Todd Begg, custom knife maker?

tntbegg said:
Peter, you have waited a long time and you have been patient....if you don't want to wait anymore, perfectly understandable. The offer to have it for free still stands, we await your decision.
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Tanya & Todd,

I have made my decision. I truely appreciate, and accept your very kind offer.

As soon as Todd's Free Scar Maker arrives, I will post news of its arrival in this thread.

I will promptly offer it for sale in the custom forum, and donate 100% of the proceeds to DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS,

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/home.cfm

Please let us all know, when we can expect the knife's arrival.

Thanks again,

Peter
 
The Begg's are beyond reproach...... :cool:

I guess I'm confused as to why you would post your 'question' AFTER having talked with Tanya in June, with her offering you the knife for free, AND you accepting their unbelievable offer to complete your order.

Now you are going to put them on the spot AGAIN to give "us all" a firm delivery date?!? :barf:

You're quite a guy....... ever hear the one about 'looking a gift horse in the mouth'??? :confused:

Guess not.... :thumbdn:
 
Dawkind said:
I guess I'm confused as to why you would post your 'question' AFTER having talked with Tanya in June, with her offering you the knife for free, AND you accepting their unbelievable offer to complete your order.
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Don't forget the complete omission of that particular fact on the first post... :rolleyes:
 
Tracersan,

Since you seem to be interested in keeping the record straight, I might add that the "Free Scar Maker" was originally offered to me by Tanya Begg back in January or February 2005 for delivery at the Blade Show in June. I thanked her for the offer, but said that I would be happy to pay for it, and that I was looking forward to the knife.

Needless to say, the knife was not at Blade as promised. I offered (as Tanya points out in her post) to simply cancel the order and walk away amicably. FWIW, there seemed to be no shortage of knives for sale on their table. Another couple of months have passed since the Blade show and the reiteration of the free knife offer. I am not sure how long it would take to actually make the knife, what would be your educated guess?

Dawkind,

While I think you may have unwittingly stumbled on to something with YOUR choice of adjective to describe their free knife offer. I would prefer to withold judgement. I am not putting them on the spot, they keep jumping onto the spot of their own free will. What is a fair timetable in your mind? Six months or six years, Do the 3 years that have already passed count for anything, just curious? I will happily plead guilty to looking a gift horse in the mouth, just as soon as the horse actually arrives.

In any event, actions speak louder than words and as soon it actually arrives, Doctors without Borders will be receiving a very nice donation thanks to the Beggs generousity.
 
As for me , I love Todds work and will own a Begg someday. His products are unique and well executed and worth the wait. Todd, i hope your health improves. Your neighbor from Miracle Mile here in Tucson, Kevin
 
Dawkind said:
The Begg's are beyond reproach...... :cool:

I guess I'm confused as to why you would post your 'question' AFTER having talked with Tanya in June, with her offering you the knife for free, AND you accepting their unbelievable offer to complete your order.

Now you are going to put them on the spot AGAIN to give "us all" a firm delivery date?!? :barf:

You're quite a guy....... ever hear the one about 'looking a gift horse in the mouth'??? :confused:

Guess not.... :thumbdn:
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Peter IS quite a guy, he actually does what he says he is going to do. :thumbup:

IF I was in a bind, as a maker, and had a table full of knives, at a show like Blade, and wanted to do the RIGHT thing, I would have offered the collector his choice of knives from what I had there, on the table. I don't like owing people anything, and prefer things to be neat and tidy.

If the Begg's are beyond reproach, then why is a collector waiting for a knife 3 years after the fact? Yeah, stuff happens, but when you are self employed, it says a lot about how you handle your business when you get in over your head. I stopped dealing with makers that could not get it together, and prove themselves in the long run, about 1992. Life is too damned short to deal with permanent frustration over a HOBBY.

At any rate, what Peter has put forth as a final resolution is quite noble, from where I sit, and like Keith, I salute him as well, and wait for finality on this chapter. When the knife is finished and in his hands, I will salute the Beggs on a job well done.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I would think it would be over reaching to say you are able to define one's character so easily through this one particular exchange.........but thats just me, I guess I like to actually know something about a person before I judge them.

