Club Obi Wan

Good morning COWers!
How are you?
I think this subject has been disscused a lot in here, but anyway...
I made an order for an AB to Mr. Delk back in Sept 2008 and every time I try to reach him, most of the times I got no response.
I was wondering if there are any cowers with the same problem here. The thing that worries me is that I've read that others that purchased the hat after me are receiving their hats... My intention is to see if there are others with the same issue here, not to create another thread like others I've seen in here.
Hope to see your replies.
- Mike

Last I heard, Steve was all but caught up with his orders from around that time. I can be mistaken, though. I do know that he has a pretty aggressive spam filter. You may want to send him an email from another web address. Steve is a stand up guy and will fulfill your order and when he does you will not be disappointed. I promise. Just keep the faith, friend.

Dave

DR Ulloa wrote:Last I heard, Steve was all but caught up with his orders from around that time. I can be mistaken, though. I do know that he has a pretty aggressive spam filter. You may want to send him an email from another web address. Steve is a stand up guy and will fulfill your order and when he does you will not be disappointed. I promise. Just keep the faith, friend.

Dave

Thanks for the news my friend. I'll try to use another email address.
High regards,
- Mike

I am still waitin for an order from April of 2008.

So no worries- it isn't just you.

I am waiting on a order from April of 09.

Two from October '08, one more from June '09 for me, but I ordered and received a rabbit and a beaver hat each since.

There are a few of us left! Take comfort in that.

I ordered in April of 2008 and have had no communication with Steve since, though I have tried.
Bob

DR Ulloa wrote:Last I heard, Steve was all but caught up with his orders from around that time. I can be mistaken, though. I do know that he has a pretty aggressive spam filter. You may want to send him an email from another web address. Steve is a stand up guy and will fulfill your order and when he does you will not be disappointed. I promise. Just keep the faith, friend.

Dave

I placed an order in 2008, paid the full price, and I'm still waiting.

I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one... The thing is that I hope that all of us receive their hats after 5 years of waiting. The bad news for me as well, is that I'm changing address... My primary concern is to let him know that, but can't get in touch with him.
- Mike

Thats comin on 5-6 years. How are you guys not furious? I probably would have already had this reported and gotten my money back. Yikes

Too much water under this same bridge.

Steve is a stand up guy who got overwhelmed by the consequences of his own success and unwillingness to exploit it by ramping his prices up. Then his health went.

He can be tought to get an answer out of, but he is still working away. Getting furious helps no-one. Just keep trying occasionally. He'll get back to you.

ChrisMD wrote:Thats comin on 5-6 years. How are you guys not furious? I probably would have already had this reported and gotten my money back. Yikes

Read up on the situation. A lot has been said, and many a thread closed down already.

Bottom line is Steve is alive and making hats.

ChrisMD wrote:Thats comin on 5-6 years. How are you guys not furious? I probably would have already had this reported and gotten my money back. Yikes

I wasn't a member here when I placed a order for my hat. I didn't know about his back log of orders and REALLY sick. I didn't find that out til I ordered a Penman, then became a member here and finally understood the situation. I have high hopes that I will have a surprise waiting at home for me. But I haven't heard from Steve since January of 2011 when my hat was on the block.

jlee562 wrote:

ChrisMD wrote:Thats comin on 5-6 years. How are you guys not furious? I probably would have already had this reported and gotten my money back. Yikes

Read up on the situation. A lot has been said, and many a thread closed down already.

Bottom line is Steve is alive and making hats.

Im aware of the situation. Ive also investigated many a business where this type of thing has happened. Im not trying to be a jerk but after that long somethings gotta give. An email is absolutely a 2 second task.

And we ask that comments be limited to members who actually have orders with Steve. We are all well aware of the long waits members have had/continue to have and Steve's communication or lack thereof.

MustangLoverMex asked a question, he's received confirmation he's not the only one out there with an '08 order.

'Nuff said.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Thanks, Jeff.

