Where is Ryan Schnee?

Post by **mp5** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:21 pm

I have some difficulty reaching Ryan Schnee, the restorer, and the last email I received from him was on 8-21-2006.
He has my 34 lafette since very early this year, and I know he has been swamped by customers. I also know that his restoration business is just a sideline as he is also a student . But when I browsed this forum today I realized that all of his posts have been deleted on July 29, allegedly by him, and his banner for the Zwillingsockel web site is empty, thought he site is still up.
Does anybody have a clue as to what happened? Is he just busy, or have I lost my lafette?

PvtJoker · Post by **PvtJoker** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:35 pm

Isn't there a web site that archives other sites from prior dates? I'll have to see if I can find the name of it again. You could try searching for it on Google or Dogpile under something like "website archive" or some such. Wouldn't put you in direct touch with him, of course, but if you are trying to find a previous copy of his posts for contact info, maybe that might help.

Post by **mp5** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 6:22 pm

Wow!
At the suggestion of someone else in the forum I sent him my Lafette 34 & $650 by check back in late February. Initially he retuned emails within 24h, and he sold me a drum carrier and a spring for my mp44, which he sent. He promised completion by late May. He did not answer emails for a couple of months. Then I got an email from him 8-21-2006, just to tell me he was getting my emails and that he would write later. He hasn't and has not responded to two emails in the past week. Then I realized he left the forum.
I have his adress, but not his phone; if in two weeks he doesn't get back to me Dayton Police are going to pay him a call if he is still there.
BTW, did you notice that he lives in Dayton, but he posted a video of himself (?) shooting in a snowy mountain setting. That sure ain't the Dayton I know. Was that my Lafette he was using?
All I want him to do is to tell me he will finish the project this year, that he is not a scam artist; if not you and I have enough between both of us to sic the law on him.

Regards,

Jorge E. Ravelo MD
Miami, Florida

Post by **msg1956** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 6:51 pm

MP5

I believe I was part of the cause of Mr Schnee quiting the board. There was a number of us who took exception to what we interpeted as price gouging on an item posted for sale, and said so. Mr Schnee was upset by what he thought was people "trolling" the post, and even though he was not involved in the whole situation, he did the on-line equivilant of storming off in a huff. I posted an apology for having disturbed the tranquility of the board, and promised to keep my mouth shut. But I guess it was too little too late.

Not trying to open old wounds, just providing some insight of why Mr Schnee dropped off the board on the 29th of July.

I hope all who have sent collectables to him get them returned in a timely manner.

Post by **Reichpapers** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 7:54 pm

Just as an FYI. I retracted my post as Mr. Schnee has contacted me.. He has completed the project and will return it this weekend. I'm looking forward to his work.

Post by **mp5** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:18 pm

Reichpapers wrote:Just as an FYI. I retracted my post as Mr. Schnee has contacted me.. He has completed the project and will return it this weekend. I'm looking forward to his work.

Good to hear that he emailed you.
I don't mind waiting because #1 the 34 lafette is not a mission critical item, and #2 I know he is very knowledgeable person and a good artisan. Quality takes time. What gave me the willies is the lack of recent communication and his disappearence from the forum. This made me think he skipped town with my stuff!
He has allways been very nice and communicative in his emails, and I guess that with school, his growing reputation, excess work, etc... he may have overextended himself. If he is reponding now, the crisis is over.

Good luck,

Jorge

Post by **Mg34gunner** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:28 pm

I just got an email from Ryan thisevening. He is trying to juggle school in another city and do his repair/restoration work, and who knows what else all at once.

He always answers my e mails, sometimes takes a while for him to get back to me that's all. He's fabricating some parts for my Mg08 sled.

Guys, I just finished restoring my Mg34 lafette and I can tell you that it is VERY labor-intensive. Give it time. I used to make my living with my hands (watchmaker/jeweler) and you can only do just so much in a day!

ak47dennis · Post by **ak47dennis** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:11 pm

mp5 wrote:Wow!
At the suggestion of someone else in the forum I sent him my Lafette 34 & $650 by check back in late February. Initially he retuned emails within 24h, and he sold me a drum carrier and a spring for my mp44, which he sent. He promised completion by late May. He did not answer emails for a couple of months. Then I got an email from him 8-21-2006, just to tell me he was getting my emails and that he would write later. He hasn't and has not responded to two emails in the past week. Then I realized he left the forum.
I have his adress, but not his phone; if in two weeks he doesn't get back to me Dayton Police are going to pay him a call if he is still there.
BTW, did you notice that he lives in Dayton, but he posted a video of himself (?) shooting in a snowy mountain setting. That sure ain't the Dayton I know. Was that my Lafette he was using?
All I want him to do is to tell me he will finish the project this year, that he is not a scam artist; if not you and I have enough between both of us to sic the law on him.

Regards,

Jorge E. Ravelo MD
Miami, Florida

-I am glad to hear you guys were contacted; total lack of communications is not the way to build a positive reputation.
-I would really check your MP44 recoil spring, the blued ones he was selling are not original the diameter of the wire is much thinner and hardly has enough pressure to close the bolt let alone slow it down from 40 feet per second. Hate to see you get a bolt or shrapnel from your stock furel in your face

.

Post by **DARIVS ARCHITECTVS** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:43 pm

I received an e-mail from Ryan two days ago. Yes, his project work on MG's is dreadfully slow because of how busy he is, but he is reputable. I have talked with him on many occasions. My own lafette project took him over 4 months, when we both expected it to take a month or two. If you are willing to wait an extended amount of time, the results are well worth it, because like myself, he pays attention to details in his work. I am working hard on earning $ for a rather large purchase from him. No hurry, since it will take me several months to earn what I need to pay him. He doesn't make an appearance on this site anymore. Got kinda pissed at some guys whining in responses about how expensive his items were. Actually, his sales have taken off recently. Strange.

Post by **Reichpapers** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:07 pm

I wouldn't go so far as to say the recoil springs are dangerous. They are softer than most, but by no means a hazard. I think the results they were trying to achieve after the war was to increase the rate of fire by lightening the springs. Looks like they also beefed up the firing pins to handle this, as the post war firing pins have mamoth heads.

ak47dennis · Post by **ak47dennis** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:31 pm

Reichpapers wrote:I wouldn't go so far as to say the recoil springs are dangerous. They are softer than most, but by no means a hazard. I think the results they were trying to achieve after the war was to increase the rate of fire by lightening the springs. Looks like they also beefed up the firing pins to handle this, as the post war firing pins have mamoth heads.

Softer then most! It didnâ€™t contain enough pressure to even close the bolt. Why not just fire your 44 with no spring, I guess thatsâ€™safe!

Post by **Reichpapers** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 4:18 pm

I actually did have one of the springs. It functioned properly, cycled the bolt with enough tension. Might have been softer than a wartime spring, but by no means dangerous soft. I fired my first 10 rounds with it. In the end I changed springs because I wanted a WWII spring. These were not.

Post by **mp5** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 4:27 pm

mp5 wrote:
Reichpapers wrote:Just as an FYI. I retracted my post as Mr. Schnee has contacted me.. He has completed the project and will return it this weekend. I'm looking forward to his work.

Just to let everyone know... Ryan contacted me and satisfactorily explained the delay. What had set me off was the recent lack of updates combined with the sudden disappearance of his posts on this forum. This was indeed beginning to smell fishy. But all is well now.

Post by **DARIVS ARCHITECTVS** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:23 pm

Since we all collect expensive and rare firearm items, it's easy to understand how one can get concerned when trading. There are just enough disreputable persons and thieves out there to absolutely RUIN the enjoyment that many of us have with our meager but expensive collections. So, when one service vendor does not stay in close contact with routine news of how a project is going, people are bound to lose faith and worry about their items of money. Better communication up front before you seal a deal can help reduce failed expectations.

Post by **redleg105** » Wed Apr 01, 2015 7:05 pm

You are not alone. He has had my lafette for over three years. I call and leave message but no reply. He is still selling on Ebay with the id of montanabricks but does not answer email either. I think I've lost mine too.

www.MG42.us

Where is Ryan Schnee?

Where is Ryan Schnee?

Re: Where is Ryan Schnee?