Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 20

Thread: Oh, the heartbreak

  1. #1

    Oh, the heartbreak

    A few weeks ago, I bought the very nice looking, massive tataki nomi below off ebay. The price was very reasonable. I'm a japanese chisel newbie, so I sought advice from several experts who all gave it a thumbs up.

    Screen Shot 2014-10-23 at 3.39.42 PM.jpg

    Well, the package arrived today. The top was cut wide open, and here's all that was in it:

    photo-209.jpg

    It's impossible to know for sure what happened, but I have a pretty good guess: the f#@&rs at customs opened it and didn't bother to reseal it.
    Obviously, there's no way to replace something like this. The best I can hope for is a refund.

    Sorry for the self-pitying whine, I just had to get that off my chest.
    So, does anyone need an extra hoop for a japanese chisel?
    Last edited by Steve Voigt; 10-23-2014 at 6:32 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Williamsburg,Va.
    Posts
    12,402
    That is a shame for sure.

  3. #3


    that's a bummer!

    Try again. Same thing, I'd say, look for a tataki from someone who isn't a current it maker and try again. There's not a whole lot of difference in edge holding between a $35 unknown maker quality chisel and one that's $115 (generally there isn't any).

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    N. Idaho
    Posts
    1,621
    Perhaps that's the one ring to rule them all?

    Bummer indeed!
    "You can observe a lot just by watching."
    --Yogi Berra

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Houston TX
    Posts
    548
    If you haven't already done so, contact the delivery people. They delivered a package that had been tampered with and the contents lost or stolen. Worth a call...
    Give eBay a heads up too and let them know.
    Last edited by Tom Vanzant; 10-23-2014 at 8:32 PM. Reason: more...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    7,254
    Blog Entries
    7
    Definitely not cool! There is a chisel, less the ring, in someone's sort facility with all of the workers wondering where it came from.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Ellsworth, Maine
    Posts
    1,805
    That is def a bummer. You really need to follow up on that with the delivery people. And don't be soft with them as in don't take "I'm sorry sir but there isn't anything we can do about this."

  8. #8
    Thanks everybody. I did call the post office, but they weren't much help. Trying to get a refund from the seller, we'll see how that goes.

  9. #9
    I'm sure it wasn't the seller's doing. IIRC, that chisel came from takeshi kuroda (jp metal master) near miki.

    I ordered a folding marking knife once from fujibato and it disappeared, despite being registered, after it got over here. I guess someone at the post office decided they wanted it for themselves, because it made it to New York and was scanned in here and then disappeared. I didn't get any satisfaction in that case at all, just three letters from Japan Post asking if I'd received the item because they had noticed that it was never signed for.

    After those three, nothing. Fujibato is not that nice to deal with if something goes wrong or if a customer isn't happy with the conclusion (and it wasn't his fault, anyway).

  10. #10
    Thanks for the suggestions and good vibes, everyone.

    Dave--yeah, it was jpmetalmaster, and no, it's not really his fault (though he could have packed it better). I contacted him once and he didn't seem to understand--language issue, no doubt. I clarified and haven't heard back, so I'll try again. If he doesn't respond, I guess I have to go to ebay. My understanding is that the seller is ultimately responsible for shipping issues, even if it's not his fault. I hope he had insurance.

    Oh well, back to hunting for an appropriate chisel…

  11. #11
    If you don't purchase insurance, it's not his responsibility after he packs it. Especially if it has tracking. At least it used not to be. I've never had a package opened by customs, I'd assume that in this case the problem was theft and not accidental loss.

    As far as I know, he uses google translate to converse back and forth, so you never know what he's getting through the translator.

    Fujibato, on the other hand, has a pretty negative reaction to any criticism. I remember someone saying they didn't like the stone he gave them and he told them they were a "little girl"

  12. #12
    Happy ending!!!
    When I talked to the local post office yesterday, I told them "if the carrier finds a chisel in his bag…"
    Well, I guess that happened, because this afternoon a chisel mysteriously appeared in my mailbox, with no explanation. Crazy! But a big relief. Thanks everybody!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    7,254
    Blog Entries
    7
    That's awesome!
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Longview WA
    Posts
    27,347
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Voigt View Post
    Happy ending!!!
    When I talked to the local post office yesterday, I told them "if the carrier finds a chisel in his bag…"
    Well, I guess that happened, because this afternoon a chisel mysteriously appeared in my mailbox, with no explanation. Crazy! But a big relief. Thanks everybody!
    Not only awesome, expletive deleted awesome!

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Millerton, PA
    Posts
    1,558
    Oh, wow...that's GREAT!

    I would still sue somebody, though. You know...for all of your emotional trauma...

    In fact, I have felt so badly for you through this whole thing that I might sue somebody.
    I am never wrong.

    Well...I thought I was wrong once...but I was mistaken.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •