Allen Blade

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Most knifemakers who have their act together (both technically and financially) require little to nothing down to build a knife. I would be wary of any knifemaker who wants 50% or more down. A knifemaker who wants most or all of the money down is probably having financial troubles and using today's dollars to pay for yesterday's supplies; therefore they are behind in their business and you are more likely to have a problem with them.

I would really like Allen Blade to build a knife for me, but I won't put anything down. I'll be very glad to pay the entire amount when a photo of the knife (I'll know it's mine!) is sent by e-mail. I won't do business with anyone who won't make me feel comfortable. This has worked in the past with makers I wasn't familiar with. It also gave me a good look at my knife before it arrived -- increasing the "drool" factor.

Bruce Woodbury
 
As usual Gus posts a most elequent perspective.
I wish I had his wisdom and way with words.
 
Someone please post or email me Allen or Cori's current working email address?

I do hope and wish A&C ok and keep clean up the backorders,
I'm still waiting.

Thanks a lot for your help.
 
I have had makers tell me explicitly not to send them money before the knife was ready as they would always find something to spend it on, like food , rent or some other expense. I really respected that.
 
I just learned that Mr. Allen Blade just had his 25th birthday. I think we all made mistakes when we were young and it will be good if we give this young man chances to correct his mistakes. Cause his works are sooooo excellent and we all know he will become a great knife maker if given time and he get over those troubles.

Anyway, if he did what he promised me in his email, the refinished chipmunk will be on its way back to me. I should be receiving it today or next week. So, I will show you guys his work when I receive it and it will be a proof that Allen is working hard on knives and not quitting this business.

Hope everything is going on well with him.
 
that is out there making beautiful knives, why would anyone be willing to give Allen his SEVENTH Chance? Is he THAT GOOD that one would willingly assume the risk of ordering or paying for a knife with Allen's "Business Record", irrespective of how fantastic a maker he is.
kind of like an old friend I had. He was one of the State's GREATEST Police Officer's when he was SOBER. Problem was he just could not maintain sobriety on duty and after his Sixth incident and his solemn promise to change his ways, he was wished only the best, but shown the door. The clock and his next chance had finally come to an end.
With all the wonderful talent out there in this world, why take a chance with Allen once AGAIN? Even if Allen were to sign a contract in his own Blood, does his past history not play a major factor? No knife Maker is that good that he should be allowed to take people's money and NOT deliver................wolf:confused: :( :confused:
 
Until someone is ready to change his ways they won"t change.
You cannot help someone until they are ready to help themselves.
Words will not work.Actions do.
 
Yeah only 25 years old,I guess that should excuse his behavior, right?
Give me a break.I wanted to buy a knife from Allen,but I would never even consider it now.The guy has shown a complete lack of honor.
Today I drove down to Champaign ,Illinois to complete a trade with a young knifemaker.Eric Chang.Guess what-the grinds on the knife were beautiful.I traded for it, but if I would have bought it outright at his price,I would have gotten incredible workmanship for my money.Guess what else,both of us walked away from the deal feeling good and no one got screwed.I drove home and called him up to order another knife.
There are too many good up and comers and established good guys to deal with.Why would I want to take a chance on a guy who has proven time and time again that he has no honor?
troy
 
In general it is not a good idea to pay in advance when ordering a knife from any knifemaker, and very few who've been in the profession for long will let you pay in advance even if you beg them to take your money.

When they're first starting out and they're making knives as fast as they can sell them they often see nothing wrong with accepting payment in advance (or a substantial deposit), and they can usually deliver when they promised to. Then as they become known orders start coming in faster and they develop a waiting list ... and then the wait gets longer ... and when it gets to a year, or two, or more -- no one can make an honest promise to deliver a knife two years from now. All kinds of things can happen in two years.

The usual pattern is they keep up with the schedule they set themselves for a while ... but then denial sets in. They don't want to tell you you'll have to wait months, they don't want to make you wait months -- so they resolve to work harder -- and they promise delivery dates based on that resolution -- and things come up, things go wrong, they always do -- and they keep making resolutions to themselves and promises to their customers and it turns out they can't keep them and they get into trouble.

Some don't have to get into very much trouble to learn from it. They experience some delays and they have to tell their customers they're not going to be able to make the delivery time they promised, and they learn their lesson and stop accepting payment in advance. Others don't learn so easily. Some have to get into more trouble than others before they learn anything from it. It seems a few never learn.