I always hold out hope these threads can stay open so those of us who are waiting can update one another on the progress of our orders, or when one is received. But the comments rarely stay positive, and eventually, the thread gets closed.

Nothing we say here, positive or negative, changes the situation for Steve. He just has to keep making hats as best he can, filling orders the way he fills them, until he's caught up. He's clearly stated his situation on here in his posts.

And, as we've been reminded time and again, forum members are not his only customers.

Hope I don't sound preachy! Like I said, I've ordered 2 hats in the past year and I got them, and I'm considering another.

If we keep it positive, who knows? Whenever Steve does come up for air and gets time to visit the boards(and make a post), he might even pop his head in here. It could happen.

Again, hope I'm not out of line. Not trying to scold anybody. Not my job!

MustangLoverMex wrote:Good morning COWers!
How are you?
I think this subject has been disscused a lot in here, but anyway...
I made an order for an AB to Mr. Delk back in Sept 2008 and every time I try to reach him, most of the times I got no response.
I was wondering if there are any cowers with the same problem here. The thing that worries me is that I've read that others that purchased the hat after me are receiving their hats... My intention is to see if there are others with the same issue here, not to create another thread like others I've seen in here.
Hope to see your replies.
- Mike

Same boat you are in. Still waiting on a May 2008 order. Sent him a couple e-mails with no response. Hope he is catching up and will ship soon.

Castle_Rock wrote:

MustangLoverMex wrote:Good morning COWers!
How are you?
I think this subject has been disscused a lot in here, but anyway...
I made an order for an AB to Mr. Delk back in Sept 2008 and every time I try to reach him, most of the times I got no response.
I was wondering if there are any cowers with the same problem here. The thing that worries me is that I've read that others that purchased the hat after me are receiving their hats... My intention is to see if there are others with the same issue here, not to create another thread like others I've seen in here.
Hope to see your replies.
- Mike

Same boat you are in. Still waiting on a May 2008 order. Sent him a couple e-mails with no response. Hope he is catching up and will ship soon.

Yep, the thing that I don't like that much is that back then we pay the "full price" and 5 years later we haven't received our lids, and people that are paying "full prices" now, are receiving them in less than 4-5 weeks.

Still waiting from May 2008, when I paid in full. Haven't heard anything from Steve since 2009, despite many attempts to e-mail from multiple addresses and a couple of phone calls. Like others, I have moved in the last 5 years, and have never managed to get a confirmation from Steve that he knows that.

I am surprised that I forgot to mark the passing of the 5 year anniversary.

Thinking too much about this makes me upset, so I'm going to just leave it there.

Lingarn

indyjack wrote:Maybe, but back in the day, wasn't the full price waayy cheaper and guys got a forum discount?
I wish i was around back then to get them when he first started.

I thought he postd once that new orders are getting flipped faster because the money helps offset
the materials needed to make the other orders?

Well, in my case I paid $400 usd, which isn't cheap at all... and nope, I got no forum discount.

Yep, the thing that I don't like that much is that back then we pay the "full price" and 5 years later we haven't received our lids, and people that are paying "full prices" now, are receiving them in less than 4-5 weeks. [/quote]

Yeah I have wondered about that myself. But there is not much we can do but be patient and wait.

The new orders going out quicker at a higher price is simply the best band aid for a bad situation. Steve needs the income from new orders to work the old orders. It's an unfortunate situaton, but if Steve stops taking new orders, nobody gets a hat.

when is waiting too long, too long? I mean, that's half a decade wait with no end in sight.....

I know he's a great guy and he makes an incredible product and I know he'll deliver but the only thing I'd wait that long on is a woman or inheritance..... and even a woman is pushing it.

But it seems we have various vendors that work basically out of their home, etc that make amazing product and are amazing guys but can't produce to the quanity that we as consumers demand of them whether it be due to lack of help, or unforunate incidences such as illness, accidents what have you. Then the "band-aid" in order to fix that, they just ignore emails, etc while still taking on more and more orders. As great guys as they are, that's horrendous business practice and sadly calls to question their character even if they are great guys which I'm not denying.

I understand that it's quality hand made product that is pretty much unheard of in this day and age. But 5, 10, 15 years waiting for one hat? one leather belt or holster? None of this gear is honestly, worth waiting that long, atleast not to me and maybe that's just my opinion.

I know it's a decent amount of money but at this point what can you do? You can't get blood from stone. I'd just write my money off, and find a different product to fill in until you get that email one day saying its ready to be shipped.

Everybody's got valid points and opinions. Even Steve thinks you're entitled to them.

I hope this thread can stay positive.

Steve has expressed that he understands everybody's frustrations, on this very forum, and to me personally (through a couple emails). I'd encourage everybody to re-read and digest his posts. The situation is far less than ideal, for us and him. I really believe he's doing the best he can to get it all squared away. If he did it any differently, I mean handling the orders in light of his recent issues, it might not get done at all. He's not giving up.

It's still amazing to me that he's filled the number of orders that he already has. Sometimes I forget how inundated he was with hat orders. FAR more than he bargained for!

I'm sure most people know the history, but let's put it in perspective.

Steve isn't a "bad business guy" - he never started out to be a "business guy." He started out to make great hats for his friends at a price that covered his costs and the world hammered him for it. And he can't get more "help" not only because he would have to pay "help," but because his talent isn't something he can just find in someone he hires off the street.

Steve started making hats as a hobby. He was good at it. No - he was great at it. So much so that a lot of people pushed for him to try to get the contract to make the hats for CS.

When he won the contract he didn't do what 99% of the people in that position would have done, i.e. jack his prices into the stratosphere - he vowed to keep them at the rock bottom level they were, where he wasn't making a profit. He did that "for the fans." Anyone who knew anything about custom hats knew what a bargain they were, too.

Then the movie came out. It was 2008 - the economy, and particularly the stock market was still booming along. People had disposable income and $250.00 for a "real Indiana Jones hat" seemed too good to pass up. Lots of people didn't.

Finally, just to stem the flood of orders, Steve ratcheted his prices up to $400.00. Still a relative bargain, especially compared to some makers who price their replicas at $1,000.00 and up. Unfortunately he did so a little too late to avoid the hundreds if not thousands of orders he had received.

Then 2009 rolled along. The economy tanked. With it went people in Steve's age bracket's retirement savings - probably thanks largely to the excesses of the very people who thought it would be neat to have one of his hats. Bad time to get cancer - especially two different kinds at once - and worse time to need to cash in your 401K to stay alive.

Somewhere in there he pushed his prices up even further to more of an "equilibrium" level where he could keep pace with demand, but the damage was done. He had lost his house, his retirement savings and his medical insurance.

Most people would have pulled the pin and started over. Heck - he probably could have gotten a fee waiver so a bankruptcy would have cost him nothing.

He didn't file and he's still trying to make good to everyone who ordered from him while also making enough to pay for food and medication.

Having waited until last year for two hats I ordered in 2008 and 2009 I fully understand the feeling that the money is lost. Had he taken the easy way out that would be true.

My solution was to accept reality, abandon the "deal is a deal" frame of mind and offer to send him the extra money to have paid the current "full price." I know that's not an option for everyone. I'm fortunate that it was for me. The truth is I probably would have sent him money just because, but it helped him out a little, and enabled him to cross my name off his list.

As it stands I'm the proud owner of 4 of his creations. Inevitably, even though I know the communication issues, I'll order another one down the road even if it's only because I know he could use the help.

Unfortunately other than pay the upcharge - there's nothing anyone can do to make things move quicker. It's kind of like rush hour traffic in Los Angeles with a couple of wrecks on the highway. No-one intended it to take 3 hours to go 10 miles, it just turned out that way.

Ridgerunner58 wrote:I'm sure most people know the history, but let's put it in perspective.

Steve isn't a "bad business guy" - he never started out to be a "business guy." He started out to make great hats for his friends at a price that covered his costs and the world hammered him for it. And he can't get more "help" not only because he would have to pay "help," but because his talent isn't something he can just find in someone he hires off the street.

Steve started making hats as a hobby. He was good at it. No - he was great at it. So much so that a lot of people pushed for him to try to get the contract to make the hats for CS.

When he won the contract he didn't do what 99% of the people in that position would have done, i.e. jack his prices into the stratosphere - he vowed to keep them at the rock bottom level they were, where he wasn't making a profit. He did that "for the fans." Anyone who knew anything about custom hats knew what a bargain they were, too.

Then the movie came out. It was 2008 - the economy, and particularly the stock market was still booming along. People had disposable income and $250.00 for a "real Indiana Jones hat" seemed too good to pass up. Lots of people didn't.

Finally, just to stem the flood of orders, Steve ratcheted his prices up to $400.00. Still a relative bargain, especially compared to some makers who price their replicas at $1,000.00 and up. Unfortunately he did so a little too late to avoid the hundreds if not thousands of orders he had received.

Then 2009 rolled along. The economy tanked. With it went people in Steve's age bracket's retirement savings - probably thanks largely to the excesses of the very people who thought it would be neat to have one of his hats. Bad time to get cancer - especially two different kinds at once - and worse time to need to cash in your 401K to stay alive.

Somewhere in there he pushed his prices up even further to more of an "equilibrium" level where he could keep pace with demand, but the damage was done. He had lost his house, his retirement savings and his medical insurance.

Most people would have pulled the pin and started over. Heck - he probably could have gotten a fee waiver so a bankruptcy would have cost him nothing.

He didn't file and he's still trying to make good to everyone who ordered from him while also making enough to pay for food and medication.

Having waited until last year for two hats I ordered in 2008 and 2009 I fully understand the feeling that the money is lost. Had he taken the easy way out that would be true.

My solution was to accept reality, abandon the "deal is a deal" frame of mind and offer to send him the extra money to have paid the current "full price." I know that's not an option for everyone. I'm fortunate that it was for me. The truth is I probably would have sent him money just because, but it helped him out a little, and enabled him to cross my name off his list.

As it stands I'm the proud owner of 4 of his creations. Inevitably, even though I know the communication issues, I'll order another one down the road even if it's only because I know he could use the help.

Unfortunately other than pay the upcharge - there's nothing anyone can do to make things move quicker. It's kind of like rush hour traffic in Los Angeles with a couple of wrecks on the highway. No-one intended it to take 3 hours to go 10 miles, it just turned out that way.

By no means am I at all wanting any of this to be negative. I fully believe that all will be fulfilled, that Steve is a great guy and in the end all will be resolved. I fully believe that.

But if business was ran by the logistics of a traffic jam......nothing would ever get done (that's called "good enough for government").

Why should someone have to pay a higher price for a 5 year old order? In fact, in most businesses if you were quoted a certain time and that was not upheld (indeed if it went YEARS over) you would be given a discount. 9/10 times it would be cancelled....and I hate to say it but I think there's no communication because if someone tried to cancel their order they might not receive it.

The very fact that orders from 2 years ago are being fulfilled before orders from 5 years ago is fairly unacceptable.
Even if there's some kind of logic to it, it's actually very unfair and a little unethical. The currrent hats are more expensive, and so they are fulfilled faster than the older hats that were cheaper? That just doesn't sound right in any light. Why doesn't everyone have a 5 year wait? How long can that kind of logic continue until it's a 10 year wait?

As I stated before, no piece of gear is worth waiting even 5 years for, I don't care who it's made by.

