beware your little home shop

[Steven Licata]

I just got slandered big time. check out wht happend to me cbs news new york "Death for sale"

[Jeremy Krammes]

That pisses me off!!! The only reason they are picking on you is because your stuff is "evil" looking. If you were making kitchen knives your neighbors probably wouldn't even know about it. You also live in what I view as the comunist state of NJ. You guys have some of the strangest laws I have ever herd. If your not breaking any laws, there should be no problems...

Jeremy

[DimeNickel]

Hi Steven

let me get this straight.... they are coming after you for making knives????
what ever happen to having freedom?
what business is it of theirs anyhow... this sucks whale...!!

once this PC crowd gets on someone back..... next thing you know they are banning something...

G

-- I just fired a email complaint off to CBS....

[Mark Williams]

I just read your article on Death for sale. I must say that Your coverage was typical retoric designed to scare people.I hate you and all that you stand for. Putting a spin on peoples fears is what lowlife scum like you thrive on. I hope there are no sharp pointy objects in Your homes, you might back into a knife and stab your brain. You should probably file down your teeth, they could hurt someone. More people are attacked with teeth than knives you friggin idiots. the crap you spew is killing the spirit of this Country. I hope that if you should happen to be the unfortunate victim of violence, that you have a nice soft cuddly teady bear to defend yourself with. You make me sick. The editors and reporters of this story are shameful whores. You should be on trial for spreading missconseptions and fear. Get a real story about the corruption of values lead by the charge of crap mongers like you. I will never watch anything that you sponsor ever again. I hope you rot in hell.


this is what I just sent to these a -holes

Mark

[Bill Vining]

Is there a link where where can send an email? I think this is totaly ridiculous. Zeroing in on Steve is uncalled for.

[TexasJack]

Did you look at the bottom of the CBS page - at the list of past "investigations"? One is titled, "Seat belts that Kill"!!!

These are people who think Stephen King stories are real.

Having frozen my butt off near Syracuse for a couple years - and that area is considered to be radically conservative compared to other parts of NY - I can only tell you that I'm not surprised. I remember when they stopped a guy for DWI, then arrested him for carrying a weapon in the car. The weapon? A softball bat. Why it in the car? He was on his way home from playing softball.

In Texas, news coverage like this would probably boost your business. (Which explains in a small way why I moved back home and am Happy-Happy to be her.)

As to the "news business", the first time you are "quoted" in a news article is the last time you will believe what you see in the news. It is 100% about what is sensational and 0% about the truth.

You have a job - in fact, your own business - you pay taxes, you don't bother anybody, people respect the quality of the product you turn out, you pay attention to your kid - Yup, you sound pretty dangerous to me!!

Change your name to Bin Laden and claim that they're being unfair to you and that should get you back on their 'good' list ASAP.

You have my sympathy and my prayers, amigo!

[Mark Williams]

Look over on the left margin, there is a "Contact Us" link. This makes me so mad I can hardly stand it. If there wasn't fear of what happens in the afterlife, there would be a lot of heads on sticks in my yard.

[J.Arthur Loose]

I would like to comment on the recent "Death for Sale," story. I am a full-time, self-employed artist/bladesmith much like Mr. Licata. I have a BFA in Metalsmithing & Jewelry from Maine College of Art. The salacious nature of your article is doing a craftsman serious harm. The title of the story alone sets a stage for slander: just how much "Death," has Mr. Licata sold? Has *any* of his work caused anyone physical harm? Mr. Licata's work plays with concepts of "scary-looking," with its curves and angles, and for that you have decided to get some cheap ratings at the potential expense of Mr. Licata's livelihood. Yet Mr. Licata's work sells for amounts of money that clearly indicate they are collector's items and NEVER to be used in a fight. Honestly, as far as dangerous edged weapons go, Mr. Licata's work wouldn't hold up very well in a real fight: there are many weak points in the curves and angles and opportunities for the holder to get hurt if held carelessly. In short, they are not "weapons". I have had the pleasure of having Mr. Licata next to my table at the New York Custom Knife Show, and I can assure you that "weapons," are not allowed to be sold in NYC.

I don't know if Mr. Licata is a member, but please take the time to visit the American Bladesmith Society at www.americanbladesmith.com to get a better understanding of our craft. You might also take the time to read either Blade Magazine or Knives Illustrated to get a better idea of what constitutes a weapon and what constitutes high craft & art. We make knives of all kinds, from gentleman's folding knives, to knives a rescue worker might use to get you out of a car in an emergency. We make kitchen knives and we also make knives to accompany soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. Take the time to understand which knives are used for what purposes and you might come to understand why Mr. Licata's knives would simply never get used to harm anyone.



That's what I wrote. Now I remember why I live in the middle of the woods...

[Wulf]

Very well put, J.

This pathetic excuse for journalism begins with one of the most ridiculous lines I have ever read in a news outlet. "A CBS 2 investigation has uncovered some of the deadliest weapons imaginable on sale..."

Deadliest weapons imaginable?

Have they been to their local hardware store lately? Or perhaps a cooking supply store? Have they watched the home shopping network lately?

"Deadliest weapons imaginable..." Unbelievable, the lengths to which they will go for a cheap rhetorical effect.

[Wulf]

Here's what I wrote:

"Your item, entitled "Weapons for Sale," states in its very first line that "A CBS 2 investigation has uncovered some of the deadliest weapons imaginable on sale."

Either the writer doesn't have much of an imagination, or you're really stretching for cheap rhetorical effect. This is sensationalism at its worst, and you have claimed as your victim a talented artist and craftsman.

This isn't news. This isn't journalism. It's pompous, dishonest, overwrought tabloidism. It's also a perfect example of why you are losing the support and viewership of informed, objective-minded individuals like myself.

If you're interested in more deadly weapons for sale, please be sure to stop in to your local hardware store, kitchen supply store, home improvement center, or gun shop."

[Bob Warner]

Knives, like guns do not kill people, people do.

I am willing to bet none of these "Weapons" ever killed anyone but a couple of box cutters killed over 3000 people on 9/11. Seems to me that more dangerous things (box cutters) can be bought at the hardware store, 7-11, circle K and any mom and pop operation out there.

Must be a boring place and the local news team needs something to stir up the community so they can justify their existance.

[fitzo]

This is typical news-speak, as inflammatory, mis-leading, and despicable as most of the processes of power in the US, not at all unlike the manipulations of political government. The media, as corporate entities, are even more immune from proper truthfulness than federal government. Like all big-money powers, "we the people" are hamstrung to right the wrongs of power and essentially unable to change it; we can only hope that in the long run, Americans with some sense will see through the veil they attempt to cast. That's a tall order, expecting the majority of people to have some common sense, as evidenced by the commentary of Steven's neighbors. "There's a school nearby." Well, maybe the things they are doing in their bedrooms should be classified as pornography within the neighborhood of a school, also, if we want to be silly! As if he was out there standing on a corner selling kids $1200 swords like a freakin crack dealer! How in the heck can you fight the absolute stupidity of your neighbors. Unfortunately, with 330million people in this country, there is a whole bunch of stupid in the gene pool.

Last night, in the Chicago NBC newscast, there was a report of a stabbing death with a kitchen knife. Did the onscreen logo show a kitchen knife? Of course not. It showed a tactical folder. Typical biased psychological conditioning by the media. As they say, "there oughtta be a law".

I'm rambling, and apologize. I'm disgusted by this kind of crap. We are "proud to be Americans", but this kind of thing points out that while there's a lot to be proud of, there's a lot that isn't.

Steven, I truly hope some sense will prevail for you. I would remind, that, if it becomes a legal battle, to remember that you are allowed to produce "prototypes" as a DESIGN company. A sharpie legal raptor should be able to counsel you on this. Good luck, bud!

[Slart]

Probably the most effective thing to do is contact their advertisers. Tell them you won't buy their product because they support such a slanderous, bottom-feeding web site/tv program.

When companies start pulling ads, they'll find out why.

[goldenbolster]

There are quite a few of us here if we all band together we have a pretty loud voice. Send them an email tell them what you think then hit the advertisers maybe we can make a dent, no matter how small it may be. Just a thought. Hang in there Steven.


Stephen Reed

[GANNMADE]

what a bunch of dumb @%$&*$#@'s If I want to kill some one i'm not going to buy a $1200 handmade art piece to do it. I'll get a$5.00 THROWAWAY.Ohhh that ticks me off The media
are a bunch of slug eating vultures.They want to jack the common man income up so they can justify their jobs
they make me sick.