BEWARE: Mike S. MR PREDICTA. REPLICA ROCKETEER BUCKLES!

ATTENTION ALL BOARD MEMBERS: BEWARE OF MIKE S. aka MR. PREDICTA. ROCKETEER RELATED.

***REPLICA METAL ROCKETEER BUCKLES ARE FLOATING AROUND WITHOUT BEING STATED THEY ARE REPLICAS***

***The Mods have been aware of this and gave me permission to post this info on this board.***

I'm sure a lot of you are aware that the lower harness buckle on the Rocketeer pack is one of the rarest pieces in the prop world. There are only a handful of them known and most are all screen used pieces. This is what I'm talking about:


Screen used ones have gone for upwards of $2400+. They VERY rarely come up for sale and are impossible to locate due the lack of available information on the Manufacturer, date and location of where it was made, and what it was used for. Some information has been found and released that it was made in Germany after WWII for aircraft harnesses.


***For those of you who don't want to read all the emails and PM's, I have a recap in the next post.***

Now onto my story.

Some of you know I have been working on a Rocketeer costume for the past couple of years, here is the thread I've been doing in the costume forum:
http://therpf.com/showthread.php?t=29351

Mike S. aka Mr. Predicta here on this board and on others is known as a seller of Rocketeer Jackets and is involved with most of the main players in the Rocketeer community that own Screen Used Costumes and props from the film.

In Feb. Mike Scott aka Mr. Predicta had an ebay auction for a lower buckle,
No where in that auction did it state it is in FACT a REPLICA fan made buckle! I bid on it and lost.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=160317405845



On Feb 28th, Mike Scott (Mr. Predicta) PM'ed me here on the RPF asking if I want one, no mention of a replica:


I of course thinking he was being an awesome guy in the community for offering one to me, I naturally jumped at buying it, because who knew when I'd get another chance! I replied and said YES!

I get this reply that sounds like he's going to TRY and get another one from his source (who ends up being a friend that produced the replicas), sounds a bit difficult and not too sure if he can still get one! And offers it to me for $650 + s/h:


Another PM to tell me that Mike is still tying (from his friend that really produced them), no mention it's a replica.


And another PM! And he's got me! Hook, line and sinker! Now he claims to have gotten another one from his "source" and wants to email me. No mention of a replica.


Picture of the buckle he wants to send to me, no mention of a replica. *Looking at that picture now, I'm not sure it's same buckle he sent to me, it's missing the casting blob on the clasp part, there's a picture of mine further down with it circled. Yeah it has a recent date on the paper, but that just means he now had multiples, and he did mention getting "buckles" as in plural from his "source".



I reply back to mike (Mr. Predicta( asking if it's "new old stock" meaning original but never used. It looks to be in great shape!


Mike's (Mr. Predicta) reply, saying it looks to be in perfect working condition. No mention of it being a replica.


I sent my $650 + s/h off to him and within a few days in came in the mail. My email to Mike (Mr. Predicta)


Mike's (Mr. Predicta) reply. Again no mention of it being a replica. And doesn't know where they came from. (even though his "source" is in fact a friend who replicated them.)


Here is the buckle I received:


I posted this on my costume thread, because I was insanely happy to actually get my hands on one! Until, another board member, CirrusX1, posted that he thought the buckle I received was a Replica buckle and not a real one.


I email Clint (Acme studios) and Bob (Rocketbobs) to see if they can shed any light on this, I bought my Rocket kit from Clint (Acme Studios); and Bob (Rocketbobs) is another well known Rocketeer collector that was very helpful when I had questions, so I thought he might have some info too since his name was mentioned.


So I emailed Mike (Mr. Predicta) about it. Asking what he knew of replica buckles being made and if he had any info on what Cirrusx1 said.


Mike's (Mr. Predicta")s reply, READ THIS ONE REAL WELL AND REMEMBER WHAT HE SAYS! Mike claims not to know anyone that has produced replicas (Lie!) and that it's way too expensive to make them. I should be happy I have one and who cares where it came from... Still no mention it's a replica or that his "source" indeed spent the money and had them produced.


Ok, so Mike (Mr. Predicta) has officially said "...as far as he knows, no one has been able to replicate the buckle..." and doesn't think that his source has the money to make it happen. LIE!!!!!!!!!

Cirrusx1 PM's me after seeing my pictures, I underlined the important sentence, Cirrusx1 spots the tells and knows it's a replica.


