# Issues with Craig Steven's product?



## ecchef (Mar 7, 2015)

Anybody else have issues with Steven's product?

I just received a pair of scales that are way different what he depicted in his listing. The pattern is the same, so I know it's the right product, but the color is completely unlike what he showed. Supposed to be a deep blood red with deep orange flames...what I got was some kind of washed out cabernet red with babyshit colored flames. Just awful.

This is the second time I feel his products haven't lived up to his claims. The first pair I got were supposed to be a vivid purplie/magenta color with well defined black spalting. After installation, it turned out to be some muddy looking purple-ish color that's so dark the spalting gets lost.

Am I the only one experiencing this? I've never had this issue with any other wood vendor.


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## Eric (Mar 7, 2015)

No, I have the same issue. His images don't accurately reflect what I see when I get the product. Even after I wet the product with thine r or water. Ms tick with mark at burl source. What you see is what you get.


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## ecchef (Mar 7, 2015)

Thanks. So then, why does his stuff command such high prices? 

FWIW, His pic vs. my (unretouched) pic:


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## chinacats (Mar 7, 2015)

Yours is unretouched...I may question his. I've never purchased from him before and now I definitely never will.


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## chefcomesback (Mar 7, 2015)

I haven't used his products yet but I know they are seen as premium , can it be due to the lighting set up of the pictures taken rather than editing them?


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## ecchef (Mar 7, 2015)

I dunno Chef...but don't ya think he would compare the photos to the actual items before he listed them? The pics I posted are markedly different from each other. 
I don't know crap about photoshop or photography in general, so my pic is very accurate to the actual item colors. No enhancing there.

Like Eric mentioned above, I haven't run into this thing with KKF vendors ever.


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## apicius9 (Mar 7, 2015)

He may overdo it with saturation and contrast settings. Doesn't he take things back if you don't like them? I have not bought from Craig in quite a while. Never had any issues but I also did not go for the high color items, except a few blue ones that came as I expected them. At least his stabilization is good, but if you don't like the colors that will not help much... 

Stefan


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## Eric (Mar 7, 2015)

I definitely won't buy his stuff anymore. He does offer returns, but it is such a pain to return a 30.00 set of scales. As a consumer I want the images posted to reflect what the item actually looks like in person!!


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## Dave Martell (Mar 8, 2015)

I won't use his wood anymore. I've been burnt by warping, buckling, and cracking not to mention the pictures never matching up to the actual product. I class him in with all the rest of the ebay wood sellers I've had the misfortune of dealing with and they're all off limits for my work.


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## pkjames (Mar 8, 2015)

imo it's almost not possible to have a "true" representation of wood, given everyone has different lighting set up, monitor set up, etc. Worse is, if everyone does a bit of retouching, you are almost forced to do so or your product would never sell.

I thought of selling timber but because of this, I figured this is a bit out of my comfort zone.


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## icanhaschzbrgr (Mar 8, 2015)

I would try to add some oil (or at least water) on the scales and shoot under sun light. I guess you'll see something very similar to the photos that Craig has made.


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## ecchef (Mar 8, 2015)

They came coated on one side with some kind of clear coat; that's the side you're seeing. Tried water on the uncoated side; nothing magical happened.
The point is not to replicate his creative photography, but to separate fact from fiction.


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## mkriggen (Mar 8, 2015)

I've purchased just a few blanks from Craig, and haven't experienced any problems. Because of the prices his pieces demand, I generally only go for ones that really stick out, and that I already have something in mind for. I haven't had any warping or cracking problems, but I only buy blanks. I imagine it would be a larger issue for scales.

Be well,
Mikey


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## ThEoRy (Mar 8, 2015)

I've bought many scales and blocks from Craig with no issues. I have read complaints about the images not being the same as the final product but I haven't experienced this.


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## Anton (Mar 8, 2015)

I've used his products 2-3 times and more or less pictures were accurate. No issues with the woods and have produced some nice products. 

Here is one of them. Harner on far left


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## jaybett (Mar 8, 2015)

There are a dizzying array of variables in photography. All of them will have an effect on the out come of a photo, from the light to the equipment to the post production software to even the screen that the image is viewed on. 

The difference between photos could be as simple as lighting to some post production work was done. It would be hard to figure out what caused the difference. 

Jay


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## ecchef (Mar 10, 2015)

Epilogue: After berating me for giving him an unsat review, Craig threatened to block me from all further bidding on his stuff.

Gee, I hope I can sleep tonight....


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## Anton (Mar 10, 2015)

ecchef said:


> Epilogue: After berating me for giving him an unsat review, Craig threatened to block me from all further bidding on his stuff.
> 
> Gee, I hope I can sleep tonight....



If he sees it that way, maybe you'll sleep better.

Too bad. But that's what feedback/reviews are for


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## JBroida (Mar 10, 2015)

someone just needs to teach him about white balance and how to use a grey card... problem solved


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## Fritzkrieg (Mar 10, 2015)

JBroida said:


> someone just needs to teach him about white balance and how to use a grey card... problem solved



Also customer service - which I'm sure you could school him on


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## chinacats (Mar 10, 2015)

JBroida said:


> someone just needs to teach him about white balance and how to use a grey card... problem solved



The problem 'may' be that he understands these perfectly...


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