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Bad DSK-T custom knives [Buyer Beware]

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Jun 24, 2019
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So a few months ago I contacted Dan Sullivan at DSK custom knives and commissioned a piece from him.
I asked what finishes he offered and he proceeded to send me several different pictures of available finishes. The one I ended up selecting was called “Acid rain” and it was honestly incredible.

https://imgur.com/a/hH4xaDx
[DSK Acid rain finish: pictured above]

I processed payment and began waiting for him to start on my build. So what I had asked for was a lightly stonewashed blade with polished flats which creates a very nice contrast, and “Acid rain” frag scales. Eventually a video popped up on his Instagram page of a heavily stonewashed “deluxe” (which is the model I ordered) with flamed frag scales and I asked him if it was mine, he said yes. When I asked about the crazy difference between the two pictures he told me the original “Acid Rain”
picture was photo shopped and that he could not achieve what was in the picture.

https://imgur.com/a/ToFnSl7
[DSK admitting to photo shopping:pictured above]

All of this happened after he was paid in full, hell I even threw in a tip after he gave me a sob story about having a bunch of kids and not being able to afford his own knives. The knife was 900 shipped and I paid a little over 1k and I made plans to purchase another of his models after this build was completed.

https://imgur.com/a/Eu99EVh
[Proof of full payment + tip: pictured above]

The knife I was promised and the one provided was a night and day difference, it wasn’t even close. Not only was the blade entirely different but his “acid rain” had become nothing more then a torch job.
When I expressed my concerns I was told if I didn’t like it then I could feel free to sell it.
Below: is all relevant proof including the difference between what I paid for and what I got, and the subsequent deletion of all proof of wrong doing from Instagram (Luckily I took screen shots beforehand. )
https://imgur.com/a/ONT2gsX

Thank you all for your time and hopefully this is enough to add DSK (Dan Sullivan knives) to as my buddy calls it “The blade forums shit list of shitty people.”

I also posted up a buyer beware video on my shitty little YouTube channel if anyone is interested.
 
Last edited:
1. Run away from any maker who asks for payment up front

2. Why did you tip him after he admitted he couldn’t reproduce the finish you wanted?

But yes, he should have been upfront about not being able to reproduce the finish, and he should take his knife back if you are not satisfied with it (providing you have not used or disassembled it). I’d stay away from Instagram knife makers as stories like this are all to common.
 
It's true - I found out that even for relatively cheap knives you must never pay the maker up front.
 
1. Run away from any maker who asks for payment up front

2. Why did you tip him after he admitted he couldn’t reproduce the finish you wanted?

But yes, he should have been upfront about not being able to reproduce the finish, and he should take his knife back if you are not satisfied with it (providing you have not used or disassembled it). I’d stay away from Instagram knife makers as stories like this are all to common.
1. Run away from any maker who asks for payment up front

2. Why did you tip him after he admitted he couldn’t reproduce the finish you wanted?

But yes, he should have been upfront about not being able to reproduce the finish, and he should take his knife back if you are not satisfied with it (providing you have not used or disassembled it). I’d stay away from Instagram knife makers as stories like this are all to common.
so I tipped him prior to all of this happening, he seemed like a really good dude who was kind of down on his luck. live and learn I guess.
 
Thanks for the heads up! I was actually going to try and get one of his knives when books were open, now I wont. That one pictures shows the customer service mindset, "whats best for me" not my customer.
 
1. Run away from any maker who asks for payment up front

2. Why did you tip him after he admitted he couldn’t reproduce the finish you wanted?

But yes, he should have been upfront about not being able to reproduce the finish, and he should take his knife back if you are not satisfied with it (providing you have not used or disassembled it). I’d stay away from Instagram knife makers as stories like this are all to common.
How did you pay? You may have recourse if it was PayPal.
Paypal G&S, he wanted me to use friends and family but o I offered to pay the PayPal fees and he agreed.
So I know I definitely have recourse but i really don’t want to file a claim on a maker, even a shitty one.
 
