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Still no knife from Dale Chudzinski

aarya said:
His reply, was that he fully intended to finish it, and he should be getting to it ASAP.
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If I had a dollar for everytime he's said that, I'd be ahead on this deal instead of being out almost $300.

I agree, something sure is fishy about this, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what it is. I was always friendly and understanding about the delays for over a year. It didn't bother me until I saw that several people who ordered knives way after I paid for mine had theirs already. Even then, I didn't get pissy about it until he strung me along for several more months.

Sadly, Dale Chudzinski lacks the integrity to post his side of the story. His silence is telling. He has no conscience.
 
Hello...
You might try him at 315-388-4800. That should be a good number.
Oldhippy
 
Just my two cents:
As custom pro knifemaker i can give you some advices:
NEVER pay for a knife before the maker makes it, just pay a part of it , i usually ask 10 or 15% of the price and DONT use the check before i finish the knife. once done i ask the rest of the money and only after i use the two check.
For a simple reason: It is very very difficult for a knifemaker or any other creator to make something if you get paid months or years before: it seems you are working for free. of course it's wrong but imagine that the money for a knife you wait has been used many months ago, and now, the knifemaker will have to work for a money he will not see.
on the other side, he has new customers who ask a knife and bring fresh money so you make the knife for these new customers, are worry for your old customers, and are unable to take time to honor the old orders..
it's not the creator fault, and it's not the customer fault, it's just human. it happen in your mind. and we are creators: to make a knife, we need to be inspired, by the pleasure, by other ideas or by the money we will earn..
My opinion is that if you are waiting for a knife you paid almost 2 years ago, ask your money back and forget it, or order a new knife after you will get your money back, even to the same knifemaker lol!
so just my two cents: never pay before for a piece not already made.
oh, by the way, most of the knifemakers, at least in france where many knifemakesr dont use big and expensive modern machines, makes there knife one by one, beginning a new one only after the other is finished , and lives like that, so, it's possible ;) .
cheers
 
Keith Montgomery said:
How about now?
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Nope, still nothing, not one word.
Looks like the only way I'm going to get a response is to pursue legal options.
I can't believe I fell for the old "Don't worry, I'm going to make this right", over, and over, and over.......
 
Yeah, I sent him an email to let him know that I'm contacting the authorities in regard to him ripping me off. He replied that he would refund my money, he just needed my address! I sent him my address, and told him that his delay tactics were hilarious. I paid him with PayPal, and he has a record of it, he could easily refund my money if he wanted too.

Guess what! He then replied that he would no longer respond to my rude emails. He also accused me of slander, and "trail by internet". He said that my knives were now done and that he was sending them (even though I told him I wanted my money back, almost four months ago). Once again, he says one thing, then does not deliver. He thinks he's the victim, that's proof of his true character right there.
 
Well, if you get your knives at least you will be able to sell them. It is a shame that Dale feels that he is the one that is the injured party. If he had just kept his word, none of this would have happened. He should just realize that it was him that was wrong and that he should make things right.
 
Keith Montgomery said:
If he had just kept his word, none of this would have happened. He should just realize that it was him that was wrong and that he should make things right.
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I gave him numerous chances to do just that. I'm curious, do you think that if in fact he actually does send me the knives after all this time and BS, that would "make it right"? I'm quoting him, not you, as that's what he said he'd do.
 
It certainly wouldn't make it right, but it would be better than getting nothing at all. It would at least show that he was trying to do the right thing.
 
Thanks for the reply, I don't think it makes it right at all either. However, I don't think sending me the knives shows that he's trying to do the right thing. It shows me that he's trying to avoid legal troubles. I sent him an email telling that I was going to persue this legally, and a few days later, he says he'll refund my money and that he needs my address. Here's all of the emails, except that I've edited out my address. Four moths ago, I told him I was fed up with him and his empty promises, and that I wanted my money back. He did not reply until I sent him this:


"Just thought I'd let you know that I am going to contact the authorities and press charges on you for ripping me off. I have no choice, but to try and recover my losses legally. It's obvious that you have no problem stealing my money, and as an honest man with principals, I cannot let this go. Seems stupid to risk a felony, and possibly lose your right to vote and own guns, over the piddley amount that you took me for, but it's your choice. How do you sleep at night"?



