Media Why is this guy a knucklehead?

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Zwiefel

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[video=youtube;I2z7T77_baI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2z7T77_baI&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Thought I'd start a separate thread to ask these questions...

His knife skills seem to be about the same as mine...I don't claim to be an NaCl-Hound or a new CoNjEcTuRe though....

I'm a bit confused about the criticism of this video. I don't think I've seen anything else by this guy though, so maybe there is some kind of history I'm missing. It is a bit of a love-fest though...surely there is _something_ critical he could mention...no product is perfect. But AFAICT, he isn't saying anything that's untrue...maybe there are some things that are a matter of opinion/taste that some of you disagree with?

These are honest questions...I feel like there's something you guys know that I'm missing here. Well, you guys know an awful lot that I'm missing, which is why I spend so much time on this forum...but specifically in this video :)
 
I think it's largely to do with the fact that it's a review done for a specific seller. It's advertising at its finest. HOWEVER, I wrote a review for a Snyder I sold, so I'm as guilty as anyone. With that being said, I wouldn't have sold it if I didn't stand behind my comments.

Also, the reviewer seems a bit afraid of the knife, which likely has people doubting his "credentials". A huge part of anything is being convincing with your opinions. All in all, however, I don't think he's a knucklehead, but more likely a home user/fanatic who gets to test knives for Mark, which would be a pretty sweet gig.
 
The guy is cutting whole potatoes and say no sticktion, well half potato of this size probably not stick too easy, try cuts like Salty does in his vids then you will prove no sticktion. I don't know if you can hear but the knife wedges on the potatoes, it does not cut them all the way it splits them.
Then the claim of falling trough food, is all well but he uses the tip of the knife, notice how there is a bit of a problem with that when he is using the middle of the knife?
And then he uses excuse that the board can mess up the edge, is this a review or what?

For me this not about the skill , it is about what he is saying, as Dave said this is a commercial not a review. A review can't be objective without pointing any negatives, we all know there is no perfect knife out there. The punch line for me was "tip flies trough anything, it is an awesome knife" , I was not aware that knives have only tip and handle.
 
I think it's largely to do with the fact that it's a review done for a specific seller. It's advertising at its finest. HOWEVER, I wrote a review for a Snyder I sold, so I'm as guilty as anyone. With that being said, I wouldn't have sold it if I didn't stand behind my comments.

Also, the reviewer seems a bit afraid of the knife, which likely has people doubting his "credentials". A huge part of anything is being convincing with your opinions. All in all, however, I don't think he's a knucklehead, but more likely a home user/fanatic who gets to test knives for Mark, which would be a pretty sweet gig.

the keyword here is that it is ADVERTISING.

It's definitely a kind of love letter...and if he's being compensated (in any sense), he should disclose that. Very fair comments.

I did find his comments about not "knowing where the edge is until you sharpen it" to be ridiculous. It doesn't vary that much between knives of a given type...but to the extent there is something to adjust to, you do that by using it, not by sharpening it.

The guy is cutting whole potatoes and say no sticktion, well half potato of this size probably not stick too easy, try cuts like Salty does in his vids then you will prove no sticktion. I don't know if you can hear but the knife wedges on the potatoes, it does not cut them all the way it splits them.
Then the claim of falling trough food, is all well but he uses the tip of the knife, notice how there is a bit of a problem with that when he is using the middle of the knife?
And then he uses excuse that the board can mess up the edge, is this a review or what?

For me this not about the skill , it is about what he is saying, as Dave said this is a commercial not a review. A review can't be objective without pointing any negatives, we all know there is no perfect knife out there. The punch line for me was "tip flies trough anything, it is an awesome knife" , I was not aware that knives have only tip and handle.

OK, these were some of the things I noticed as well. I thought I could hear the potato snap when he was about 1/2 through it, but wasn't sure. And yes, claiming no stiction on 1/2 a potato is just silly....and is disproven to some extent by what happens with the onion later.

making a claim about the tip is fine...but obviously his observations should be more expansive than that.

Seems like I noticed some of the things you guys did....but didn't give my opinion/knowledge any credit. And maybe there is other context here, like other reviews this guy did, and some history with the vendor who supplies the products.
 
Yeah, it definitely split the potato, and the sticktion thing is a bit much. It is what it is.
 
If I recall correctly this guy came along and got himself quickly noticed for doing videos showcasing knives sold by that vendor. I recall the vendor sending him more knives to "check out" which he then just so happened to make more videos on and became an instant expert. These two folks built up a partnership of sorts, the vendor looking to use someone for cheap advertising, and this guy looking to be used (for whatever reason) - the perfect symbiotic relationship was formed.

Is he a knucklehead for doing this stuff? I think so, yes. To me he seems like someone who needs attention and wants to belong to something so badly that he's willing to do anything including making himself appear to be someone's lackey. I've never acted like that so for me he seems like a knucklehead for having done so. He is what he shows us that he is and that's all I have to say on that. :)
 
Zwiefel,

There is bad blood between the guy that owns the company that this guy is doing these videos for and some folks here on this forum. It goes back for quite some time as far as I can tell and the details are only really known to the principals. It's my understanding that the bad blood between them was the genesis for this forum to be created.

I have been involved in on-line communities going back to the late '80s early '90s with the old BBS scene even before the "Internet" was really even known to exist by most people. This group dynamic seems to be the only constant.

At some point there was an online community of knife enthusiasts. Anytime you have a forum like that, that is pretty close knit, some folks float to the top as leaders of the community. Something brought the friction between those guys to a point that they thought they had to split it up. Someone drew a line in the sand so to speak. People felt like they had to make a statement of allegiance and so some of them sided with folks here. Shaun, the guy in the video, went with Mark and the folks that sided with him, Ken S. is another one of those guys who is more prominent on the net. As a result you'll see them disparaged here as a routine response to what they do elsewhere on the net. I think more because they are on the other side of the line than what they do is actually deserving of disparaging remarks?

To those of us that have come along well after the dust up it's clear that something is off but we just have to set it aside. At least I do, as I like being a part of all the knife forums I can.
 
Hes accent is annoying.

Am I the only one to see those huuuuuuuge bevels on a new j-knife?
 
Zwiefel,

There is bad blood between the guy that owns the company that this guy is doing these videos for and some folks here on this forum. It goes back for quite some time as far as I can tell and the details are only really known to the principals. It's my understanding that the bad blood between them was the genesis for this forum to be created.

I have been involved in on-line communities going back to the late '80s early '90s with the old BBS scene even before the "Internet" was really even known to exist by most people. This group dynamic seems to be the only constant.

At some point there was an online community of knife enthusiasts. Anytime you have a forum like that, that is pretty close knit, some folks float to the top as leaders of the community. Something brought the friction between those guys to a point that they thought they had to split it up. Someone drew a line in the sand so to speak. People felt like they had to make a statement of allegiance and so some of them sided with folks here. Shaun, the guy in the video, went with Mark and the folks that sided with him, Ken S. is another one of those guys who is more prominent on the net. As a result you'll see them disparaged here as a routine response to what they do elsewhere on the net. I think more because they are on the other side of the line than what they do is actually deserving of disparaging remarks?

To those of us that have come along well after the dust up it's clear that something is off but we just have to set it aside. At least I do, as I like being a part of all the knife forums I can.
I came along well after "the dust had cleared". I have spent a ton of my $$$ with Mr. R. Until I received this super-bobo knife from him, I had been seen singing his praises on the old forum. I didn't understand why there were 2 sides, but now I do, and I know I'm on the right one.
NONE of the vendors, makers or hobbyist/craftsmen on KKF would ever dare to pass off a knife like this to ANY customer, much less one who had already spent thousands of dollars with them.
You guys here are solid individuals who do this out of love for the craft, not the love of money or hoarding of knives.
IMG_4629.jpg
[/IMG]


Seriously, how would you feel if this was your brand new knife?

BOO-YAHHHH!!!!
 
mark refers to shawn aka knife fanatic as his business partner, so he is definitely "on his payroll" no question about it. i think those guys intentionally prey on j knife noobs with videos like this too.
 
Zwiefel,

There is bad blood between the guy that owns the company that this guy is doing these videos for and some folks here on this forum. It goes back for quite some time as far as I can tell and the details are only really known to the principals. It's my understanding that the bad blood between them was the genesis for this forum to be created.

I have been involved in on-line communities going back to the late '80s early '90s with the old BBS scene even before the "Internet" was really even known to exist by most people. This group dynamic seems to be the only constant.

At some point there was an online community of knife enthusiasts. Anytime you have a forum like that, that is pretty close knit, some folks float to the top as leaders of the community. Something brought the friction between those guys to a point that they thought they had to split it up. Someone drew a line in the sand so to speak. People felt like they had to make a statement of allegiance and so some of them sided with folks here. Shaun, the guy in the video, went with Mark and the folks that sided with him, Ken S. is another one of those guys who is more prominent on the net. As a result you'll see them disparaged here as a routine response to what they do elsewhere on the net. I think more because they are on the other side of the line than what they do is actually deserving of disparaging remarks?

To those of us that have come along well after the dust up it's clear that something is off but we just have to set it aside. At least I do, as I like being a part of all the knife forums I can.

That's exactly what I'm trying to separate with my questions (what's actually in the video vs all the other stuff)....as well as to learn something from what others observed. Seemed like a good teaching moment to me.
 
I came along well after "the dust had cleared". I have spent a ton of my $$$ with Mr. R. Until I received this super-bobo knife from him, I had been seen singing his praises on the old forum. I didn't understand why there were 2 sides, but now I do, and I know I'm on the right one.
NONE of the vendors, makers or hobbyist/craftsmen on KKF would ever dare to pass off a knife like this to ANY customer, much less one who had already spent thousands of dollars with them.
You guys here are solid individuals who do this out of love for the craft, not the love of money or hoarding of knives.
IMG_4629.jpg
[/IMG]


Seriously, how would you feel if this was your brand new knife?

BOO-YAHHHH!!!!

Yeah, I would be embarrassed to send a knife like that home with a friend....and I'm doing it for free....and I'm a noob. It would not be acceptable to not fix that (honestly, I don't think it's acceptable that it left the building)....esp b/c we know that they know better, unlike the guys down at the hardware store.

Good information for the larger question....and yet another reason I try to stick with the vendors on this forum.

I'm still kinda wowed by that set of photos. damn.
 
IMG_4629.jpg



Seriously, how would you feel if this was your brand new knife?

BOO-YAHHHH!!!!

Seroiuosly? I'd really dislike it. I'd also give the guy a chance to make it right regardless of who it was.
 
I too came in after the bad blood split. Mark developed the 'bad blood' with me all by himself. Didn't help to read all the shining reviews elsewhere and see in real time the exact opposite. I too spent a nice little sum of money there only to be shat upon. Screw him and his crappy products; oh yeah, and his trolls too.

Cheers!

Oh and as to giving him the chance to make it right, he won't even acknowledge when there is a problem that he should've figured it out beforehand.
 
mark has screwed up my orders in the past, but i will admit he did a great job fixing the problems also. the issue with that knife and alot like it is they do have QC issues, and their products arent inspected before they ship.
 
I do think his wife is very nice and sweet, I have nothing bad to say about her.
I'm sure Mr. R would've tried to remedy(no pun intended) the situation, but I just decided it was better to be done with the whole thing. I ended up giving the knife away later anyway.
Just another lesson learned.
I wish we could all be united as one forum, but business like this is why Dave doesn't have him around.
 
Seriously, how would you feel if this was your brand new knife?

Yeah really, I mean it doesn't even have a handle. Pfft!


:eyebrow:
[ok so tell me what's really wrong with it?]
 
Awesome! The hive-mind speaks, I was pretty sure it would go this way when I spoke up. ;) Oh well. Now I'm one of Mark's trolls simply because I'm willing to call a spade a spade. Sorry to say, you could not be further from the truth.

Poor behavior on an others part is never good cause for poor behavior on my part.

If you buy a product from anyone that isn't the way it should be and you don't make them correct it then you are the one at fault.
 
If your customers arrive at your business in a limousine you'll go home in a bus. If your customers arrive in a bus you'll go home in a limousine. I think that's his philosophy on some of his knife lines.
 
Yeah really, I mean it doesn't even have a handle. Pfft!


:eyebrow:
[ok so tell me what's really wrong with it?]

Based on this picture, the initial bevel is completely messed up. It's inconsistent from heel (it doesn't even get to the heel) to the tip. You can tell based on the multiple reflections in the bevel that it was sharpened on multiple stones at different angles. Even worse, it appears that there could be an overgrind toward the heel because it looks the bevel flattens out toward the heel and this appears to correspond with a flat grind on the face of the blade.

Also, the grind seems to be inconsistent. It's about halfway up toward the heel, and then appears to dip closer to the edge toward the tip. The finish is also inconsistent. It looks like it was attempted to have a mirror polish toward the heel, but the tip is more of a satin finish.
 
