Ripped Off by Dustin Turpin Knives– Deal with Caution.

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I contacted Dustin about 18 months ago to fix a lock rock issue. After a few attempts at reaching out to him over the course of a couple months, he finally responded, and told me that "That model has known lock problems" and he wouldn't even consider taking a look at it. I was really surprised by his response. Admitting his fault and not even willing to try and fix it.

I talked with my buddy Pohan, and he walked me through fixing the lockup. It took me all of 15 mins, and Dustin lost a customer for ever. I sold the 3 Turpins I had and never purchased another one. I've talked with a few people that have had bad experiences with Dustin. Nothing as serious as stealing from them, but his customer service and attitude is the worst of the worst.
 
Premium Cut said:
Man, this Dustin Turpin of

www.turpin-knives.com seems like a real piece of work. "I stopped responding because I got tired of explaining myself?"

Looks like Dustin Turpin is going to have A LOT of explaining to do once we get the Google hit to #1!
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^ :thumbup:

Man, this Dustin Turpin of

www.turpin-knives.com seems like a real piece of work. "I stopped responding because I got tired of explaining myself?"

Looks like Dustin Turpin is going to have A LOT of explaining to do once we get the Google hit to #1!


Lone_Wolfe said:
Not anymore, it's not.
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^ Isn't that the truth!

Man, this Dustin Turpin of

www.turpin-knives.com seems like a real piece of work. "I stopped responding because I got tired of explaining myself?"

Looks like Dustin Turpin is going to have A LOT of explaining to do once we get the Google hit to #1!
 
Sorry you had to deal with this man. As a maker - life happens. I always seem to be running behind for some reason or another, but knowing this. I almost never take money up front with the exception of close friends who don't think they can hold on to the cash until their spot is up and dealer orders that will take me longer than a month to fulfill (even then it's materials cost only)

I get sick of seeing this, seems like there is a new one every month or so. I hate to say it but if you can't run a business without taking full payment up front, you shouldn't be running one. (with the exception of the few who have the discipline to keep enough money in a separate bank account to cover outstanding orders). It's just not worth it to end up in a position like this, as a maker you bust your butt getting to where you are and all it takes is one thread like this and it's pretty much over for you. Need money that badly? That's what credit cards and bank loans are for, not your customers.
 
Channing Watson said:
Sorry you had to deal with this man. As a maker - life happens. I always seem to be running behind for some reason or another, but knowing this. I almost never take money up front with the exception of close friends who don't think they can hold on to the cash until their spot is up and dealer orders that will take me longer than a month to fulfill (even then it's materials cost only)

I get sick of seeing this, seems like there is a new one every month or so. I hate to say it but if you can't run a business without taking full payment up front, you shouldn't be running one. (with the exception of the few who have the discipline to keep enough money in a separate bank account to cover outstanding orders). It's just not worth it to end up in a position like this, as a maker you bust your butt getting to where you are and all it takes is one thread like this and it's pretty much over for you. Need money that badly? That's what credit cards and bank loans are for, not your customers.
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Amen! Kinda makes us all look bad in a hind sight..There out there no matter what biz your in..
 
Channing Watson said:
Sorry you had to deal with this man. As a maker - life happens. I always seem to be running behind for some reason or another, but knowing this. I almost never take money up front with the exception of close friends who don't think they can hold on to the cash until their spot is up and dealer orders that will take me longer than a month to fulfill (even then it's materials cost only)

I get sick of seeing this, seems like there is a new one every month or so. I hate to say it but if you can't run a business without taking full payment up front, you shouldn't be running one. (with the exception of the few who have the discipline to keep enough money in a separate bank account to cover outstanding orders). It's just not worth it to end up in a position like this, as a maker you bust your butt getting to where you are and all it takes is one thread like this and it's pretty much over for you. Need money that badly? That's what credit cards and bank loans are for, not your customers.
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Thank you for your comments. I agree with you. But, please understand that -- at least to me -- this is more than a knife maker getting behind on orders, etc. If it were truly that, I would never have posted this story. Many of my friends are knife makers and I go out of my way to help this hobby and their profession, not to hurt it.

Here, when December 2014 rolled around and he said he was too busy to make the first promised knife but still wanted me to send the watch first, I said ok. I understand. No prob.

Here, when Jan 2015 rolled around and none of the promised knives were made, I was understanding. Dustin had some excuse at the time, too busy, etc. Fine, no prob.

When Feb rolled around, again no knives. When asked, they would be started on ASAP - that weekend. Once again, no knives. And he didn't even bother to update me.

When March rolled around, again no knives. When asked, there was a new excuse but he promised to start ASAP. Once again, no knives and no update.

When April, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct.... rolled around.... you get the idea. Always one excuse after another. Too busy, too stressed out, needed to build new shop equipment, too stressed out, too busy, and so on and so on.

This went on for over a year. One excuse after another and one broken promise after another.

And you know what? Stupid me probably would have accepted all those excuses except for one fact: he was steadily making knives for many other people, delivering knives at top prices to certain dealers, making knives for shows, holding multiple IG knife actions (the last of which raised $5,500). All while telling me he couldn't make my knives for one reason or another. So I had to watch him delivering knives to others, and auctioning knives that should have gone to me and just hope that one day, all his broken promises would eventually be made up for.

That is not a knife maker getting behind in my view, it's a lack of integrity, honesty, and decency.
 
lawfor said:
Thank you for your comments. I agree with you. But, please understand that -- at least to me -- this is more than a knife maker getting behind on orders, etc. If it were truly that, I would never have posted this story. Many of my friends are knife makers and I go out of my way to help this hobby and their profession, not to hurt it.

Here, when December 2014 rolled around and he said he was too busy to make the first promised knife but still wanted me to send the watch first, I said ok. I understand. No prob.

Here, when Jan 2015 rolled around and none of the promised knives were made, I was understanding. Dustin had some excuse at the time, too busy, etc. Fine, no prob.

When Feb rolled around, again no knives. When asked, they would be started on ASAP - that weekend. Once again, no knives. And he didn't even bother to update me.

When March rolled around, again no knives. When asked, there was a new excuse but he promised to start ASAP. Once again, no knives and no update.

When April, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct.... rolled around.... you get the idea. Always one excuse after another. Too busy, too stressed out, needed to build new shop equipment, too stressed out, too busy, and so on and so on.

This went on for over a year. One excuse after another and one broken promise after another.

And you know what? Stupid me probably would have accepted all those excuses except for one fact: he was steadily making knives for many other people, delivering knives at top prices to certain dealers, making knives for shows, holding multiple IG knife actions (the last of which raised $5,500). All while telling me he couldn't make my knives for one reason or another. So I had to watch him delivering knives to others, and auctioning knives that should have gone to me and just hope that one day, all his broken promises would eventually be made up for.

That is not a knife maker getting behind in my view, it's a lack of integrity, honesty, and decency.
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Understood and I don't disagree with a word you said. I would feel the exact same way under the circumstances. It may have started out with him getting behind but beyond that - just wrong on about every level.
 
I appreciate this post. Far too often the collector stays silent for a number of ridiculous reasons. I have four makers that owe me in total far more than this. Maybe I need to reach out to you for help in pushing me to post about my situation. Sadly my situation mirrors yours and it's sad that we remain silent in the interest of keeping the moral high road ...when we are not given that same RESPECT.

Booooooooooooom
 
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well i wont be supporting Turpin ever after reading this. your story is much appreciated and i believe more people should have the courage to speak up with experiences like this. thank you for posting.
 
I would ask for half of the value of the watch back ASAP. The way this is going, a Turpin knife will be worthless soon. Someone can make the most amazing product out there, but if his/her reputation is bad, eventually no one is going to want the product. I can tell you right now, I wouldn't take a Turpin knife even if someone gave it to me. Customer service and reputation is everything in my collection choices.
 
Well dustins on my "do not buy" list. Unfortunately there would need to be numerous reports like this for thie maker to even suffer slightly with all the youtube reviewers hocking his wares.


HSC /// said:
Disappointing and pretty poor show of character and integrity by the maker.
I don't really understand the point of any legal action or such as suggested by others here. That is just time consuming and emotionally exhausting
If you are collecting Rolex's etc, you aren't really even going to miss $3,500.

I think it's alot more of the way you feel about how you were treated.
It's a total bad taste in your mouth. I mean do you even want those knives anymore? I wouldn't, they are almost worthless IMO.
You feel abused and taken advantage of.
Only Dustin can make this right by you if he wants to.
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I collect $60-$500 knives. And if I got ripped off I would miss it. Even if the guy is well to do it doesnt mean he can just take a $3500 loss like its nothing. Some people struggle to have the hobbies they have once the food and clothes are taken care of.
 
PURPLEDC said:
Well dustins on my "do not buy" list. Unfortunately there would need to be numerous reports like this for thie maker to even suffer slightly with all the youtube reviewers hocking his wares.




I collect $60-$500 knives. And if I got ripped off I would miss it. Even if the guy is well to do it doesnt mean he can just take a $3500 loss like its nothing. Some people struggle to have the hobbies they have once the food and clothes are taken care of.
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Before I started making knives, I was a buyer/collector/seller of $500 -$2,000 knives. I've been taken for $1,100. It does bother me from time to time. I didn't mean to sound casual about money, we all work hard for it, moreso if you are a knifemaker :-). I believe money does come and go and it's not lasting, what I was trying to communicate is that the feelings left behind in this dealing are of a greater magnitude. That's my feeling and my opinion. My apologies if I came across loose about the financial portion. It wasn't my intention

regards
 
Part of me does wonder how things would of went if you had a youtube channel with a ton of custom knives and were a former watch salesman .

Seems to be a trend these makers know who's rear end to kiss and who they think they can get one over on.
 
Man, this Dustin Turpin of

www.turpin-knives.com seems like a real piece of work. "I stopped responding because I got tired of explaining myself?"

Looks like Dustin Turpin is going to have A LOT of explaining to do once we get the Google hit to #1!
 
Skiboyscuba said:
I appreciate this post. Far too often the collector stays silent for a number of ridiculous reasons. I have four makers that owe me in total far more than this. Maybe I need to reach out to you for help in pushing me to post about my situation. Sadly my situation mirrors yours and it's sad that we remain silent in the interest of keeping the moral high road ...when we are not given that same RESPECT.

Booooooooooooom
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One of the issues when you get stuck in a situation like this is that you get afraid to post and worry the maker will further not fulfill his commitment. I've seen this many times when I was a collector and I always felt that it is your duty to warn others so it doesn't happen to them. Lawfor put his neck out to help others not get in this situation and standing up for himself. Don't remain silent, help this community out.

To those that say he shouldn't of made this trade, that is BS. Dustin makes amazing knives and is one of those impossible to get type deals, so when this happened why wouldn't he jump on it. Dustin also was a pretty elite maker so how could he have known this is how it would turn out. This is in no way Lawfor's fault, period. When you make a deal and fulfill your end that is it, the other party has to do theirs.

I know guys and other makers that are friends with Dustin and this sickens me, I will not be associating with him in anyway. There are too many people & makers that stay silent about this stuff, it's just not right. So many good people in this community and to take advantage of someone like this is beyond low.

The knives could have been made easily in a few months. I've seen makers just pass making people they owe to for newer money, just a shame.

I'm going to repeat this, do not bash Lawfor for making a deal, this is not his fault. There are so many good makers that you can pay a deposit to or up front that will never let you down.

Don't lose the passion for knives over this bro.
 
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