Mike Alsdorf: My Experience

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canook

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I contacted Mr. Alsdorf last October to get a knife made for my son. He was just born in Jan 2010 and I wanted something from his birth year to give him in 20 years or so. I told Mr. Alsdorf exactly what I wanted, a green canvas micarta barehead teardrop jack, and he told me no problem and that it would be done by the end of the year.

All was going well until it came time to ship it to me. I had explained that we are a Military family stationed in the UK and that he would be shipping the knife to an APO address which is a US address. Apparently when he got to the Post Office the postal clerk told him (in error) that it was international. He immediately refunded my money without any discussion and sent me an email stating he does not ship internationally. I emailed back to restate that an APO military address is not international and that it gets delivered to the military in New York and never enters a foreign postal system. I also explained that the clerk made a mistake, which happens fairly often, and that it had been a long time to wait just to have someones inexperience shut the whole thing down. He never responded to me.

I would have let it go but then today I noticed that he just sold my knife in the exchange stating it was "old stock" (it's not, it was just made in January). I was a little angry about it.

I figured I would offer a warning to other military folks stationed overseas.
 
That was pretty poor form of him.

I've had the same hassles while stationed overseas. People talk about supporting the military but then can't even bother to ship something in the APO system.

Buy a Buck with your kids year mark on it and call it a day.
 
Case makes calendar knives with the year and date on them, I have one for each of my kids with there b-day on it and the year. Just a another thought for you. Sorry to hear about your bad expierence. Thank you for your service to our country!!
 
Sorry to hear this happened. It sounds like an unfortunate misunderstanding. I've had nothing but excellent experiences with Mike.

Just out of curiosity, can you track and insure packages shipped to an APO address?
 
Sounds like a misunderstanding to me. Give Mike a chance to make it right; I have no doubt he will do you right.
 
As long as I can remember, Mike’s for sale posts have stated, “( Sorry No International Sales or Shipping ).”

One could argue that shipping to APOs/AFOs isn’t considered “international.” On the other hand, “England” is international and shipping items to APOs/AFOs require a “Customs Declaration,” as you would when shipping any other parcel “international.”

Often times, people aren’t familiar with how shipping to APOs/AFOs work. For example, the USPS moves the item, marked for AFO destinations, to New York or some other east coast location. Then, the military pays to move the item from the CONUS location to an OCONUS location.


canook said:
I figured I would offer a warning to other military folks stationed overseas.
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Maybe a better method or means. . . .have the knife shipped to someone CONUS and they can ship the parcel to you. :eek:



ohen cepel said:
That was pretty poor form of him.

I've had the same hassles while stationed overseas. People talk about supporting the military but then can't even bother to ship something in the APO system.
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:jerkit:

Many companies do not ship to CONUS addresses (including APOs/AFOs), since it’s considered a P.O. Box and not a physical address. Others don’t want the hassle of completing the necessary customs forms. How that’s considered not “supporting the military” is beyond me and I spent 24 years in uniform.

Making a comment like that is poor form. YMMV.


canook said:
I would have let it go but then today I noticed that he just sold my knife in the exchange stating it was "old stock" (it's not, it was just made in January). I was a little angry about it.
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Hmmmm. . . .sand or spilt milk. Maybe both.

I don’t see how this deserves a spot in GB&U. You received a refund.


I’ve had the pleasure of dealing with Mike on three occasions (read four knives). He’s a stand up person and his knives are top notch. Would happily deal with Mike anytime.


For all of you military types worried about dealing with Mike, since he doesn’t ship “international” and you’re OCONUS, let me know and I’ll act as your middle man in the shipping process.

See how easy that shit is? :D
 
It's a freaking knife and not life saving medication for G-D's sake!!!
Just contact another maker and get what you want made, you don't intend to give it to Junior for 20 years so you do have "some" time!!!

And so are the days of our knives...................................................
 
wolfmann601 said:
It's a freaking knife and not life saving medication for G-D's sake!!!
Just contact another maker and get what you want made, you don't intend to give it to Junior for 20 years so you do have "some" time!!!

And so are the days of our knives...................................................
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It's going to be hard to go back in time and get somebody to make a knife in 2010. He'll have better luck trying the secondary market, or looking towards a production knife.
 
GigOne said:
Maybe a better method or means. . . .have the knife shipped to someone CONUS and they can ship the parcel to you. :eek:
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That would have been fantasic, however, I wasn't given this option, or any other option. It was just "here's your money, no international shipping" then communications ceased. That was the frusterating part of it.

I realize I could get another knife made and yes I have plenty of time. The whole idea was to have a knife manufactured in a style I'm currently into in the same year he was born.

As far as my experience not deserving to be in GB&U, I though that's what this forum was for.:confused:
 
EMT_Lee said:
It's going to be hard to go back in time and get somebody to make a knife in 2010. He'll have better luck trying the secondary market, or looking towards a production knife.
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Exactly! I ended up getting a Victorinox Soldier, it's not ideal but at least it's something.
 
wolfmann601 said:
It's a freaking knife and not life saving medication for G-D's sake!!!
Just contact another maker and get what you want made, you don't intend to give it to Junior for 20 years so you do have "some" time!!!

And so are the days of our knives...................................................
Click to expand...
I think the whole point is that the knife to be made on the year that his son was born so later when he presents it to him he can actually state the fact it was made then and not a year and a half after.

It's just a knife but it also a gift for a significant person so I feel the OP's pain. It indeed was a poor judgment on Mike's Alsdorf behaf by choosing not to respond and selling the knife.
 
IMO,if the order was paid for ,and after Mike's discovery of this shipping problem (witch really is no problem at all),the reimbursment of funds,with no discussion,was not a good thing.If I waited & this happened,especially if I paid,I'd be PO'd
Mike should have came home with the knife & went over it with you.
Shipping to an APO is no problem.
I send many knives to the UK,with no problems at all.
-Vince
 
rookie4real said:
I think the whole point is that the knife to be made on the year that his son was born so later when he presents it to him he can actually state the fact it was made then and not a year and a half after.

It's just a knife but it also a gift for a significant person so I feel the OP's pain. It indeed was a poor judgment on Mike's Alsdorf behaf by choosing not to respond and selling the knife.
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Thats not going to happen so maybe go for a 1 year old first birthday knife!!:D
 
wolfmann601 said:
Thats not going to happen so maybe go for a 1 year old first birthday knife!!:D
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I guess maybe that's funny if you never had kids or never got sentimental about them.

I've bought from Alsdorf and have watched him through the forums for years, seems like a standup guy.

I can also understand the frustration of the OP, especially if Alsdorf didn't give him any chance to work it out, such as having a third party as a middle-man.

I disagree about this not belonging in the GBU. Just because it's a complaint against a well-respected maker doesn't make it invalid.

Perhaps Alsdorf and the OP can still get together on something. I'm happy to make the same offer Gig One made, to be the middle shipper.

Hoping for the best.
 
wolfmann601 said:
It's a freaking knife and not life saving medication for G-D's sake!!!
Just contact another maker and get what you want made, you don't intend to give it to Junior for 20 years so you do have "some" time!!!

And so are the days of our knives...................................................
Click to expand...

I don't think the OP is complaining about just the knife. I think he is also complaining about the way the maker handled the situation. Of course, it is the maker's prerogative to choose not to sell to someone if he does not want to, but exercising a little tact and courtesy might, just maybe, pay dividends for the maker in the future.
 
I used to own a mailorder business and APOs were problematic. The post office required customs forms and tracking to the final recipient wasn't available. That put you at risk as the seller. You had no proof of delivery if needed.

That said, I would be ticked off, too, if I were the OP. It seems like we hear horror story after horror story about cusom knifemakers, but this one is at least pretty benign.
 
Though the fact that the knife has already been sold sets things back somewhat I can't help but think there must some middle ground to be had here. I hope some dialogue can be reopened between the OP and the maker.
 
Canook, and anyone else that is concerned,

1. I did not state in description that it was "old stock". Where does it say that?
2. When I went to Post Office they required a Customs Declaration form to be filled out which means it was an International shipment. I had them
double check the next day and they said Yes. I have to go by what the post office says not you. You may be correct that it was to be shipped to New York then to England. The problem is that once it leaves the postal system and goes to customs I have no control over if there is a problem or it gets lost.
3. You did not state in original order that you were a "military family stationed in UK" When placing order you should have been upfront and said that it was going have to be shipped overseas and I would have explained to you that I do not sell or ship internationally (or you should have read on my website). You paid via PayPal and as I explained to you I have to ship to the address you have with them for your protection and mine. Their rules not mine.
As someone posted here and I have no problem doing ( and have done ) you could have paid for it another way I would have shipped to someone in the states then they could forward to you and taken responsibility for but instead you just said " postal clerk does not know what their talking about".
4. I think you left out quite a bit on how order went. You ordered folder, I made and you wanted an "L" engraved on Shield. After I finished making I sent you pics of folder to make sure it was what you were looking for before I engraved. You said it was. I then engraved (at no extra cost) and sent you more pics of.
You said it did not look like what you had in mind so I Engraved again as you requested and sent you another pic of (You should have been specific in your initial order about engraving otherwise I use my best judgement).
After you looked at that pic you said it still did not look like what you were looking for and could I replace shield and engrave again.
I made another shield and was able to replace without damaging micarta but did not engrave. I then sent yet another set of pics and said that if you wanted to you could purchase without me engraving then you could take to your local jewlery shop and show them what you were looking for and have them engrave. You said ok.
You then sent payment via PP (There was no payment in advance. I do not accept downpayments or deposits.) and when I went to ship imagine how flustrated I was after all the pics, engaving, making of new shield and replacing, and e-mails to find out it was an international shipment. I then refunded your PP and explained why. I don't think you understand that I had almost twice the amount of time in this one than I should have. I feel I bent over backwards to fill order for you. I think you are trying to make me look like the "bad guy" and I don't feel I am.
5. I have had several comments over the last few years about me not shipping internationally. As I have explained the reason I don't is because I have in the past shipped overseas and there has always been problems. It has cost me nothing but money and time.
Examples: Twice I have shipped the buyers said they did not receive and I believe they may have however I made a replacements at no cost to them and shipped.
Also when shipping overseas a Customs Declaclation form must be filled out and the buyers want me to either mark as a gift or understate value because they do not want to pay the VAT tax and I will not do.
I have also had a few held up by customs for a couple weeks. When buyers did not receive in the time they thought they should have they sent nasty e-mails to me until they did receive. Then when they finally did receive they sent e-mail saying "received" without a "sorry" or apology for the nasty e-mails they sent accusing me of not shipping and taking their money.
I work very hard to have a good reputation and understand if I don't do what I say I will then my reputation will be damaged.
6. I respect all persons in the service and I'm offended that you think I don't.
7. I think that you posting on here was not necessary. If you had a complaint you could have contacted me.


Respectfully to all
Mike
 
So why wasn't an intermediary used? You both had a lot invested in this knife.

"post office clerk doesn't know what he's talking about" is not an explanation.
 
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