Bark River has taken $16,000 of My Money

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Cobalt said:
And he owes the money back with interest.

I have known Mike for some time and he makes a fine product. He is also one of the most knowledgable knife makers on the market. This does not excuse this business deal. would just say that his product speaks for itself, his business ethics are a whole other matter.

I will add this much, I learned a lot about the way the knife business is around the world via conversations with mike. He definitely knows better than to do what he has done here.

I hope it all works out well.
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Cobalt, you say you have known Mike. How many times have you met "Mike Stewart" in person?
 
I own and have recommended BRKT knives to many people, I wont make either of those mistakes again. Part of me wishes I never found all this info out. :thumbdn:
 
Personally, I think Mike is doing himself a bunch of harm by handling this deal the way he has. It has brought his past transgressions back into the public eye and is giving people a good look at how he conducts business.
 
Keith Montgomery said:
Personally, I think Mike is doing himself a bunch of harm by handling this deal the way he has. It has brought his past transgressions back into the public eye and is giving people a good look at how he conducts business.
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Given that he could post here and defend his actions but chooses not to do so, he seems to be doing himself even more harm. I would bet he is aware of this thread and continues to read it.
 
I have been looking at the bark river line for some time now with thoughts of a number of purchases. I haven't been around the knife community long enough to know the back story on everybody in the industry and have to say the gb&u has once again come in handy. It looks like they put out a very good quality product and I have read rave reviews here on the forum over the last couple of years but the business ethics shown by the owner preclude me from sending any money his direction.
 
oupa said:
For as long as the owners of knife related forums allow these scumbags to participate, moderate and in some cases dictate, they will abuse their positions and worst of all - have credibility.
The key to their survival is manipulating forums and selling themselves to the folks who are members.
I for one, will NOT support a forum where these people are allowed to be in positions of power.
It is not just one person that has been screwed by this mob, just read this thread....and that is just those who are speaking out.
How many more are there?
How well known custom makers of repute can participate on forums where they have a presence is beyond me.
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I'm not going to comment on Bark River cause most of my dealings with them have been good.

However Oupa touched on something that is near and dear to my heart.


One thing I have always had mixed emotions about on Knife Related Forums is the maker or manufacturer forums.

While I can see the value in makers both commercial and custom having forums so they can accept consumer input and show off their own models I really think all of them should be totally separate from any general forum. I think having a maker as a mod discourages people giving their honest opinions and is sort of a conflict of interest. I've seen forums really get into trouble when one dealer moves into anothers territory, forum wise, making members choose sides not due to any great moral issue although that may be the sham justification, but for money.

Now like I say my experience with Bark River is Good. And I like and am friends with all the custom makers that have forums here.

However I think no matter the maker or brand I think having a forum dedicated to them tends to foster cliques and fan clubs that stifle a lot of people from honestly speaking their mind about the prices and specs of knives.

I don't even blame the makers themselves but more the need of people for heroes and for approval.

Considering the amount of hard earned money being channelled to the makers by the forumites I think the knifemakers should be worshipping the consumers and not the other way around.:thumbup:

I always thought that maybe the dedicated forums instead of to knife makers or companies that people who extensively USE knives should have their own forum.

Also one need look no further than Cliff Stamp to see how much vitrol can be directed at someone who speaks their mind. Now never mind if you agree with them or not but I feel it's a lot easier for a knife producer to be respected for his or her opinion and for the fan club to ridicule anyone who crosses them than for the ordinary consumer.

My 2 cents. I had wanted to stay off this thread but the principle of what Oupa said hit home.
 
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You will not see Mike or Reid here defending themselves. These shady practises have gone on for years and have been instigated against some of the most respected names in the industry.Mike will sit in the weeds and "this to shall pass".

I'm all for making this a sticky in The Hall of Shame. Let Mike and Reid bear the consequences of their actions.
 
CDNWIDE said:
You will not see Mike or Reid here defending themselves. These shady practises have gone on for years and have been instigated against some of the most respected names in the industry.Mike will sit in the weeds and "this to shall pass".

I'm all for making this a sticky in The Hall of Shame. Let Mike and Reid bear the consequences of their actions.
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Like what?
 