Here Cirrusx1 mentions it might be from a casting he did awhile ago from an original buckle- more info will be shared further down:


My reply to Mike (Mr. Predicta), about Cirrusx1's PM's concerning Clint (Acme) making replicas.


Another PM from Cirrusx1, stating again that the buckle I bought from Mike (Mr. Predicta) is a replica.


Bob (Rocketbobs) emails me back and confirms replicas have indeed been made, but hasn't held one yet.


My Reply to Bob (Rocketbobs) trying to get more info on the replicas that were made.


On the Finhead Forum I get a PM from a member stating he purchased a buckle recently also, and it looks just like mine. His source ends up being John B. (who is linked to Clint and Bob supports that info).


Clint (ACME STUDIO) replied back, I edited out the amounts, since that's Clint's own business and I don't feel it's right to share. CLINT CONFIRMS MAKING METAL REPLICA BUCKLES, and CONFIRMS GIVING/SELLING SEVERAL TO MIKE SCOTT (MR. PREDICTA).
*ALSO CLICK HERE, IT'S EASIER TO READY http://images49.fotki.com/v1460/file...329/clint1.jpg


My reply to Clint (ACME STUDIO). to let him know that Mike (Mr. Predicta) sold a replica buckle to me without stating the fact, and has sold others the same way.
*CLICK HERE TO READ IT EASIER* http://images47.fotki.com/v1472/file...9/toclint2.jpg


Clint's (ACME STUDIO) reply; At first I wasn't blaming Clint for Mike's actions, but in his reply he basically agreed with what Mike was doing and didn't seem like he thought anything was wrong. And that if they went ahead and sold the buckles openly and to the boards publicly for less money, which has already happened in a ebay offer, I'm out of luck, and $650. He did offer a refund, but that doesn't fix what Mike is and has done.
* CLICK HERE TO READ IT EASIER* http://images49.fotki.com/v1459/file...329/clint2.jpg


The member from the Finhead board looked at pictures of my buckle and the one he has that he bought from John B., who claimed to have found a box of 3 buckles in a hardware store (happens to be a friend of Clint), matched both of ours up. They share several differences that the real ones don't seem to have: the amount of surface texture, lack of boldness in the Tree stamp- ours looks to be cast in, instead of stamped in like a real one and the 2 missing holes on the side of the rectangle box.


My buckle also has a casting "blob", which I've circled.


Another PM from the above Finhead board member, he asked to keep his name out. He feels his buckle matches up with mine and that the buckle he bought from John B. (friend of Clint) is a replica and did not come from the box of originals that John B. claims to have found in a hardware store and was lead to believe where his buckle came from.
*CLICK HERE TO READ IT EASIER http://images46.fotki.com/v1433/file...7396329/m2.jpg


Another PM from same the Finhead board member about his thoughts on the replica buckles and John B connection with Clint (Acme).
*CLICK HERE TO READ IT EASIER* http://images46.fotki.com/v1433/file...7396329/m3.jpg


One more from the same member of the Finhead forum, telling me he will be sending me an email that has Mike (Mr. Predicta) saying he's replicated the buckles. *I haven't gotten this email yet, I will post this once I get it.*
http://images49.fotki.com/v1460/file...96329/mPM2.jpg




Mike (Mr Predicta) has another ebay auction that ended the other day. STILL NO MENTION OF IT BEING A REPLICA!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=160324127505



Some one that knows about what I've be dealing with, contacted Mike (Mr. Preditca) about the ebay auction:



I boxed in Mike's (Mr Predicta's) response in the Ebay communication


...so NOW he states it's a fan made replica in a private email BUT NOT in the auction, of course this is after the fact that I had called him out privately days before and is probably trying to do damage control. AND to top it off, he's charging this guy $250 LESS than what he charged me! WHAT THE HELL???

Oh and to top it off, Mike (Mr. Predicta) has finally replied to me, and basically BLAMED ME that he was "too busy with work" to find out if the buckles he got from Clint (Acme), which are rarer than anything in the hobby, are real or not and that Clint didn't say anything to the fact. Nice way to throw Clint under the train and put all the blame on everyone but you Mike!
*CLICK HERE TO READ IT EASIER* http://images44.fotki.com/v1467/file...9/mikelast.jpg



*CONTINUES BELOW*

Jeff

First, my disclaimers: I'm not an avid Rocketeer fan though I do have a few pieces in my collection. Second, I didn't know the buckle was THAT rare but I knew they were difficult to come by. Third, I have absolutely no dog in this fight. Lastly, I do not know you or any of the players, I would just like to offer an outsiders opinion.

I do not feel this is banworthy. Not even close.

From all I read, I feel his only offense is omitting information. If you were so concerned about this being a replica, why didn't you simply ask him in the many exchanges you had with him? You certainly had plenty of opportunity. It sounds to me that you were so excited to get a buckle it never crossed your mind to ask.
Your problem.
You paid too much? Too bad. That's his price which he can set at whatever he wants. At the end of the day it's your money. If it's too expensive don't buy it. So he sold it to someone else cheaper. So? Why is that YOUR concern? I can't believe you got a refund! I wouldn't have given you one.
To be completely honest, he's providing buckles, though replicas, that many are in desperate need of so to me he's even being a productive member to the community by offering a rare item that many wouldn't have at all if not for him.
No, the guy is no saint. My mother used to tell me that by omitting information is still considered a lie. I agree. He should openly state that this is a replica. Problem is, he doesn't HAVE to. If you want to know if it's an orginal piece, ask before you purchase. You didn't and now you're crying about it. If you WOULD have asked and he said that the piece was 100% orginal and absolutely not a replica, then that's a different story.
Just because you don't like how this sale went due to lack of research on your part does not constitute a banning.

Funky Jedi said:

---

If you want to know if it's an orginal piece, ask before you purchase. You didn't and now you're crying about it.

actually he did,but the man provided him with a different picture

pappy1182 said:

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actually he did,but the man provided him with a different picture

qfe

And I DID ask him if it was "new" old stock meaning REAL, in my pms with him before I purchased it. I asked him that twice. He had ample time to say it was a replica.

I DID do my research on this. Problem is, they kept the knowledge of replicas so quiet, only 3-4 people in THIER INNER CIRCLE knew about them. NO ONE HAS EVER POSTED PUBLICLY THAT METAL REPLICAS HAVE EVER BEEN MADE!

- Jeff

Jeff, there's a lot of info there, so forgive me if this question has already been answered in your first post: do you have strong evidence that Mike knew they were replicas?

It seems he was brokering them for Clint, but that doesn't prove he knew where Clint got them from?

And yes I believe I'm allowed to be upset that he charged me $650, $250 MORE than what he's charging now that he's been caught lying.

Why would he charge more to some one he knows has already dropped $1,000+ with his friend Clint for the rocket kit, and is involved with the Rocketeer community. And then offers it for $400 to someone who isn't? He knows I've been building a costume, he OWNS MY PROTOTYPE GAUNTLETS that I made.

He has YET to actually tell me YES it is a replica. He's blaming Clint, his friend.

- Jeff

Mike, Clint, Bob and a couple others are all connected in the Screen Used Rocketeer community. When one of their names comes up, the rest are usually attached. They are all friends. Clint and Mike were together in person when Clint gave them to Mike. Mike said so.

These buckles are rarer than rare... if some one give you 5 or more, even just 1, you're gonna straight out ask where it came from. You really can't believe that it JUST slipped Clint's mind. And Clint says that with his $X,XXX investment into them, he asked Mike to sell them for him. Soooo.... Mike had to know at that point. To help get some money back from the project.

Clint made them, over 100.

-Jeff

do you have strong evidence that Mike knew they were replicas?

Here's one, I'm still waiting on the email, he's been a bit busy:



And that Clint told him.

- Jeff

Did it state, anywhere in the e-Bay postings, that these buckles were "original" or "new old stock"? Did the seller state that in response to any e-Bay buyer questions?

Can it be proven, first hand, that the seller knew these buckles were repops?

Here's more proof that Mike is connected to Clint and he knew replica buckles were being made. This an email to the person on the Finhead forum.



Right there Mike mentions that "WE" had fabricated replicas, as in Mike and Clint.

You guys need any more proof that Mike knew he was selling Replicas that his group made, even though he told me none were ever made?

- Jeff

It does seem that he knew.

Well, what more proof do you need? Clint, said he made 150 of them, gave some to Mike to sell, Mike said "we" as in being a partner to Clint. Mike said in that last email that "we just had the main buckle for the harness fabricated". The argument of him not knowing is total BS. He was well aware the buckle he sold to me was a replica and lied about it, saying none have been made.

- Jeff

I've been getting some PMs due to the length of all the emails and PM's I posted above, and people asking for proof that Mike (Mr Predicta) lied to me.

