I placed the order and paid back in Dec 2023. And after all the flood situation finally received 4 knives by the end of Aug 2024. But I found all knives handle have gaps and cracks and all epoxy glue start to fail and gaps are getting bigger. I emailed immediately. He said will replace them. Then another half a year passed, he still trying to ask me what causes it, like leave in extreme weather. We had emails back and forth for over a year now. What are the chances he will honor to send really quality knives? I attached the knives I got.
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Francisco Vaz’ knives quality check
- Thread starter dylan5188
- Start date
braillediver
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2007
- Messages
- 3,048
Here's a recent thread of Francisco Vaz issues. Another member woodysone mentions handle problems / shrinkage.
Jetlau3111
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2014
- Messages
- 902
I have 5 kitchen knives from Francisco . The handles are a kingwood with a dark wood bolster . One of the handles split after a year. Francisco was quick to do a free replacement for me . I took the opportunity to upgrade the knife to stainless and he upgraded me to magnacut (from a cheaper stainless) free of charge .
Shipping from Brazil is sometimes slow and uncertain but Francisco has always been responsive . I wouldn’t worry
Shipping from Brazil is sometimes slow and uncertain but Francisco has always been responsive . I wouldn’t worry
Jetlau3111
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2014
- Messages
- 902
Old knife on top. Replacement (magnacut) on bottom . I glued the bolster back on with superglue and have been using it with no issues
Created this account to attend this post quickly,
I have been offering lifetime insurance on my knives since i started on knifemaking, especially after i started selling them internationally.
The chances of me honoring your replacements are literally 100%, i always honored every single requests, recently, one customer had a similar problem in an ebony bolster and he got a new whole knife (upgraded in steel), no questions asked.
I sell knives internationally for a couple years and i dont even bother asking the customer if he was at fault or not, but all your knives cracked their handles with materials im very familiar with, that can be due many many factors, handle materials (not synthetic ones) are the worst nightmare of any maker who does shipment overseas. It can be my fault, shipment anormaly (warehouse, flight conditions, climate of your location). My country has a very different climate of your location, which also naturally stresses handle materials.
This being said, i got customers all over the world, some of them owns dozens of knives from me, very few had these problems, mostly recently. I have been actively investigating this problem with customers.
For someone that offers lifetime insurance on all my knives, of course this is of my best interest to discover what may have caused that. Since your knives, i have changed the epoxy system im using and up to date no more reports of splitting handles.
The picture below is of a customer who got half a dozen knives from me about 4 years ago, from Netherlands, which has a VERY different climate from mine. The handles were out of kingwood, a tropical species, but up to date never had a problem, just regular oiling. Handle materials are this chaotic.
You are also my unique customer from New York, this makes a lot harder to find a "common point" to may find out what specifically caused this. I have made several handles using the very same epoxi and technique used in yours, none of the splitted, including handles that shared same materials to yours.
Dont worry of me not honoring these replacements. All my customers are aware that i do lifetime insurance on my knives, this is not a secret, and i will follow doing so.
As of a quality check, this post is somehow dangerous, because i have sold over 200 knives in the last year and very few had problems, which sometimes one little thing can be the problem (one faulty batch of epoxy, one specific mistake of mine during handle making, the list goes on). There are over a hundred of customers who got knives from me and were super happy regarding quality, but i realize that it was a mistake to not ask them to share their good impressions, which in the end of the day may create a bias of only negative reviews.
My original profile on bladeforums have more than 30 positive reviews of my work, and would have more than 50 if would have asked all customers to leave feedback (some people just want to buy, be happy and dont be bothered, which i respect and never pressed anyone like this to be vouching for me)
There are few customers who posted positive feedback on their own, without me asking or anything, i realize now that it was a mistake to not ask people to report when they got positive experiences.
In this very forum, there are members who owns more than 15 knives from me, and over the course of 2 years got only one small crack on one specific handl with snakewood and an exotic fossil insert.
You could have asked me references for customers who needed replacements, could have provide all of them, not many, in the last 4 years, i did no more than 10 replacements, always handles except one order of a nakiri, where the customer thought the nakiri would be suitable for heavy cleaver use (while nakiri is specific for veggies).
As mentioned, no questions asked, i dont focus on having arguments with customers, if you have problem with a knife of mine, i will be happy to fix it, then, we can discuss what may have caused it, no matter it was your fault or not. That is not of my concern, we all do mistakes.
I will be soon start to actively ask customers to have their positive experiences with me reported as well, it makes me sad that while there are dozens and dozens of knives that make customers happy, the very few bad situations get the spotlight. This being said, your complaint is genuine and it will be fixed.
Sorry for any english mistake, i wrote this fast, not in home.
I have been offering lifetime insurance on my knives since i started on knifemaking, especially after i started selling them internationally.