Four days later he sent me this:

"I will refund your money. Send me your address.
Dale"



To which I replied:

"That's hilarious!
After all this, you try more delay tactics. You have my address, I paid you with PayPal, and you have a record of it. That's why it's so funny that you claimed you lost my email address, twice! You could have easily got in touch with me if you wanted to. You have no idea how much this has bothered me. I have a great deal of respect for a few people who know and trust you, and it really sucks to have to slam a friend of theirs in public, just to try and get you to actually do what you said you would numerous times, make it right. I am not going to wait on you any longer, your word means nothing to you. You've made numerous empty promises to me, and the beginning of next week I am going to press charges. I ask you again, how do you sleep"?



Seven hours later, he replies with this:

"I will never answer your rude e-mails again. Your slander is quite something too. This issue could have been resolved easily,if you knew how to be civil. I know I am behind on orders...you will get your knives soon."



The bold part is mine, the words are his, I just made them bold because I really love that bit! I was quite civil, for well over a year, while he was lying to me the whole time. (Anyone who thinks I haven't been civil should read my first post, in Old Hippy's thread.) I didn't bother replying to that email, but ten minutes later, he sent me this:

"Trial by internet?? I told you, you would get your knives,they are now done. I will get them in the mail soon".


Apparently, he thinks he's good to his word. I think not.



 
I started corresponding with Dale last year after seeing his work and recommendations by others I know who have Nessmuk knives he made. My knife hasn't been finished either, but I've had other custom knives take much longer. I ordered one of his knives because I wanted one and if it takes a while for him to finish and ship -- so be it. He's a small production shop, not an assembly line. Your mileage obviously varies, but I'll wait.
 
I have been waiting almost two years after he told me it would be 2 or 3 months. I don't think I'll ever see the knife or money. Add me to the list of those who have been bitten.
Jason
 
ras said:
He's a small production shop, not an assembly line.
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You obviously have not read the threads about Dale, and the reasons why I (and others) got pissed off at him. Do a search on Dale Chudzinski, and maybe you'll understand how off base your statement is.
 
Jason Richmond said:
I have been waiting almost two years after he told me it would be 2 or 3 months. I don't think I'll ever see the knife or money. Add me to the list of those who have been bitten.
Jason
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I finally reached the same conclusion, and that's why I decided to persue this legally. He said my knives are done, and that I'll have them by the end of next week. If that happens I'll drop it, but, having heard this from him before, I ain't holding my breathe. In a week, it'll be two years ago that I paid him. There are many of us with the same story.
 
ras said:
My knife hasn't been finished either, but I've had other custom knives take much longer.
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If Dale tells people up front that it will be a couple of years or more before they get their knife then that's okay. If he tells people that it will be two to three months and it takes two to three years, that isn't okay.

As you say, you have had other custom makers take much longer, but you don't have the knife from Dale yet and in a couple of years you just might be where the others in this thread are. Will it be acceptable then?
 
Keith Montgomery said:
As you say, you have had other custom makers take much longer, but you don't have the knife from Dale yet and in a couple of years you just might be where the others in this thread are. Will it be acceptable then?
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Plus, you get to see numerous people, some who ordered over a year after you paid for yours, get their knives while you get nothing but more empty promises, or ignored completely. All the while, he's taking more orders, and telling people that they'll get their knife in 30 days. Yet, you get nothing, even though he's a year and a half overdue. 30 days go by, nothing, 60 days go by, nothing, several more months go by, still nothing but more empty promises, even though a year earlier, he said the knives were ready for sheaths.

Then, he gets pissed at you because you replied to somebody's thread asking if anybody else had similar problems with him. Then, you get to see at least ten others with the same story, keep in mind, you, along with them, get to watch others order way after you, but get their knives while you get nothing. On top of that, you ask him several times if he still has your special piece of wood that he was to use on the handles, but he never does answer that question. Then come tell that it's cool with you.
 
I wish I could help Bobert because he is such an all-round great guy.
Dale has lost my friendship as a direct result of this thread.
He has elevated himself into the "never-deal-with-this-guy" category in my eyes.
A man is only as good as his word and Dale's word is not worth a pinch of sh!t.
Dirk
 
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