Hello ,
My name is David Wale, and after receiving countless emails from; Cue makers, collectors, people we have done business with, individuals I would consider the upper echelon in this industry, a few people I have never met, and the majority of which are friends. A couple of people originally phoned and told me about some internet billiard forum where this guy was talkin' trash about my father and myself. Then, for the most part, friends were asking, "Why don't you defend yourself, why are you letting this person get away with this?!??"
From our point of view and what we knew to be the truth, it wasn't really something that we felt needed defending... or so it seemed. I mean when you read it, it's pretty much self explanatory. And it's extremely hard, (well maybe not extremely, we'll call it somewhat) somewhat hard to believe that seven or eight guys are buying in to his nonsense. So, I signed up to set the record straight, but a window appeared when I made an attempt to reply that read, "ldcues does not have permission to access this page". Then, I see some idiot writing about me not having balls! Now it's possible they're not as big as your #$@%^$#, but I guarantee they're bigger than yours! You certainly don't want to bet that game!
Now, as far as the cue story, and it is a story. Like I told a few people, "This guys' story has more holes than the backboard of a dartboard, owned by a blind guy that throws darts with his toes." (No offense anybody) Macguy laid a clue in black and white, for the world to see, but I guess you just ignored it. He wrote, " Even a cue that is only slightly crooked ends up really thin and it is very obvious it have been done no need even to speculate." And this Chris person is saying a whole inlay was sanded down! Do you have any clue what that end result would look like?
He also says "Evan Clark informed my friend (the buyer) that he thought (That he thought, mind you) that the cue had been turned in an effort to straighten it. But when he later shows the text that Evan Clark had supposedly written, it reads, "... the inlay on one side was machined out." And the reason I say "supposedly written" is because the text in his original email to me is not the same as the one he has posted here. Some of the words have been conveniently changed. Then he goes on that Evan Clarke said the cue originally had an inlay in each point, and then Evan Clarke said there was an inlay in two of the points. One sentence he says EC had this cue in his shop, the next he asks if I'm the original owner. Then, Mr. Honesty here, tells me how he aided me the sale of an Eddie Laube by not disclosing to the buyer (that he apparently knows, 'good friend') he thought the cue had been refinished by me and the wrap had been replaced. Well thanks for nothing, because neither of those things took place.
Now, should he have been refunded for the Schon? That is a tough one. I would have said yes, my father would have said no. And I don't care what anybody says, before all of this nonsense, without all of the commentators, had I asked one hundred cue dealers (not fly by night), I'm talkin' about "in the business for a while cue dealers"; knowing the history of the cue, and it's not what this guy is trying to tell you it is, "What would you do in this case?" Seventy or better would have declined a refund. But, when you throw in the all of the nonsense this guy was trying to say was wrong with the cue coupled with the threats he was throwing our way about telling all of his friends in the industry (I see he has about five), well... being the hardheaded fools we are, the equation changed. Now, the guy that would have been on this guys' side (me), is no longer. Instead of just my father saying no, we are both saying no.
In the auction, we did not write that the butt cap was not marked "Schon". That was not to intentionally mislead anybody, we are not about all that. The buyer offered us a deal that seemed reasonable, so we took it. The butt cap thing, which is the only thing he seems to be right about this cue, was brought to our attention with accusations of turning, sanding, machining, refinishing, straightening and people refusing to do work on it. And by the way, the points on this cue are perfect. Now, if he had simply asked, "Why does the butt cap not read Schon?" We would have told him. I would have gladly disclosed the year it was made, (which by the way is 1985) the maker, (which he was trying to tell me was Evan Clarke, wrong) when we bought the cue, the original owners name and so on. But, I feel like if I divulge the information now, he'll use it against me. I have asked him this same question from the very beginning, "When did Evan Clarke supposedly say that he had this cue in his possession?" He won't answer it, because he knows if he does, he's cornered. You see, you can play this little bully game on people that have no clue what they are talking about, but I'm afraid us Wales don't take to kindly to threats.
In closing, I'd like to thank the individuals that commented on there being another side to the story, Macguy for pointing out the obvious, and the thirty three people that emailed and the others that called and told me to put this guy in his proper place. Thank you. And to the other seven or eight that jumped on this guys' bandwagon, even after reading that we had 198 sales on eBay with 100% feedback... go buy a tabloid, I hear Marilyn Monroe, Bruce Lee and Elvis Presly are making a movie together.
This is one of the reasons we got out of the business. If somebody doesn't like what they buy, they throw a barrage of accusations your way, call you every name under the sun and cry to the masses. Not because there is something wrong, just because they don't like it.
And listen Chris... Do not insult me or my father again. I'm sure you had your little bit of fun throwin' our names and my email around like you thought it was okay because I informed you we were out of the business. I guess you figured it wouldn't get back to me, but now, IT'S OVER! DON'T DO IT AGAIN! THIS IS NO GAME, THESE ARE TWO NAMES YOU PROBABLY NEED NOT USE ANYMORE. Don't do it again.
Kind Regards,
David Wale
LEASEEEEE 
