Seller does not deliver handmade kukri after 7 months, when I ask for a refund he does not reply !

Grott said:
Greetings,

I ordered a Khukuri from Dragonfly Khukuri and Knives a little over a year ago. 08/11/21, to be exact. I've not yet received it.

Communication with Timothy McLaughlin has been adequate, although it's best to call on the phone. I've had less luck with Email. Either way, the story changes a little bit every time I call him. And that's another thing, it's always been me who has to call. I've never heard from him, unless I initiated the conversation. Initially, I was told it might be a couple of months longer than standard wait time (3-4 months), because of Covid. After six months I contacted him, and was told it was festival season and that was cause for delay. After that it was because the blacksmith making my Khukuri had to take work in town, keeping him from his forge. Just recently, a couple of weeks ago or thereabouts, I called and was told the original smith wasn't working on my order at all. Apparently, the job has been given to a different Smith, who Timothy assured me was just as skilled, but he's just getting started. So... A little over a year of waiting, and my order hasn't even been started yet.

Unfortunately, although I can understand the challenges of international shipping in the age of Covid, and the Festival Season in Nepal, and any number of other factors that are delaying my order, I'm still a little bit disappointed.

This is my first go around with ordering a Nepalese Khukuri, and so far it hasn't been great

That's possible, I suppose.

What I believe has happened is merely a study in bad timing, poor luck, and failed communication.

In "the age of Covid" all bets are off. In Nepal factors such as transportation, festival season, monsoon etc. are all very likely legitimate reasons for the inordinate amount of time my order is taking. Either way, I have only what I'm being told to go on.

Two other factors: one, I don't find anything similar being offered elsewhere. In other words, if I simply ask for a refund, choosing to apply the funds towards the purchase of a Khukuri from another seller, I probably won't get what I really wanted.

Secondly, I really don't know (since this is the first Khukuri I've tried to purchase) but in my opinion it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect it to take a year, or thereabouts, to execute a setup such as I ordered.

So far, my only real complaint has been the lack of communication from the seller. I can understand a lot of things (my life has been such that I've traveled extensively, internationally, and lived with people of different cultures and walks of life) and I can also be quite patient, assuming I feel the rewards will be worth the wait. But you have to let me know what is going on.

I spoke with Timothy McLaughlin on the phone earlier today. I have been given a timeframe of a few more months, with the caveat that things are still a little "sketchy" in Nepal. I have been encouraged to contact Mr. McLaughlin by phone, in a couple of months, to check on things...

I don't know... The whole thing is unfortunate, but I can only hope for a positive outcome. I also don't believe in getting angry about money, especially such relatively small amounts. Either way, I have gone from being excited for having placed my order, to anxious about it, to just hoping I haven't made a mistake.
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Hmmm…you ordered a knife in August, were told that it was delayed by the Nepalese festival season six months later? The festival season occurs primarily in September and October. Telling you in February that your knife was going to be delayed due to festivals was a lie. Why would you want to continue doing business with a liar?

Not getting angry is good but continuing to do business with a liar after you know that they’re lying to you is silly.

Hope you get your knife.
 
Grott said:
Greetings,

I ordered a Khukuri from Dragonfly Khukuri and Knives a little over a year ago. 08/11/21, to be exact. I've not yet received it.

Communication with Timothy McLaughlin has been adequate, although it's best to call on the phone. I've had less luck with Email. Either way, the story changes a little bit every time I call him. And that's another thing, it's always been me who has to call. I've never heard from him, unless I initiated the conversation. Initially, I was told it might be a couple of months longer than standard wait time (3-4 months), because of Covid. After six months I contacted him, and was told it was festival season and that was cause for delay. After that it was because the blacksmith making my Khukuri had to take work in town, keeping him from his forge. Just recently, a couple of weeks ago or thereabouts, I called and was told the original smith wasn't working on my order at all. Apparently, the job has been given to a different Smith, who Timothy assured me was just as skilled, but he's just getting started. So... A little over a year of waiting, and my order hasn't even been started yet.

Unfortunately, although I can understand the challenges of international shipping in the age of Covid, and the Festival Season in Nepal, and any number of other factors that are delaying my order, I'm still a little bit disappointed.

This is my first go around with ordering a Nepalese Khukuri, and so far it hasn't been great

That's possible, I suppose.

What I believe has happened is merely a study in bad timing, poor luck, and failed communication.

In "the age of Covid" all bets are off. In Nepal factors such as transportation, festival season, monsoon etc. are all very likely legitimate reasons for the inordinate amount of time my order is taking. Either way, I have only what I'm being told to go on.

Two other factors: one, I don't find anything similar being offered elsewhere. In other words, if I simply ask for a refund, choosing to apply the funds towards the purchase of a Khukuri from another seller, I probably won't get what I really wanted.

Secondly, I really don't know (since this is the first Khukuri I've tried to purchase) but in my opinion it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect it to take a year, or thereabouts, to execute a setup such as I ordered.

