2017 Price Increase(s)

Just buy the ones you want, for the price they are if you have the money.
The exact same as before. ;)

That one-piece titanium handle knife (781) looks pretty awesome, and is in the same price range as the Spyderco integral frame-lock, the Nirvana.

Most of the models they had last year are still there, and they're adding some new ones...I don't get the big deal really.
Prices are high for MSRP on the new Spydercos, and Cold Steel went up a bunch with the new steel used too.

It's the future, people; stuff costs more now.
Get used to it. :D
 
Mo2 said:
Thread is about Benchmade and price increase, and when you look at the picture as a whole, you pay more for a Benchmade and have to send it back to get a respectable quality.
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I have never experienced that.
Ever.
Whether I bought online, or checked out the local gun store who is an authorized Benchmade dealer (you want overpriced? They sell for full MSRP on all knives by all companies, all the time...people still buy them though).

Where are all these lemons?
I was there at the gun store when a $30000 shipment of Benchmade knives came in.
Spent over an hour checking them out; they were all practically flawless.
The only flaw was that I was broke, and had to go home empty-handed. :D
 
I think quite a few comments on Benchmade's quality level are pretty objective. They are still decent, but the consistency is not as great as some lines from comparable brands. Sorting through a large number to get one good Benchmade knife is an exaggeration, but so are some claims that Benchmade knives never have any issue. I will repeat what I said before, I've had my fair share of less-than-stellar quality control on my Benchmade knives. I love many of Benchmade's designs (sadly some are discontinued this year), I will probably keep buying Benchmade knives even with the price increase and somewhat disappointing new designs (other than 781, maybe). I would like to think my comment on Benchmade's quality control as constructive criticism. I don't give a damn whether I will convince anybody to buy or not buy Benchmade knives. I DO hope that their quality control and workmanship go in the direction of ZT. I would certainly buy more of their knives. Damn the price, good design + good workmanship = sold for me. I don't even care that much about "boring" blade steel or not seeing titanium (LOL).



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Is it a particular line that is supposedly having issues?
What issues? Centering? Sharpness? Protruding screws?

When a bunch of people have experienced zero issues, we need something more that "there are quality issues."
That is rather vague.
Now if it's a case of "Full-sized Griptillians made in 2013 and 2014 exhibit noticeably off-centre blades," then that is something people can chime in on with agreement or not. We could get a feel for how prevalent it is, given the number of people here who likely have them.
 
stabman said:
Is it a particular line that is supposedly having issues?
What issues? Centering? Sharpness? Protruding screws?

When a bunch of people have experienced zero issues, we need something more that "there are quality issues."
That is rather vague.
Now if it's a case of "Full-sized Griptillians made in 2013 and 2014 exhibit noticeably off-centre blades," then that is something people can chime in on with agreement or not. We could get a feel for how prevalent it is, given the number of people here who likely have them.
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It's already been mentioned in this thread. Theirs even a YouTube video that was posted about it. I'm curious to know if the thread was read prior to this post? If not that is completely fine. I just don't understand.
 
I think multiple people have pointed out blade centering and asymmetrical blade grinds and edge bevels as some main ones in this thread alone. Not sure why you seem to say you saw no pinpoint of the "issues". I have had noticeably asymmetrical edge bevels on my 908-151 and 710-1401 from 2016, and 581 from 2014.


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Mo2 said:
It's already been mentioned in this thread. Theirs even a YouTube video that was posted about it. I'm curious to know if the thread was read prior to this post?
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So, one post about grinds not being perfect, some off-centre blades, and then a video made by someone whose voice made me want to tear my ears out...

You can find a bunch of people complaining about asymmetrical grinds and off-centre blades from Spyderco too.
I have even had some off-centre blades from Spyderco.
I had one off-centre blade from Benchmade, a Skirmish that I bought used.
I did the same thing with both that I do in these situations; checked to make sure there was no way it would ever rub the scales, then went on with life and used the knives. :thumbup:

Actually, I guess it's two off-centre blades I've had from Spyderco compared to one from Benchmade...does that make them twice as bad?
Am I twice as unlucky?
Or is it no big deal at all given how many knives I have had and still own?

