Help what would you do.

LYFSFUN

LYFSFUN

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Apr 12, 2000
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I just got this e mail. Jan. was a very long time ago. I bought the knife as a EK. It said EK on the blade. Really I don't belive the man is dishonest ( this is the only knife we have traded) but more than 6 months to say something is wrong. I also wonder just how much the person who told him it was not right really knows. What to do? :confused: It would be real easy to find a clone and then say it's the knife I sent. Yall help me out here I don't want to be a jerk but I don't want to bend over either. I just don't feel I should take it back after more than 6 months :rolleyes: . Looking for feedback and thanks for taking the time to post.
Ed

The e mail:
Ed,
After consulting with a couple of folks more knowledgeable about Ek knives than I am I have come to the conclusion that the Ek you sold me in January is a clone put out by an unnamed, unknown maker. This was not what I was attempting to acquire.
I realize it has been quite some time since you sold me the knife but nonetheless I would like to know if I could return it to you and (less your expenses for sending it to me initially) receive my money back for it? It is in the exact same condition that I received it in when it arrived.
Look forward to hearing from you,
 
I was told a long time ago that if you have to ask if it is the right thing to do then it probably is not. IMHO I would give the guy the benefit of the doubt and let him return it on the terms that you stated. I think if you can afford it you'll sleep better at night knowing you did the right thing.:)
 
Ed, do you still have a scan of the knife in question? If so you could have that guy email you a pic/scan of the knife he wants to send back and compare it before going further, or posting it here for a look see.

Buyers remorse is one thing but IF something was misrepresented it's an entirely different matter. Time goes by pretty quick and this might not have come to light until recently as he took you at your word, which if it was an error then yes I'd say make it right, but if it really is the EK made knife I'd have to say that buyers remorse has set in and the fellow should keep what he initally wanted.
It all hinges on THE knife so I'd get that resolved as soon as possible.

my .02
G2
 
I just asked for a photo. I sure looked at the knife and I really don't belive it is a fake. It seems faking 65 buck EKs would be more trouble than it's worth. I had 3 EKs from different folks and all had that stamp on them. Has anyone heard of nock off EKs? I don't even know which knife he is talking about. Two were black and one was green. It's been so long I really dont recall any of the details about the trade.
 
usually 2 days is plenty of inspection time but this 6 months later.i honesty dont think i would take it back after all that time its your decesion but dont do it because you think people might take this as foul play on your part because i would not its a ridiculous request after 6 months IMHO
 
the guy is off his rocker to want 65$ back after 6 months!!!!!
I wouldnt tell him to shove it....but I would tell him he doesnt know what hes talking about!!!
 
sorry ed - i know you take that serious but i find that story somehow amusing - who the hell would fake Ek knives??? :eek: :D
i would ask this guy why his friends think the knife is a clone and if they are so common with Ek knives to be sure about it - then i would probably take back the knife - sending the money after i received the knife and checked if everything is ok
make sure he does not think you take it back because he is right.
we all know you are a good guy ed!
 
Hey Ed, I have had many EK's, but I stopped buying them after Black Jack took them over. All EK knives have that weak stamp, and I have never seen one perfect. Some part of it was always worn off. I can't see anyone trying to make knock offs of that knife anyway, because they aren't that popular anymore, just for the reason that I mentioned earlier.<p>I agree with Gary... let him send you a scan. You can send it to me, Gary, or anyone that knows a little about them. Just make sure the scan shows the stamp.

Good luck Ed! :)
 
He said he can't send a pic. I just asked him to tell me what's wrong with the knife and who is telling him this. The whole time I had the knife no one ever said there was anything wrong with it. Several folks that are experts looked at it along with my others and not one ever said something was wrong with it. I must say it turns out that really it was Dec. of 2000 when he sent the money for the knife. That is long ago. I bought the knife as a sterial EK. Yes I just figured out which knife it was last night,he never told me what knife till then. I had 3 or 4 EKs all the others had black handles but were stamped EK. It is a dagger type knife with a green cord wraped handel and green sheath. I sent pics of the knife before any money came to me and now 8 months later this. I don't belive anyone would take any knife back after so long no mater what. U know I would sure bet the post on the other forum is what started all this. I am sure not feeling like this is right. After 3 days,30 days? 3 months?, but over 8 months. I could be crazy but I don't think any person would take something back after this long. You can be dam sure the guy I got it from will not take it back.
U know this internet knife tradeing is getting less and less fun by the day. It's been nice to meet all yall but I have just about had all the fun I can stand here. I sure hope yall see the 75 bucks has nothing to do with it.
I would sure like to know just who the expert is saying the knife is not right. Now he just said maybe some worker stole it out of the factory. That is a long way from being a nock off. Sorry this is getting me in a bad frame of mind,I need to go for a walk.
Yes don't worry I'll keep yall posted on the deal.
 
8 months is way too long. The guy has no business asking for his money back after that long. 3 days-1 week, that's reasonable.

I would politely explain to the guy what I'm sure he already knows, and leave it at that.
 
Ed:

I got pretty much screwed on a deal where I shipped a knife to Hong Kong and never got the $$ or the knife back. It soured me on the Forums for a while, but most Forumites are great people:) Don't let a couple idiots sour you on the fun of making the deal and waiting for that package in the mail:D

IMHO waiting 8 months to say maybe a knife was possibly inadvertently misrepresented is absurd:rolleyes:

I'm not an EK collector (not even real sure what they look like) and am in the middle of a forced move out of our home of 11 years, but if you want to give this yahoo his money back I'll buy it from you for for whatever that costs you.