Tons of makers have backlogs well over five years long, ours is around two.....I assume those individual collectors will determine whether its worth the wait or not.

Well, the matter seems settled, except for delivery time which we will endeavor to project between now and Dec. Peter, I am sorry that we have not been able to fufill our commitment to you as promised and in a timely manner, but once you recieve the knife donating it for a good cause such as the one you have chosen is admireable.

Tanya
 
ptgdvc said:
I am just curious. Is there anyone else around here who has been waiting over 3 years for Todd Begg to deliver a custom knife? When I placed the order the ETA was six months. I usually check in about every six months and speak to Tanya, who thanks me for my patience and repeats the same message that the knife will be shipped shortly. The last time we spoke was at Blade at the begining of June. My mail box is still empty.
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He was given an ETA of 6 months....now 3 years later it's still...well, almost...

6 months.


Those who go into a deal with a 5 year wait usually go into it knowing up front that it's going to be 5 years.

No doubt about it...Todd makes an unusual style of knife and is a heck of a nice guy who has had some major troubles in the last few years but this should have been taken care of before it got this far. Salutes to both the Beggs and Peter for making the best of an unfortunate situation.
And I'll be looking to score that knife...if I have any $$ and half a chance at it. :)
 
It is indeed a very nice gesture to auction the knife in question off to such a great cause but......

Why was it brought up in this manner? We know that Todd is a custom knife maker. Peter has been in contact with the Begg's since the order was placed, every 60 days or so, and was aware of the problems in the Begg household.

There has been an open line of communication from the get go so why bring this about here, especially after accepting their gracious offer to make the knife for free, if not for any other reason than to muddy the waters? I just don't get it..... pent up frustration? If there was going to be a problem and Peter was upset, why wasn't it brought up when they were face to face in Atlanta? :confused:

I've been involved in this hobby for well over thirty years and have had several 'big name' makers never fulfill orders that were placed, they never communicated either......BIG DIFFERENCE!

I personally think it's a cheap shot at Todd to pose such a 'question' that is really nothing more than an airing of an unfortunate circumstance that Peter was already well aware of and accepted...... :rolleyes:
 
Dawkind said:
It is indeed a very nice gesture to auction the knife in question off to such a great cause but......

I personally think it's a cheap shot at Todd to pose such a 'question' that is really nothing more than an airing of an unfortunate circumstance that Peter was already well aware of and accepted...... :rolleyes:
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You know Dawkind, when you are right, you are right. I am obviously at fault.

I should have taken a much harder line and not permitted this to go on for so long. Next time, I won't bend over backwards and politely give a new a relatively new and unknown maker three years worth of slack on a knife that takes perhaps two weeks to build. I will not over look a table full of knives for sale at Blade and other shows, and wonder how that is possible, if for health or family reasons he can't seem to manage my long standing order. Thanks for setting me straight. :rolleyes:
 
Peter,

Mistakes,screwups,failures will happen, what is gained from them determines future sucess. We have made our fair share of mistakes in the last two years, our rapid gain in noteriety caught us unprepared, health issues left us devasted both physically and financially for well over a year, balancing orders with deliveries and shows has been challenging, all of this was conveyed to you .......but, bottom line, you have reached the end of your patience, and this I can appreciate, having little of this virtue myself! Our challenges have helped us to grow and learn. I am thankful that this particular situation is singularily unique for us, and we have taken measures to insure it doesn't happen again.

I beleive that the issue is settled, if not please address what has not been resolved. I have apologized, both privatetly and publicly for our failure, you will recieve your knife, free of charge, if there is something else we need to do to appease your frustration and anger(aside from the obvious ...prompt delivery of the knife ;) ), please let me know.

I would appreciate,out of mere civility,if you could address your comments to me/us personally, since this whole thread is about us. I am concerned about the point of your thread. Were you just venting your frustration or looking for a responce from us? I assumed the offer to have the knife free of charge back in May was a sufficient solution, at least that was my perception. At the Blade show, I reiterated this as well as offer something off our table in exchange. Which you declined. I even offered to purchase the only existing Scarmaker from the current owner to give to you and you graciously declined this as well. So it is unclear to me what your goals are here. This isn't just a matter of buisness or knives, but one that puts into question our character and integrity, which we prize very dearly. It is our desire to redeem ourselves in your eyes, and we will work towards that end.


My next comments are addressed to our supporters as well as our detractors. Though I appreciate the thoughts and comments of all who have posted, I think the appropriate and conducive course of action, at this point, would be for all to refrain from making further comments, especially pointed attacks on each other......it is unfortunate to have this aired in this fashion, but since it was and I/we have addressed the issue and a solution was reached some time ago, I would hope for prudence sake, let the matter lie. It pains me greatly to see tension and conflict between members arising out of this.......a flame war serves no one, veiled insults are demeaning, and demoralizing to new collectors and makers.

Tanya
 
tntbegg said:
Peter,

I beleive that the issue is settled, if not please address what has not been resolved. I have apologized, both privatetly and publicly for our failure, you will recieve your knife, free of charge, if there is something else we need to do to appease your frustration and anger(aside from the obvious ...prompt delivery of the knife ;) ), please let me know.

Tanya
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Tanya,

As far as I am concerned, any and all issues about this matter, will be completely settled by your delivery of the knife to me, at some point before the end of this year.

I look forward to offering it for sale in the custom forum, and sending the proceeds to Doctors without Borders.
My thanks to you and Todd for your generousity. :cool:

I appologize for venting some frustration at Dawkind, I should not have gotten sidetracked.

Best,

Peter
 
I spent the entire weekend with Todd photoing him making one of his inline integrals. While one might seem to think it's simple, he spends litterally about 12 hours of work before profiling the knife - this is the point most makers start at at hour zero. I have a lot of respect for the craftsmanship and attention to detail that Todd takes in his work. Delays happen, but when a maker is trying to make it right it's kind of hard to bust his balls over it. You seem very conflicted - on the one hand you want the knife, on the other hand you want people to know your frustration, on the other hand what's your frustration worth, on the other hand if you own the knife will it remind you of how Todd made it right for you in the end, or will you just be reminded of how long you had to wait? Hope you get it all figured out.

~Mitch
 
I own several of Mr. Begg's blades and they are top notch. Now let me think...the knife I ordered is not ready, they offered me a blade from their table I decline, they offer to purchase another scarmaker for me I decline, I am out not one dollar....it seems to me something else is going on here. I would have jumped at the alternatives presented before me.
 
Hi BG,

I don't think this an issue of character asassanation as much as it is a question of the business aspect of making knives. Obviously the offer of a free knife is more than generous. As is Peter's offer to put the knife up for auction with the proceeds going to a charity.

Perhaps if you had been waiting for 3 years you would have wanted the knife you ordered not a substitue.

You have to wonder if they knew Peter was going to be at the show, why didn't Todd make that knife as part of the group he was bringing to the Blade Show?

Just a thought.

WWG
 
I cant imagine there is much more to debate on the issue. The guy ordered a knife (paid for up front or not, doesnt matter) and the delivery date came and went by quite a bit. No knife delivered. I would be impatient too.

However, the maker is now going to make and deliver the knife free of charge and that is really going beyond to make things right.

I cant blame Peter for being impatient about a knife he ordered years ago. Maybe the delay was due to health issues and in part to bad organization. Fact is the order somehow got lost in the shuffle but it speaks volumes about the maker to offer another knife, offer to buy a similar model or deliver a new one for free.

Reading some of the responses, its easy to pick a side and blast Peter and try and talk about what a wonderful person the maker is. On the other hand its easy to blast the maker for not coming through and talk about how patient Peter has been.

Whats wrong with just seeing both sides, there were screw-ups made, the maker is jumping through hoops to make it right, and the buyer is going to see that the money gets used for a good cause. Both sides need to be congratulated for making the best out of a bad situation.

Good for both of you!
 
I was able to get on the list for an Emerson custom. They quoted me a 5 year wait. No money was put down. This was back in 1999. Mr Emerson, I would like a free knife due to the delay. :rolleyes:

Others have been waiting a few years longer than I have.
 
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