Spyderman

BA item number 616426 ended 04/28/2002 (that's april of 2002)

The week or month it goes down is the time to mention it or begin tearing down someone's business and reputation for it in hopes of getting payback. The time decay on value is too much - a hundred thousand more of those knives have been made since that day when maybe 1000 had been delivered.

How many boker top locks have been made in Germany? Think... It costs one hundred grand to make handle set dies - are they really going to have one set in south america and one set in germany where the labor costs 10 times as much as do taxes and repairs at the machine facility? Or are they going to whip up some blades in germany (where blade grinding equipment is plentiful because that's where blade grinders are made anyhow) and give you a german made knife. Do you own a microtech production level knife? Odds are that the blade was ground by a Ted Amburg - a german guy who owns a million dollar berger made (german) grinding machine - who lives in the states. Those machines are in use in places like Taiwan certainly but it's a lot faster to get the handles done and the mother company will always make the blades for the first knives.

Examples supporting - protech and microtech on new editions will always grind the blades and call them something special (that's when they have to do the ted amburg work.) Then while they are doing that ted is banging out 1000s of them... But all the handles are ready first because a relatively cheap and simple machine in machine technology terms can do that perfectly for a precision made knife. But the grinder that does it on the other hand is not cheap and not easy to run - it goes down and you're done. No place can justify or risk that expense unless they are very well capitalized and can afford at least 2 of them. But then you also have to look at the blades they're making - what level of detail is required?

Ted Amburg quit the business by the way earlier this year. He sold the stuff to some place that will never do a knife blade - they make scissors or something. He was an old guy from Germany - a berger machine sales rep for many decades before coming here and setting up shop and making many blades for knives we all own I am sure.

There's no explanation here for anything it's all just stuff to agree or not on and mostly just hot air. Maybe watch out for stuff that has less markings of origin than you might think it should. Buyer beware always --- and move on stuff if you think there's a problem of course but don't wait a year. I threw out all my stipid class action lawsuits for IPOs- the people that initiated those lost tons of money buying into crap that people pumped - so did I. And I learned and the IRS gave me a break on the losses and now I am more careful for it and everyone's smarter today about looking at P/E ratios - you got to be. Microsoft was never a ten dollar stock.
 
I'd like to defend Spyderman. He got me a great deal on a Dodo! He was a little slow with shipping due to having an associate send it form Cali, but otherwise he was very courteous. He is a friendly seller willing to go to lengths to make a customer happy. I plan on buying from him in the future. He is unable to defend himslef at the moment due to a BF account problem and may possibly be starting a new handle, so I'm sure you'll be seeing what he has to say.
 
masterchef - toplock is a similar production item from boker and they as a company have some branding issues in the example of top lock at least. The blade itself has been marked at least 2 different ways and unrelated but the internals in the handle have been cast at least 3 different ways at various points in the production. This I have noted. I did scan the thread and it seems as though a lack of branding (country of origin?) led to the confusion.

If he compensates you a year plus after the deal closes it is indeed another moral victory for consumers. But know that in dealing with the shameless and faceless entities that manufacture most of these spring powered things that many lies are passed on while laws are broken. 1 of 100 or the last run ever and lifetime warranty... You need only try to have something spring powered in a blue box repaired to know that the words lifetime warranty are put there to sell you the knife and will not be honored due to circumstances beyond their control like the federal laws that they decide to adhere to in the instance where they would need to spend money on you.

You're honest like a scout your rep preceeds you but don't wait a year plus to flame someone out of business.

This issue is deeper than you and him - it's about import rules around labels on products that places like Magnum break. If memory serves me the president tried the same scam and got busted (the china wharehouse boxes photo shop cloned or covered over at the USA production incentive speech early last year.)

I know that guy too an honest but who knows - he's as good as his last deal just like every other seller/dealer - and they all just put out the door in small boxes what they get in big boxes. And they sell that stuff based on whatever they're told.

Some people are stupid beyond belief of course
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,59413,00.html

Thanks for reading the drivel - last post for me see you in dam year.
 
Mike is one of the most honest, respected and compassionate members of this forum.

I hate it when something bad happens to superb people.
 
Originally posted by TakeUB(O)4rce

I know that guy too an honest but who knows - he's as good as his last deal just like every other seller/dealer - and they all just put out the door in small boxes what they get in big boxes. And they sell that stuff based on whatever they're told.
Click to expand...

This goes farther than that. It seems that TheSpyderman admits that the knife that masterchef got was one the he had carried in his pocket. You would think that he would notice that it was a cheap knockoff.
 
I am the BladeAuction seller known as the SPYDERMAN.

Masterchef:
When you want to tell a story, you need to tell the WHOLE story, and tell it from the start and/or beginning ;) .

I was really surprised when I got the email heads-up regardig the existence of this thread. It wasn't particularly the subject of the thread, but more of the way Masterchef (PASTAMAN??) makes it seem like this deal went down recently, that concerns me the most. I am not sure what would spark your fire to attack my integrity and make me look like a thief , especially now, was it something I said/did?

So let's start at the top here. This was a private, non-auction sale between Masterchef (PASTAMAN??) adn myself way back in the Spring of 2002. That's right, a YEAR and A HALF ago. I was just getting started on the BladeAuction, a FNG seller, only beginning to learn what is what, who makes a quality product, what sells and what does not. I'm still learning everyday.
So I got a handle on these HOT new Bokers, Magnum SpeedLocks, made in Germany. They were solid, nice and tight construction, aluminum handles with aggressive blades. Real fast opening, strong springs, NICE KNIVES! NOBODY ELSE HAD THESE YET. I was the first on auction or anywhere with this First Production run. I snapped a few pics and threw one up on auction with a bid start @ $1.00. The auction ran for a week and ended with a high bid @ $157. Now I will be the first to admit that bidding may have gotten out of hand on that one, but sometimes auctions will, and I started $1.00. The winning bidder paid for the knife, received it, LOVED it, and left me a very positive feedback. From that point I was selling a bunch of them, both on and off the auction. The "Tanto" blades seemed to be most wanted, they sold out quick, save for the one which I had kept for myself, the one I had started carrying. I had a few of the Clip blades left but they were moving fast as well. Around this time in MAY of 2002 I was contacted privately via email by PASTAMAN (Masterchef??), asking me PLEASE could he get one of the all-black TANTO model, just like he had seen on the auction #616248 ended 4/30/02 (no you can't reference it at BA as the database no longer contains the auction). I told him sorry, I only had a few Clip blades left, the Tantos were sold out and I was keeping my last Tanto for myself, It was in my pocket for EDC.
MASTERCHEF :: "How much for it?"
Now as they say everything is for sale for the right price. I referenced the auction # with a winning bid of $157. I mention to him the knife is MINT save for a small scratch on the black clip. NP says MASTERCHEF, he offers, I offer, and we agree on a sale @ $120 -
I ship the knife, he gets it, LOVES it, DONE DEAL.
OK so around this time my SpeedMaster stock is down to the last. My price to restock is going up and sales are going down. I quit carrying the line. 2-3 months later the BOKER MAGNUM begins showing up on auction for around $50-60 each. What I understand is Boker was now having production outsourced to TAIWAN, and it was very evident from the blade stamp. I had also heard quality was going way down, but I cannot personally verify that.
NOW its AUGUST of 2002. I get my first email from PASTAMAN (Masterchef) saying I really ripped him good, now he can buy one at half the price (not in those exact words but from what I can remember to summarize here). Suddenly I'm a "matchstick" man. Now please note this: a disappointment in the knife itself was never expressed, and a refund was never requested - just a regret and/or anger that the price paid was too much and now they are cheaper kind of thing.
Today on BA these things are getting $20-25 a pop. There are HUNDREDS available on auction. I might add that I was never getting these for 3-4x that price! And sure, I like making a profit just as much as anyone, I won't deny making one on the sale to MASTERCHEF (albeit a fair one), but when this dirty laundry shows up today SEPTERMBER 2003, it may really look like I screwed you BAD. Reality is nothing could be further from the truth. Is it not BladeForums.com where I always read people posting "A knife is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it?". I think you may even had said that yourself MASTERCHEF.

Anyone who has dealt with me knows what I'm made of. I am still new to this and I am still hungry. I sell popular knives at crazy cheap prices. Sometimes I LOSE money on a deal, but I will go out of my way to get knives for my customers/friends/acquaintances. I get hundreds of email for special request/order knives. I answer all my email no matter what, and more times than not come through with a sale and a price that is cheaper or extremely competitive with even the biggest of the big-dog knife websites. FEEDBACK is all I've got, word of mouth can make you or break you. That's why what you write here cuts and cuts deep. See I'm just getting started, a little spyder weaving a webb. My website is still under construction and set for 2004 opening. I've got a lot of great stuff coming in and moving out everyday. I am beginning to develop close relationships with many manufacturers and distributors, not to mention MAINTAINING the most important of which is the CUSTOMER. I do what I say and say what I do. That is the absolute only way to earn any kind of respect in this world. Anyone who reads this thread may think twice about ever dealing with me. That is truly unfortunate, because it screws up a chance at a really GREAT relationship for both of us.
There are many who will never read this. There are many who will never be able to share a positive experience with me here. On the other hand, maybe there are others hiding in the closet with Masterchef harboring bad feelings for me, letting it eat away at them until some day far from now they will lash out at me. I know I've had more than one auction that ended at an obscene price

:eek: !

