Eric Draven of Draven Industries - Alert?

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John Woo

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Hello All,

I am John, of Reverse Edge Knives. I have commissioned and dealt with some of the most honorable and well respected knife makers in the industry (Shane Sibert, Randy Doucette, and others).

Just a heads up for those of you out there thinking of commissioning with Eric Draven. This is a progressing situation, so please reserve judgement for now. Just wanted to make the community aware.

Approx 14 months ago, I commissioned Eric Draven of Draven Industries for 10 knives, a modification of a Reverse Edge Knife that I planned on sell on my site. I was deployed in Afghanistan at the time, and he emphasized that his word and honor were just and valid. I gave him a 50% deposit on the run. The knives were due to be completed in a few months. However, after mulitple excuses (sick family member, moving, etc.), he has yet to deliver. We reached an agreement that he would complete my commission by Oct 31, 2011, or refund my initial investment. Still no knives and no refund. I have send him several e-mails, but he has only responded twice - both times without answering as to my refund.

While this situation may turn out well, so far he has not held up his end of the agreement.

If this situation resolves with his fulfilling his word with me, then all is well - but for now, the situation is negative.

Respectfully,
John
RE KNives
 
WARNING - Eric Draven of Draven Industries - Scam artist

Just a warning for anyone considering dealing with Eric Draven of Draven industries. I commissioned him to build me mulitple knives, and sent a deposit of $1000. He has since disappeared, and no longer responds to e-mails.

Beware of doing any business with this person.

Respectfully,
John
RE Knives.
 
Could be a coincidence, but Eric Draven was the name of the main character in the movie The Crow. Sounds like pretty good potential for a piece of crap scam artist. I hope I'm wrong. Good luck to you.
 
Eric lives in Medford, OR and had his named changed some years back to Eric Draven, knowing the source for the name. I think he took the name when he was a cage fighter.

I haven't spoken with Eric in a while. Last time I did he was getting into forging. The last phone number I had for him was 541 858 4121.

Eric can get wrapped up pretty tight in some projects but I don't think he's a scam artist. That said, I don't know why he would not have gotten back to you. He does business as Draven Industries. If you send me a PM I'll give you his address. He lived with his folks, I don't know whether he still does.

Gene
 
Last edited:
I registered with this forum to alert other potential victims of Eric Draven aka Carol Lawrence (according to his Paypal account).

I bought a custom piece from him in September 2011. Lots of emails up until he got my money. Then, I'd send him a monthly email asking about the status, and I'd get a reply, "Just a few days bro" and that sort of thing.

Got tired of the BS and asked politely for a refund. No email replies. No refund.

I'm not going to flame this guy, but I will truthfully state that Draven ripped me off. He insisted that I list the Paypal payment as a "gift" even though he is a merchant. That bit of dishonesty should have been the first and only warning I needed. My bad for paying him money.

Oh well, I'm out some money. Don't let it happen to you.
 
too bad, I was looking at one of his reverse edge fixed blades.. money saved! thanks!
 
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=569157
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=570641
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=567537



He was on thehighroad for a bit, but hasen't been active in a bit: (From thehighroad.org):


Eric Draven
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About Eric Draven
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I'm 29...5'11" and about 185lbs. Long brown hair...hazel eyes and I like stuff.
Location
Medford OR.
Interests
Knifemaking,Martial Arts,being angry at my grinder...etc.
Occupation
Knifemaker/Clothing Designer
What I do for the RKBA and other civil liberties
I buy guns...and I am an NRA member. :)
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www.draven-industries.com <-- We make Knives...and other cool stuff.
"...making Metal Dreams come true, since 2002."
"...because if its not sharp, its not FUN..."
"...trying harder and harder not to take ourselves TOO seriously..."
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Last Activity: June 9, 2011 02:10 AM
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You need to go ahead and persue legal action. He's been pulling this crap for YEARS! There's a good reason he's not active on any of the major knife forums.
 
Legal action is probably a non-starter, because, in my case, the money is too small to make it economically worth while to go to Oregon and sue him.

Here is what I have started doing:
I emailed Arizona Custom Knives, where I have made purchases in the past, and told them I will not buy anything from them as long as they offer Draven merchandise. I intend to do the same with Steel Addiction, and any other site I find offering Draven's merchandise.

I encourage readers of this post to do the same.
 
Update -- After I posted this and sent emails to resellers of Draven merchandise, I got an email from Eric, telling me my merchandise was ready to ship, and listing other goodies he was throwing in for free, just to prove he's a good guy. Of course, merchandise and goodies are MIA, and no further responses to email.
 
Good thing he contacted you, but I've had that happen before with a holster maker who I hounded for a warranty issue. Said I'd get it after threatening to call the BBB.
 
Sam- updates? I'd like to hear if this last commitment has been honored.. He might not realize it but he lost my order based on how this is going.. That means he probably lost a few others if not several..

It just seems too many knife makers don't treat their profession as a business.. And that's exactly what it is once they step into "fulltime" knife maker and begin taking orders- a business. You take an order, you put a time frame on the product, then you deliver said product in an orderly fashion. Keep communication up and complete the deal to the customers satisfaction.. I guess this is how the bad separate themselves out of the loop. Next!
 
hi guys, im here to tell my experience wiht the "Mr" Eric Draven. About a month ago, I commissioned him to build a personalized custom knife, at first He was very kind to me, but about two weeks, he no reply at my emails, There I was really disappointed when I read your posts, but at least I know who I'm dealing with, I made &#8203;&#8203;the payment with paypal, and now i've blocked it, hoping at least to recover the money.
 
Final update (for sloth357 and everyone else)
Draven started sending me emails with promises that my project was finished. Then his "apprentice" screwed up the mailing. Then his "secretary" mistakenly blacked out my Zip code with a Sharpie on the package, so it was returned to Draven as undeliverable.
And then I finally got a package from Draven. I had ordered a tactical paracord bracelet, with titanium wire, instead of steel. I sure got one, but it was 2 inches too long, and black paracord, instead of OD Green and coyote brown. In addition to the project not even approaching spec, the paracord itself was loose -- this was a rush job.
Eric's email address is now in my Spam filter. I will never do business with Draven again.
 
Well, that sucks.. Whenever someone has a list of excuses that just keeps growing.. it's time to move on.. Oh well, plenty of other makers I can purchase a knife from.

Thanks Sam!
 
Just an update. It's funny - I see that he developed a new website, and claims that all the bad press about him are lies. I have all my e-mail from him saved, as well as receipts from Paypal with the monies I sent him. I have decided to pursue legal action against him. With a small claims court action against him, he will have a tough time finding any future jobs or anything requiring a credit history.

Respectfully,
John W
 
John Woo said:
Just an update. It's funny - I see that he developed a new website, and claims that all the bad press about him are lies. I have all my e-mail from him saved, as well as receipts from Paypal with the monies I sent him. I have decided to pursue legal action against him. With a small claims court action against him, he will have a tough time finding any future jobs or anything requiring a credit history.

Respectfully,
John W
Click to expand...

John, once you get a judgment on him, you can possibly, depending on the state you live in, have a "brick" put on his license.

A brick on the license refers to a function of law whereby the DOT or secretary of state's office can have the driver's license of a debtor against whom a judgment has been obtained suspended until he pays you.

Google "brick on driver's license" and your state and you should have no problem finding the information. In IL, all you would need to do is go to the county sheriff's office in the courthouse once the judgment is obtained, and they'll explain it to you very simply and practically.

The suspension remains intact (he has no driver's privilege) until he pays you by law under this provision.
 
I do see that he is selling new knives through one of the knife websites. Disappointing to see so many taken advantage of.
 
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