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Bad News - Derespina strikes again and it keeps getting better - Buyers Beware!!

Damn! Surprised you heard from him at all!!
Hope he comes through for you.
Joe

I agree wholeheartedly I'm just responding to a post calm down lol keeping it updated that he did message me and he said next week they would be ready to ship if they weren't he may have put it off weeks or months or just not gotten back to me at all
 
This will be my first post and I found a similar post not too long ago with the exact same details. I contacted Richard Derespina about purchasing one of his knives back in July 2015 and he quoted about 2 to 3 months and requested that I pay in full upfront. I had previously bought a knife from him and had no issues so I figured sure why not I trust him, big mistake. Here is the history.


richard derespina <derespinaknives@yahoo.com>
7/11/15

to me
Thanks Adrian, but I stopped taking orders in January. 2 year wait list is too long for most. All I will have available right now are a Model 3 and an Enso. Let me know if either of those interest you.

Thanks!
Rich


richard derespina <derespinaknives@yahoo.com>
7/12/15

to me
Hi Adrian,
So after we communicated I went through my stock and guess what?.... I do have an extra 4XL. It would take about 2 to 3 months since it's partially done. So if you want it, it's yours. The total cost shipped priority and insured is $525. You can choose between black, black & od, Camo, black and orange or Black and gray handles. Let me know asap. If you're ready to go ahead please make payment to derespinaknives@yahoo.com and in the Comments section please detail your order like so:
Model 4xl with (color) handles with(without?) back edge serrations

To which I jumped at the chance and paid in full. 4 months later got this:

On Nov 4, 2015 10:57 AM, "richard derespina" <derespinaknives@yahoo.com> wrote:
I will ship end of this week. I have about 130 knives to ship this week which will include your Model 11. The Model 4 will follow soon. Sorry for the delay.

Thanks
Rich

Then 3 months later This:

richard derespina <derespinaknives@yahoo.com>
Feb 11, 2016

to
Hi All,
This is a long overdue update on the current work load. Some of you are past due and some of you are soon to be due for your knives. Currently I enjoy a lot of popularity. However, as a one man operation and full time Father I am often backed up. Such is the case right now. I have delivered approximately 100 knives since December, yet I have several hundred more to plow through. I deeply appreciate your patience and understanding. Having such great customers is truly humbling as I know how lucky I am.

There was a time when I could more easily respond to each and every one of you individually. Sadly, that is changing and I must start doing more mass emails like this to address everyone equally. I get too many emails from old, current and potential customers every day. This becomes too much communication, typing, etc and that takes me away from work. Taking me away from work, only delays the delivery times further. One of the reasons why on my website I had to specify that ETA's changed based on a myriad of factors.

Without completed knives in hand, I will keep doing these mass emails. When your orders are completed or near completion you will receive communication from me individually. As well as a picture of your knife.

Please continue to be patient and bear with me. I promise to deliver although I am late. As well, no one is forgotten in the hustle and bustle of my work. There are a handful of you that will be addressed ASAP after this email, separately to discuss finalization of your work and any other issues pending.

For those of you who missed out on the first Production run of the Model 10, there will be another run starting this Spring. I am awaiting the delivery estimates now. Initially they were set for mid Spring to early Summer, but this may change plus or minus one month or so. These will again be in D2 steel, with Black and OD G10 handle choices. Black Kydex and teklock belt clips. A great and reasonably priced package. Thanks to those of you who were able to purchase and help sell out the lot. I will be doing another Pre Order list once I have an ETA on the entire run. Watch the Derespina Knives facebook page and my website for updates on the Pre Order list.

Thank you again for your continued patience, you have my utmost gratitude. I hope you've had a great start to the New Year!

Sincerely,
Rich Derespina

Notice the dates. We are now in October almost November still nothing. I paid $525 full in good faith and got jacked. I have been sending repeated emails to this man since last year July to this current date. I have already contacted PayPal but they say they cannot do anything because its more than 6 months. I am fed up and want a full refund. The other post on the forums is almost word for word. Oh I have a spare pay full price and then he disappears. This is the other post with the same bad info on him --
Bad - Where in the world is Richard Derespina? Let the buyer beware.
 
you know some people hire service contractors to look into the problem with dead beats
 
Derespina Knives has delivered. I have my knife. It's exactly what I ordered - serrated and acid washed with a custom handle. preety sweet. But long wait.
 
He did mine too there amazing and he's an honorable guy but agreed on long wait lol
Those are some nice Bowie's - Mine is the Karambit that was posted a week ago on his facebook. Honestly, I probably won't order from Derespina again unless I hear that he has improved his schedule somehow. Cant wait years for a knife - even ones this nice. A sword I would be willing to wait years for - but not a knife.
 
Good that he finally followed through... for some people. This guy is still scum, taking money and really leaving no reasonable expectation of getting a product. If you quote a time, and you wind up breaking that quote by multitudes, the customer that you shafted is AT LEAST due some recompense for the error on your part.
 
I get what you mean we all go through some shit in life and. He was going through a rough time at least he is coming through with the blades that's saying something and he did give me a discount on any orders I decide to do in the future so that's something

The fact that he's trying to get blades out to people tells me he isn't a bad guy just got in a bad way with time management and too many orders
 
Getting some people taken care of while still ignoring paying customers, and having ignored paying customers for years means he does not deserve his business. Sorry, but that isn't acceptable behavior, and while forgivable that behavior would require a whole lot of work to forgive, far more than has been displayed.
 
I dot my disagree but you have to start somewhere it's better than just disappearing as some makers have done at least he's making the effort and his blades are well worth the wait that's for sure there awesome!!!
 
So since this post, he finally is going to be shipping the knife. I has been contacting me the past few weeks giving me updates on my order. He said it should be completed and sent in the mail Sept. 22nd, so last Friday. I sent him my updated address but I never got a reply that he got it or that he was sending out the blade. I guess we will see if I receive it this week. I will update this as soon as I find out.
 
I get what you mean we all go through some shit in life and. He was going through a rough time at least he is coming through with the blades that's saying something and he did give me a discount on any orders I decide to do in the future so that's something

The fact that he's trying to get blades out to people tells me he isn't a bad guy just got in a bad way with time management and too many orders

^ I'm glad you received your knife...but I'm left wondering what kind of lesson you learned, when I read the bolded part.

Getting some people taken care of while still ignoring paying customers, and having ignored paying customers for years means he does not deserve his business. Sorry, but that isn't acceptable behavior, and while forgivable that behavior would require a whole lot of work to forgive, far more than has been displayed.

^ This! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

So since this post, he finally is going to be shipping the knife. I has been contacting me the past few weeks giving me updates on my order. He said it should be completed and sent in the mail Sept. 22nd, so last Friday. I sent him my updated address but I never got a reply that he got it or that he was sending out the blade. I guess we will see if I receive it this week. I will update this as soon as I find out.

^ Good luck- I hope that you finally receive what you paid for!


As for me: I've read enough regarding this highly unethical knife maker, to know that I will never do any type of business with him.

Speaking of which, I've been meaning to post a very positive custom knife build that I did with one of BladeForums, solid, highly trustworthy maker's: Austin Goldman. He crafted a stunning skinner for my best friend up in Idaho & it only took him a little over 2 months from start to finish! And he support's this forum! :thumbsup::thumbsup:
thumbnail_Screenshot_2017-08-27-20-35-02.jpg thumbnail_Screenshot_2017-08-27-20-34-17.jpg thumbnail_Screenshot_2017-08-27-20-36-36.jpg thumbnail_Screenshot_2017-08-27-20-36-09.jpg thumbnail_Screenshot_2017-08-27-20-35-31.jpg thumbnail_Screenshot_2017-08-27-20-35-37.jpg
 
Well I got my shit and it's amazing so worth the wait as far as I'm concerned

To each there own of course
 

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swordmaster0813 swordmaster0813
You sure are going above and beyond to be the only guy swimming against the tide here. Even so far as to post your knives multiple times.

Could the discount he offered be a result of (or conditionally based upon) your push for him being a good, honorable guy and a the wait being worth it?

From what I have read in the multiple threads complaining about this maker, I wouldn't spend my funds on him. There are plenty that support this forum, do quality work, have positive reviews and zero complaints.
 
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