I am just posting the screenshot of a conversation between Svetlozar (Dulo Knives) and me. Word of caution, stay away from them!
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1 year wasted time with Bulgarian custom knife maker (Dulo Knives)
- Thread starter Murat_Cyp
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Did you pay up front? Have you lost any money?
I’ve heard good things about Dulo and was considering placing an order myself.
I’ve heard good things about Dulo and was considering placing an order myself.
Doesn’t seem that bad to me
Vendor told you would be 5 months.
you waited until 8.5months before chasing (why wait beyond 5?)
vendor told you some orders had been forgotten but that they could still do it, but in a different steel.
mot states payment once the knife is completed so o am assuming you haven’t actually paid any money?
So you either say yes or no?
Cant quite work out the dates, first email is June 4th 2020, then a second email with no date but you say 8.5mths later (roughly mid fed 2021) but then there is a date at the top of the whole email trail of the 5th June? Is that 2020 or 2021?
Did it take 3 months to get a reply from you email where you talk about 8.5months?
Vendor told you would be 5 months.
you waited until 8.5months before chasing (why wait beyond 5?)
vendor told you some orders had been forgotten but that they could still do it, but in a different steel.
mot states payment once the knife is completed so o am assuming you haven’t actually paid any money?
So you either say yes or no?
Cant quite work out the dates, first email is June 4th 2020, then a second email with no date but you say 8.5mths later (roughly mid fed 2021) but then there is a date at the top of the whole email trail of the 5th June? Is that 2020 or 2021?
Did it take 3 months to get a reply from you email where you talk about 8.5months?
After 5 months wait, I have contacted them they said they will start making the knife next month and it will be ready before Christmas or the new year ( I can not remember now). I do not remember if I chased them again after this response and before sending the e-mail on the 21st of January. These e-mails are not part of the conversation above as I wanted the maker to REMEMBER (because he seemed to forget as he kept delaying it without any remorse) he stated 5 months waiting time and he was long overdue.
He did not reply to the e-mail that I have sent on the 21st of January until June 5, but I was OK with it as I already knew it was a lost cause when I send the e-mail on 21st of January.
Well, yes he offered to make in another steel, but the reason I have commissioned him because he was able to deliver this steel (I have searched the UK makers with no success before contacting him). So when he replied (after waiting almost 5 months) and said he forgot about it and proposed making the knife with alternative steel, I got mad and decided to publish my experience with him.
By the way that steel discontinued while I was waiting for him to make my knife and finding a knife in that steel now become more difficult and expensive.
i would just move on, life is to short, atleast they didn’t have your money as well
Just my 2p , Covid or not - its not an excuse for a lack or comms with a customer or bad office admin in general.
I would be in the state of mind that i'm dealing with someone with professional customer service from the outset and TRUST that if there was an issue I would be duly notified. Unfortunately the more and more I deal with fudge muppets the more I am disappointed.
I would be somewhat irked I've waited that length of time and the project I had assumed was being undertaken hasn't even been started.
It would be a waste of my time.
I would be in the state of mind that i'm dealing with someone with professional customer service from the outset and TRUST that if there was an issue I would be duly notified. Unfortunately the more and more I deal with fudge muppets the more I am disappointed.
I would be somewhat irked I've waited that length of time and the project I had assumed was being undertaken hasn't even been started.
It would be a waste of my time.
I understand what you are saying; it can lead to real frustration and even anger. I had a similar experience buying a custom car part from Ireland last year; I nagged every week until I got it - three months late. The reality is that these custom craftsmen aren't business men, don't have capacity for high demand, very often have day jobs as well, and don't have backup support when things go wrong. We choose to do business with them because they can supply a unique or special product; with that comes risk IMO.
Personally, I would never order off any individual quoting 5 months delivery unless I was prepared to wait at least twice that - he clearly can't cope.
But, I comment from the perspective of a small business advisor (retired) and have worked with individuals and small teams who were under such stress that they were on the verge of mental breakdown.
And, of course, there's always 'the third truth'
Personally, I would never order off any individual quoting 5 months delivery unless I was prepared to wait at least twice that - he clearly can't cope.
But, I comment from the perspective of a small business advisor (retired) and have worked with individuals and small teams who were under such stress that they were on the verge of mental breakdown.
And, of course, there's always 'the third truth'
I’ve seen this before several times in the knifemaking world. As a maker gains a reputation they take on more orders. Artisan knife makers don’t always make the best businessmen, their skills lie in the craft.
Yes, I agree with you, he might have gone through something, but he need to do an explanation at some point within a year explaining his conditions. If he does not do that, I can not say oh it is COVID and he is having a difficult time.
For example I have ordered large sloyd knife from a UK maker and after placing my order (and having paid for it) he told me ho got covid and he can not work. As a result I got my orders with significant delay (i.e. almost a month), but I did not get annoy at all since he explained his situation clearly. When he was able, he ended up sending me a wrong sized blade (i.e. smaller), but when I told him about the mistake he send me an another knife (correct size this time) with no question asked. He did not even ask for the return of the smaller blade. I was so pleased with his service (and product) I have decided to keep the smaller blade and pay for it. As a gesture he discounted the smaller knife for me. I would not hesitate to use his service again.
So, you see with a little bit of communication, things can be sorted. But if a maker goes AWOL and comes up a year later saying he forgot about my order (even though there were several e-mail exchange) and prose to alter the steel (which was the reason he was comssioned in the first place), and that steel become discountinued in that year (making it difficult to get someone else to do it), it is normal for a customer get frusturated.
So, I am not the only one who became a victim of Dulo Knives! What was the agree waiting time for you when he accepted your order?
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