Knife Works Para2 up for preorder

[FroOchie]

I was on their website about 7:45 this morning in order to be sure that I was logged in and to try to find out where on the website they would be released. They had the GPM2 as a normal product on their website, but out of stock. So at 8 they just entered the number that they had in stock and let it run. Somewhere between 7:50 and 7:55 the website become overwhelmed and it would take 30 seconds or more to refresh. Actually about 8:02 real time is when they became in stock. I hit "check out" immediately, and started navigating through the multitude of screens to check out, probably 5 or 6 different screens. I already had my shipping info. entered so I was just hitting "next" time after time. When I entered the credit card number and hit submit, I started getting server errors. It took about 11 minutes to get to this point. After the server error there were no more to be had so I had to give up.

There are lots of disgruntled people that were hoping to buy one of the knives and I'm one of them. I see a few people that are defending KW, I think those people are the ones that already got their knives, maybe they are the flippers. I'm just going to have to disagree with them and leave it at that.

This is my exact story to a T and because of the debacle that they created I wouldn't give Roger or his company another dollar even if Mr. Glesser donated it to me. I have no words that are appropriate for the forum and I have no desire to EVER purchase from KW again.

What a BS move on their part and I'm done with them. As much as I love a Para 2, I love myself more and being treated like cattle is something I'm above.

[arjay18]

I was on the backup list for 14 months. I got an email 2 days ago and I was real happy, then I started wondering how it was going to be handled and realized it was going to be a free-for-all. In reality they released the available knives to the whole world, there was nothing in the process that kept anybody with an internet connection from buying one.

I was on their website about 7:45 this morning in order to be sure that I was logged in and to try to find out where on the website they would be released. They had the GPM2 as a normal product on their website, but out of stock. So at 8 they just entered the number that they had in stock and let it run. Somewhere between 7:50 and 7:55 the website become overwhelmed and it would take 30 seconds or more to refresh. Actually about 8:02 real time is when they became in stock. I hit "check out" immediately, and started navigating through the multitude of screens to check out, probably 5 or 6 different screens. I already had my shipping info. entered so I was just hitting "next" time after time. When I entered the credit card number and hit submit, I started getting server errors. It took about 11 minutes to get to this point. After the server error there were no more to be had so I had to give up.

There are lots of disgruntled people that were hoping to buy one of the knives and I'm one of them. I see a few people that are defending KW, I think those people are the ones that already got their knives, maybe they are the flippers. I'm just going to have to disagree with them and leave it at that.

I'm really interested in the possible upcoming Manix sprint but I don't have any faith in KW's selling procedures. I would search for the S30V version but they have proven impossible to find so far, or I'll buy a substitute like a ZT0200.

Atleast you got got to checkout. I hit add to cart and only got errors at that point for a couple of minutes They when it loaded it was out of stock already.

[jtoler_9]

. In a way we can blame the speculators for driving the market crazy.
.

Does it get heavy holding on to that axe you keep grinding?
I think we should blame speculators for lots of stuff, like when we are mad about something.
I can always count on your objective perspective.

[Philo Beddoe]

This is my exact story to a T and because of the debacle that they created I wouldn't give Roger or his company another dollar even if Mr. Glesser donated it to me. I have no words that are appropriate for the forum and I have no desire to EVER purchase from KW again.

What a BS move on their part and I'm done with them. As much as I love a Para 2, I love myself more and being treated like cattle is something I'm above.

[Bill1170]

I want to post a positive review of Roger and Knifeworks. I ordered two of this run back on 2/17/12, along with a small Spyderpac. Big box arrives on Saturday containing the Spyderpac and only one of the two knives I paid for. Bit of cold fear in my belly, given the frenzy on these! So I wrote Roger an email that day (it was already evening when I opened the box) detailing exactly what happened. Then I waited.

Monday morning I called early and explained the situation to the nice young lady. She said they would send the second knife out right away. I live in California and it came on Wednesday. Today I wrote Roger a second email thanking him for the speedy resolution to my problem. Given how busy they must be right now, I am very grateful for their honor and integrity. Also on Monday I sent the first knife to my dad, to arrive in time for Father's Day. He's a knife knut and dark green is his favorite color. The other one is for me.

Knifeworks is a small operation and they must have been buried by calls and emails when these Paras arrived. Here is an idea for how they could do the backup list in an equitable way that preserves their sanity.

Whenever someone calls to be placed on the list, take all their information (easy if existing customer) then give them a unique 16 digit code generated by random number generator. This code proves their place in line. When backups are ready to sell, email all the first hundred (or whatever number makes sense) folks on the backup list that they have 72 hours to complete their order and confirmed orders will then be shipped in the order that people got on the list - but only to those that complete their order. Require the aforementioned security code to verify priority on the list. Do this for successively smaller groups until all the knives are gone.

Surely a system like this already exists in the world. It would feel more fair to the buyers and be less crazy for the sellers. I dreamed this up in a few minutes. Someone who really thought deeply about it could certainly do even better.

[FroOchie]

Aww cute little selfie guy...talk to me when you grow up.

[Philo Beddoe]

Aww a cute little selfie, talk to me when you grow up.

[chuck_roxas45]

I guess some people have to resort to trolling when they get frustrated...