I think new knifemakers coming along won't have to learn the hard way, because they go to the Shop Talk forum here and have the opportunity to learn from the experience of others. Still, there are bound to be some who don't listen.... As more and more knife knuts discover the forums they're learning not to pay in advance, though, and they don't have to learn the hard way either.
 
But it sure seems that this place is one third good info, one third fun stuff, one third "what's you favorite carry," and one third "let mob bash someone." Hey, I had an Equinox on order. And no, I did not send Allen any money. If you recall, a reputable dealer was brokering the deal for Allen. As a consequence I never worried about the money. Two or three years ago, just from surfing here, I knew enough not to send Allen my money. If you read these forums and STILL send him some bucks, well, what were you really expecting?

This piling on just seems a lot like some of the other ugly stuff I've seen around here, like some of the Mad Dog threads, or the Lynn Griffith tactical steak knife, or some of the other threads active on GBU now. If you're gonna have him busted, then just do it. He'll have to live with the consequences of his actions, and you can live with the consequences of yours. But if you're not, then I think you should keep your trap shut instead of encouraging anyone else. Like I said, it's a mob.
 
...But it sure seems that this place is one third good info, one third fun stuff, one third "what's you favorite carry," and one third "let mob bash someone."
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That's four thirds.
 
That isn't necessarily bad math -- not if there's some overlap. For instance if he thinks half of the "good info" and half of the "let's mob bash someone" also qualify as "fun stuff" then it adds up....
 
Razor, how did Allen contact you to tell you that he was really busy and that you may as well shut down Knifenut Community? If it was by email and you kept the message, you should have a way to contact him.

I just want to see Allen get knives to the people that he owes them to because they have been paid for. Joe Chen is one that has been really been badly treated, Allen should get no knives out to anyone else until he gets Joe his knives. Joe ordered a bunch of knives from Allen and paid him for them. These knives were for an announced event and needed to be there by a certain time. Allen promised they would be ready. From what I understand Joe had sold these knives based on this promise and the fact that Allen never supplied the promised knives was a tremendous embarassment to Joe. These knives have been owed for a very long time and it seems that Allen is able to get some knives out to some people, but he is unable to live up to his agreement with Joe. He has done this too many people, but no one has been screwed worse than Joe. It amazes me that Joe still shows him such respect. You are a better man than I, Joe.

hd2k_va, I understand what it is you are trying to say, but as far as I am concerned Allen deserves to be dumped on big time. If he can do a sheath or repair someones knives for them, then he should darn well be able to live up to his obligations. As has been stated above by many, when there are so many honest knifemakers that are every bit as talented or even possibly more so, why bother even thinking about supporting someone that has so blatantly screwed so many people. Until he has supplied every knife that has been paid for and paid back all the money he owes people like Rob Simonich (I doubt very much he will send Rob back the Talonite that he supposedly did not use) he should be considered a pariah within the knife community.

If this seems harsh then so be it. I have no sympathy for Allen Blade whatsoever and don't give a rats behind how good a knifemaker he is. He has proven to be untrustworthy and that is all that matters to me. Like many other on this thread I have hoped that Allen would change his ways, he has not. As far as I am concerned he should be written of as a lost cause and forgotten.
 
I must agree with KWM that Joe is really a good man. Actually, Joe's website is where I first learned about Allen's work. And Joe gave his work a lot of good words. I think he even gave Allen a higher rate than Mr. Darrel Ralph.
 
I ran into Allen Blade at a gun show at Spokane, Washington back in late '95 or '96. It was a Sunday and all the dealers were starting to pack up early. I had no intention of buying a knife that day, but when I walked by this one table with knives on it (you could tell it was the leftovers), I knew I had to get one.

It was a 3" drop point blade, with green micarta canvas scales and a kydex sheath. The dealer sold it to me for $40, saying he just wanted to clear out his stock. He introduced himself as Allen Blade and gave me his card (which i have lost). The knife has no "name" for it, so I have no clue what to call it. Only 'Blade Wa' for a tang stamp. (If anyone has a clue, or pics, let me know).

I was surprised to find out how popular his knives were across the U.S. and to hear about his troubles.
 
Originally posted by KWM
Razor, how did Allen contact you to tell you that he was really busy and that you may as well shut down Knifenut Community? If it was by email and you kept the message, you should have a way to contact him.
Click to expand...
I sent mail to, and received a reply from, the last working e-mail I had for him: ancblades4u@aol.com .
 
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