This is a great hobby, and the majority of the folks around here are great people, please try and remember that:)
 
I told the man send it back. After it gets here we can have a search party for info on it and maybe in the processs we will all learn some good knife info. Who is the resident expert on EK? I will send them the knife to check out and they can post a report on what they think and why they belive what they do. Any info of quick checks for any knife to make sure you know what you are buying is right would be great. We can turn this into a fun project I'll try to do some good pics and post them.

I remember someone writeing a book on spotting copies. Anyone remember who that was? Moderator if you want move this to a better section for the search party project. Let's call it "How to spot a copy". After we get it figured out if it's not a copy I'll post it back for sale at $75 net. If it's a copy I'll put it in the boat for a user.

There was a Moran on e bay a while back that was reported as a fake. Who spotted it and what was the first give away that something was wrong with the knife? It seems we talked about that one time but I don't recall a final answer.

I will be on the road today and Sunday but will have internet acess.
Talk with yall later and thank's for the support.
Yall have a good weekend.
Ed
 
Ed, after 8 months, forget it! Tell the guy it's his, and no way will you take it back. The EK's came many ways, but only 3 different blade styles. The handles sometimes came with wood scales, but most came with the cord around the handle. This guy has no reason to ask for his money back after 8 months... It's ludicrous!
 
Ed, I like your idea about getting the knife back and checking into it's authenticity. Make sure that you let this guy know that it must be shipped back to you at his cost. Tell him that if it turns out the knife is a fake you will refund his money. If it turns out to be genuine then it will be shipped back to him at his expense. Do not incure any expenses on this yourself. That is more than should be expected after 8 months. If he is not happy with that, make it clear that that is all you are willing to do.
 
Originally posted by narruc1
All EK knives have that weak stamp, and I have never seen one perfect.
Click to expand...
Now we find that this knife is lacking a stamp or sterile if that's what you want to call it. I'm no judge but sounds like reasonable doubt to me. Checking it out and giving this guy the benefit of the doubt seems like the right thing to do. IMHO:)
 
What's he been doing for the last 8 months??
Ed, if you do it you're going above and beyond what your part was.
Where's all the posters who think the deal is a done deal before you even get the knife? Guess it depends who's involved. :D
 
LYFSFUN-
I sold EK knives for the manufacturer for 2 years and have had hundreds pass through my hands (Richmond and Blackjack).

Send me some good JPEG images and a complete description and I can tell you 5 seconds if its legit or not.

The bigger question is..what era is the buyer looking for....The only original "EK" knives were made by John Ek. They look nothing like the Ek knives of today. Look in Levine's guide for an example.

1)There are Original John Ek benchmade Ek knives made in a workshop in Hamden, CT with disabled folks making knives through WW-2, Korea, etc. up through Vietnam. Ugliest knives you ever saw,simple pigstickeresque battle blades. Thousands produced during WW2.

2)Virginia Beach, VA Ek knives made by John's son (Gary?) up to early 70's. Limited production.

3)Richmond VA produced Ek's, resurrected by American Historical Society from approx 1986-1991. Very nice quality. A while bunch NICER than any knife John Ek ever made. Rumor has it that these knives were MADE in Japan. That is not true, as I have heard from ex-employees of Richmond Ek and they were assembled and finished here in the states. Like most specialty cutlers, they did not blank, heat treat, or even grind their own blades. Subcontractors did that for them. Some of these subcontractors were overseas, like MOST specialty knife companies then and now. Notice how Benchmade had/has knives with Gin-1 blades in their lineup? Gin-1 is not available in the USA.
Likewise, their handle materials and sheaths were purchased from subcontractors as well, and finished by craftsmen in their shop.

4)Blackjack produced Ek knives-1992-1996 approx. These knives are hit and miss. Some are quite good, some are quite bad. They worked with a mishmash of Richmond blanks in various stages of completion.
Anyone who claims the Blackjack produced knives are better or rarer is smoking crack. BJK had the resources to produce a LOT of knives and they spit out sand-blasted, cord wrapped EK's with fury.
I helped broker the deal where they actually sold 14,000 at one time, so please don't ever believe that BJK Ek's are rare. The Ek name was pretty much ruined during this period. Thousands of knives sold for as little as 9-10 dollars to various distributors like Brigade Quartermasters and Century Arms.

5)Current Richmond-Ek 1999-present. Apparently American Historical is back. In what capacity, who knows, but they are making knives.

Some of this information is probably incorrect.
I am just relaying what I have been told, and what I have seen.
 
I'm not passing judgement on the authenticity of the knife or whether it pays to bother for such an inexpensive knife. I do feel that if a knife WAS misrepresented, even inadvertantly, it should be returnable no matter how much time has passed. The few days or couple of weeks normal return time is for when the buyer doesn't like it, the condition is not what was expected, or other such issues that should have been known at time of receipt. If someone gets new information later indicating the deal was not what it was represented to be, it shouldn't matter how much time passes. It should be up to the buyer, however, to prove inauthenticity.
 
yitz, exactly. One way he can prove it's authenticity is to send the knife to Ed and for Ed to get the knife authenticated. From what I know of Ed, if he were to find out the knife was a fake, he would make things right immediately.
 
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