Jedi Knife
Banned
- Joined
- May 6, 1999
- Messages
- 728
This supports my idea on creating a forum dedicated to apologies.
JK
JK
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Kevin McClung
- Thread starter Aubrey
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 2, 1998
- Messages
- 693
Walt, I think it's too bad others don't find the Valium Milk Shake story funny, it always cracks me up, perhaps they don't have kids.
I spoke to Kevin once on the phone and found him to be friendly and funny in telling me a joke that still brings a smile to my face.
Aubrey, you done good with this thread, real men do realize their mistakes and try to make amends.
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LD
"Every Dog Has His Day"
BFC Member Since October 2, 1998
I spoke to Kevin once on the phone and found him to be friendly and funny in telling me a joke that still brings a smile to my face.
Aubrey, you done good with this thread, real men do realize their mistakes and try to make amends.
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LD
"Every Dog Has His Day"
BFC Member Since October 2, 1998
Lifter4him, I guess you would classify me as one of the teeny bopper fan club members you mentioned in your post. Yes, I have posted at TF, and yes, I do like Mad Dog knives. I enjoy the knives I have purchased, I enjoy the commentary from Kevin, and I enjoy learning more about knives from all the forums. I am not mindless or lifeless. I'm 44 years old, or young, depending upon how you look at it
. I find it interesting how you classify me without really knowing much about me. Hopefully you have taken the time to learn more about Mad Dog Knives before you came to your conclusion than you have taken to form your opinion of me. I have had good experiences with Mad Dog knives, as well as other makers. I hope everyone will judge based on facts, not mob mentality.
Mark
------------------
Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with
confidence.
Mark
------------------
Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with
confidence.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 1998
- Messages
- 15,236
Good post, marklee.
Everyone should make their judgements based on the facts, not on mob mentality, preaching, or any one of the other factors that lead people awry.
Don't fall victim to "guilt by association" either, everyone is responsible for their own actions, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion as well. If you don't agree with that opinion, give solid reasons why it's wrong and try to convince them otherwise. Insults and flames don't do a good job of that, facts work much better.
Spark
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Kevin Jon Schlossberg
SysOp and Administrator for BladeForums.com
Insert witty quip here
Everyone should make their judgements based on the facts, not on mob mentality, preaching, or any one of the other factors that lead people awry.
Don't fall victim to "guilt by association" either, everyone is responsible for their own actions, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion as well. If you don't agree with that opinion, give solid reasons why it's wrong and try to convince them otherwise. Insults and flames don't do a good job of that, facts work much better.
Spark
------------------
Kevin Jon Schlossberg
SysOp and Administrator for BladeForums.com
Insert witty quip here
Aubrey
Basic Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 1999
- Messages
- 670
Hi Guys
We all drive cars ...some swear by them ...others at them. Slip ups do happen but what you do afterwards counts points.
Kevin may have not been able to meet all expectations but I believe that he did his best.
For one man to achieve what he has, is great by any standard. We all know makers that have slipped on delivery or such.
Let me put it this way ....I made no secret that I sold my Panther after the initial feedback from Cliff.
After mailing but a few e-mails to Kevin and Teryl, I realized that my intended use was outside the design parameters but I felt confident enough to order another Panther from Earl Stewart ...God willing and industry keeping up ...I should collect it on Monday.
I am happy that lurking here is some goodwill towards MD. He deserves every grain of it.
I suggest that if you doubt me, send him an e-mail. Although he is busy grinding, you will be surprised by him ....he really is a rough diamond in the woods. If the few rough edges puts you off, so be it but those able to see the jewel despite the edges, has found a real gem to cherish for live.
From Zimbabwe today ....
Aubrey
We all drive cars ...some swear by them ...others at them. Slip ups do happen but what you do afterwards counts points.
Kevin may have not been able to meet all expectations but I believe that he did his best.
For one man to achieve what he has, is great by any standard. We all know makers that have slipped on delivery or such.
Let me put it this way ....I made no secret that I sold my Panther after the initial feedback from Cliff.
After mailing but a few e-mails to Kevin and Teryl, I realized that my intended use was outside the design parameters but I felt confident enough to order another Panther from Earl Stewart ...God willing and industry keeping up ...I should collect it on Monday.
I am happy that lurking here is some goodwill towards MD. He deserves every grain of it.
