation you guys are in,, and I feel for you...

ttyle

Eric...
 
I know I will never get a nickel from Dale, and every knife I ever got from him has been sold at a loss. I never expected to make money designing knives, but I certainly didn't expect to get ripped off, or to make enemies. I have sent a guy or two to his home, fellow knifers like us, who spoke to Dale directly, and he had no excuses to make, he just lied to their faces and then did the usual, nothing. I really wish I lived closer to Kansas, or he closer to me, or had reason to go to Kansas, other than an ass whipping for Dale. But it seems he has been driven out of the knife business and he has no one to blame but himself and his slip-shod, crappy work. I know that everytime he hears the word "thief" he will know that people are probably talking about him. Personally I couldn't live that way, but I am a man of honor, Dale is 50 pounds of dogshite stuffed into a 5 pound bag. His reputation has disvalued his knives to the point of worthlessness. The few Reif knives that I have seen for sale anywhere are still there, no one seems to be interested in Reif the Thief's BS anymore, good riddance!
 
After reading this thread and the one about Kyle Eichenseer, it has got me thinking, when you buy from a custom maker, you are taking into account that they will behave properly around customers etc. Same thing with a knife company, but more personal with a custom maker. If the guy turns out to be a dick, your 500 knife can be devalued pretty quickly. Never thought about that before.
 
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