The Black Hand's retirement announcement. It has been fun.

Hello,

It is with a lot of mixed emotions that I announce my retirement. Approximately 6 weeks ago I closed up shop on each of the marketplaces, and I have been steadily getting my affairs in order. All packages have been delivered and confirmed, with customers having ample time to make me aware of any problems. I knew this was coming eventually, and am happy to be able to walk away by choice. When The Black Hand first started I originally intended to vend for 5 years, and ultimately chose to end this experiment a few months earlier than planned.

I am incredibly grateful to all the people I have come into contact with over the years, especially those who have shared with me the experiences they had with my products. It never got old reading trip reports from each of you. I'd also like to say goodbye to the wonderful vendors and associates I worked with over the years. Despite having never met any of you, I consider you to be the finest people I have ever had the pleasure of working with.

I think people say it a lot and it often comes across as cultish sounding, but what this community is doing is very important. In the near future online free markets to exist that are resistant to all forms of censorship will be vital. Both the government and private corporations are advancing rapidly in their ability to silence and suppress citizens, and if things were to stay the way they are the people would be helpless to stop it. The groundwork is being laid by projects like OpenBazaar to decentralize the markets and make them impossible to take down. To thank the people who have put so much work in to advance these goals I have made several sizeable donations to OpenBazaar and Qubes OS over the past several months and would encourage those who see the value these projects have to give what they can and to seek out projects you believe in to support. I look forward to watching all of these communities advance and grow in the coming years.

To summarize: I'm retiring, this has been a great nearly 5 year experiment, thanks to everyone I'll never forget you, the markets are important, support things you believe in, and while you're at it tell your family you love them because you never know what might happen.

Moving on, some very basic wrapping up of my the final loose ends. I have no intention of returning, The Black Hand is effectively dead and I have killed him. However, in the event that I choose to return I will sign the return message with the below key that I have signed with my current key. Any announcement that I have decided to open up shop again that is not signed with the below key is an imposter and should not be trusted. If something happened and I chose to return only to find that I no longer had access to the private key, I would simply create a new identity rather than try to reclaim this one.

I'll keep an eye on the community from a distance. Probably hang out in this thread over the weekend. This is pretty much it, though. I truly wish each of you the best and hope my rambling nonsense didn't bore you too much.

V/r

The Black Hand

New PGP key in case I ever tried to come back:

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Comments


[129 Points] mr_robot6:

It makes me happy when vendors do this sort of stuff and don’t exit scam.


[30 Points] sadcuzz:

What products did he sell? :)

Good luck ma dude. Live your life I hope you got a good head start


[20 Points] ChrisWiseToad:

How much did u make


[8 Points] ganjedibaba:

Respect. You're an inspiration for other vendors


[7 Points] positive-change:

Proffecional and honest vendor... Respect!


[7 Points] spannermonky:

Never dealt with you but bowing out with grace earns a thumbs up from all walks of DNM. Good luck in all you aim for in the future.


[6 Points] Black-Hand:

Wait a second....


[5 Points] stormerloupedx:

I almost ordered kratom from you back in the days of hansa iirc. Would have loved to have done business with an honest person like yourself. If kratom is ever prohibited federally in the USA I hope you return because I will be here as a customer when and if the time comes. Thank you for your service.


[4 Points] MrSaturnAnswers:

Ive never worked with blackhand but it puts a smile on my face when I see vendors bowing out with dignity on tact. It makes me believe there still is hope for humanity.


[3 Points] Dontworrybeready:

Any advice for someone who's trying to pull the plug for a while now but can't make himself to retire?


[2 Points] Spy_v_Spy_Freakshow:

You da real mvp


[2 Points] TheStateBar:

i think i speak for all when i wish you good luck on your journey ahead.


[1 Points] SerialSeaguller:

Would you recommend Qubes or Tails? Maybe Whonix?


[1 Points] justaniceyoungman:

Congrats! Enjoy your retirement.


[1 Points] greenbottletime:

godspeed and congratulations


[1 Points] at_eternitys_gate:

Wishing you the best of luck in your future endeavors. :)


[1 Points] badchoiceagain:

We are not acquainted which I consider to be my loss. Best wishes to you. I sincerely hope that the talentless parasites that see announcements such a yours as opportunities dont look for potential victims amongst your former clients. I get the impression that it wouldn't take Sherlock Holmes to differentiate someone with your obvious proffesionalism from these low lifes so I am guessing your legacy will be secure. As a fellow principled vendor I appreciate how essential it is to have decent people such as yourself to offset the damage these bastards do to the reputation of the markets in general so it wont be just people who have done business with you that will be sorry to see you go. Bon voyage mate


[1 Points] eatxanax:

was it hard to stop vending. i bet its so fun makin so much guap


[1 Points] SpeedStepper:

allways good to retire


[1 Points] Amanda-Binds:

Have fun punching buttons in that custom fit satellite until your just a creepy skeleton orbiting the earth...forever.


[1 Points] Tyrell-WIllick:

This are the vendors we need.


[1 Points] harrypottersballs:

Safe travels. (Take a vacation, trust me.)


[-2 Points] willisters:

You scammed me - nothing arrived and no text back on messages - 10€ goodbye