Dan Koster Knives - Never Again

Status
Not open for further replies.
LorenzoL said:
With a couple exceptions, every single time I pre-paid a custom knife I ended up regretting it. I think threads like this are important to try to keep makers honest, I think we should actually have a Makers' Hall of Shame.
Click to expand...

Words to live by. I've done it exactly twice, both times with guys that were supposedly good upstanding members of the community. Bot of them had life suddenly "get complicated" for them after my payment was in hand. You live, you learn. I did.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wmb
DavidZ said:
:thumbdn: Dan Koster Knives - Never Again :thumbdn:

Posting a bad experience is never a top priority, but for the good of the loyal supporting members and posters here at BF, I have to post this here, where people searching are most apt to find and see it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anyway, I hope that he improves his ethics and business practices, not only for his success, but for the success of the industry.
Click to expand...

I decided to post here after reading the OP by DavidZ.

This is a "community", and the people of this community... older members as well as the new and unsuspecting members; need to have access to information in order to be able to make an informed decision... If they take but just a bit of time to do some research.

After spending a lot of money with Dan Koster, I finished for good with him back in April of this year, 2010.

The things that have been said in this thread as well as numerous others are all true. Deadlines missed by months and in many cases years. Sparse and mostly no communication, BS, what I can only call outright lies, more BS, excuses, then more excuses later that contradicted the first excuses. After emailing & PM'ing to no avail, some guys posted over and over and over on his forum asking for their refunds... only to be ignored. The list just goes on and on.

Many times early on, I myself defended Dan in open forum threads. None of us are perfect... me included.

But the same old things just kept happening over and over and over again. I even started getting emails and PM's from other members about their problems with Koster, and not just one or two.

Finally, the "straw that broke the camels back" for me was the BushMaster knife. This knife, when we ordered them; had a completion date listed by Dan of November 2008. Finally in March 2010 I had enough. I was through.

I quietly asked Dan for a refund. We quickly and quietly worked out the details by email. Strangely, at the mention of a refund he was readily available for communication.

After the details were worked out, I did not bother him anymore. He had told me what he was going to do and that was good enough for me. I had made it clear to him also I was not going to ask twice.

Well, he did not do what we had agreed to. If you want to read what happened then... the links are below. You will noticed he locked the first two almost immediately. I locked the last one. ;)

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=732676

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=732721

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=733202


I am not saying Dan is a bad guy, I honestly do not think he is. BUT, the way he has treated many of his customers is shameful at best.

All he had to do was honestly communicate what was really going on and most people would have understood and bent over backwards to "work" with him.

But no, the same BS continued of doing runs with unrealistic completion dates; while all the time the "runs" of prior years are still not completed. :confused:

It was never about the deposits or pre-paying with me. I did not mind that at all. It was all the BS & excuses that came after that as to why the knives were "late".

That is all I have to say, BUT... if anyone should doubt anything I have said above about emails or PM's, I have them and can provide them.

I like Dan's knives, but I will never deal with him again. :)
 
Last edited:
Why is this guy still allowed to have a forum here? I mean, if he was just another maker, he would probably be banned by now.
 
You guys will find out where your money goes if you spend a little time searching on one of the larger airgun forums. While not answering many of your emails and PMs, or giving refunds that are asked for, he spends a lot of time and money on that forum. Anybody wants to know which forum it is, PM me.
 
How many times do we need to rehash this DavidZ?

It seems like the several threads you have started on several different forums seem to have kicked up enough dust to last a long time.

This is starting to smell like a personal vendetta.....you keep bringing it back up to stir the pot and get sympathy. I guess I understand it...but not really. *shrug*


I'm pretty sure I squared things with you and resolved the issue to your liking...... months ago.


Anybody that wants to hear my end of the story is welcome to email me. I do my best not to hang my dirty laundry out in public.


HDCharlie - I'm not sure what you're implying....seems like mud-slinging at best and slander at worst to me.


I have my fair share of posts on bladeforums...I am here as often as I can be...it's either post or make knives. I think if you spend some time on my forum you'll see that communication has greatly improved. I welcome improvement and can take constructive criticism...in fact, I solicit it.

I have hundreds of satisfied and repeat customers. It's your choice who to listen to.

No business is perfect. I made a mistake and took care of it. I'm not sure what more I could do about it....don't see why I need my nose rubbed in it again and again.


I don't really see a purpose to this thread except to slander and drum up support for a "me-too" bandwagon. Is there a problem to resolve? I don't see it. DavidZ - this was very low class.

:thumbdn:

Dan
 
Last edited:
No offense Mr.Koster but the "dirty laundry" has already been aired. You might as well tell your side of the story here where the "laundry" is.

Is there something you wish to say be email that you can't say here?

