Received a call from a guy in Colorado (so he said) and was wanting me to make him a custom knife. Nothing unusual about that but when he said he wanted elephant Ivory for the scales my hackles went up. Before I could say anything he said that he would furnish the Ivory and immediately asked what size I would need the scales. I explained that since I hadn't seen his blade design I had no idea of the size needed.
He said he had already emailed me a drawing of the design he wanted and that I should be receiving it at any moment. He said that a friend of his had a knife made by me and he wanted the same pattern but wanted the scales to be Ivory. About that time I received his drawing (tracing of the friends knife) and it's a pattern I've been working with for several years. I'm feeling a little more comfortable now.
Things went sideways when I told him he would need to include a copy of his certification along with the material and he went silent. I asked if he HAD a certification for the ivory and he admitted that he didn't. I explained that without the cert I wouldn't touch it but would be happy to do the knife with an imitation ivory.
He promptly raises his price to double what I get for that pattern if I would use his Ivory. Again I refused without the cert. We talk for a few minutes and he again raises the price to now what is 3 times what I get for that knife. (normally 250.00 and he's offering 750.00) I told him I would need to think about it and call him back.
What I have done is place a call to the friend but got his voice mail so I left a message. I'll update later when I hear back..... Sounds like a Fed sting to me....
UPDATE in post 16.....
He said he had already emailed me a drawing of the design he wanted and that I should be receiving it at any moment. He said that a friend of his had a knife made by me and he wanted the same pattern but wanted the scales to be Ivory. About that time I received his drawing (tracing of the friends knife) and it's a pattern I've been working with for several years. I'm feeling a little more comfortable now.
Things went sideways when I told him he would need to include a copy of his certification along with the material and he went silent. I asked if he HAD a certification for the ivory and he admitted that he didn't. I explained that without the cert I wouldn't touch it but would be happy to do the knife with an imitation ivory.
He promptly raises his price to double what I get for that pattern if I would use his Ivory. Again I refused without the cert. We talk for a few minutes and he again raises the price to now what is 3 times what I get for that knife. (normally 250.00 and he's offering 750.00) I told him I would need to think about it and call him back.
What I have done is place a call to the friend but got his voice mail so I left a message. I'll update later when I hear back..... Sounds like a Fed sting to me....
UPDATE in post 16.....
Last edited: