Sold/Expired Mokume Gane...the "sacraficial lamb"

The Tri-Color Mokume Gane Light:

• Mokume Gane consisting of copper, brass and nickel silver
• 15.75mm x 66.25mm, or .62" x 2.61"
• Weight: 2.1 ounces, 60 grams; includes battery installed
• Driver: Mini FluPIC with three light levels
• Battery: unprotected 10440 Lithium Ion
• LED: Seoul P4, bin U2SV0H
• Mineral glass lens
• Cut-down Khatod 17mm smooth reflector
• O-ring sealed

There are some build threads that detail the making of the light--here & here.







This is one of the most beautiful flashlights in the world custom hand crafted by Fred Pilon better known as "PhotonFanatic" here on the forum. I was recently the topic of a Jeer resulting from the loss of a TranquillityBase light that I shipped to Korea. The light is MIA and whereabouts are unknown. I had agreed to ship the light express shipping with tracking to Octaf. I sent one of my staff to mail this light and told him to make sure he gets a tracking number. There was some confusion at the post office during the Christmas rush and he was told that tracking was not available for international shipping and to make a long story short...the light was shipped First-Class International and turned up missing. Octaf filed a PayPal claim along with a Jeer, even though I told him I am a man of my word and I would somehow make things right! The only tracking information I had was a custom's receipt which is useless for tracking purposes. This prized possession of mine will now be sacraficed to make things right and pay for my shipping error! I am asking $550 for this light shipped insured anywhere in the world! The terms of this sale are that Octaf will receive the first $450 to his PayPal account at [email protected] and thus I honored my "man of my word" obligation publicly for all to see on this forum and I fully refunded his purchase price for the missing flashlight. The balance of $100 goes to me at [email protected] to buy a case of beer to drown my sorrows :mecry:and cover shipping, insurance, and a charger and three 10440 cells and a brass split ring I purchased to accompany this gem. I hope someone takes this one soon and puts my unwarranted Jeer to rest!

Oh that is horrible! But may I be the first of many to say that your word is impeccable!

Karl, your current balance is now $445.

$5 PayPal donation sent to octaf.

(Transaction ID #911903451K831422E).

Karl, you're a great part of CPF, and I'm thrilled to be able to help.

With 30 or 40 more friendly folks, we could really be on a roll here.

- FITP

Ive done so many deals with Karl that Ive lost count. He is a straight up guy. Heres to many more!

Im sending you a small gift to contribute to your Korea fund. :devil:

ptolemy said:

Oh that is horrible! But may I be the first of many to say that your word is impeccable!

Click to expand...

+1

I just sent $5.00 gift paypal to him, so deduct another fiver from your bill
Transaction ID: 4XD96599PD187414R

I just sent $5.00 gift to him as well. Please deduct from your bill
Unique Transaction ID #8NE4979613363950C


Good Luck,

I like your style Karl.
Just thinking.
I wonder what is going to happen to these generous donations if the light finally turns up in the post?
Perhaps a charity of your choosing should be nominated to receive these donation. I don't think anyone would want to profit from this unfortunate situation.
Norm

Hkarl,
sorry about this and my typing, cloning my 320 gb HD tonihgt to 500 gb drive- doing this on my itouch.

got onto CPf and the light you were not going to sell this morning (you noted to me) you are sacrificing to satisfy a jeer - I do not know what to say. I am sorely tempted, but do not want to take advantage.....

Would like to contribute five bucks, but not while on itouch, will check thread tomorrow. That light is beautiful, great "grain".

What an offer......

An honorable approach to a difficult situation. You are doing the right thing on account of your staffer's miscue. The post office will always take more money to provide an additional service.

I guess this is the Mokume Gane you made reference to in a recent post that you were going to be selling.

Another $10 donated to the Korean Flashlight Loss Victims Relief Fund. (Unique Transaction ID #5SU379357T3859434)

I'm sure there are plenty of people who'd like this light, but it shouldn't get sold because of nobody's mistake.

karlheinz3 said:

I sent one of my staff to mail this light and told him to make sure he gets a tracking number. There was some confusion at the post office during the Christmas rush and he was told that tracking was not available for international shipping and to make a long story short...the light was shipped First-Class International and turned up missing. The only tracking information I had was a custom's receipt which is useless for tracking purposes.

Click to expand...

1. how well do you trust your staff?