Yeah really, I mean it doesn't even have a handle. Pfft!


:eyebrow:
[ok so tell me what's really wrong with it?]
it doesnt even look like the bevel even extends to heel. this series passes through the hands of both shawn and mark before its shipped too.
 
If you buy a product from anyone that isn't the way it should be and you don't make them correct it then you are the one at fault.
i think mark might be banking on this actually, it more profitable and noobs wouldnt know the difference. i wouldnt have noticed the flaws with the edge 2 years ago.
 
Awesome! The hive-mind speaks, I was pretty sure it would go this way when I spoke up. ;) Oh well. Now I'm one of Mark's trolls simply because I'm willing to call a spade a spade. Sorry to say, you could not be further from the truth.

Poor behavior on an others part is never good cause for poor behavior on my part.

If you buy a product from anyone that isn't the way it should be and you don't make them correct it then you are the one at fault.
Seriously, I'm being honest about my crap knife and you're being douchey and telling me I'm wrong?
Sorry for MY "poor behavior".
Sure I'll be the one at fault, but the lesson learned is a good one, and I don't want any other forum members to make it.
 
I tried to do a return and was told there would be a restocking fee...for a piss ass product? Labor of love is correct, this is what he is banking on--literally.

I didn't burn the bridge, though I will gladly pour gasoline on it once it's started.

Anyone say moritaka? :D

Cheers!

Leave it to Knerd to be an adult--thanks man, I can't help myself--glad you're here.
 
Sorry for taking offense Paradox. I don't want to turn you off from KKF. We are all entitled to our opinions. We also have the right to get grumpy! This isn't the 1st time for me!
Cheers, if you didn't live so far away, I'd buy you a beer or a lapdance!
 
I really wasn't trying to dredge up the history of all of this, I was only after some discussion about the video content and the responses to it. But it does help me understand the emotional content of some of the posts.

I would certainly be rather unhappy if faced with some of the behavior you guys describe.

Have a good weekend guys!
 
Sorry to say, you could not be further from the truth.

If you buy a product from anyone that isn't the way it should be and you don't make them correct it then you are the one at fault.

????

First, if you had a good experience with him, then I'm happy for you. But, please don't make generalizations on his behalf because there are a number of members here, including me, who have received poor customer service from him on multiple occasions, especially knives that did not meet the quality standards he represented.

Second, your point about making the retailer correct the problem - that's not how the law works. Generally, a retailer is liable for the sale of any defective product, along with the manufacturer. A retailer is legally obligated to sell non-defective products and is legally liable for any defective products sold. (In some states, the seller is equally liable as the manufacturer.)

Third, your point assumes that the buyer should know that the product he/she is purchasing is supposed to be a certain way from the start and it's the buyer's fault if they don't recognize the problem and then make the retailer correct it. Again, that's not how the law works. (Frankly, I don't think you would appreciate being in that position if you bought a car, for example, and the dealer took that position with you, e.g., "Oh, you didn't know this car had a problem with its cruise control and that you're not going to be able to stop once at highway speeds, but it's your responsibility to make the retailer correct it and you're at fault for your major crash.") Is the buyer supposed to be completely knowledgeable of exactly how everything they buy is supposed to be made and able to detect even the smallest problem and it's their responsibility if they don't notice it and ask for a correction?

Fourth, a number of members had issues with knives bought from him and asked him to correct it. In my case, he told me to deal with the maker (twice for two different problems on the same knife) and was not willing to do anything until I sent him back a knife and demanded a refund. (From what I've read, I'm not the only one who's experienced this tactic.) Again, under general US law, the retailer is responsible for remedying such problems and, in my case, he refused to do so. (Mind you, I also paid for return shipping twice out of my own pocket. So, I ultimately ended up with no knife, and about $50 in postage charges - it was a rather expensive knife - because of problems with things he sold.)

So, please don't make broad generalizations and assumptions. Please also stop acting like you're the President of the Truth Club and voice of reason.

Please keep buying stuff from that site. But, if you happen to get a knife that's messed up, don't come crying here for our sympathy or assistance. And, good luck finding someone to fix it.

P.S. - FWIW, I don't know either Knyfeknerd or Chinacats in person. In fact, I don't believe I've even ever messaged them here or on any other forum.
 

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