Anyways, when it's all said and done here's the short and long of it that is being repeated continually:

Your order will be fulfilled one day. Even though other's are getting their product they ordered 2 years ago, your order from 5 years ago will one day be fulfilled. So sit tight and stop complaining, even though you can't contact the vendor at all. He's a great guy.

i'd say, lock the thread at that, as I don't really think anyone is going to get anywhere with these threads. It's the same with the Wade Egan threads. Quality products, Quality work. Upstanding guys that keep taking orders despite all the unfortunate things that befall them which results in very long waits, and tremendous lack of communication.

The reality is that whatever one thinks of the new order policy, it's inconsequential to the fact that the policy is what it is. Steve is still out there making hats.

backstagejack wrote:

Ridgerunner58 wrote:I'm sure most people know the history, but let's put it in perspective.

Steve isn't a "bad business guy" - he never started out to be a "business guy." He started out to make great hats for his friends at a price that covered his costs and the world hammered him for it. And he can't get more "help" not only because he would have to pay "help," but because his talent isn't something he can just find in someone he hires off the street.

Steve started making hats as a hobby. He was good at it. No - he was great at it. So much so that a lot of people pushed for him to try to get the contract to make the hats for CS.

When he won the contract he didn't do what 99% of the people in that position would have done, i.e. jack his prices into the stratosphere - he vowed to keep them at the rock bottom level they were, where he wasn't making a profit. He did that "for the fans." Anyone who knew anything about custom hats knew what a bargain they were, too.

Then the movie came out. It was 2008 - the economy, and particularly the stock market was still booming along. People had disposable income and $250.00 for a "real Indiana Jones hat" seemed too good to pass up. Lots of people didn't.

Finally, just to stem the flood of orders, Steve ratcheted his prices up to $400.00. Still a relative bargain, especially compared to some makers who price their replicas at $1,000.00 and up. Unfortunately he did so a little too late to avoid the hundreds if not thousands of orders he had received.

Then 2009 rolled along. The economy tanked. With it went people in Steve's age bracket's retirement savings - probably thanks largely to the excesses of the very people who thought it would be neat to have one of his hats. Bad time to get cancer - especially two different kinds at once - and worse time to need to cash in your 401K to stay alive.

Somewhere in there he pushed his prices up even further to more of an "equilibrium" level where he could keep pace with demand, but the damage was done. He had lost his house, his retirement savings and his medical insurance.

Most people would have pulled the pin and started over. Heck - he probably could have gotten a fee waiver so a bankruptcy would have cost him nothing.

He didn't file and he's still trying to make good to everyone who ordered from him while also making enough to pay for food and medication.

Having waited until last year for two hats I ordered in 2008 and 2009 I fully understand the feeling that the money is lost. Had he taken the easy way out that would be true.

My solution was to accept reality, abandon the "deal is a deal" frame of mind and offer to send him the extra money to have paid the current "full price." I know that's not an option for everyone. I'm fortunate that it was for me. The truth is I probably would have sent him money just because, but it helped him out a little, and enabled him to cross my name off his list.

As it stands I'm the proud owner of 4 of his creations. Inevitably, even though I know the communication issues, I'll order another one down the road even if it's only because I know he could use the help.

Unfortunately other than pay the upcharge - there's nothing anyone can do to make things move quicker. It's kind of like rush hour traffic in Los Angeles with a couple of wrecks on the highway. No-one intended it to take 3 hours to go 10 miles, it just turned out that way.

By no means am I at all wanting any of this to be negative. I fully believe that all will be fulfilled, that Steve is a great guy and in the end all will be resolved. I fully believe that.

But if business was ran by the logistics of a traffic jam......nothing would ever get done (that's called "good enough for government").

Why should someone have to pay a higher price for a 5 year old order? In fact, in most businesses if you were quoted a certain time and that was not upheld (indeed if it went YEARS over) you would be given a discount. 9/10 times it would be cancelled....and I hate to say it but I think there's no communication because if someone tried to cancel their order they might not receive it.

The very fact that orders from 2 years ago are being fulfilled before orders from 5 years ago is fairly unacceptable.
Even if there's some kind of logic to it, it's actually very unfair and a little unethical. The currrent hats are more expensive, and so they are fulfilled faster than the older hats that were cheaper? That just doesn't sound right in any light. Why doesn't everyone have a 5 year wait? How long can that kind of logic continue until it's a 10 year wait?

As I stated before, no piece of gear is worth waiting even 5 years for, I don't care who it's made by.

Anyways, when it's all said and done here's the short and long of it that is being repeated continually:

Your order will be fulfilled one day. Even though other's are getting their product they ordered 2 years ago, your order from 5 years ago will one day be fulfilled. So sit tight and stop complaining, even though you can't contact the vendor at all. He's a great guy.

i'd say, lock the thread at that, as I don't really think anyone is going to get anywhere with these threads. It's the same with the Wade Egan threads. Quality products, Quality work. Upstanding guys that keep taking orders despite all the unfortunate things that befall them which results in very long waits, and tremendous lack of communication.

I dont think we should lock the thread. If people have a difference of opinion while remaining entirely civil I think its great that we discuss it. Different strokes to move the world. Even if we disagree with each other, thats life. We cant put our heads in the sand. Threads like this help inexperienced gearheads like me by helping me learn about different vendors. I wanted a hat from the real maker even if it was from "the movie that shall not be named". (Sorry just a little humor). But now after I see these practices which are in all seriousness teetering on fraudulent, ive been scared away and I have good reason. $400 is NOT chump change and people are out that much and more. I certainly hope it gets resolved. But speaking from experience, as a guy who has seen all sorts of frauds, cheats, low lifes, and dregs every day at work..I would have most definitely had this reported and being looked at on SOME higher level. Now im not saying he is any of those words, thats not my place. Im just offering my practical experience in the matter. Please dont think I was implying those things. The fact that current hats are being made, and 5 year old orders ignored, I would say is 100% intentional.....again speaking from experience. Orders as we know, arent taken telepathically. He is communicating with new buys but not old ones. That is shady. Have any of you attempted to contact him under the guise of a "new customer"? Just because he made hats for a movie and was a member here doesnt give him a free pass to rip people off. Regardless of personal turmoil/events. Yea I am familiar with his story. Bottom lines NEW customers are being serviced and other paying customers IGNORED. Personally, I would have had the heat on this guy already. This is just me. If you dont like my opinion, well thats ok too! Like I said different strokes.

These are my personal opinions and dont reflect the opinion of my employer and any agencies I may be affiliated with.

Gentlemen we are dancing a very thin line here.

Illinois James, thanks for your comments.

AGAIN, if you don't have an order with Adventurebilt we ask you stay out of the conversation. Nothing that's been written here hasn't been said time and again. Steve's customers can make up their own minds as to what course of action they would like to take.

It's frustrating, I know, I have a hat on order.

We do allow these threads to be opened exactly for the reason ChrisMD mentioned, for new members to have access to information to make the best informed decision about how/where to spend their hard earned gear dollars.

Last chance with this one.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Well... so far it seems that no orders from 08 are being delivered, except the ones that pay extra.

When all of us read about Steve problems, I actually sent him an e-mail saying that I would be willing to pay the $250 usd difference to support him in some way and mmm... in order to "instead of loosing $400, spend $250 more and receive something".
I sent him an email saying that I was willing to pay him the extra, but in order to confirm that he received that email, I asked him to send me the paypal invoice for the $250 and still... I haven't received any info about him or my order...
What else can I do?
I'm afraid of sending him $250 and receive no response from him...

Still, I hope that this thread isn't shut down. I would like to hear any news from 2008 - 2009 customers.
Regards,
- Mike

Just to make sure everyone who reads this thread also sees the last post from Steve (quoted from the Vendor section):

Fedora wrote:Hello all. I am sure most of the fans here know I have suffered from cancer and have been really sick for a long time as we fought it. I have suffered like I did not know a human could suffer but it seems that I have it beat, I think. I am in remission. My immune system is still weak and I seem to catch everything that goes around and even a scratching a bump turns into a huge infection. I am now finally recovering from the flu with pneumonia which the flu turned into and have had to deal with that since Dec.

But this long illness has left me devastated financially which has effected the business of getting hats made on old orders. And so I am here with hat in hand begging for some help. I really need to sell 6 beaver hats in order to get the production moving again. And while I have pride I will accept charity too as I am in dire straits today. I have lost everything but my hat shop which is still on my mom's land. I live in a 30 ft camper, having lost my house but the only money that I owe are hospital bills, chemo bills and of course I owe people hats. I paid my utility bill this month but my water will be cut off the 20th of this month. My family basically can help me out no more and so I am appealing to you guys.

I went from being on top of the world with making the last Indy hat to almost dying and losing everything. My life insurance policy would have cleared up the old orders by refunds which would be handled by my daughter so no one would have lost a thing upon my death. My daughter has kept that paid up for me thankfully.

So if 6 people would please purchase a beaver hat real soon it would save me and I would get these made within 4 weeks as I have a huge cache of hat bodies bought several years ago when times were good and before I became ill.

I am a proud guy but I have had to lose that pride with this illness and so I will take charity if no one wants a hat. This is killing me to have to come here in this way but it is my last resort. I feel that if something does not happen to turn this around I very well could be charged with fraud or something similiar. I am frankly surprised it has not happened already, but being as sick as I was that was not my top worry. Living longer, or not dying was.

My email is sdelk@cableone.net if anyone can donate to old Fedora and I will thank you ahead of time. Also anyone that wants to email me you can do so at that address. You guys know my website so I won't post that.

I want to get back on top of things and gain some respectability again yet that will require some help from the fans, and I hope I am not asking too much. God Bless all of you and I hope this is a good year for all of us.

Oh, I have a cell phone, but no service right now. If I can sell 6 hats and get some charity help, I can get it on. My number is 662 570 5873 and I will post here when I get it on so if anyone wants to talk they can call me. I am not at the site phone number as that is my mom's phone and I no longer use it. Thanks! Steve Delk

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Dr. Nebraska S. wrote:Just to make sure everyone who reads this thread also sees the last post from Steve (quoted from the Vendor section):

Fedora wrote:Hello all. I am sure most of the fans here know I have suffered from cancer and have been really sick for a long time as we fought it. I have suffered like I did not know a human could suffer but it seems that I have it beat, I think. I am in remission. My immune system is still weak and I seem to catch everything that goes around and even a scratching a bump turns into a huge infection. I am now finally recovering from the flu with pneumonia which the flu turned into and have had to deal with that since Dec.

But this long illness has left me devastated financially which has effected the business of getting hats made on old orders. And so I am here with hat in hand begging for some help. I really need to sell 6 beaver hats in order to get the production moving again. And while I have pride I will accept charity too as I am in dire straits today. I have lost everything but my hat shop which is still on my mom's land. I live in a 30 ft camper, having lost my house but the only money that I owe are hospital bills, chemo bills and of course I owe people hats. I paid my utility bill this month but my water will be cut off the 20th of this month. My family basically can help me out no more and so I am appealing to you guys.

I went from being on top of the world with making the last Indy hat to almost dying and losing everything. My life insurance policy would have cleared up the old orders by refunds which would be handled by my daughter so no one would have lost a thing upon my death. My daughter has kept that paid up for me thankfully.

So if 6 people would please purchase a beaver hat real soon it would save me and I would get these made within 4 weeks as I have a huge cache of hat bodies bought several years ago when times were good and before I became ill.

I am a proud guy but I have had to lose that pride with this illness and so I will take charity if no one wants a hat. This is killing me to have to come here in this way but it is my last resort. I feel that if something does not happen to turn this around I very well could be charged with fraud or something similiar. I am frankly surprised it has not happened already, but being as sick as I was that was not my top worry. Living longer, or not dying was.

My email is sdelk@cableone.net if anyone can donate to old Fedora and I will thank you ahead of time. Also anyone that wants to email me you can do so at that address. You guys know my website so I won't post that.

I want to get back on top of things and gain some respectability again yet that will require some help from the fans, and I hope I am not asking too much. God Bless all of you and I hope this is a good year for all of us.

Oh, I have a cell phone, but no service right now. If I can sell 6 hats and get some charity help, I can get it on. My number is 662 570 5873 and I will post here when I get it on so if anyone wants to talk they can call me. I am not at the site phone number as that is my mom's phone and I no longer use it. Thanks! Steve Delk

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This is NOT meant to be derogatory in ANY way toward anyone. But tough answers come from tough questions. Has anyone been able to personally verify Steve's story of illness and financial trouble? Again, I'm not a cold heartless person but this is what I do. "Trust but verify" in these situations is prudent. Large amounts of money like this frequently go missing and the usually story is something like this. NOT IMPLYING! Just sharing first hand knowledge of similar situations. If he has indeed fallen on hard times that is very sad and I hope things bounce back for him as a person and a very talented hatter. Either way, I'll be praying for him and hoping for the best.

All my best regards, and thanks everyone or understanding that I am not bashing, just trying to weigh all options.

ChrisMD, unless you have ordered a hat from Steve, or have been 'assigned to this case' , best just to heed the advice of others and leave this subject for those who have a stake in this. Raising questions about Steve's condition does no good, and is out of line. We have our own law enforcement around these parts in the form of moderators.

Just poking my head in and thought I'd post my order status:

Nov. 2007 Raiders "Drunken Monkey" Beaver AB - Received Jun. 2012
May 2008 CS "Grey Train" Beaver AB - Not yet received

I'm getting married this upcoming October 18th and have been praying it will arrive before the big day ...I'd love to wear it my grey tweed suit

Cheers!
-Z

EDIT: In retrospect, this is off topic. I have taken what I wanted to say to PMs. Let's keep this thread tidy, and keep it open.

there are other people here who claim to know Steve personally and seem very confident that his illnesses and misfortunes have been real][

Unless someone wants to launch an official investigation, that's the best we have to go by. Like you, it's good enough for me considering all that Steve has done for this hobby over the years. It is beneficial to know some back story on the subject before asking for medical records or actual documentation that the guy is battling an illness, because for some, apparently, that's what it's going to take to get closure. Nobody is beyond reproach, but I feel Steve has plead his case.

lingarn wrote:

TenuredProfessor wrote:Raising questions about Steve's condition does no good, and is out of line.

I don't think that is true or fair.

I have no idea what your experience has been, but it is a fact that other vendors in similar situations have lied about health problems, deaths in the family, and all sorts of other problems to escape honoring their obligations. To say that someone who has failed to deliver their product for 5 years and won't communicate with his paid customers is automatically beyond reproach or suspicion is entirely unreasonable, especially when talking to someone who is genuinely ASKING, not IMPLYING anything.

To answer the question, there are other people here who claim to know Steve personally and seem very confident that his illnesses and misfortunes have been real. In this instance, given the people involved, that is sufficient for me.

This is sufficent for me as well. I believe Steve and believe that he will deliver his product. Maybe he could just have one of us from COW help him out to just answer his emails. I think that's all anyone really wants is an update. So far everyone seems to be willing to accept the wait time.

I understand that there are still members here that have paid and are still awaiting a hat from Steve. I can only imagine what you're going through. $500 is a lot of money, I don't care who you are. Unfortunately folks that don't have an outstanding order want to pull the tiger's tail so I'm closing this thread.

And no, no one here in the Admin or Mod department have heard from Steve, since his last post.


To you guys with outstanding orders, I hope you hear something soon and your hat arrives. Unfortunately we have no part in his business and can't speak for him, nor speak to him.


-The Dude