To someone outside looking in at this situation, you appear to be the problem. But if you would go ahead and address it here then that might change.
 
Sorry Dan- your request of a PM DOES NOT cut it. You have had multiple issues (at your own admission) and here one is brought to air. If you have proof that this thread is not legitimate, then show it here for all to see. Otherwise you appear to be trying to act in a manner that does not hold you accountable. If you have proof- show it, if not make things right and improve. I don't usually respond in this kind, but come on- enough is enough!

As I have no further stake in your knives I'll try to avoid the issue of your knives, but you really need to get your stuff together.

Kris
 
Last edited:
I don't want to step on any toes, but I've only had amazing experiences with Dan Koster.
Every knife I've ordered from the guy has been shipped out the next day. Granted the Koster knives I've received have been already done, but I think this says something about his current business practice.
This is the case so much so that I was also willing to go on the list for his new MUCK list without any hesitation.

I've also purchased 2 Koster knives on the secondary market and I would trust these knives with my life.
Justin
 
Last edited:
lafferjc said:
I don't want to step on any toes, but I've only had amazing experiences with Dan Koster.
Every knife I've ordered from the guy has been shipped out the next day. Granted the Koster knives I've received have been already done, but I think this says something about his current business practice.
This is the case so much so that I was also willing to go on the list for his new MUCK list without any hesitation.
Click to expand...
None stepped on. :)
How many have you "ordered", what were they, and when?

lafferjc said:
I've also purchased 2 Koster knives on the secondary market and I would trust these knives with my life.
Justin
Click to expand...
His knives or their quality have never been in question as far as I know. That is not even an issue. :) ...
Which IMO makes the rest of it all the sadder.
 
Daniel Koster said:
I don't really see a purpose to this thread except to slander and drum up support for a "me-too" bandwagon. Is there a problem to resolve? I don't see it.
Dan
Click to expand...

The purpose of this entire sub forum, the GB&U, is to let potential buyers know whether or not to purchase from an individual or company.

This purpose of this thread might be to let someone who's looking for a (relatively) expensive fixed blade know the hazards of purchasing from this particular maker. Someone like me.

Thank you for sharing your experience, OP
 
I ordered two Nessmucks and two Shortnesses (mini-Nesmucks) from Daniel.
The first Nessmuck was purchased from Dan 3 months ago and the second Nessmuck and two ShortNesses were purchased last week.
As I said, these knives were already built, so I did not have to deal with a wait for a run of knives, but I was extremely happy with each purchase.
Justin
 
Daniel Koster said:
How many times do we need to rehash this DavidZ?

It seems like the several threads you have started on several different forums seem to have kicked up enough dust to last a long time.

This is starting to smell like a personal vendetta.....you keep bringing it back up to stir the pot and get sympathy. I guess I understand it...but not really. *shrug*


I'm pretty sure I squared things with you and resolved the issue to your liking...... months ago.


Anybody that wants to hear my end of the story is welcome to email me. I do my best not to hang my dirty laundry out in public.


HDCharlie - I'm not sure what you're implying....seems like mud-slinging at best and slander at worst to me.


I have my fair share of posts on bladeforums...I am here as often as I can be...it's either post or make knives. I think if you spend some time on my forum you'll see that communication has greatly improved. I welcome improvement and can take constructive criticism...in fact, I solicit it.

I have hundreds of satisfied and repeat customers. It's your choice who to listen to.

No business is perfect. I made a mistake and took care of it. I'm not sure what more I could do about it....don't see why I need my nose rubbed in it again and again.


I don't really see a purpose to this thread except to slander and drum up support for a "me-too" bandwagon. Is there a problem to resolve? I don't see it. DavidZ - this was very low class.

:thumbdn:

Dan
Click to expand...

Dan - I am not re-hashing - just doing what I promised in the threads that I had to use to get you to do what you promised - As far as your side of the story, I can forward 14 months of email lies to anyone who wants to PM me. Getting rid of your junk was the happiest day of my life! That is what this forum is for. It is not a person vendetta - you do not see me in your forum bad mouthing you. You are just sensitive to the truth that you are embarrassed of - and you should be.
 
DavidZ said:
Dan - I am not re-hashing - just doing what I promised in the threads that I had to use to get you to do what you promised -
Click to expand...

What did you promise, to spam this forum with threads on a topic that was already closed? Not cool. FEEDBACK is here to get action. As bad as your experience may have been, once it's over, we don't need the drama anymore.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
What did you promise, to spam this forum with threads on a topic that was already closed? Not cool. FEEDBACK is here to get action. As bad as your experience may have been, once it's over, we don't need the drama anymore.
Click to expand...

Agreed - I got action - I thought that this forum was to warn others in the future to beware. As that is not the case, and I was unaware of the above - I will close it.
Thanks,
Dave
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top