So far, my only real complaint has been the lack of communication from the seller. I can understand a lot of things (my life has been such that I've traveled extensively, internationally, and lived with people of different cultures and walks of life) and I can also be quite patient, assuming I feel the rewards will be worth the wait. But you have to let me know what is going on.

I spoke with Timothy McLaughlin on the phone earlier today. I have been given a timeframe of a few more months, with the caveat that things are still a little "sketchy" in Nepal. I have been encouraged to contact Mr. McLaughlin by phone, in a couple of months, to check on things...

I don't know... The whole thing is unfortunate, but I can only hope for a positive outcome. I also don't believe in getting angry about money, especially such relatively small amounts. Either way, I have gone from being excited for having placed my order, to anxious about it, to just hoping I haven't made a mistake.
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Pardon me for being blunt, but you are being scammed. Period. Your failure to accept that, address it appropriately, and go elsewhere for your knife is precisely the type of behavior that not only allows scammers to continue with their shenanigans, but it actually encourages them. Patience is a good thing; guillibility not so much. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but you are making as many excuses to us for this McLaughlin scammer as he has made to you. I would love it if you got your knife, but I don't think that is reality. YMMV.
 
If you're looking for true military reproduction, take a look at Tora Blades. They make some really fine Khukuris but it does take around 3 or 4 months to get them most of the time. The kami's tend to make them in batches and ship them off all at once as the batch is made. I have three now and they are works of art. Kailash like mentioned is a member here on BF and I hear they also make a fine khukuri and use oil to quench instead of water, so they may be a bit tougher. Good luck and let us all know the final outcome.
 
kok yip said:
He did fiinally reply saying his Nepal contact is sending him a batch of knives and mine might be in that batch. I said to him if its not in the batch, cancel the order and refund promptly.

He reason for not replying previously was hospitalisation.

Anyway i have waited 7 months so far and the i think i am more than fair.

If i didnt write to this forum i somehow think i would still be waiting for a reply ! Thanks all
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People like this guy always have an excuse and it is almost always medical, because they know people are soft-hearted when it comes to medical issues. They always lie.
 
From what i see in the khukuri groups this situation is still ongoing. I do really hope it gets sorted out well for everyone involved.
Timothy has a lot of good will within khukuri circles, but it really is a mess. Aside from just customers the nepalese side of the operation are also not having a lot of luck with him. While I think the situation isn't one of intentional scamming and more one of being very overwhelmed and out of your depth I think everyone should've got a refund by now and the whole thing should be a blank slate.

As someone who's navigated the same issues with covid, material shortages and shipping shutdowns it's definitely not been an easy time. We're in a good place now with our own orders though and I've sent him a message to see if he wants us to take on his orders and the customer comms that go with that. We've got the man hours to handle it and it could be the quickest and neatest resolution for all parties involved. Also a chance for Nepalese manufacturing to redeem itself in the eyes of a lot of disappointed knife fans.

Take care,
Andrew and the team at Kailash
 
A depressing tale. I really think it would have been entirely different IF the seller had been proactive and kept the client informed of delays and obstacles, he could then offer to refund the money or say that the waiting time is extended. This way it's upfront & honest and not having to drag suspect excuses out and ignoring clients- very unimpressive and can be an indicator of serial behaviour...

That said, I'm in Europe and the usual procedure here is money upfront if you are dealing with a maker with a solid reputation and a known waiting-list. I have a special Custom knife on order from a French artisan of very high repute, but his conditions were 7 months waiting time money upfront, take it or leave it. I've dealt with him before so I'm confident, "mais on ne sais jamais.."
 
I hope that this gets resolved, as I have had an order in since 6/21 for 2 kukri. I will likely be putting in an order through Kailash sometime after the holidays.
 
Triton said:
Well, I have to say that you are a very patient guy, a commendable trait! Let us know how it works out. If you are in the market for such a thing again I would suggest Kailash blades. They do impressive looking custom work and they have their own forum here so communication is top notch.
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In hindsight, I probably should have gone that route.

I've "corresponded" with Bisnu Thapa, a blacksmith with Kailash Blades, and a Facebook friend. I recommended them to a good friend of mine. He got his Khukuri in pretty short order, and absolutely loves it. Bisnu Thapa was the smith that forged his Khukuri.
 
JohnWE said:
Hmmm…you ordered a knife in August, were told that it was delayed by the Nepalese festival season six months later? The festival season occurs primarily in September and October. Telling you in February that your knife was going to be delayed due to festivals was a lie. Why would you want to continue doing business with a liar?

Not getting angry is good but continuing to do business with a liar after you know that they’re lying to you is silly.