I'll take option 3. ;)

Zhuzhufd said:
I think multiple people have pointed out blade centering and asymmetrical blade grinds and edge bevels as some main ones in this thread alone. Not sure why you seem to say you saw no pinpoint of the "issues". I have had noticeably asymmetrical edge bevels on my 908-151 and 710-1401 from 2016, and 581 from 2014.
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The bolded part is the way to do it.
That allows for other people to chime in with the same experience, or to disagree.

I myself go with what I've seen personally to guide my purchases, which is why I don't have any qualms about buying Benchmade knives if I like the design and it suits my uses.
When I can spend over an hour sorting through a $30000 shipment and not find an issue with any of the knives I look at, that is evidence to me that the claims of quality concerns might be overstated by many.

Others are free to decide as they like, as always. :)
 
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There are also a couple comment about Benchmade's quality being about on par with U.S.-made Spyderco from people who "complained" about Benchmade's quality, were there not? So I guess your feeling on this is about the same, based on what you mentioned as your experience.

Your option 3 has no bearing on whether Benchmade should make centered blade. Yes, people should stop complaining and just use their blades. But does that mean centered blade is not more aesthetically pleasing or a signal of better precision and workmanship, or that Benchmade should not care about making their knives more aesthetically pleasing?
 
-Corey- said:
I've seen my fair share....blade grinds and bevels have rarely been symmetrical on mine. Awful blade centering is another common problem I've noticed. Cosmetic defects on brand new knives, sloppy fit and finish. I'm a hardcore Benchmade fan but I think they're pricing themselves out of my interest. Their new titanium model looks nice to me, but with a price tag that's approaching a Sebenza and quality that's not even close, I think I'll pass on it unless I can find a killer deal somewhere.

SAM_1083.jpg
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Phhhttt...... Is that all you have?:eek:
 
Wunderbar said:
Phhhttt...... Is that all you have?:eek:
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Oh there's more, but it's too much work getting them out for pics.

Over the past couple years I've bought over 250 Benchmades and I'd say about 30% had some sort of issue worth taking note of. Most of the stuff was little nit picky crap that doesn't even bother me, but the blade centering is something that really annoys me. Here's a few examples that I have experienced personally...

710BKD2 purchased new in 2015, slightly off center
SAM_5051.jpg


North Fork Folder purchased new in 2015 (had a local shop order this straight from Benchmade and this is how it looked when I broke the seal and opened the box), chunk of wood missing from the edge of the scale.
SAM_5160.jpg


940BK purchased new in 2015, off center blade
SAM_5175.jpg


Mini Reflex purchased new in 2015, off center blade
SAM_5163.jpg


761 purchased new in 2015, off center blade and jacked up bevel symmetry
SAM_5030.jpg


940 purchased new in 2016, funky looking machining marks on the blade
SAM_5193.jpg


Infidel purchased new in 2016, the tip of the blade does not line up with the center grind
SAM_5182.jpg


I've got plenty more I can dig out, some older ones (NIB) with the blade so far off center that it rubs the liners. Like I said, most of the stuff doesn't even bother me, but it is something that I keep in mind when I see their prices going up.
 
I've been a pretty big benchmade fan for a while. Own about 10 of them, 1 spyderco, and 1 zt. I gotta say some of the new MSRPs and price increases are a huge turnoff. If they release another LOD code this year I will probably pick up one of the new models, and unless I am very impressed by an even blade grind and flawless fit and finish, I am likely done with benchmade.
 
stabman said:
You could buy a small house here for what those will have cost you! :eek:
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I was working out of state for a couple years straight. I work outside so anytime it rains I'd get the day off. I'd get bored and end up at the knife shop :D
 
-Corey- said:
I was working out of state for a couple years straight. I work outside so anytime it rains I'd get the day off. I'd get bored and end up at the knife shop :D
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That works. :)
If there was a knife shop around here, I'd end up even more broke. :D
We have the local gun store, but they can keep the prices high and not care, because their main revenue stream is guns.
 
-Corey- said:
I was working out of state for a couple years straight. I work outside so anytime it rains I'd get the day off. I'd get bored and end up at the knife shop :D
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Sounds like a dangerous profession ;)

I can't blame you for being apprehensive if 30% of the knives you bought had a noticeable issue. Thinking through it, I realized there are a few brands I avoid now because of the issues I've seen.

It seems to me, it would be in a company's best interest to date all their knives, and maybe even add a lot number too them, like ammo manufacturers do. That way, if you get a glut of knives from the same lot with issues, you can look toward correcting the problem. I only mention this, because a bunch of the issues with Corey's knives look like they can be attributed to human error, rather than a problem with the machines.
 
jazub said:
It's like deja vu all over again; the same dogpile histrionics that took off on Bladeforums when Benchmade MAP was announced years ago. Members suddenly materialized in this sub-forum to proclaim that there were "QC problems", that they wouldn't buy any more Benchmades, and that the company would go out of business. Didn't work out that way but all it takes is a couple of effective trolls to convince a crowd that the world is ending.

The way I see it, if something costs too much money for you to afford, don't buy it. Simple. No need to harangue the the sub-forum.
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Yea, you're right. I remember coming into this sub forum just after MAP happened and not understanding what the fuss was about. I think anytime you change someone's perceived value without offering more you can get some backlash combine that with some spotty QC here and there and you get this. I've been apart of this forum off and on for a while; whenever I'm carrying a Benchmade I post it. Benchmade was my first "high end" knife and I will always have a soft spot for them.

Maybe once the new models come out and we can actually see them some of the harsh opinions will change; after last years new models with upgraded scale materials and the use of 20cv I can understand how some fans are disappointed.

Time will tell if they do well and if they don't Benchmade will introduce something else.
 
Zhuzhufd & corey, if you were to return each knife with an issue to get repaired, how much time would have been lost? i assume they cover shipping? i know ive heard quite a few times customers had to re-send knives they didnt fix correctly the first time too (not uncommon with other brands also, but heard it happen the most with benchmade, of the major brands). 30% of them would be alot of lost time of your life. im sure if you had the day off every time it rained it wouldnt be a big problem, but still... the time added up would be depressing to say the least.
 
Still clinging on to my now 3 year old D2 Grip, I knew I was paying a premium because a) it's cabelas and that's the only way to get a D2 blade b) the custom creator wasn't around yet but those are premium priced as well. No QC issues of any kind, it's pretty hard to screw up plastic and D2.

The new models just don't really do it for me and the price and materials just don't equate in my opinion.

Dumping Ritter and HK and then still making the same models with new names just made me shake my head, pretty shameless.
 
Mo2 said:
Zhuzhufd & corey, if you were to return each knife with an issue to get repaired, how much time would have been lost? i assume they cover shipping? i know ive heard quite a few times customers had to re-send knives they didnt fix correctly the first time too (not uncommon with other brands also, but heard it happen the most with benchmade, of the major brands). 30% of them would be alot of lost time of your life. im sure if you had the day off every time it rained it wouldnt be a big problem, but still... the time added up would be depressing to say the least.
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I think I've only had about 10 of mine that were so bad that I considered sending them back, but it's just more of a hassle than what it's worth to me. I've just accepted the fact that when I spend $200 on a Benchmade, it may have some flaws that I'm not happy with. I'm definitely not telling anyone to quit buying Benchmades because I don't plan to quit buying them myself. I just don't see any justification for a 10% hike in prices on knives that were already pushing the limits on the cost to quality ratio in my eyes. I guess I'll just have to be more of a bargain shopper with my future purchases in order to keep that ratio in check.
 
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