Folks - Thanks for taking the interest and the comments. I have placed/received several custom orders in the past and the important distinction to me is the responsibility that goes with taking money. If no money is exchanged, I feel that a maker can make a reasonable case that nothing is lost by the Seller in waiting. However, once money is REQUIRED by the maker to proceed with an order and a schedule commitment is made, the maker must be sufficiently responsible to at least provide an update when the schedule is exceeded. My advice to future buyers it to NEVER pay funds until the knife is complete. Very few makers require money in advance, primarily because they recognize their limitations in being able to predict schedule outcome and they are smart enough to know that money transfer changes A LOT of things. Yun / Yuna is very active on his Facebook, so he is around. Like another poster, I have never seen negative communications about him, but my facts are sufficiently clear that I don't feel it's unfair for me to be highly annoyed by his unprofessional handling and concerned as well if I will ever see anything for my 30% deposit of $405. I asked him to refund my payment immediately as I'm that bothered by the principles involved here. Further, this guy says right on his website "After knives are finished, I will let you know and wait 7 days. If I do not get any feedback from you, I will sell it". Is this insane ? He can't come within 2 years of his original schedule forecast or within 9 months of his production updated schedule after requiring a deposit and we could go on a business trip or vacation away from Email from 8 days (not knowing +/- years when he just may think to make contact) and loose our multi-year wait knife and 30% deposit ? Think about that. As to giving considerations to the "poor knife maker" who may have a life event - what if any of us didn't show up to work for 9 months without telling anybody ? Would we have a job when we returned ? Ok - why should they have one then ? Thanks for the dialogue.
This is all well said and hard to argue with - I can't imagine these kind of wait times and then the insult of the 7 day/resale policy. Your opening post tell me that this guy is a very very very poor business man indeed - bordering on unethical.
HOWEVER - I am one who has encouraged John of
JK Knives several times to ask for a small non refundable deposit before taking custom orders. THE DISTINCTION is that, as I have told John, ask for a deposit
as you are ready to build the knife. One does not need a deposit to put someone on the schedule but once the work schedule brings the maker to buying material and setting up for a specific knife, a deposit is well warranted.
This way the maker does not end up holding a knife that was requested as custom (
often not to everyone's fancy so not readily resellable) when the buyer bags for whatever legitimate reason. No one is the bad guy in such a circumstance - stuff happens in life.
Now John - unlike the guy who is the subject of this thread - is a maker who takes order, sets a schedule and sticks to the schedule or otherwise communicates any changes. If you are on his list for an April delivery that is when your knife will be delivered. He is a small businessman who makes knives part time but who operates as a pro.
As far as I know he does not take deposits 
.
Not an add for JK but rather a point that deposits are not unwise. It is the lack of communication and casual attitude from maker to clients that burn the process. Flip side - many makers will say that cancelled orders, after the knife is in progress or finished, are their biggest frustration - rightly so. A small deposit and a resale clause (30 to 45 days) is not onerous policy for any of the parties involved.
I would not begrudge a maker a deposit, though much to my surprise I have had NO requests from 3 or 4 makers for one. Amazing to me.