If you go to a few of the feedback sections on different forums and search for sharpshooter you'll find more than one unhappy camper.
 
G'day Hollowdweller.

I agree with the sentiments expressed by both yourself and Oupa.

There is inherently too great a risk of a conflict of interest when a manufacturer can use their moderator status to interfere with the running of another manufacturers forum.



Kind regards
Mick
 
hollowdweller said:
I'm not going to comment on Bark River cause most of my dealings with them have been good.

However Oupa touched on something that is near and dear to my heart.


One thing I have always had mixed emotions about on Knife Related Forums is the maker or manufacturer forums.

While I can see the value in makers both commercial and custom having forums so they can accept consumer input and show off their own models I really think all of them should be totally separate from any general forum. I think having a maker as a mod discourages people giving their honest opinions and is sort of a conflict of interest. I've seen forums really get into trouble when one dealer moves into anothers territory, forum wise, making members choose sides not due to any great moral issue although that may be the sham justification, but for money.

Now like I say my experience with Bark River is Good. And I like and am friends with all the custom makers that have forums here.

However I think no matter the maker or brand I think having a forum dedicated to them tends to foster cliques and fan clubs that stifle a lot of people from honestly speaking their mind about the prices and specs of knives.

I don't even blame the makers themselves but more the need of people for heroes and for approval.

Considering the amount of hard earned money being channelled to the makers by the forumites I think the knifemakers should be worshipping the consumers and not the other way around.:thumbup:

I always thought that maybe the dedicated forums instead of to knife makers or companies that people who extensively USE knives should have their own forum.

Also one need look no further than Cliff Stamp to see how much vitrol can be directed at someone who speaks their mind. Now never mind if you agree with them or not but I feel it's a lot easier for a knife producer to be respected for his or her opinion and for the fan club to ridicule anyone who crosses them than for the ordinary consumer.

My 2 cents. I had wanted to stay off this thread but the principle of what Oupa said hit home.
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Very well put, HD, I was thinking something similar myself reading all this. When I see how humble and simply eager to please the buyers some of the custom makers are in this forum it just seems so completely at the other end of the spectrum to this whole fiasco.

I personally love my barkies but it really sucks to see yet another black mark on the knife making community, it seems that it get's more then it's share of blemishes.
 
Oupa is right. I was banned from Knifeforums by Reid and Mike because I would no longer tolerate their dishonesty.
 
Bladeandbarrel said:
Cobalt, you say you have known Mike. How many times have you met "Mike Stewart" in person?
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I have never met Mike in person. Everything has been over the phone or email for many years. In fact, I probably have not had any contact with him in over 2 years. why do you ask??
 
You say you "know" Mike Stewart yet you have never met him or had business dealings with him. I guess my definition of "Know" is different than yours.
 
I took a look at what was happening on the other forums to see the other side. From what I could tell Mike was just being a very childish, stubborn person. Relying on his "followers" to slander and criticise Snarlslayer.
No-one took into consideration the facts SS put forward and just kept stating "Mike is a man of his word", "Mike was very nice when I sent in a knife for warranty", "Mike gives a lot to the forum". As nice as these acts are I cant see the relevance they have to the issue.
He promised knives on a certain date, he took the money and said it was okay. In the end no knives were made and SS was basically told to F**** off and come back when Mike is ready to pay him.
I was seriously considering buying a knife from BRKT and already deposited funds into my account to buy it, but now I'm spending my money on something else.
 
I just want to ask a question to those of you who are a little more business savvy.
Mike keeps saying that the reason he didn't give the knives to SS is because he didn't feel that SS would be competent to sell them.
From my point of view I dont see why this matters, if SS paid for the knives shouldn't he have the right to do whatever he wants with them. He owns them since he paid for them.
Its like me paying builders to build me a house and several months later when I expected the house to be done they tell me they don't think Ill take care of the house so they are going to build it for someone else and when its completed and sold I'll get my money back.
Im also a little taken back by the response of the members on the other forum, every time SS posts a comment stating facts all he gets back is -
"Boring"
"Please turn out the lights and lock the door when you leave"
"Yatta,Yatta,Yatta - g'night "

I also found this interesting from Mike -
"Steven,
I don't need Proof."
 
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