Here are excerpts of Mike's and my replies back and forth, and at the end it includes an excerpt of an email between a Finhead board member and Mike (Mr. Predicta) about Mike's knowledge of the replicas in Feb., before he contacted me.

March 15th
Jeff to Mike

"Is the spring and locking mechanism still nice and tight? I'll be using it for my costume, so I do need one that functions right. It looks like it's basically new "old stock", great condition!:"

March 15th
Mike to Jeff

"the buckle looks like its in perfect working condition..."

March 24th
Jeff to Mike

"It looks like it's brand new, are they still making them or was a box of unused goods found?"

March 25th
Mike to Jeff

"Im not sure what the story is around this piece but it looks like the real deal and I for one have been trying to find a source for these for a decade so I dont care where its from just as long as I get one"

March 27th
Jeff to Mike

"Hey Mike, Are you aware that the buckle might be a replica?"

March 27th
Mike to Jeff

"hey jeff, as far as I know no one has been able to replicate this buckle the cost to do a faithful piece has always been less out of reach like 10-20 grand .If it is a replica its the best one ever I have gone over it with my buddys and it looked perfect to me ...... I dont think my source has that kind of capitol to do a run like this but I guess its possible it came from somewhere else but then again why are they not coming out of the wood work left and right?"

March 30th
Clint (ACME STUDIOS) (Mike's friend/associate) to Jeff

[FONT=Verdana]"... I decided to get a production run made. It ended up costing over $X,XXX. to have 150 of them manufactured.... I asked Mike to try and sell some of them for me"[/FONT]

And more proof that Mike knew about the Replica buckles being made BEFORE he contacted me, this is from an email between a Finhead board member and Mike in Feb!

Feb. 26
Mike's email to a Finhead forum member

"[FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]We are working on the Harness and the gauntlets ,price to be determined. we just had the main buckle for the harness fabricated so this will move the harness to the next level which I hope to have stock by spring."[/COLOR][/FONT]

So.. you guys still have any doubts that Mike was lying to me about the buckle? I asked him TWICE if it was new "old stock" and also flat out asked if it was a replica. Mike had at least 3 chances to come clean and just say yes. But he didn't.

- Jeff

I don't have a dog in this fight. However, I have to agree - from where I stand, the specific words he used in his communications to you do seem deceptive and evasive.

However, and not to disparage any of the allegations you make, I think we all know there's at least three sides to every story. I for one am really hoping to see Mike stand up and explain his side here.

OK, interesting read.

Now before you went on a rant did you, ask for your money back becasue you were not happy with the piece?

Did you tell Mike that you did not want a replica buckle to go on your replica harness and found out that this was a replica and wanted your money back?

Before you went posting all over the place and ripped Mike a new one, did you ask for your money back? You see were this is going?

WHY THE HELL DID YOU NOT ASK FOR YOUR MONEY BACK!

Or maybe you are the one who needs to wave his hands in the air and say "Look at me I need attention".
George

I see where its going and it sounds like you being an apologist for someone else's deceptive behavior. Apparently in YOUR book its ok to be deceptive as long as, when you get caught, you pay the money back.
As a newbie with a low post count Im pretty sure that this is not the impression you want to be making. I dont know you nor (to my knowledge have I ever done business with you) but your post just raised several red flags.
You seem, from the antagonism of your post, to have some sort of stake, financial or personal, in this so Im curious to know what it is.
IMHO it is GLARINGLY apparent that this was purposeful deception and the silence from the 'other' side (with the exception of one low post count newb ) is deafening and could be ultimately damning.
Somebody wanted replica buckles made for their own use and figured they could get customers to offset the price but figured at the price they could only do it if they were deceptive as to the origin of the pieces: "What they dont know wont hurt them". Well, that should be up to the customer to decide.
Back when my family was in the jewelry business there was a competing store across the street who would 'appraise' old blue haired ladies diamonds. He would then offer them a deal on 'setting them' . Well, what he would do is replace the real thing with fakes. On occasion the old ladies (or their children) would have another jeweler appraise the pieces only to find they had been 'switched'. They would complain at which point the jeweler would feign ignorance and offer a refund. His offer of a refund did not change the fact that he lied and stole. He played the odds figuring most of these old ladies would die without finding out and their estates wouldnt know why grandma had a pair of CZ earrings.
Utinni appears to have asked the right questions and the correspondence shows a pattern of deceptive behavior, evasive answers and the 'sin of omission'.
The question here isnt about whether or not these are quality pieces. If someone is building an OWK saber and is offered a grenade for $600 in the belief that it is real...well, its the same thing. It may be a great replica but if he's trying to do a buildup with ORIGINAL pieces he has the right to know ESPECIALLY at that price.

Onigiri said:

---

I see where its going and it sounds like you being an apologist for someone else's deceptive behavior. Apparently in YOUR book its ok to be deceptive as long as, when you get caught, you pay the money back.
As a newbie with a low post count Im pretty sure that this is not the impression you want to be making. I dont know you nor (to my knowledge have I ever done business with you) but your post just raised several red flags.
You seem, from the antagonism of your post, to have some sort of stake, financial or personal, in this so Im curious to know what it is.
IMHO it is GLARINGLY apparent that this was purposeful deception and the silence from the 'other' side (with the exception of one low post count newb ) is deafening and could be ultimately damning.
Somebody wanted replica buckles made for their own use and figured they could get customers to offset the price but figured at the price they could only do it if they were deceptive as to the origin of the pieces: "What they dont know wont hurt them". Well, that should be up to the customer to decide.
Back when my family was in the jewelry business there was a competing store across the street who would 'appraise' old blue haired ladies diamonds. He would then offer them a deal on 'setting them' . Well, what he would do is replace the real thing with fakes. On occasion the old ladies (or their children) would have another jeweler appraise the pieces only to find they had been 'switched'. They would complain at which point the jeweler would feign ignorance and offer a refund. His offer of a refund did not change the fact that he lied and stole. He played the odds figuring most of these old ladies would die without finding out and their estates wouldnt know why grandma had a pair of CZ earrings.
Utinni appears to have asked the right questions and the correspondence shows a pattern of deceptive behavior, evasive answers and the 'sin of omission'.
The question here isnt about whether or not these are quality pieces. If someone is building an OWK saber and is offered a grenade for $600 in the belief that it is real...well, its the same thing. It may be a great replica but if he's trying to do a buildup with ORIGINAL pieces he has the right to know ESPECIALLY at that price.

Amen brotha!

Onigiri said:

---

I see where its going and it sounds like you being an apologist for someone else's deceptive behavior. Apparently in YOUR book its ok to be deceptive as long as, when you get caught, you pay the money back.
As a newbie with a low post count Im pretty sure that this is not the impression you want to be making. I dont know you nor (to my knowledge have I ever done business with you) but your post just raised several red flags.
You seem, from the antagonism of your post, to have some sort of stake, financial or personal, in this so Im curious to know what it is.
IMHO it is GLARINGLY apparent that this was purposeful deception and the silence from the 'other' side (with the exception of one low post count newb ) is deafening and could be ultimately damning.
Somebody wanted replica buckles made for their own use and figured they could get customers to offset the price but figured at the price they could only do it if they were deceptive as to the origin of the pieces: "What they dont know wont hurt them". Well, that should be up to the customer to decide.
Back when my family was in the jewelry business there was a competing store across the street who would 'appraise' old blue haired ladies diamonds. He would then offer them a deal on 'setting them' . Well, what he would do is replace the real thing with fakes. On occasion the old ladies (or their children) would have another jeweler appraise the pieces only to find they had been 'switched'. They would complain at which point the jeweler would feign ignorance and offer a refund. His offer of a refund did not change the fact that he lied and stole. He played the odds figuring most of these old ladies would die without finding out and their estates wouldnt know why grandma had a pair of CZ earrings.
Utinni appears to have asked the right questions and the correspondence shows a pattern of deceptive behavior, evasive answers and the 'sin of omission'.
The question here isnt about whether or not these are quality pieces. If someone is building an OWK saber and is offered a grenade for $600 in the belief that it is real...well, its the same thing. It may be a great replica but if he's trying to do a buildup with ORIGINAL pieces he has the right to know ESPECIALLY at that price.

Timeslip's (George) comment about it being ok to be deceptive as long as, when you get caught, you pay the money back. Most likely has to do with that he's buddies with both Clint and Mike.

My low post count means nothing. I've been here for a VERY long time. And just because you don't know me means NOTHING. My name is very well known.
I have no stake in this matter EXCEPT that I know personally Mike S. His lack of infromation does not constitue this public attack. If Utinni had a problem than it should have been through emails and phone calls.
AMEN to That!