Andrej Evtuh- Cautionary Tale- Update

[MJBlazek]

Hi Andrej,
I responded to a PM you sent me on Jan 4th.
You havent gotten back to me.
Please respond.

thank you.
MJ

[MJBlazek]

[MJBlazek]

Has anyone heard from him since January 1st?

Well he did finally look at the PM I sent! That's a start!

[MJBlazek]

Bumping this up again.
I did get a message saying he was in the Hospital, but that was 3 weeks ago.

I am not overly impressed so far.

[MJBlazek]

[MJBlazek]

I am bumping this, and adding a warning.

On Sept 20th I contacted Andrej Evtuh about building a Great Bascinet with no visor, and a low profile bar grill for SCA use. I did so after doing some research here and found that a couple of people had purchased from him, received a quality product, and was happy with the transaction.
He quoted me a price and a time frame.
I sent him a Western Union of $130 for a 40% downpayment on Sept 21st.
He then contacted my no Nov 29 stating he had the materials and was going to begin working on my helmet.
He then contacted me on Dec 21 (still within the time frame for completion) saying that he was sorry fox delay, but that he had been in the hospital but that he would be back in the shop that week to see what his crew had built.
He then contacted me Dec 29th and said that while he was in the hospital his crew had not built anything as they had been instructed.
and asked how he could make up for it.

January 4th I sent him a pm asking for a light discount because of the delay, $50 from the remaining balance.
No response.
January 22st I asked him for a response and posted this thread.
January 31st I pmed him again asking for a response.

On Feb 1st I got a response from someone in his shop saying "He's back in the hospital, and he will contact you next week.

This is the last correspondence I have had concerning this matter.


This is the first time I have had these types of issues regarding an order with Eastern Euro armorer. I have always had very good dealings with Hammer Breaker, Armstreet, Willy Trambone, Wildarmoury and even Steel-Mastery back before their implosion. I am a fairly tolerant person for missing quoted time frames, as I know I am human, and when i ship it can take me a while to get stuff out to people too. But All I ask for is some for of communication.
With all that has happened I cannot in good conscious recommend Andrej Evtuh to someone here on this board. If I am contacted by him, with a reasonable explanation on what has happened, and receive my order in a timely manner, up to the quality I have discussed with him, then I may change my mind on it.

But as it stands, I would stay away from him.

[Janech]

and even Steel-Mastery back before their implosion.

This is slightly off-topic, but I was about to order a gambeson from Steel Mastery, and have seen mostly good reviews of them from the Archive to date. Could you point me to a thread in which their "implosion" is detailed?

[MJBlazek]

It was a few years ago. From what I have read they seem to have turned themselves around.

[Jan van Nyenrode]

MJ,

Have you heard anything from Andrej since your last post?

Cheers,

Jan

[MJBlazek]

Yes, only just recently. Call me foolish but I am giving him one more chance. I will post more if things don't happen soon though.

[Jan van Nyenrode]

Thanks,

Please let us know how it works out. I was considering ordering something until i saw your cautionary tale.

Cheers,

Jan

[Paladin74]

Yes, only just recently. Call me foolish but I am giving him one more chance. I will post more if things don't happen soon though.

While it has been a while, I wouldn't call this a deal-breaker just yet- hang in there man.

[Seesinsilhouette]

I've dealt with him before and whilst things took time ( mainly western union ripping me off saying I'd collected a returned payment when I had not) I got what I paid for and it is nice work. Quite simple but nicely raised and shaped.

I would say try not to worry as he was honest in both the transactions I had with him.

[MJBlazek]

UPDATE:
This morning I got an email with Pictures of the process of my helmet.
Looks good so far.

I do not think Andrej was being dishonest with me. I do not hold a person having medical issues against them. This all had to do with a lack of communication. It looks at this time, that he is making right of it though.

[Paladin74]

Glad to hear it; I know when I'm out of commission like that, the last thing I'm doing is getting online and emailing folks...but that's just me.