The chances of me honoring your replacements are literally 100%, i always honored every single requests, recently, one customer had a similar problem in an ebony bolster and he got a new whole knife (upgraded in steel), no questions asked.
I sell knives internationally for a couple years and i dont even bother asking the customer if he was at fault or not, but all your knives cracked their handles with materials im very familiar with, that can be due many many factors, handle materials (not synthetic ones) are the worst nightmare of any maker who does shipment overseas. It can be my fault, shipment anormaly (warehouse, flight conditions, climate of your location). My country has a very different climate of your location, which also naturally stresses handle materials.
This being said, i got customers all over the world, some of them owns dozens of knives from me, very few had these problems, mostly recently. I have been actively investigating this problem with customers.
For someone that offers lifetime insurance on all my knives, of course this is of my best interest to discover what may have caused that. Since your knives, i have changed the epoxy system im using and up to date no more reports of splitting handles.
The picture below is of a customer who got half a dozen knives from me about 4 years ago, from Netherlands, which has a VERY different climate from mine. The handles were out of kingwood, a tropical species, but up to date never had a problem, just regular oiling. Handle materials are this chaotic.
You are also my unique customer from New York, this makes a lot harder to find a "common point" to may find out what specifically caused this. I have made several handles using the very same epoxi and technique used in yours, none of the splitted, including handles that shared same materials to yours.
Dont worry of me not honoring these replacements. All my customers are aware that i do lifetime insurance on my knives, this is not a secret, and i will follow doing so.
As of a quality check, this post is somehow dangerous, because i have sold over 200 knives in the last year and very few had problems, which sometimes one little thing can be the problem (one faulty batch of epoxy, one specific mistake of mine during handle making, the list goes on). There are over a hundred of customers who got knives from me and were super happy regarding quality, but i realize that it was a mistake to not ask them to share their good impressions, which in the end of the day may create a bias of only negative reviews.
My original profile on bladeforums have more than 30 positive reviews of my work, and would have more than 50 if would have asked all customers to leave feedback (some people just want to buy, be happy and dont be bothered, which i respect and never pressed anyone like this to be vouching for me)
There are few customers who posted positive feedback on their own, without me asking or anything, i realize now that it was a mistake to not ask people to report when they got positive experiences.
I recently asked Francisco @Francisco Vaz to make a kitchen knife out of 26c3 with a thin, very slicy blade for delicate cutting chores. It's 63-64 hrc with the edge ground to near zero, the blade is a tad under 5" and sharpened to 2000 grit. Wow, it's a little lazer
exactly what I wanted!
Francisco is great at communicating, he answers questions fast and thoroughly. His prices are reasonable and turn around time is fast. You can deal with him in confidence
The first picture is mine, it's just starting to show a little patina, the other pictures are Francisco's.
Thanks...
exactly what I wanted!Francisco is great at communicating, he answers questions fast and thoroughly. His prices are reasonable and turn around time is fast. You can deal with him in confidence
The first picture is mine, it's just starting to show a little patina, the other pictures are Francisco's.
Thanks...
In this very forum, there are members who owns more than 15 knives from me, and over the course of 2 years got only one small crack on one specific handl with snakewood and an exotic fossil insert.
You could have asked me references for customers who needed replacements, could have provide all of them, not many, in the last 4 years, i did no more than 10 replacements, always handles except one order of a nakiri, where the customer thought the nakiri would be suitable for heavy cleaver use (while nakiri is specific for veggies).
As mentioned, no questions asked, i dont focus on having arguments with customers, if you have problem with a knife of mine, i will be happy to fix it, then, we can discuss what may have caused it, no matter it was your fault or not. That is not of my concern, we all do mistakes.
I will be soon start to actively ask customers to have their positive experiences with me reported as well, it makes me sad that while there are dozens and dozens of knives that make customers happy, the very few bad situations get the spotlight. This being said, your complaint is genuine and it will be fixed.
Sorry for any english mistake, i wrote this fast, not in home.
Precision Edge Sharpening
Mail in sharpening service
Gold Member
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2023
- Messages
- 74
I have a knife from Francisco with the same material handle, I have had it for nearly a year now and we have had no problems with it, it is still very good quality and communication with him has always been great.
I’d like to put my 2 cents in here, these are my three blades that in received from Fransisco. I not sure of the wood he used on these but if shrunk. 
. I removed the handles and replaced them with stabilized wood and g-flex expoxy. 
.
In addition he replaced the bad ones with three new blades. Would I purchase from him again the answer is heck yes, but a 67 years old I have no use for any more of his work as I now have all that my wife needs or wants.
If I want more for gifts I have I wouldn’t hesitate to order more from this young maker. Hopefully he has learned from this and uses stabilized wood or a micarta to prevent these headaches. This hopefully was a lesson, a hard learned one but hopefully one that wouldn’t be repeated.
. I removed the handles and replaced them with stabilized wood and g-flex expoxy. . In addition he replaced the bad ones with three new blades. Would I purchase from him again the answer is heck yes, but a 67 years old I have no use for any more of his work as I now have all that my wife needs or wants.
If I want more for gifts I have I wouldn’t hesitate to order more from this young maker. Hopefully he has learned from this and uses stabilized wood or a micarta to prevent these headaches. This hopefully was a lesson, a hard learned one but hopefully one that wouldn’t be repeated.
Attachments
Another 3 months passed. I was promised to have replacement by February. Nothing yet and no response from email. Anyone still hear from this guy?Created this account to attend this post quickly,
I have been offering lifetime insurance on my knives since i started on knifemaking, especially after i started selling them internationally.
The chances of me honoring your replacements are literally 100%, i always honored every single requests, recently, one customer had a similar problem in an ebony bolster and he got a new whole knife (upgraded in steel), no questions asked.
I sell knives internationally for a couple years and i dont even bother asking the customer if he was at fault or not, but all your knives cracked their handles with materials im very familiar with, that can be due many many factors, handle materials (not synthetic ones) are the worst nightmare of any maker who does shipment overseas. It can be my fault, shipment anormaly (warehouse, flight conditions, climate of your location). My country has a very different climate of your location, which also naturally stresses handle materials.
This being said, i got customers all over the world, some of them owns dozens of knives from me, very few had these problems, mostly recently. I have been actively investigating this problem with customers.
For someone that offers lifetime insurance on all my knives, of course this is of my best interest to discover what may have caused that. Since your knives, i have changed the epoxy system im using and up to date no more reports of splitting handles.
The picture below is of a customer who got half a dozen knives from me about 4 years ago, from Netherlands, which has a VERY different climate from mine. The handles were out of kingwood, a tropical species, but up to date never had a problem, just regular oiling. Handle materials are this chaotic.
You are also my unique customer from New York, this makes a lot harder to find a "common point" to may find out what specifically caused this. I have made several handles using the very same epoxi and technique used in yours, none of the splitted, including handles that shared same materials to yours.
Dont worry of me not honoring these replacements. All my customers are aware that i do lifetime insurance on my knives, this is not a secret, and i will follow doing so.
As of a quality check, this post is somehow dangerous, because i have sold over 200 knives in the last year and very few had problems, which sometimes one little thing can be the problem (one faulty batch of epoxy, one specific mistake of mine during handle making, the list goes on). There are over a hundred of customers who got knives from me and were super happy regarding quality, but i realize that it was a mistake to not ask them to share their good impressions, which in the end of the day may create a bias of only negative reviews.
My original profile on bladeforums have more than 30 positive reviews of my work, and would have more than 50 if would have asked all customers to leave feedback (some people just want to buy, be happy and dont be bothered, which i respect and never pressed anyone like this to be vouching for me)
There are few customers who posted positive feedback on their own, without me asking or anything, i realize now that it was a mistake to not ask people to report when they got positive experiences.
I recently asked Francisco @Francisco Vaz to make a kitchen knife out of 26c3 with a thin, very slicy blade for delicate cutting chores. It's 63-64 hrc with the edge ground to near zero, the blade is a tad under 5" and sharpened to 2000 grit. Wow, it's a little lazer
Francisco is great at communicating, he answers questions fast and thoroughly. His prices are reasonable and turn around time is fast. You can deal with him in confidence
The first picture is mine, it's just starting to show a little patina, the other pictures are Francisco's.
Thanks...
In this very forum, there are members who owns more than 15 knives from me, and over the course of 2 years got only one small crack on one specific handl with snakewood and an exotic fossil insert.
You could have asked me references for customers who needed replacements, could have provide all of them, not many, in the last 4 years, i did no more than 10 replacements, always handles except one order of a nakiri, where the customer thought the nakiri would be suitable for heavy cleaver use (while nakiri is specific for veggies).
As mentioned, no questions asked, i dont focus on having arguments with customers, if you have problem with a knife of mine, i will be happy to fix it, then, we can discuss what may have caused it, no matter it was your fault or not. That is not of my concern, we all do mistakes.
I will be soon start to actively ask customers to have their positive experiences with me reported as well, it makes me sad that while there are dozens and dozens of knives that make customers happy, the very few bad situations get the spotlight. This being said, your complaint is genuine and it will be fixed.
Sorry for any english mistake, i wrote this fast, not in home.
Precision Edge Sharpening
Mail in sharpening service
Gold Member
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2023
- Messages
- 74
I talk to him pretty much every day, He usually responds very well.
Precision Edge Sharpening
Mail in sharpening service
Gold Member
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2023
- Messages
- 74
I believe so, couldn’t tell you for sure though, I did let him know about your situation though. I’ve gotten about 6 knives from him and barring dhl’s delays, he’s had them shipped fairly quickly