So that's my side of the story. I apologize for the LONG post, but I wanted anyone here to get a better understanding about what REALLY went down on that day so very, very long ago. Thanks for hearing me out. If I can ever help anyone here with anything, please feel free to email anytime INTHEWEBB@AOL.COM or if you just wanna talk knives my AOL IM is INTHEWEBB.

Ciao.
 
Hi GONZO,

I'm not sure if you're with me or against me.

You wrote:

Originally posted by Gonzo_Beyondo

The guy is a moron. I determined that quickly after a few emails back and forth after the initial auction. He's a total no-mind. But i did get my knife... And, i was charged alot more than what my bid was... the high shipping, +3% paypal, all that crap.

But, the knife was worth it, and i did get it.
I would hesitate to deal with him again, but i would do so.
Click to expand...

THANKS MAN! But seriously, how do you REALLY feel?? :p

Let's get into a little more detail on this as well. I believe you are speaking on BA #698864 for the F.Beltrame "ULTRAVIOLET" as I like to call them. Pretty slick knife isn't it?? I only put 4 of those up @ $49.00 each. That is what I wanted out of them, and bidding did go a bit higher than I expected. Hey, it's a brand new knife -people get a little excited.
Anyway, I had a few more left over, so I offered you one as an underbidder at a price at or close to your high bid. I made a private offer to you via email, you accepted, the deal was done. You knew everything regarding the shipping charges and the Paypal 3% beforehand. You agreed to them, correct? Or did I force you to make the purchase?
I'm not sure exactly how that makes me a no-mind moron?

Here is what your post should have looked like:

SPYDERMAN IS AN OK GUY. HE TREATED ME RIGHT. I GOT A KNIFE FROM HIM DIRECT AT A FAIR PRICE. I HAD NOT SEEN IT ANYWHERE AND I STILL HAVE NOT SEEN IT ANYWHERE, AND I LOVE IT! I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN HIM AND MASTERCHEF BUT IT IS NONE OF MY DAMN BUSINESS.

I don't appreciate the way you refer to the other guys in that aucton being "hosed", everyone got what they wanted at the price they were willing to pay. What I do in a direct sale offer is the business of two people, you and I.

In the future, please be a little more specific. The name-calling becomes a bit juvenile.

Thanks.
 
Originally posted by loandr.
this guy is a regular on Bladeauction, and mike, he has ripped me off as well, I made a major stink with the moderator over there as well. i won a OTF Beltrame original and WAS, yes you guessed it, sent a cheap knock off, I posted neg. about him and he did same about I , after disclosing all details to the moderator he removed the feedback left on myself :-) good luck this guy is scum WATCH OUT.
Click to expand...

Let's clear the air, it is really starting to stink in here:

LOANDR.,
please go to Frank or Armando's site and let us all know which of the supposed cheap knock-offs I sold you?
That's right, NONE OF THEM. Because there isn't one. Those are all assembled and distributed by Beltrame, made in Italy.

Knock it off already. :rolleyes:
 
Eight legged Troll, that was not a threat. It's an inside joke, as anybody who has been here longer than 1 day would know.

And, I'm here for a couple of reasons. One, because my friend Masterchef says he got ripped off, and that's good enough for me. Two, because I can.

And, just for curiosity, bring it where?
 
Well, here it is again, most everyone was decided without ever hearing but one side of the story. It's obvious hearing anything more than one side just needlessly confuses some people, and really, one sides all you need right? Or, just look at the post counts to see who's right & who's wrong.

If what 8 legged says is true, it sure does not sound to me like anyone got ripped off at all. Not masterchef, or anyone else who finally spoke up in this thread to say they too had been screwed.
Of course, it's now been a year, and for better or for worse, there's no documentation, no emails, no nothing.

Further, if someone did get ripped off, it really sucks to just sit on that information for a year instead of making others who likely will come into contact with such a person aware of what happened.

You get screwed and really do want to try to prevent it happening to somone else, post it here ASAP, not a few months or a year down the road, and have some documentation if possible.

And one last thing, although it's probably not something I have to worry about at this point.
If someone ever posts here saying I screwed them, or that I might have, or that they were not happy, I would much prefer that anyone who is not directly involved and could not possibly know exactly what happened, to refrain from posting, in my defense or otherwise.

Some of you people just make the whole situation worse, with your holier than thou attitudes, flaming, and demands. And what's more, you just look silly doing it because most of the time you don't even bother to wait to hear both sides of the story.
 
So my take away lesson from this seems to be:

Beltrame (Italy) = POS

At least in some people experience.
 
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