Bad: Mark Wohlwend II (Update)

mr_badexample

mr_badexample

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I paid for a completed knife Mark had advertised on his page on April 24, 2012. After a week or so I contacted him to get an update. He told me it didn't ship yet because his etcher broke. I told him I didn't care about the etch and to send it anyway. At this point I had several successful past dealings with Mark. He was usually slow to ship, not quick to respond, but always delivered.

A month went by and I heard nothing. Then on June 16th Mark posted the shop was closed for the summer.
In the thread he talks about contacting folks, shipping knives and issuing refunds. I received none of those things. Here is the thread. You will see my post supporting Mark. I was still under the impression he would make good on my purchase. I based this on several successful deals in the past.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/964508-Shop-closed-for-the-summer

Over the next few months I attempted to contact with Mark. He promised to ship the week of 07/01/2012.
He never shipped. I continued to make attempts to contact over the next few months.
He responded again on 10/19/2012 and promised to ship. Again he did not deliver.

As per facebook posts Mark is living in South Dakota and working as a corrections officer.
I made a final attempt to contact him before posting here.

Mark has never contacted me regarding my purchase unless I inquired first.
At this point a refund or delivery of the knife purchased is all I want.

I know there are also others owed knives and deposits.


Thanks for looking.

04/02/13
I received a full refund from Mark late last week. Thank you to the mods who contacted me (and behind the scenes) for your assistance. I will allow the post to stand as a testament to the poor customer service I received from Mark. And so the others that have posted can continue to update their progress with getting refunds.

Remember I paid for a completed knife Mark advertised with pictures on his forum. After not delivering as promised he ignored me for many months. He also ignored many other customers and the blade Forums moderators. Almost a year later I was refunded. But it took getting banned for Mark to man up and do the right thing.


Caveat emptor

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That's not a good example to be set by a moderator. I am sorry for your troubles.

I noticed he hasn't been on since june of last year, so I would suggest giving him a call at 559-972-5084

Good luck and hopefully this will prompt him to make good on your deal.
 
egally08 said:
That's not a good example to be set by a moderator.
Click to expand...

He is moderator for the M. Wholwend Knives craftsman subforum only. His actions do not (nor should they) have anything to do with BFC aside from his having an account and paid subforum here.
 
Brian.. sucks man. I'm sure you know he has had issues lately and had to move.. then move again? Sounds like cost of living isn't working well with him and he's looking to move to the boonies..

Life happens. And real men keep their promises and keep the lines of communication open. He is failing at that. I guess he has decided to quit knife making and hide in the hills working as a corrections officer? Sounds shady at best.

Hope you get some retribution, later.
 
sloth357 said:
Brian.. sucks man. I'm sure you know he has had issues lately and had to move.. then move again? Sounds like cost of living isn't working well with him and he's looking to move to the boonies..

Life happens. And real men keep their promises and keep the lines of communication open. He is failing at that. I guess he has decided to quit knife making and hide in the hills working as a corrections officer? Sounds shady at best.

Hope you get some retribution, later.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the support man. I'd really like Mark to reply here since he has Internet access.

Just to update still nothing heard from him. It would be helpful if the other guys owed $$/knives (who are posting on Mark's forum) would add their experiences to the thread.
 
I'm not trying to defend Mark, his actions are clearly wrong, but I too had two knives (paid for in full) that hadn't been delivered by the time he moved (again). My emails went unanswered, but I did reach him by phone (repeatedly). I continued my phone calls (about once a month) until I finally received the two knives. They were delivered a good 10 months late, but I did get them. I didn't threaten him, I just kept asking how the knives were coming along and when he thought he'd be done and could ship them out to me. The last I knew, his phone number (listed in his forum) does work.

I wish you, and the others still owed knives, luck in your quest to right this wrong.
 
I'm just out the deposit, which I wrote off to experience a long time ago... I have no desire to chase after him to make me a knife and give him more money. There are plenty available from upstanding makers that deserve my patronage.
 
Mark's had a ground-up custom order from me, fully paid out, for a little shy of a year now. He and I talked in November and he thought he might be getting back to making knives in January. It seemed like he and his large family were having some financial difficulties. I tried his cell a week ago or so and the number was no longer any good.

I actually do believe I'll eventually get my knife from Mark, but I can't say I have any idea when. Only reason I'm chiming in to this thread is to support his customers who didn't sign up for a long wait and terrible communication... these are things that if you love Mark's knives, you just have to accept. But of course that's not written anywhere, you just learn by experience and that has definitely been my experience with other knives I've gotten from him. And while I knew this was the deal and can put up with it, I feel for those who have a different opinion.

He changed from requiring full payment to only requiring a deposit after he disappeared and flaked out on a bunch of orders late 2011 to early 2012. He knew he had an issue and made changes to protect his customers, and seemed to be on top of things partway through 2012. I feel it's pretty clear that he needs to come correct with all current orders, then put some serious thought into how he handles this business before taking any more orders.

If this GBU thread adversely impacts his standing with BFC, I would feel bad but would completely understand.

Anyway, I wish the guy well and I wish his customers fair dealings and I'll be happy as a clam when the day comes that I finally get my knife.
 
I've sent you a Pm badexample, when you hVe a minute please reply. Thanks.
ETA: if anyone else is owed a knife or money by Mark please post up in this thread or feel free to send me an email.
 
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I can only hope he loses money one day like everyone else.. This is uncalled for and if i owned one of hisknives i would sell it for 1/2 price.. or make it a user..

Makes my stomach sick to hear this! Most knife collector look up to this makers and 8 months past the agreed time is crazy! Wish everyone gets there money back
 
I ordered a "Tin Knife" back during his last call out for them. I'd heard good things from a couple other members that had just received theirs. I paid the money($30, I believe) and thought it wouldn't take long. I can't remember last I heard from him, but he told me he was out of enchant as well.

Good thing I saved the PM's. His reply was on 5/9/2012
 
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This is not going to end well, but it seems like this person has moved on. I'll have more information tomorrow afternoon.
 
wow.... all news to me.....

you just never know, thus the reason I don't take deposits... and if I did and I was killed in that accident in October where would my customers be?? out cold hard cash

I hope things work out all the way around and sorry to hear about this
 
His account has been banned for 7 days. If he doesn't respond the ban will be permanent. I know this doesn't help those of you still out money, but there isn't much left we can do.
 
Mark contacted me via email this morning regarding a refund. He says its being sent via certified mail. I will update the thread if/when it arrives.

Hopefully he is also contacted the others that are owed.

Thank you RevDevil and Morrow for your help. Ill keep the updates coming.
 
Folks, please do NOT pay for custom orders up front. To have to pay up front is NOT the policy of most reputable custom makers unless the materials used to make the knife are extremely uncommon and expensive, AND it's very unlikely that the maker could turn around and resell the completed knife to someone else for the same price. A custom maker here who used to require buyers to pay up front got in way over his head on more than one occasion and it left many good folks with a very bad taste in their mouths trying to obtain the knives they paid for or refunds. There is saying that goes something like, "There is no such knife as difficult to complete as one that has already been paid for." Please...do not pay up front and these kinds of issues will cease to exist.
 
on_the_edge said:
Folks, please do NOT pay for custom orders up front.

Please...do not pay up front and these kinds of issues will cease to exist.
Click to expand...

Read the first post again, carefully.

To the OP, I'm glad if your money is on its way back to you, but of course regret that it required external pressure from others for Mark to do the right thing.

~ P.
 
I received the same email today that a money order for my deposits (2) was in the mail. I will believe it when I see it but I hope this will be the end of it. It was not a ton of cash but money I work hard for just the same. I hope he can finally put an end to all of this at least. I will follow up if/when I receive the money order.
 
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