The Bad: Trade with Dustin Young

jstn

jstn

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I had a few knives for sale here: http://bladeforums.com/threads/fs-spydercos-pm2-yo2-and-pm2-m4.1501103/#post-17262446

I was contacted by a forum member named Dustin Young (I do not know his forum name) throuh email and then text. He wanted to trade me brand new Reate District 9 Plus for my Yojimbo 2 and PM2. We worked out details and agreed he would throw in $40 as I did not really want to trade the knives and preferred selling them. I thought this sounded too good to be true and it was.

We both sent out our knives, and when I opened mine, the lockbar overtravel and screw fell out. The knife was otherwise as described by Dustin. I figured they must be loose, no big deal, so I tried to tighten it back. The screw hole was completely stripped out, so I was unable tighten it even a small amount.

I contacted Dustin and explained the situation. He claimed it did not leave him that way so I took him at his word. I asked if there was a previous owner and he said he contacted him as well, and the previous owner said it was not stripped. Very soon after, Dustin texted me back saying that I must have broken it. I have never adjusted an overtravel stop, and did not adjust this one. He kept insisting that I stripped the screw. We went back and forth for awhile, with hostility levels rising. I suggested we reverse the trade, but he claimed no fault and kept telling me I should sent it to Reate, which I found odd. I tried to get him to discuss this via phone, but he would not. Dustin was very quick to rush to judgement that the only viable answer was that this was completely my doing, and that I was proceeding dishonestly. I had hoped we could find some middle ground as a resolution, or at least discuss the situation some way besides through texting, but he was unwilling.

I am chalking this up as a loss on my part; I will likely sell the knife as is with an honest description as it is only affected aesthetically. I have very good feedback as well as hundreds of other deals on the forums that have gone well, so I guess it was time for a bad one. I understand it is my word against his, so everyone can take from that what they will. If you've dealt with me before, you know I am honest in my transactions. I don't expect this to be resolved, and it is not a huge deal as I have plenty of knives. I would, however, advise others to proceed with caution when dealing with Dustin.

-Justin Crain
 
His username would help.

How did you decide to send trades at the same time?

How did you know he was even a member and not a browser?

If you had his username and he had a low feedback count, negative feedback or wasn't even a member you would have case for negotiating that he send his part of the trade first.
 
Bummer, but thanks for sharing.

A-MAC said:
How did you know he was even a member and not a browser?
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This very well could be the case.

jstn jstn I would suggest taking your email address out of your sales threads because anyone that has internet access can view those threads and contact you or have your email address. This will ensure that who ever contacts will certainly be a user on BladeForums. Nothings 100% fool proof but it's at least better to deal with people here that have a foot print than some random ghost on the interwebs.
 
A-MAC said:
His username would help.

How did you decide to send trades at the same time?

How did you know he was even a member and not a browser?

If you had his username and he had a low feedback count, negative feedback or wasn't even a member you would have case for negotiating that he send his part of the trade first.
Click to expand...

Good point, he may have been a browser. It was certainly a mistake on my part. I have had so many good transactions here that I suppose I am a little too trusting. Lesson learned.
 
benchwarmer380 said:
Bummer, but thanks for sharing.



This very well could be the case.

jstn jstn I would suggest taking your email address out of your sales threads because anyone that has internet access can view those threads and contact you or have your email address. This will ensure that who ever contacts will certainly be a user on BladeForums. Nothings 100% fool proof but it's at least better to deal with people here that have a foot print than some random ghost on the interwebs.
Click to expand...

That is an excellent suggestion benchwarmer. That will be my MO moving forward.
 
benchwarmer380 said:
Bummer, but thanks for sharing.



This very well could be the case.

jstn jstn I would suggest taking your email address out of your sales threads because anyone that has internet access can view those threads and contact you or have your email address. This will ensure that who ever contacts will certainly be a user on BladeForums. Nothings 100% fool proof but it's at least better to deal with people here that have a foot print than some random ghost on the interwebs.
Click to expand...

I put my email address in my sale ads because people without a membership cant pm. And there is no rule those people cant buy. I guess they could just leave a message in the thread. I personally would just ask some wuestions to vet who they are.
 
PURPLEDC said:
I put my email address in my sale ads because people without a membership cant pm. And there is no rule those people cant buy. I guess they could just leave a message in the thread. I personally would just ask some wuestions to vet who they are.
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In addition to posting in a thread, Registered Users can leave a profile message to initially contact you in a more semi private manner. Other folks will still be able to view that (depending on your privacy settings), but they will have to be logged in to view your profile. Folks that aren't registered on this site wont be able to see it.

Vetting the unknown emails that come through is a very wise move. :thumbsup:
 
I put my email address in my ads, as well, because I don't want people posting in them. I do specifically state that they should include their BF username when they email me; and if it isn't in the first email, I ask for it in my reply. If it isn't provided at that point, I simply delete the emails.
If the person has no history, I end up struggling with the decision of whether to take the risk.
 
A very mature attitude OP. :cool: Thanks for the heads up on both the person and the "browser" possibility. :thumbsup:
 
I guess here is where i state my side of the two sided story, and we allow the users to determine what is what.