I suggest that if you doubt me, send him an e-mail. Although he is busy grinding, you will be surprised by him ....he really is a rough diamond in the woods. If the few rough edges puts you off, so be it but those able to see the jewel despite the edges, has found a real gem to cherish for live.
From Zimbabwe today ....
Aubrey
Aubrey
Basic Member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 1999
- Messages
- 670
Hi Guys
We all drive cars ...some swear by them ...others at them. Slip ups do happen but what you do afterwards counts points.
Kevin may have not been able to meet all expectations but I believe that he did his best.
For one man to achieve what he has, is great by any standard. We all know makers that have slipped on delivery or such.
Let me put it this way ....I made no secret that I sold my Panther after the initial feedback from Cliff.
After mailing but a few e-mails to Kevin and Teryl, I realized that my intended use was outside the design parameters but I felt confident enough to order another Panther from Earl Stewart ...God willing and industry keeping up ...I should collect it on Monday.
I am happy that lurking here is some goodwill towards MD. He deserves every grain of it.
I suggest that if you doubt me, send him an e-mail. Although he is busy grinding, you will be surprised by him ....he really is a rough diamond in the woods. If the few rough edges puts you off, so be it but those able to see the jewel despite the edges, has found a real gem to cherish for live.
From Zimbabwe today ....
Aubrey
We all drive cars ...some swear by them ...others at them. Slip ups do happen but what you do afterwards counts points.
Kevin may have not been able to meet all expectations but I believe that he did his best.
For one man to achieve what he has, is great by any standard. We all know makers that have slipped on delivery or such.
Let me put it this way ....I made no secret that I sold my Panther after the initial feedback from Cliff.
After mailing but a few e-mails to Kevin and Teryl, I realized that my intended use was outside the design parameters but I felt confident enough to order another Panther from Earl Stewart ...God willing and industry keeping up ...I should collect it on Monday.
I am happy that lurking here is some goodwill towards MD. He deserves every grain of it.
I suggest that if you doubt me, send him an e-mail. Although he is busy grinding, you will be surprised by him ....he really is a rough diamond in the woods. If the few rough edges puts you off, so be it but those able to see the jewel despite the edges, has found a real gem to cherish for live.
From Zimbabwe today ....
Aubrey
- Joined
- Oct 17, 1999
- Messages
- 98
I'd like to know how Mad Dog Knives figured out their pricing structure. Nothing (made out of steel) under $300? $900+ for an ordinary knife made out of ordinary materials?
P.T. Barnum was right.
You may say Lynn Thompson is full of hot air, but at least his prices don't reflect his ego.
P.T. Barnum was right.
You may say Lynn Thompson is full of hot air, but at least his prices don't reflect his ego.
- Joined
- Sep 30, 1999
- Messages
- 4,229
Marklee, I'm sorry that you took my post to mean I was talking about you. I was in fact referring to many who jump to MD's defense about topics other than the knives he makes.
If you look at my post again, you will see that I have edited out the teenybopper paragraph. It was written at 4:30 am and perhaps wasnt the wisest choice of words.
I suppose that the posters who said that any press is good press are correct as it keeps his name in the public eye.
So Marklee, if you took my post personally, it wasnt meant for you and you have my apology.
And just FYI, as a vet who has used knives for all their intended purposes, and as a bouncer for 7 years, and now working in the pressroom of the NY Daily News where I use a knife all night long, I do try to choose my knife wisely.
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lifter
Phil. 4:13
Dave
Wharton,NJ
If you look at my post again, you will see that I have edited out the teenybopper paragraph. It was written at 4:30 am and perhaps wasnt the wisest choice of words.
I suppose that the posters who said that any press is good press are correct as it keeps his name in the public eye.
So Marklee, if you took my post personally, it wasnt meant for you and you have my apology.
And just FYI, as a vet who has used knives for all their intended purposes, and as a bouncer for 7 years, and now working in the pressroom of the NY Daily News where I use a knife all night long, I do try to choose my knife wisely.
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lifter
Phil. 4:13
Dave
Wharton,NJ
No problem lifter4him. Sometimes it just seems that people here jump on bandwagons that have more hype than fact. I think that may be true of steels, makers, service, etc. It sounds as though you have done your homework and have decided who you can trust. Good for you. That's a good lesson many can learn from you. My requirements aren't as extreme as others, and Mad Dogs fit my needs. I got a Busse #7, great knife, but it really didn't fit my needs. Hopefully everyone takes the time to determine whether a product fits their needs.
Mark
------------------
Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with
confidence.
Mark
------------------
Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with
confidence.
Chefget
Gold Member
- Joined
- Nov 2, 1998
- Messages
- 5,363
Gosh-durn it Walt, now you've gone and ruined a perfectly good grudge...
First, my apologies for not being more communicative with you; since closing the restaurant I've been in virtual hibernation, email and otherwise.
Second, it's not MadDog that needs to be addressed *first*, it's YOU!
As the single most persistant driving force in many areas (Talonite, great chef knives, MD knives, great KTshirts, etc) of our mutual 'raison d'etre' I believe you, my good doctor, have established a credibility beyond reproach. Add to this that you know Kevin McClung as well or better than any of us; the fact that he has earned the trust, respect and friendship of both you AND your family says the world. How is one to judge on a single snippy incident?
As you could well imagine, being a demanding french-trained chef, popularity contests are not the primal objective...there might even be people in this town who do not speak kindly of a certain chef...
Walt, not meaning to be maudlin, your respect for this man means more to me than reading an internet post (even a nasty one by Kevin!). He certainly must be doing something right to earn your friendship to the extent that he has.
It is obvious that certain personalities do not translate well to the web. We all have good friends who, put in the same light as Kevin, would not be the most dashing...
Guys, if and when I get caught in the thick of the thin, hopefully a friend such as Walt Welch will vouch for me!
Thank you once again Doctor, for bring a modicum of just darn good sense to the table.
Even though there is a chance my post was a subconscious reaction to not being able to get that tanto from you, Aubrey, kudos for the courage!
-Michael
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Chefget's Knife Page
First, my apologies for not being more communicative with you; since closing the restaurant I've been in virtual hibernation, email and otherwise.
Second, it's not MadDog that needs to be addressed *first*, it's YOU!
As the single most persistant driving force in many areas (Talonite, great chef knives, MD knives, great KTshirts, etc) of our mutual 'raison d'etre' I believe you, my good doctor, have established a credibility beyond reproach. Add to this that you know Kevin McClung as well or better than any of us; the fact that he has earned the trust, respect and friendship of both you AND your family says the world. How is one to judge on a single snippy incident?
As you could well imagine, being a demanding french-trained chef, popularity contests are not the primal objective...there might even be people in this town who do not speak kindly of a certain chef...
Walt, not meaning to be maudlin, your respect for this man means more to me than reading an internet post (even a nasty one by Kevin!). He certainly must be doing something right to earn your friendship to the extent that he has.
It is obvious that certain personalities do not translate well to the web. We all have good friends who, put in the same light as Kevin, would not be the most dashing...
Guys, if and when I get caught in the thick of the thin, hopefully a friend such as Walt Welch will vouch for me!
Thank you once again Doctor, for bring a modicum of just darn good sense to the table.
Even though there is a chance my post was a subconscious reaction to not being able to get that tanto from you, Aubrey, kudos for the courage!
-Michael
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Chefget's Knife Page
Nice gesture, Aubrey! But here my impressions with Kevin McClung.
First of all, he is an excellent knife maker, no doubt about it. His products are very thought out for what they are supposed to do. You can argue about a RC62 edge on an O1 blade, but that's about it. Ergonomics and craftsmanship are great and you can feel that they are a result of many good ideas, from the choice of materials to the design.
I enjoyed reading the articles he wrote about knives. They are among the best things Ive read about knives. He has some very valid points and he definitely changed the way I look at the whole subject nowadays.
I can also live with the fact that Kevin makes all this fighting blades, which Im not going to buy, because I dont feel the urge to stab someone. And in my books a knife with a sharpened false edge is simply less useful (up to the point of uselessness) than without it. This self-defense, Kevlar-penetrating, reverse-grip-capable, slashing, stabbing, sentry-removal, blood-and-gore image is simply not my thing. I cant relate to it and simply disregard it. My type of knife is one you can use for utilitarian purposes and thats what I have in the ATAK, P-ATAK and Lab Rat I own.
But then there is the way Kevin presents himself publicly on the forums. I cant judge his personality from private contacts as many others here and have to rely solely on the impressions Im getting from here.
