I recognize this is an old fight, and old information, but people researching Mr. Reuther right now Google his name and find the first two entries are an old one for his company that has now changed hands, and this site which offers nothing but vicious diatribe and little support or proof of these accusations. I'm here to offer another side of the story for anyone else who might be interested in Mr. Reuther's products or work.
I have been a customer of wire-sculpture.com since late 2006. An email from this company dropped into my inbox when I was searching for a way to make money without having to challenge failing muscles or get on disability, a way to start a business of my own and continue to be an independent and productive citizen. The email's frankness and plain-spoken language appealed to me, as did the idea of making jewelry for fun and profit. I had long had a dream of travelling the US, living in a van and exploring the country, but had never thought of a way I could support myself while doing so. This email sparked an idea of how to do this. So, I went to the site. I searched the site everywhere, and my impression by the end of two days' research of the site was that Mr. Reuther was just an ordinary guy with the same kinds of issues that most of us face at one time or another, probably not a great guy but not likely a jerk either, who had decided to use what skills he developed and what ideas he had to make his money teaching others how to do what he did, and provide them some of the tools and supplies to get started at a price most average folks might be able to afford. Trouble was, due to the muscular issues I was having, I was recently unemployed and wasn't sure I ought to spend what little money I had on his teaching materials or supplies, no matter how good it looked. I researched him on sites like this one and found not a peep of objection to his business practices. No one had complained up until this posting here, which led me to believe one got what one paid for when one took him up on his offer. So, I contacted him through his site, and explained my limited finances and said I'd just like to stay in touch in case anything changed for me. This businessman then did something unheard-of in my experience: he wrote me back and suggested that instead of doing business directly with him and his company, I look for his teaching materials via eBay, where I could get them much cheaper. Please understand that this meant he was giving his business away in my case. This stood to profit him nothing. Then he went on to share a couple of brief recountings of his own experiences as an early jewelry-maker and to encourage me in my dream of going on the road. This generousity impressed me enough that I decided to take it as a "good omen" and went ahead and ordered his teaching materials and startup kit with my next two unemployment checks. When they arrived, promptly as promised, in good shape, and containing everything the site promised would be contained in the package, I borrowed my neighbor's time and player to watch the VCR tape (this was right before everything went to DVD). The video was grainy and homey, Mr. Reuther's accent and natural discomfort with the camera trained on him were plain, but this was charming to me. No slick salesman, just a plain honest guy showing people what he does and how they can do it too. He made no effort to hide who he is or how he came to this way of life and he made no attempt to blindside his audience or dazzle anyone. He just showed what could be done with a bit of wire and a stone. And it fired me up. I went home and thought I'd go to sleep, but I couldn't sleep. I was so inspired by what I'd seen I just had to try it right then. So I did, and fifteen minutes later I held in my hands the first of many more to come: a stone wrapped up in shiny metal and suitable for a pendant. The next morning I took it around and showed it to friends and neighbors and strangers alike,. and everyone said: hang that on a chain or a cord and I'll buy it from you.
Well, fast forward a couple years later. Because I started with next to nothing for supply money, I of course didn't take right off. But I hadn't expected to. Nowhere in Mr. Reuther's information did he ever claim I'd be a rich woman in no time. In fact, he repeatedly made it clear that it took work, dedication and growing skills of various sorts, including salemanship and financial wisdom to even make it in that business. I knew it would take me awhile, so I just doggedly kept at it. I dreamed of a day when somehow I'd have the nearly a thousand dollars it would take to buy all of his teaching materials and the wonderful supplies and tools package that came with it, but even though I was employed again through those two years, there was never enough to do that. Fortunately, I am blessed with many friends, and one of them bought that package for me, and with it over the past year I have made so much progress in learning my techniques and developing my own style, and making more and more jewelry. I have sold close to a thousand dollars' worth of jewelry in the last year, and now I have been invited to showcase my work at an art gallery near where I live. This is an exclusive, upscale art gallery attached to a popular upscale restaurant and winery which is frequented by the middle and upper class people of my current hometown, and I didn't go asking to participate. I went to see if the owner might be interested in buying one of my pieces, because my current employer knows her and thought she'd be interested, and my work so impressed her, she invited me to show my work at one of their regular shows. I am finally on my way, and it all began with Mr. Reuther's down-to-earth honest approach to selling his teaching aids, his affordable prices for decent-quality products, and his personal encouragement.
I don't know anything about his feelings on race relations. I don't know anything about how he might have been to work for. I note that the posts above are full of spelling and grammatical errors that indicate to me people who are not any better educated than Mr. Reuther himself, and might have written in more haste and emotion than in considered honesty and concern for other people who might do business with Mr. Reuther. I wish I had seen this back when it was first posted, as the input of people who DIDN'T have any problems with Mr. Reuther and his company might have been helpful. But in case Mr. Reuther returns to the world of internet business anytime soon, I'd rather think "better late than never". Please note that no OTHER complaints were filed against the man or his company, and that even these complaints are not about his company's delivery on promises and goods. His teaching aids are easy-to-follow, thorough and will teach nearly anyone how to do more than "bend a paper clip". His products were not top of the line, but they were good for the prices he offered, and certainly good enough to make nice, sellable, wearable jewelry. His company delivered what it promised, at the price it promised, in a timely manner and all without damage or missing anything. If you're thinking about working for him, I'd advise you to meet the man, talk with him, and look over his company before you hire on. If you're thinking about buying from him, go for it. Regardless what inspired the previous complaints, it wasn't the failure of him or his company to do business properly with the customers, and it may or may not have been what these complaints claim.