Thanks for the heads up! I was actually going to try and get one of his knives when books were open, now I wont. That one pictures shows the customer service mindset, "whats best for me" not my customer.
What model were you looking into?
 
I would go ahead a file a claim - if what you want is a refund. That way you cover yourself. Even if he said tomorrow, that he will take it back for a refund. I wouldn't trust him. File the claim and document it thru PP.
 
Paypal G&S, he wanted me to use friends and family but o I offered to pay the PayPal fees and he agreed.
So I know I definitely have recourse but i really don’t want to file a claim on a maker, even a shitty one.

he isn’t your buddy and he doesn’t gaf about you, which he has clearly shown through his actions. Send his jank knife back and spend your money elsewhere. Letting him get away with this just encourages him to screw more people.
 
Paypal G&S, he wanted me to use friends and family but o I offered to pay the PayPal fees and he agreed.
So I know I definitely have recourse but i really don’t want to file a claim on a maker, even a shitty one.

Then you never should have started this thread. By not getting your money back for a substandard custom built knife, you're enabling the maker to continue making substandard knives. Believe it or not, you're doing more harm than good. Go read some other threads about makers that have done the same thing and see how those started out.
 
Paypal G&S, he wanted me to use friends and family but o I offered to pay the PayPal fees and he agreed.
So I know I definitely have recourse but i really don’t want to file a claim on a maker, even a shitty one.

As others have previously stated, I beg you to file a dispute. If you don’t, he won’t feel the recourse of his wrong-doing. More people might get scammed by this guy if you let him get away with it.
 
So a few months ago I contacted Dan Sullivan at DSK custom knives and commissioned a piece from him.
I asked what finishes he offered and he proceeded to send me several different pictures of available finishes. The one I ended up selecting was called “Acid rain” and it was honestly incredible.

https://imgur.com/a/hH4xaDx
[DSK Acid rain finish: pictured above]

I processed payment and began waiting for him to start on my build. So what I had asked for was a lightly stonewashed blade with polished flats which creates a very nice contrast, and “Acid rain” frag scales. Eventually a video popped up on his Instagram page of a heavily stonewashed “deluxe” (which is the model I ordered) with flamed frag scales and I asked him if it was mine, he said yes. When I asked about the crazy difference between the two pictures he told me the original “Acid Rain”
picture was photo shopped and that he could not achieve what was in the picture.

https://imgur.com/a/ToFnSl7
[DSK admitting to photo shopping:pictured above]

All of this happened after he was paid in full, hell I even threw in a tip after he gave me a sob story about having a bunch of kids and not being able to afford his own knives. The knife was 900 shipped and I paid a little over 1k and I made plans to purchase another of his models after this build was completed.

https://imgur.com/a/Eu99EVh
[Proof of full payment + tip: pictured above]

The knife I was promised and the one provided was a night and day difference, it wasn’t even close. Not only was the blade entirely different but his “acid rain” had become nothing more then a torch job.
When I expressed my concerns I was told if I didn’t like it then I could feel free to sell it.
Below: is all relevant proof including the difference between what I paid for and what I got, and the subsequent deletion of all proof of wrong doing from Instagram (Luckily I took screen shots beforehand. )
https://imgur.com/a/ONT2gsX

Thank you all for your time and hopefully this is enough to add DSK (Dan Sullivan knives) to as my buddy calls it “The blade forums shit list of shitty people.”

I also posted up a buyer beware video on my shitty little YouTube channel if anyone is interested.
So his answer was for you to sell it to recoup your funds?
Give him an ultimatum.
You'll ship it back to him (after a full refund of course) and he can sell it himself.
Or, you'll dispute the PayPal transaction for the full refund.
That usually gets results.
If he's so confident that you can sell it and get your money back...let him do it and lose 25%++.
 
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