My major critic point is how Kevin handles this medium. Ok, not everybody has to be a saint, and give a warm and fuzzy feeling to the customers. But as I already mentioned before, the purpose of a forum is to get in contact with the maker, ask valid questions (even if naïve - we were all beginners at one point) and get valid answers. In short: the customers want to be taken serious. On all the others makers/dealers forums it works. Chris Reeve, Darrel Ralph, Sal Glesser, Bill Martino, James Mattis and all the others dont brush the customers/forumites of. They take their time to answer the questions, solve the problems and straighten out the conflicts. Kevin on the other hand always goes full contact at the slightest incident. What he states might be right but the way he presents it provokes immediately all kinds of aggressions toward him. Kevin is obviously the type who doesnt take shortcuts and goes to the limit to achieve his goals. What he doesnt understand is, that there is more to communication than transferring information with a minimum amount of words. It usually feels like a hit with a hammer and not everybody likes that. And locking threads to avoid further inquiries isnt quite the thing to smoothen tempers either.
This thread is again a unilateral statement. We apologize for getting upset and personal (ok, some did, but you Aubrey are for sure a very mild case
), for handling the situation without the necessary respect. But have you ever seen such a thing coming from Kevin? Any kind of public apology for the way he handles forum and forumites? For the way he pi$$es of so many of them, with or without intention or knowledge? Has he even attempted to publicly solve the issue about how faulty knives can leave his shop? Or addressed the issue that a selective tempered blade can fail in low temperature environments under lateral force? No, the tenor is always Our products and ideas are the best and who questions that is ignorant. Kevin might be a nice guy, caring father, good friend, generous host of Knifenugen and all that. But unfortunately not much of it comes through here. Related with his name in the forum is mostly flaming, locked threads, fake knives, warranty issues, hype and personal attacks. Is that a conspiracy or somehow related to Kevin himself? An apology is nice but wont change a bit without Kevins help. If he keeps running the forum the way he does it, he will always have to deal with those unpleasant issues like we had the last year.
I wish him luck with his new forum. Bringing in his wife is a good idea. She seems to be more detached and has a cooler head than Kevin. Maybe it will change things to the better of it.
Ralf
First of all, he is an excellent knife maker, no doubt about it. His products are very thought out for what they are supposed to do. You can argue about a RC62 edge on an O1 blade, but that's about it. Ergonomics and craftsmanship are great and you can feel that they are a result of many good ideas, from the choice of materials to the design.
I enjoyed reading the articles he wrote about knives. They are among the best things Ive read about knives. He has some very valid points and he definitely changed the way I look at the whole subject nowadays.
I can also live with the fact that Kevin makes all this fighting blades, which Im not going to buy, because I dont feel the urge to stab someone. And in my books a knife with a sharpened false edge is simply less useful (up to the point of uselessness) than without it. This self-defense, Kevlar-penetrating, reverse-grip-capable, slashing, stabbing, sentry-removal, blood-and-gore image is simply not my thing. I cant relate to it and simply disregard it. My type of knife is one you can use for utilitarian purposes and thats what I have in the ATAK, P-ATAK and Lab Rat I own.
But then there is the way Kevin presents himself publicly on the forums. I cant judge his personality from private contacts as many others here and have to rely solely on the impressions Im getting from here.
My major critic point is how Kevin handles this medium. Ok, not everybody has to be a saint, and give a warm and fuzzy feeling to the customers. But as I already mentioned before, the purpose of a forum is to get in contact with the maker, ask valid questions (even if naïve - we were all beginners at one point) and get valid answers. In short: the customers want to be taken serious. On all the others makers/dealers forums it works. Chris Reeve, Darrel Ralph, Sal Glesser, Bill Martino, James Mattis and all the others dont brush the customers/forumites of. They take their time to answer the questions, solve the problems and straighten out the conflicts. Kevin on the other hand always goes full contact at the slightest incident. What he states might be right but the way he presents it provokes immediately all kinds of aggressions toward him. Kevin is obviously the type who doesnt take shortcuts and goes to the limit to achieve his goals. What he doesnt understand is, that there is more to communication than transferring information with a minimum amount of words. It usually feels like a hit with a hammer and not everybody likes that. And locking threads to avoid further inquiries isnt quite the thing to smoothen tempers either.