2. If the lights was lost during shipping, surely there was some insurance, who ships a $450 item with no insurance?

3. if you have 'customs receipts' you could post pictures of them, it would clarify some grey areas.

Karl offered me this light by PM a few days ago and I was unsure what to do as he was obviously offering to sell something he didn't want to, in order to take care of Octaf.

So I did what I think Karl has been doing and just sat on the PM wondering whether I should just send him some money to help out and do my bit to help him keep this light, or to take the light.

One reason I didn't send any money was the staggering amount involved and I knew I'd need to dig in a bit to do so but now that I see this effort on everyone elses part I'm ready to send my bit too.

Karl, if we reach the point to where you can send the rest without selling this light then please do so.

I hope everyone sending funds lists it here in this thread so we can monitor progress. I wanted to send more but at least for now it's a start.

Your payment for $50.00 USD to [email protected] has been sent.

Payment details
Amount: $50.00 USD
Transaction Date: Feb 2, 2010
Transaction ID: 1GX18589Y21014505

Subject: You've got money from Kaichu Dento to be applied in lieu of Karl Heinz!

Click to expand...

Waddup, take your attitude to the Jeers thread if you feel the need, but keep it out of here!

warx23 said:

Ive done so many deals with Karl that Ive lost count. He is a straight up guy. Heres to many more!

Im sending you a small gift to contribute to your Korea fund. :devil:

Click to expand...

Warx, how much did you send? We should post amounts sent and keep a running tally here.

So far I'm seeing $80 sent + your donation.

Flashinthepan, thanks for getting the ball rolling. :twothumbs

waddup said:

1. how well do you trust your staff?

2. If the lights was lost during shipping, surely there was some insurance, who ships a $450 item with no insurance?

3. if you have 'customs receipts' you could post pictures of them, it would clarify some grey areas.

Click to expand...

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=211218

Karl, I'm sorry, but playing the victim here is a bit over the top don't you think? :thumbsdow

I urge people not to send donations anymore since you are only refunding what was already paid to you.

Well...yes, he is refunding money he was paid for a light the buyer didn't get, but he's not getting the light back in exchange. He's still out $450, whether in cash or property. There should've been insurance on the package, but if his man didn't think to buy insurance for it, what can he do? Obviously he'll know better than to send a layman to do a flashaholic's job next time, but he still has to eat the loss, which sucks. The donations might reach the total amount, but probably not; they're more gestures of sympathy and goodwill than anything else. But if he manages to swing the remaining balance without having to sell something he wants to keep, then that's some good karma for everyone who helped, and I'm sure Karl will remember that in the future.

I am not asking for any donations guys and gals! I just wanted to right a wrong and have Octaf compensated for the money he lost as a result of my shipping error through the sale procedes of one of my prized treasures. The missing light is pictured below if it ever surfaces!



He publicly posted his PayPal address in his Jeer and asked that the $450 be sent to his account. My sole intent of this sales thread is to make sure the forum sees my sense of justice as clearly as his Jeer was publicly displayed. This whole saga damn near caused international conflicts about shipping issues. I mailed his light the same day payment was received only it was not shipped express as requested through no fault of my own! I waited what I felt was an appropriate time period and want to make things right. I faced public humiliation and my integridy was challenged openly on the forum. I love this place and I strongly urge all of you to share our habit worldwide therefore I felt the need to openly express my resolution publicly. I don't want donations for my mistake...I just don't want to see anyone else have to face the consequences for human error the way I have! lovecpf Peace on earth and I love you all! :kiss:

Just FYI...Octaf declined the option of insurance and payment was made in two seperate payments probably for duty reasons. Here is a copy of my US Customs shipping verification that caused his PayPal claim to be declined. Let it be known to all that I did not dispute the claim!

Label/Receipt Number: LC07 1312 616U S
Class: First-Class Mail International
Service(s): International Letter
Status: Acceptance

Your item was accepted at 4:58 PM on December 11, 2009 in HURON, OH 44839. No further information is available for this item.

Bart... I apologize if I offended you in any way. I am NOT looking for sympathy or charity. My sole purpose of this thread is to set an example to others that I made a mistake and I am trying to do the right thing by refunding Octaf's funds through the sale of this light and encourage international trading. BTW, I am looking for some green trits for a couple of RAW Lummis if you could send me a PM on where I might be able to get them. I would appreciate it! :shrug: