Gold Plated SAK. Which one. Or Neither. :D

[N_N_R]

So, here we go, an absolute piece of smurf and totally unacceptable for the price that I paid for it (in comparison to the US the around $100 I paid for it in total is more here). If I wanted to get a USED knife, I'd've gone for a USED, WORN ugly knife.









Oh, here you go, an unplated SPOT in the middle of the opener, not even somewhere where the so called gold can't GO

[hiraethus]

That sucks.  For what it's worth, I'd at least get in touch with them and tell them.  They might offer you something.  And if you do decide to send it back, you might get at least some of your money back.

[N_N_R]

That sucks.  For what it's worth, I'd at least get in touch with them and tell them.  They might offer you something.  And if you do decide to send it back, you might get at least some of your money back.

Yes, I've just written to them without (yet) leaving negative feedback on eBay. I'm literally mad. All the waiting, all the excitement, all the MONEY and I get THIS.

[pfrsantos]

That sucks.  For what it's worth, I'd at least get in touch with them and tell them.  They might offer you something.  And if you do decide to send it back, you might get at least some of your money back.

Yes, I've just written to them without (yet) leaving negative feedback on eBay. I'm literally mad. All the waiting, all the excitement, all the MONEY and I get THIS.

That's really bad! That's one of the reasons I'm reluctant to order expensive stuff online, without having it in my hands first...

Hope they fix it and it ends up well!
 

[N_N_R]

That's really bad! That's one of the reasons I'm reluctant to order expensive stuff online, without having it in my hands first...

Hope they fix it and it ends up well!
 

Well, yeah, me too, but they're.... supposed to be a respectable company from what I see here, they even.. ran so many GAWs here  So I thought I could trust them. And the price of the item. I'm wondering if those marks appeared during the plating process, how do they do that?! Do they maybe use... some... pliers or stuff to hold the scales, but don't they use something to soften the grip or... I don't even know. I mean, it takes EFFORT to scratch it that badly or wear it that much.

I read their page again, so if they do reply.... they will cover the shipping TO the US only. This means that even if I return the item, I will again have lost (shipping to BG $12, plus the taxes $22) $34.

And again, why did that guy SAY that he'd be glad to include some kind of a signed statement/agreement that the gold is genuine and so on. I just asked if there IS such a thing. If they couldn't do it, they shouldn't have promised. There was nothing like this to be found in the package, just the standard invoice.  Now, I'm no expert and I've already started doubting the genuineness if that gold.

So they could plate the SPLIT RING and the rivets, but they couldn't do the can opener properly ?!

[zoidberg]

That is so not cricket. 

[pfrsantos]

I'm having a hard time believing someone would box it for shipment without checking to see its condition, in particular an item such as this.
 

[N_N_R]

I'm having a hard time believing someone would box it for shipment without checking to see its condition, in particular an item such as this.
 

Me too, it's not some tiny detail that went unnoticed, it's the whole smurfing knife. As if someone stepped on it and slid on it.

Or can someone have returned it to them for whatever reason after having carried it for some time. But, wtf, why would they sell used/carried items as new ?!

[GigaHz]

I am willing to bet that happened in Customs.

[neillcurrie]

I imagine this may not be a popular point of view, but I feel strongly enough that I'll express it anyway.
This is such a first world problem. It's a perfectly functioning knife, that has been taken apart to have a precious, soft-metal coating applied to all the areas of the knife that would be used for something useful. It's been re-assembled, then sold at a premium, rendering it practically a shelf queen. In the process it unfortunately got some marks on it and the plating is judged not up to par.
In light of what else is going on in the world, it seems like this is such a non-important issue to me. I am sorry if this expression of my feelings causes ill will, but I almost expressed myself about this when the thread was just two posts old. As I have watched it grow to about 90 posts now, and I see the results, the dissatisfaction with something you value so much, I regret not having expressed myself far earlier. FWIW my earlier post would have been along the lines of "Try to be happy with a "normal" Vic".

[GigaHz]

Do you really think they took it apart? Those rivets look mighty good for a reassembled knife.

[N_N_R]

I am willing to bet that happened in Customs.

How exactly? Someone would drop it repeatedly on hard surface or sth? Or why would they do it according to you? 

I imagine this may not be a popular point of view, but I feel strongly enough that I'll express it anyway.
This is such a first world problem. It's a perfectly functioning knife, that has been taken apart to have a precious, soft-metal coating applied to all the areas of the knife that would be used for something useful. It's been re-assembled, then sold at a premium, rendering it practically a shelf queen. In the process it unfortunately got some marks on it and the plating is judged not up to par.
In light of what else is going on in the world, it seems like this is such a non-important issue to me. I am sorry if this expression of my feelings causes ill will, but I almost expressed myself about this when the thread was just two posts old. As I have watched it grow to about 90 posts now, and I see the results, the dissatisfaction with something you value so much, I regret not having expressed myself far earlier. FWIW my earlier post would have been along the lines of "Try to be happy with a "normal" Vic".

Of course that's not a PROBLEM problem. Just when you pay for something and except it to be perfect and flawless, this is what you should get.

Yes, in comparison to the dying people in the entire world or the hungry African children or the people dying in Ukraine, or the people dying in MY country because of floods and so on, this is NO problem, but then again, what, let's not care about anything, let's not send back stuff to LM for repair, let us not care if we buy broken cars advertised as new, let us not care about being underpaid, let us not care about anything, there are so many worse problems in the world! ?

Moreover, people's concerns, expressed here earlier were regarding the GOLD PLATING, which is alllllmost flawless. However, nobody even thought of the possibility that the scales get scratched up.

Also, since there are still not plated tiny fractional spaces of the knife, close to the places where the tools fold in / out, this leads me to believe that the knife was not disassembled and then assembled again. Or not entirely.

[pfrsantos]

I imagine this may not be a popular point of view, but I feel strongly enough that I'll express it anyway.
This is such a first world problem. It's a perfectly functioning knife, that has been taken apart to have a precious, soft-metal coating applied to all the areas of the knife that would be used for something useful. It's been re-assembled, then sold at a premium, rendering it practically a shelf queen. In the process it unfortunately got some marks on it and the plating is judged not up to par.
In light of what else is going on in the world, it seems like this is such a non-important issue to me. I am sorry if this expression of my feelings causes ill will, but I almost expressed myself about this when the thread was just two posts old. As I have watched it grow to about 90 posts now, and I see the results, the dissatisfaction with something you value so much, I regret not having expressed myself far earlier. FWIW my earlier post would have been along the lines of "Try to be happy with a "normal" Vic".

[N_N_R]

Hehe.


Moreover, the package looked intact, so I don't think it was opened in customs. And there was an invoice inside, matching the label on the package itself. So they could've seen and checked the price without making me fax them my eBay invoice, I think 

[sawman]

I had such high expectations for you. I wanted you to get a nice SAK and be happy so this is a sad experience

Let us know what TTC has to say about it all. 

[Chako]

Is this company a well known American gold plating company that likes to do Leathermans?

I would return it post haste...and also provide them a link to this thread. If it is the company I think it may be, they should be concerned...as I do believe they do check these forums often enough to know that such threads count.

[Corwyn]

So sad. I really wanted you to get something nice. I've been drooling for one of those for months, but too much for my pocket.
When returning it, maybe ask a US/UK forummate from here to intermediate if you don;t feel like making the customs people twice rich...

[N_N_R]

Let us know what TTC has to say about it all. 

I definitely will.

Is this company a well known American gold plating company that likes to do Leathermans?

I would return it post haste...and also provide them a link to this thread. If it is the company I think it may be, they should be concerned...as I do believe they do check these forums often enough to know that such threads count.

Hm... Yeah, perhaps I'll send them a link in my next e-mail. So far I only attached the pictures via eBay.

So sad. I really wanted you to get something nice. I've been drooling for one of those for months, but too much for my pocket.
When returning it, maybe ask a US/UK forummate from here to intermediate if you don;t feel like making the customs people twice rich...

Haha, good point about the customs. I'll see what I do.



Imagine I'd bought it as a present for someone. Imagine the birthday/whatever was soon. And I got this. Imagine I had special plans about engraving it. Well, the engraving plate is ruined.



Now one of the previous posts got me thinking. The package was really intact. But, imagine they did open it in customs and decided to check if the WHOLE of it wasn't gold, so they scratched it deliberately to check what's under the black coating    But then, if they had doubts that the whole of it was gold, then I shouldn't have been made to pay anything, gold is ... VAT-free. hehe.

[GigaHz]

It looks to me it fell on the floor and got kicked across the room. I can not believe anybody that sells things would put a new knife in that condition in a package to be sent out.

[ducttapetech]

I really think customs done this. I have seen some TTC work, and it is top notch. If by chance it was TTC, I am sure they will make it right.
Also, I was wondering, if you pay the taxes, do you still have to pay them again if you are getting a replacement? Can you talk to them about this?
That's us mobile.

[pfrsantos]

It looks to me it fell on the floor and got kicked across the room. I can not believe anybody that sells things would put a new knife in that condition in a package to be sent out.

+1

And maybe the scrapped part was to see if it was solid gold or not (trying to evade customs)...

[N_N_R]

Okay, I got a reply from them.

They're really willing to make up for it.

The problem is, a replacement will not work, because, they say, ALL the scales they receive from Victorinox are the same i.e. have scratches and crap all over them. That's weird.

So, it seems like I'll opt for refund............

[ducttapetech]

Wow, that is weird.

That's us mobile.

[GigaHz]

Wow, that is weird.

That's us mobile.

Yes, How could they keep happy customers with items like that?

[Aloha]

Aww NNR I'm so sorry to be reading this.  I too was hoping your golden SAK was going to be fabulous.  I have a very hard time with 

Okay, I got a reply from them.

They're really willing to make up for it.

The problem is, a replacement will not work, because, they say, ALL the scales they receive from Victorinox are the same i.e. have scratches and crap all over them. That's weird.

So, it seems like I'll opt for refund............

What's the point then of gold plating them then  .  Glad they are going to make up for it and make it right. 

Beyond the scratches and the spot on the opener how do you think it looks?  I ask because was it what you expected in terms of WOW a GOLD SAK?  Or is it just to fugly to even care at this point? 

 

[Syph007]

Well this is why my first suggestion was to not buy one.   I havent got my gold minichamp yet, but I'll post pics when I do.

[Syph007]

Okay, I got a reply from them.

They're really willing to make up for it.

The problem is, a replacement will not work, because, they say, ALL the scales they receive from Victorinox are the same i.e. have scratches and crap all over them. That's weird.

So, it seems like I'll opt for refund............

They dont receive scales, they buy SAKs and coat them.  That statement does not make any sense.  All alox from Victorinox does not come that way, that is completely untrue.  Im blown away that it was NOT customs fault (which I expected) but they actually thought this was a normal condition alox sak!  Mabye they buy used ones on ebay, coat them and flip em for profit.  That would  make more sense.

Those are factory peened rivets on those alox.

[pfrsantos]

Okay, I got a reply from them.

They're really willing to make up for it.

The problem is, a replacement will not work, because, they say, ALL the scales they receive from Victorinox are the same i.e. have scratches and crap all over them. That's weird.

So, it seems like I'll opt for refund............

[gregozedobe]

I just checked my gold-plated (frame) LM Skeletool from TTC, and it looks pretty good.  Certainly nothing like the scratches on the handles of your SAK. 

My suggestion is send it back, get your money refunded and on move on - life is too short to get all upset about this sort of stuff.

[N_N_R]

Okay, this is what the guy said about the scales:

"Firstly, please let me apologize that the knife was not as expected. We will be glad to work out a resolution that is to your agreement.

Based on the photos, it looks like a lot of the issues are with the handles themselves - unfortunately these are defects from the Victorinox factory that we've seen in almost every one of the alox tools we've received lately.  I just checked our stock and we do have one that is very minimally scratched that could possibly be used for an exchange.  The others are all very similar to yours.  Unfortunately this is a problem we've also been seeing on the classic handles as well (patches of scratching).  "


I just suggested that maybe they write in the items' description that there might be visible scratches or something.

Beyond the scratches and the spot on the opener how do you think it looks?  I ask because was it what you expected in terms of WOW a GOLD SAK?  Or is it just to fugly to even care at this point? 

 

Well.... I just... way too mad at it from my first impressions that... don't know. Of course, it looks good on the side with fewer scratches. I think the gold plating is better done that the one that a member posted here a few pages ago.
Just... the whole scratch thing stole my pleasure, so to speak, so I can't say I'm impressed.
I hadn't been THIS mad for a very long time 



The guy also said (as far as I got he is the actual owner of the company) that he DID include a statement with his own signature, but he doesn't know where on the way it went missing %)