Hope you get your knife.
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Well... I'm not sure what recourse I actually have. I could "demand" a refund, but might not get anywhere with that. I could take the seller up on his offer of a different Khukuri, one from his personal collection. Unfortunately, I wanted a fairly specific item, which I don't see elsewhere (including anything he has in said collection). It could very well be that I am continuing to deal with a liar, but I really don't think that's exactly what is happening. I regret that things are going this way, but I'm still willing to give Dragonfly Khukuri and Knives the benefit of the doubt. I'll keep everyone posted.
 
on_the_edge said:
Pardon me for being blunt, but you are being scammed. Period. Your failure to accept that, address it appropriately, and go elsewhere for your knife is precisely the type of behavior that not only allows scammers to continue with their shenanigans, but it actually encourages them. Patience is a good thing; guillibility not so much. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but you are making as many excuses to us for this McLaughlin scammer as he has made to you. I would love it if you got your knife, but I don't think that is reality. YMMV.
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Be as blunt as you want: opinions of strangers have little bearing on my sense of well-being.

It's, of course, entirely possible (maybe even likely) that I'm being scammed. It's also entirely possible that Dragonfly Khukuri and Knives got into the game at a very bad time. With respect, I don't fail to accept anything. I agree that I'm being given a runaround, wholeheartedly. I just don't know what recourse I have. I almost certainly would not succeed in receiving a refund, should I ask. I have been offered an alternative to my original purchase, in the way of a Khukuri from the seller's personal collection. I might go ahead and attempt to purse that option, but I'm hesitant to do so for the following reason. I selected a pretty specific historical example of an earlier type Khukuri. He doesn't have any Khukuri like it, to my knowledge. I could custom order such a thing from another Khukuri house/distributer, for more money than I paid for my original order with Dragonfly. I could just cut my losses (and let "the bad guy" win), especially seeing as the money exchanged was nominal, and I can easily absorb the loss.

Either way, if I'm being accused of enabling bad behavior, or perpetuating it through my inaction, may I ask you one question? What am I doing here in this forum? I've joined specifically to air out this concern, and hopefully caution others. That might just be the best I can do.

Have a great day
 
Kailash Blades said:
Not sure about the W/X bumps but an update from our side- we reached out when we made our last comment and haven't received a reply of any kind.
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I, for one, appreciate that.

Please tell Bisnu Thapa that I said hello.

I told a friend about Kailash Blades, shortly after I ordered mine from Dragonfly Khukuri and Knives. Bisnu Thapa made a Khukuri for him, and he's greatly pleased with it.
 
Grott said:
Well... I'm not sure what recourse I actually have. I could "demand" a refund, but might not get anywhere with that. I could take the seller up on his offer of a different Khukuri, one from his personal collection. Unfortunately, I wanted a fairly specific item, which I don't see elsewhere (including anything he has in said collection). It could very well be that I am continuing to deal with a liar, but I really don't think that's exactly what is happening. I regret that things are going this way, but I'm still willing to give Dragonfly Khukuri and Knives the benefit of the doubt. I'll keep everyone posted.
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My suggestion is take him up on his offer if he's really a good guy in over his head he will send you something at least. You can then keep it or sell it to recoup some of your loss. Then order what you wanted from Kailash.
 
Yeah, that’s it! Tell him you’ll gladly accept a knife from his collection! Keep us updated on that and post pictures, would you?
You’re not being scammed.
 
Grott said:
I, for one, appreciate that.

Please tell Bisnu Thapa that I said hello.

I told a friend about Kailash Blades, shortly after I ordered mine from Dragonfly Khukuri and Knives. Bisnu Thapa made a Khukuri for him, and he's greatly pleased with it.
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I've passed it on to Bisnu during our meeting today and he says hey :) However I think your friend may be mistaken- bisnu manages the workshop and speaks with customers but doesn't actually make any knives. If you let me know the makers mark and the year the blade was made I can find the maker for you and pass on your friend's compliments.
Take care,
Andrew and the team at Kailash
 
This was posted in a khukuri facebook group today from a customer- "Probably last batch from Blue Dragonfly and it is sharp as hell. Thank you Timothy McLaughlin for this beautiful piece. Hope to see you back in business someday"
Seems like things are still moving?
 
Grott said:
Well... I'm not sure what recourse I actually have. I could "demand" a refund, but might not get anywhere with that. I could take the seller up on his offer of a different Khukuri, one from his personal collection. Unfortunately, I wanted a fairly specific item, which I don't see elsewhere (including anything he has in said collection). It could very well be that I am continuing to deal with a liar, but I really don't think that's exactly what is happening. I regret that things are going this way, but I'm still willing to give Dragonfly Khukuri and Knives the benefit of the doubt. I'll keep everyone posted.
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Why did you post here, please?
 
Kailash Blades said:
This was posted in a khukuri facebook group today from a customer- "Probably last batch from Blue Dragonfly and it is sharp as hell. Thank you Timothy McLaughlin for this beautiful piece. Hope to see you back in business someday"
Seems like things are still moving?
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"Things" moving are irrelevant to solving the literally criminal failure to deliverer the purchased goods in this case Saying not all were cheated, is like saying of a serial killer, "He didn't kill me."
 
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