I did initially contact him about his yojimbo 2 because i've wanted one for a while, i saw it posted on page 10 of the for sale ad, and instantly wanted to know if it was still available. OP had it posted for a price that i was going to be surprised if it wasn't sold. He informed me he still had the knives and we talked about a trade deal. I had received a Reate District 9 Plus in a trade for a grail and i knew i would be posting the Reate as it wasn't my thing. I received the Reate in mint condition, just as the user on BF had told me it was, but didn't spend much time playing with it. I remember flipping it with the thumb studs for 10 minutes or so, but ultimately decided there were other knives for this price i'd rather have. OP said that both of his blades in the trade had side to side play, and i made him a through video that i can post here SHOWING the knife as being mint. We agreed to terms (i threw in a nice cash porkchop to get my hands back on another PM2 and the yojimbo 2 was also included, i wanted these knives and was willing to pay a little price to swap a blade that was to large for me for one that i knew i was fond of a chance at trying the yojimbo 2). OP receives the knives a day earlier than i receive his, i'm pretty adamant about shipping early and well packaged, i hear horror stories all the time of peoples stuff getting banged up or not receiving the knife so i bubble wrap the pouches i ship and tape the shit out of the box. He shoots me a text saying that the "Hey, i got the reate today. there seems to be an issue. When i opened it up the lockbar stabilizer and the screw fell out. So i tried to screw it in, but it seems it is stripped. The screw just spins freely.". Now i handled the knife three or four times, and a lengthy time to make a video of the condition (i have a dog that was being wild during some of them and had to make multiples). It seemed so bizarre to me that a screw would just fall out, so i a told OP that it left here perfect (it was still in its plastic baggy) and asked if he was taking it apart. It seemed almost impossible that a screw would just pop out when he was taking it out of the bag, but during the multiple times i handled it, i never once had an issue. He said he just wanted to see if i had any suggestions and if it was an issue before, and that everything else looked great which was odd. I told him it was brand new when it left my possession, that i never disassembled it (i only had it for three days before i sent it off, it was my initial intention when accepting the trade), and i reviewed the video and pictures i sent him and told him the screw looks fine in them. He said he was going to fidget and screw with it. He then texts me again saying the screw is stripped and that its not satisfactory as it wasn't as described but with pieces just falling off it when he took it out of the pouch that isn't satisfactory. I told him i'd never had a bad trade, that the knife left my possession new, and i'm finding it hard to believe that it just fell out. He said its definitely stripped and asked if i was the first owner, i told him no and contacted the original owner who i did the trade with and explained the situation to him. He advised me that this gentleman was pulling one over on me, that he had never taken the knife apart, and that screws don't just fall out (which i totally agree with, it seemed impossible that i handled it so many times without ever noticing this, that the previous owner had no issues, and that it magically fell out stripped when he got it). I respond that there is no way that it just fell out, i packaged it well, and would have noticed it during the multiple times i handled it. He called me which i found to be a great gesture, but i was in summer school when all this was going down and couldn't walk out of the classroom. He threatens to go public and tells me that i tried to pull a fast one on him, where i respond with a lengthy text about letting the public decide. In that text i mention i'm willing to trade back if he tells me the truth, like he stripped it while taking it down, or pressed hard on the lockbar and stripped it. I don't think knives are meant to be fragile, and was more than happy to correct it if i got the true story. OP stuck to his side and posted this. I can screenshot THE whole conversation, i reread everything while writing this.
 
The other party isn't happy with the deal.

You can fight over it like children or simply reverse the trade, which one of those actions do you think will gain you more respect here?

P.S. You stated in that word salad you posted above that the knife in question was "new" no knife that's had 2 owners is new. It's impossible.
 
JohnWE said:
The other party isn't happy with the deal.

You can fight over it like children or simply reverse the trade, which one of those actions do you think will gain you more respect here?

P.S. You stated in that word salad you posted above that the knife in question was "new" no knife that's had 2 owners is new. It's impossible.
Click to expand...

I totally agree, i allowed the personal attacks of him thinking i was trying to steal from him get to me. The story didn't seem believable either and i just wanted the truth. OP could totally be telling the truth, USPS isn't exactly gentle with their flat rate boxes, it just seemed like the least likely scenario.

P.S Many knives with multiple owners can pass as new, as is not carried and never used to cut anything, i throughly explained the condition to OP, but the word "Like-New" would be better used. Thanks.
 
As long as I've been a member of Bladeforums, trading etiquette was a trade is NOT complete until BOTH sides are satisfied. I always abide by this gentleman's agreement. We are a community and know sometimes things happen. This is a small stakes disagreement, it should not ruin both members trading reputation. Good luck guys. I hope you can work it out.
 
unklfranco said:
As long as I've been a member of Bladeforums, trading etiquette was a trade is NOT complete until BOTH sides are satisfied. I always abide by this gentleman's agreement. We are a community and know sometimes things happen. This is a small stakes disagreement, it should not ruin both members trading reputation. Good luck guys. I hope you can work it out.
Click to expand...

I agree, i'm willing to send OP money to cover the deficit he lost in. I know he has since sold the district 9, but the cash i sent him, plus the district 9 funds, plus whatever to make it equal to the value he wanted for the knives. This is petty, i didn't send a broken knife, but i'm willing to clear my name and character by making the correct move.
 
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