This thread is again a unilateral statement. We apologize for getting upset and personal (ok, some did, but you Aubrey are for sure a very mild case
I wish him luck with his new forum. Bringing in his wife is a good idea. She seems to be more detached and has a cooler head than Kevin. Maybe it will change things to the better of it.
Ralf
I just wonder if darkmistress had such a good result and effort from MD since her father is Walt Welch who is very well liked over there. I wonder if I or if one of my daughters would get that kind of service. Especially after what I have seen and experianced on that forum and with one of his top dealers. No more to be said.
Cougar Allen
Buccaneer (ret.)
- Joined
- Oct 9, 1998
- Messages
- 76,852
I don't know if anything in this thread is directed at me and I'm not about to start jumping at shadows, but I got an email from somebody who said he found my posts confusing and contradictory and he wanted to know whose side I was on....
My commitment is to truth, not to being for someone or against someone!
I see people responding to a cutaway picture of a handle that shows a big epoxy rivet as plain as day -- by saying there's nothing mechanically holding that handle on and if the adhesive bond were to fail the handle would fall off! I see people responding to wood-chopping knives chipping and breaking while chopping wood -- by saying you can chip and break any knife if you try hard enough! Some people are getting carried away in the heat of discussion and feeling they're in a fight and they want to WIN, and forgetting all about the search for truth.
Maybe if we all wore foil-lined beanies to block out the insidious mind-control rays beamed at us by the Minions of Darkness we could have a more rational discussion. Maybe we should make a new rule that nobody is allowed to post anything about Mad Dog knives unless he puts on his foil-lined beanie first....
-Cougar Allen :{)
My commitment is to truth, not to being for someone or against someone!
I see people responding to a cutaway picture of a handle that shows a big epoxy rivet as plain as day -- by saying there's nothing mechanically holding that handle on and if the adhesive bond were to fail the handle would fall off! I see people responding to wood-chopping knives chipping and breaking while chopping wood -- by saying you can chip and break any knife if you try hard enough! Some people are getting carried away in the heat of discussion and feeling they're in a fight and they want to WIN, and forgetting all about the search for truth.
Maybe if we all wore foil-lined beanies to block out the insidious mind-control rays beamed at us by the Minions of Darkness we could have a more rational discussion. Maybe we should make a new rule that nobody is allowed to post anything about Mad Dog knives unless he puts on his foil-lined beanie first....
-Cougar Allen :{)
- Joined
- Apr 3, 1999
- Messages
- 2,052
Well said, Ralf.
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Paul Davidson
Them:"What's that clipped to your pocket, a beeper?"
Me:"Uuh....yeah, something like that."
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Paul Davidson
Them:"What's that clipped to your pocket, a beeper?"
Me:"Uuh....yeah, something like that."
- Joined
- Oct 9, 1998
- Messages
- 140
I will keep this post short and sweet. Kevin McClung's excellent personalized service and quality products have earned my respect. While I am very fortunate to own many of his knives, my Pygmy ATAK, Mirage Hunter and ATAK are the most used. I don't abuse them but they do receive hard use. No other knives I have used, including the Sebenza I carry daily, compare in the real world. I vote my thoughts regarding Kevin with my wallet.
For what it's worth, I have exchanged a few emails and had a few brief conversations with Kevin. I can't call him friend based on this. I have had all of my questions answered and all of my needs met. I do look forward to the day when I can meet Kevin personally and forge a solid friendship. He has earned this rare opportunity the hard way.
Respectfully,
Colin Thompson
For what it's worth, I have exchanged a few emails and had a few brief conversations with Kevin. I can't call him friend based on this. I have had all of my questions answered and all of my needs met. I do look forward to the day when I can meet Kevin personally and forge a solid friendship. He has earned this rare opportunity the hard way.
Respectfully,
Colin Thompson
- Joined
- Sep 21, 1999
- Messages
- 137
crowinghorse has nothing to worry about from me "fit-wise" as I officially do not use Kevin McClung, Mrs. MD or MDK, at all in any posts about serious knives as of last month.
Post away all you want about the guy and his wares, for he may as well not exist as far as I am concerned anymore.
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Never confuse movement with action.
Ernest Hemingway
Post away all you want about the guy and his wares, for he may as well not exist as far as I am concerned anymore.
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Never confuse movement with action.
Ernest Hemingway