If someone doesn't like the thread, they can always not click on the thread. :)

[JNewell]

It was a dealer exclusive not a sprint and I think KW has handled the situation as best they could. The delay (IMO) caused alot of the tensions and harsh feeling being unjustly cast on Knifeworks. I'm sorry not every person whom wanted this didn't get one, but it happens. I think people should point their crosshairs on a different target when looking to place blame.

The 16 month buildup on this one, which was not KW's fault at all, undoubtedly was a huge contributor here. Remember all the carnage over the orange XHP? If that had had almost a year and a half of waiting piled up in front of its release, it probably would have played the same. People can carp about KW all they want. I've been doing business with Roger for over a decade. Sometimes things have gone wrong, but that's life. I get over my frustrations and disappointments and try to move on like an adult in the real world. :rolleyes:

[Donut]

Didn't the Orange XHP wait to let us know on the release until the last minute? I think they had issues with the Orange Manix that caused them to do that.

[sir_mike]

I received mine without any issues so I have to praise KW also for there hard work. I am sure it turned into a cluster in the end but I am sure they didnt want that to happen either so they handled it the best they can.

Keep up the good work KW. :D

[rodloos]

I'll just state that I am very happy that KnifeWorks has done their exclusives. I really like my CF/M390 Millies and green PM2's. It takes a financial commitment from them, with no guarantee that the knives will sell out quickly. I'm sure the backup list could have been handled better, but it would have been more labor intensive for them to track. Would people have been any happier if they did not accept placing anyone on a backup list, and then just threw any leftovers on the web site?

I bet they did not anticipate just how much demand would be placed on their server for the backups, seems much more demand than was placed on the server when the knives were first made available for pre-order. It took several days for the available slots to sell out. I guess all the publicity over the past 1 1/2 years built up more demand :) . And the delay was not KW's fault, sometimes things happen in the course of producing anything.

For those who want to hold it against Roger and never buy anything from him again, well, that is certainly your option. I prefer the way KW handled it to Bento Box, which I think took more markup, and they charge you extra for "insurance" on shipping. It seems demand for *any* PM2 has just been growing into a frenzy. Bento's initial run of the blue/M390 PM2's took weeks to sell out, if I recall. The 2nd run they priced higher and it still sold out quickly. And those people paying $800 for CF/S90V PM2's on ebay, well, they have more disposable income than I do!

I definitely plan to buy future exclusives from KW if I am able to.

I think the main complaints I remember about the Orange PM2 from TheCutleryShoppe were that the pricing structure was set to increase as time went on. I don't remember the exact structure, but it was something like MSRP - 44% the first week, then went up $10 the next week or something like that. If he had just worded it differently (such as "extra $10 off if you order this week") it would not have raised the same complaints.

It's just a knife, after all, and there will very likely be more "gotta-have knives" in some other great steel coming out next. Do I wish I'd have been more attentive when CF/S90V PM2's first became available? Sure, but back then I had better control of my wallet :) .

[gbelleh]

This release lingered for a whole extra year, incubating desire for it, from those with and without pre-orders. It was also released during a time of unprecedented demand for any Para 2.

It's a shame when people deal with disappointment and frustration by abusing others. The people at KW are doing their best with a tough situation.

[JudasD]

It looks like KW is going to try to get a second run of 400 of these produced. Thumbs up! It's bad for those that want the price to remain high, but great for those that want a shot at getting one.

JD

[MCM]

Yea, it was a long wait. Fast sell out with a back up list.
Even the back up list became huge.
When 700-800 knives are made and sold at a great price (2 per person) , and twice as many folks want one this is bound to happen.
KW did the best thing possible given the circumstances. Offered refunds due to the long wait & kept track of the pre-orders.
KW did not change the price, shipped as soon as delivered. And offered any xtra knives to those who wanted one at one per person to allow as many folks to get one as possible. Again, at the orig price.
That's as fair a way of handling things as anyone could ask for.
Period. End of story...........


If the 400 are a go, it again could be a long wait.
And we will more than likely have similar posts when they do ship. LOL LOL

[JNewell]

It looks like KW is going to try to get a second run of 400 of these produced. Thumbs up! It's bad for those that want the price to remain high, but great for those that want a shot at getting one.

JD

I think prices will not be affected much...but a second run of 400 seems like badly burning your hand on a wood stove then trying to fix things up by sticking it into the firebox. :o

[jtoler_9]

I guess some people have to resort to trolling when they get frustrated...

If someone doesn't like the thread, they can always not click on the thread. :)

Touche sir. If all else fails, call someone a Troll.

I always thought a troll was someone who has a huge post count in a short amount of time.

I am still a big fan of KW and Spyderco, FWIW.

The silver lining is that there are 400 more in the works. So maybe a sticky thread place holder for people to complain when the next one goes live?

[chuck_roxas45]

Touche sir. If all else fails, call someone a Troll.

I always thought a troll was someone who has a huge post count in a short amount of time.

I am still a big fan of KW and Spyderco, FWIW.

The silver lining is that there are 400 more in the works. So maybe a sticky thread place holder for people to complain when the next one goes live?

It's all about content J.

[mattman]

The people at KW are doing their best with a tough situation.

Once they get finished shipping everything, I suggest they take some time to relax... maybe a cruise? I'm sure they've earned it.

[gbelleh]

Yeah, I think they've gotten **** on plenty already. First on the cruise, and now over these green Para 2s!