Survival Sheath Systems (Robert Humelbaugh)

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AntoineM

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May 20, 2010
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I ordered on March 23, 2010 2 sheaths from this company, total cost $100.00 + and 8 weeks later have yet to receive anything. I sent them 5 emails and have yet to receive any reply for any of them. Their phone answering machine does not accept messages because the "box is full" and an other phone number is disconnected.

So don't waste your money like I did and don't deal with them. But its a free country.
 
No offense, but this should probably be in the GB&U section of the forum. Still, sorry to hear of your troubles
 
I've had sheath orders take a couple months in the past. Perhaps he just fell behind a bit on filling orders. It happens, but good comms would make it easier on the customer/maker relationship.
 
I ordered a sheath from them back in March...tracking number finally shows that it made it to Canada. This one was odd, before when I checked the tracking number it said that it left the US, then came back, then left again. He has been responding to my e-mails, we were both kinda wondering what was going on. Anyways, it looks like I should be getting it any day now, I will update again when I actually get it in my hands.

Update - I got it today, looks like it had my correct address, but the wrong country. Anyways, I have it now and it looks awesome!
 
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I have ordered two sheaths from him, both this year, but separate orders.

The first time I had to threaten him with filing complaints with e-bay and pay pal, and with leaving negative feedback to even get him to reply (sent 3 or 4 e-mails prior with no reply from him). His eventual reply stated he thought he shipped it... but must not have. He told me at that time he shipped it and gave me a tracking number. I was cool with this. The sheath showed up, and I figured it was a fluke... shit happens from time to time.

Alas, I found myself needing another sheath and wanted another Spec-Ops (because the are awesome). I ordered another from Robert...only to get the SAME TREATMENT! I just wrote him for the third time in 6 days. Maybe he will respond this time...

Rob.
 
Check his sub-forum here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=808

Seems a lot of folks have trouble with the long delivery times and lack of communication but it would also appear that they do receive their sheaths that have been on order.

I belive I have heard in the past that Robert has a lot of business with the Military.

Good luck getting your sheaths, his work is top notch and you wont be dissapointed with the quality.

:)
 
It's too bad that the delays and lack of communication are continuing. Rob's work is great quality, as mentioned above, but on balance how good can you feel about ordering anything when you don't know how long it will take and efforts to contact him seem to fall in a black hole.
 
I also had a bad experience with Robert beginning in June 2010, that I posted about somewhere else, but perhaps it bears repeating if only because it has some bizarre elements to it.
When I first saw Roberts website it looked so business like to me that I thought it was a larger company with ready made sheaths, so only two weeks after putting in my order I e-mailed Robert and asked him where my sheath was. He responded immediately and told me that his lead time was usually 4 to 6 weeks but he might be able to get around to making my sheath in the next week or so.
I was embarrassed when I realized he had to make each sheath as orders came in, so I responded to his e-mail and apologized for bugging him and said he could send me my sheath "whenever". His response was; "thanks for your understanding".

Roberts e-mail manner seemed pleasant and I settled back waiting for my sheath to arrive sometime within the next six weeks or so. Well of course it's never arrived and I doubt if it ever will. Perhaps Robert took my "whenever" literally and he's planning to send it to me in 2015... or whenever.
When I sent my e-mail to Robert apologizing for asking for my sheath after only two weeks, I also told him I was interested in several other sheaths he offered and named them. [ the sheath I paid for was for a CS Trailmaster]

I really don't know whats going on. If Robert is an outright scam artist you would think he wouldn't have bothered to respond to my e-mail at all, as he already had my money.

Maybe one day ,after I've almost forgotten about this, I'll find a package in my mailbox and there will be my sheath. That would be a Pollyanna ending wouldn't it?
 
ive ordered about 20 sheaths from him over the years, this is a recent thing, before he would ship on time, i think he might have some big contracts with knife companys to make sheaths for them and well i guess they take presidents, over us, ofcourse this is pure speculation, but ive seen several sheaths on some fixed blades that look like his handy work.
 
Robert's got a lot on his plate. I've never known him to take someone's money and not deliver, but to say he's overwhelmed these days is an understatement. He's requested we shut his forum down as he doesn't have time to respond to it, and said that anyone who has issues should email him directly at info@survivalsheath.com
 
Point well taken Spark. As you say there's not been any known case of him not delivering the product, eventually. Still, I can't help but think that some kind of information from him about longer fulfillment times posted on his site so that customers could see it beforehand would be very helpful. If he's got a ton of work that's not a bad thing in and of itself, but when the site ordering info page still says "up to 4-6 weeks" and no one seems to be getting sheaths within that window then it doesn't seem unreasonable to me that the projected timeframe should be changed to more accurately reflect the current situation. It could save a fair bit of frustration on the customer's end.
 
I don't disagree, all I'm doing is passing on the information I was given. I suggest the people who have paid for product contact him, and hopefully he'll get caught up in a timely fashion.
 
Spark said:
Robert's got a lot on his plate. I've never known him to take someone's money and not deliver, but to say he's overwhelmed these days is an understatement. He's requested we shut his forum down as he doesn't have time to respond to it, and said that anyone who has issues should email him directly at info@survivalsheath.com
Click to expand...

Well hope springs eternal, so I'll give it a try. Thanks
 
This evening I was emailed by Robert and he stated that he was going to refund my money. I do this knife thing for fun and I never take such things personally, I consider the issue closed. I wish Robert the best in his business venture.

Thanks,
Bill
Virginia
 
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OK,

previous comment retracted. I just spoke with Robert and he seems like a genuine guy. It also states on his website that all his work is custom/by hand, and can take 4-6 weeks to make.

Also, I called him 1 time, and he picked up the phone right away.

So now, I shall wait and see what the rig is like!

I encourage anyone who has a problem with an order to give him a ring to talk about it.
 
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i just emailed this guy. he charged me 56.90 on 5 august 2013. he sent me one email asking for 'details' as a way of explaining the delay. that was months ago. i just emailed him stating that i'm fed up. the guy shouldn't have a website if he's this slow AND a bad communicator. not happy at all. this guy may be a crook.

semper fi.
 
I had problems with my order just as described by everyone else here. He is very very helpful and accomodating right up until your money is with him then *chirping*....silence and nothing. Now I honestly don't think he is a crook, just a TERRIBLE businessman. There is NO WAY a kydex sheath sould take 6 weeks to produce, it is not rocket science. His delays can only be attributed to taking on too much work. Now if he has all this "military business" then he should CEASE taking commercial work (moreso accepting PAYMENT) he full well knows he wont be able to complete in a satisfactory timeframe. The frustration of people waiting for something is compounded over and over x10 by the complete lack of communication (again I point out this behaviour only starts AFTER payment is received).

Resolution to my situation was only found when I involved a friend of mine in Oregon to start chasing Robert up. All credit to him, I can't actually fault the sheath I finally received, it is however no better than those I have received with NO frustration or run around at all from Dave Brown or Al Welke over and over and over since my one and only transacion with Robert.

Andy
 
got my sheath from him two weeks ago(!). the sheath itself was good to go. exactly what i wanted...he even included an extra tech lok by way of consolation. so: i'd concur with spark, militiaman and mr turko. robert told me that the blade i was getting a sheath for was rare (benchmade nimravus cub, non serrated)...anywho: iloved the product, and my assumption is that the gentleman is SWAMPED...but a crook he is not.
semper fi.
 
The question of morality/principles come into play when he happily answers e-mails and provides info right up till the point of payment being sent and then goes silent as time goes on and on.... if you are that swamped that you are going to constantly blow out your waiting times from weeks to months then you either STOP taking work (well PAYMENT) till you are a bit caught up or completely adjust the advice you give customers about delivery times. Not doing so is in essence dishonest. Just my 2 cents worth I guess.
 
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