This whole mess started about 5 or 6 months ago.
I ordered a custom ICU for the missus in the middle of Newt's busiest season. Newt kindly told me it would be sometime after February before any special orders would come out. NOT A PROBLEM, I say.
Well, about 3 months went by and I went to the gun show and found some good deals on a Bu-Shi and an ICU. It was the last day of the show and about 10 minutes before they started kicking us out, so I was making fast deals. I had been handling both knives off and on for the last half hour and finally made the guy a low offer expecting him to counter with a higher but acceptable price. Suprisingly, he bit. The Bu-Shi and ICU that I was handling were the table pieces and the dealer reached under the table and handed me two "new" knives as I paid him.
When I got home I unwrapped my new Bu-Shi to find that it wasn't a new Bu-Shi. At least it wasn't what I was handling at the show. I honestly thought I had a second or counterfeit or something.
I made some marks on the knife with a white-out pen, make copious notes about the markings on the blade, and sent the knife to Newt to look at for me along with a knife of unknown origin that I wanted a sheath made for.
About 2 weeks later Newt e-mailed me back that the Bu-Shi was an older first model, explained that the "problems" I pointed out were necessary and normal at the time those knives were produced, told me that in his opinion I had been sold a used knife, and offered to write out a "letter of authenticity" for it stating that it was a first model. He also told me that he had done some research on the unknown knife and told me who the maker was and where it came from. I thanked him profusely and told him a letter wasn't necessary and that I would just be more careful next time. Caveat emptor.
Another 2 weeks went by and I got my "unknown" knife back with an AWESOME new custom sheath, and in the box was a new (and I mean NEW) Bu-Shi.
Sometime towards the end of all that, I had shown my wife the ICU so she could see what to expect, only her's would be nicer. "WOW! It's nice, but I think it's too big!" she says. So I bring up Newt's website, show her a few more pics, and we decide that a US Marshal with a nice Coral Micarta handle would be a nicer fit for her. After weeks of e-mail tag with Newt to try an change the order (we BOTH had problems with our e-mail servers), I finally decided to call him and see if he got the change of order.
A pleasant female voice answers the phone and I give the lady my name and tell her that I am calling about an order I placed for my wife. INSTANTLY the pleasant voice says, "You had the ICU and you wanted a US Marshal, right?" Well, after I picked my lower jaw up off my lap, I managed to stammer out a feeble, "Yes ma'am." The pleasant voice says, "Dad's not in the shop right now, let me see if I can reach him and have him call you. What number can he reach you at and how long will you be there." I told her I'd be home another 2 hours and that I was in no hurry, I was just wanting to make sure they got the change in the order. The voice assured me that, "Dad will call you as soon as he can." We said goodbye and hung up.
About 20 minutes later, the phone rings, I answer it, and a commanding (but not at all intimidating) voice says, "Joel? Newt Livesay here, what can I do for you?" I give the short version of my story since it's his nickel. We talk about some options on the knife, he says it will be done and out to me soon, takes a deep breath, and says, "Other than that, what else is new?"
After picking up my lower jaw from my lap, I told him what was new. I told him that I had been buying, selling, and trading knives like a mad man.
"Oh yeah?" he asks, "What kinda knives ya gettin'?" So I tell him. His side of the conversation is something akin to, "Yeah, oh... a who? Awww hell, I've know XYZ for years, he's a good old boy! You say you got a DEFG? What are they like? I've not handled any of those. You know who's knives I like? ABC brand are pretty good. What's old so and so like to deal with? I've heard he's a great guy / I heard he's a jerk / Man, that old boy HATES me! Hey! How are things over on that Bladeforums? Do you know this _______ guy that hangs out over there? What's up with him?"
We also talked about new products, Newt's mother, steel choice in a knife, upcoming shows, the traffic in Springfield, Mo due to construction, my wife's trip to San Antonio, and I even ordered an RTAK from him.
This went on for a good 30 - 40 minutes AFTER business was done. I couldn't believe it. This is the second time Newt has called me up on HIS NICKEL and we basically talked about NOTHING.
The whole time I was on the phone with Newt, it was like I was talking to a favorite uncle or something. Relaxed, friendly, open, just unbelievable that someone as busy Newt can take the time out of his day and be a regular Joe.
The RTAK got here Thursday. I spent yesterday and today chopping everything I could get my hands on (including my hands). Check out my review in the review forum!
Thank you, Newt!
------------------
Visit Joel's Place
"You ought to weigh everything that's proposed by the government...against the loss of personal freedom." -- Ronald Reagan
[This message has been edited by the4th (edited 04-30-2000).]
I ordered a custom ICU for the missus in the middle of Newt's busiest season. Newt kindly told me it would be sometime after February before any special orders would come out. NOT A PROBLEM, I say.
Well, about 3 months went by and I went to the gun show and found some good deals on a Bu-Shi and an ICU. It was the last day of the show and about 10 minutes before they started kicking us out, so I was making fast deals. I had been handling both knives off and on for the last half hour and finally made the guy a low offer expecting him to counter with a higher but acceptable price. Suprisingly, he bit. The Bu-Shi and ICU that I was handling were the table pieces and the dealer reached under the table and handed me two "new" knives as I paid him.
When I got home I unwrapped my new Bu-Shi to find that it wasn't a new Bu-Shi. At least it wasn't what I was handling at the show. I honestly thought I had a second or counterfeit or something.
I made some marks on the knife with a white-out pen, make copious notes about the markings on the blade, and sent the knife to Newt to look at for me along with a knife of unknown origin that I wanted a sheath made for.
About 2 weeks later Newt e-mailed me back that the Bu-Shi was an older first model, explained that the "problems" I pointed out were necessary and normal at the time those knives were produced, told me that in his opinion I had been sold a used knife, and offered to write out a "letter of authenticity" for it stating that it was a first model. He also told me that he had done some research on the unknown knife and told me who the maker was and where it came from. I thanked him profusely and told him a letter wasn't necessary and that I would just be more careful next time. Caveat emptor.
Another 2 weeks went by and I got my "unknown" knife back with an AWESOME new custom sheath, and in the box was a new (and I mean NEW) Bu-Shi.
Sometime towards the end of all that, I had shown my wife the ICU so she could see what to expect, only her's would be nicer. "WOW! It's nice, but I think it's too big!" she says. So I bring up Newt's website, show her a few more pics, and we decide that a US Marshal with a nice Coral Micarta handle would be a nicer fit for her. After weeks of e-mail tag with Newt to try an change the order (we BOTH had problems with our e-mail servers), I finally decided to call him and see if he got the change of order.
A pleasant female voice answers the phone and I give the lady my name and tell her that I am calling about an order I placed for my wife. INSTANTLY the pleasant voice says, "You had the ICU and you wanted a US Marshal, right?" Well, after I picked my lower jaw up off my lap, I managed to stammer out a feeble, "Yes ma'am." The pleasant voice says, "Dad's not in the shop right now, let me see if I can reach him and have him call you. What number can he reach you at and how long will you be there." I told her I'd be home another 2 hours and that I was in no hurry, I was just wanting to make sure they got the change in the order. The voice assured me that, "Dad will call you as soon as he can." We said goodbye and hung up.
About 20 minutes later, the phone rings, I answer it, and a commanding (but not at all intimidating) voice says, "Joel? Newt Livesay here, what can I do for you?" I give the short version of my story since it's his nickel. We talk about some options on the knife, he says it will be done and out to me soon, takes a deep breath, and says, "Other than that, what else is new?"
After picking up my lower jaw from my lap, I told him what was new. I told him that I had been buying, selling, and trading knives like a mad man.
"Oh yeah?" he asks, "What kinda knives ya gettin'?" So I tell him. His side of the conversation is something akin to, "Yeah, oh... a who? Awww hell, I've know XYZ for years, he's a good old boy! You say you got a DEFG? What are they like? I've not handled any of those. You know who's knives I like? ABC brand are pretty good. What's old so and so like to deal with? I've heard he's a great guy / I heard he's a jerk / Man, that old boy HATES me! Hey! How are things over on that Bladeforums? Do you know this _______ guy that hangs out over there? What's up with him?"
We also talked about new products, Newt's mother, steel choice in a knife, upcoming shows, the traffic in Springfield, Mo due to construction, my wife's trip to San Antonio, and I even ordered an RTAK from him.
This went on for a good 30 - 40 minutes AFTER business was done. I couldn't believe it. This is the second time Newt has called me up on HIS NICKEL and we basically talked about NOTHING.
The whole time I was on the phone with Newt, it was like I was talking to a favorite uncle or something. Relaxed, friendly, open, just unbelievable that someone as busy Newt can take the time out of his day and be a regular Joe.
The RTAK got here Thursday. I spent yesterday and today chopping everything I could get my hands on (including my hands). Check out my review in the review forum!
Thank you, Newt!
------------------
Visit Joel's Place
"You ought to weigh everything that's proposed by the government...against the loss of personal freedom." -- Ronald Reagan
[This message has been edited by the4th (edited 04-30-2000).]