Al Mar Knives customer support sucks

Maybe the reason Al Mar's customer service is 'so bad" is because their knives come from the factory in flawless condition 99% of the time. My Sere's 2000 fit and finish is amazing for a production knife.
I have used Cold Steel's CS debt. They were pretty responsive and knowledgable. They seemed pretty busy, maybe even a little overwhelmed.
 
I would not judge a firm's customer service on shipment of a catalog. Catalogs are marketing, not customer service;you are a customer once you decide to buy. Before that you are a potential customer.

The days of a catalog being a big marketing tool are gone. They probably have a limited number of them compared to the past.
 
Cold Steel has always reliably sent me catalogs and dvds. Bummer to hear that they left you out in the Cold (zing!). Seriously though, bummer. I don't ask for the catalog any more because I just feel guilty if I don't buy something, those catalogs are a dieing breed and must cost them dearly.

Al Mar? Dunno, never owned one, but I've always liked them from the pics and reviews. Thanks for the heads up on lacking cs.
 
I also had a rather unpleasant experience with their customer service department.
Bought a SERE 2000 a few weeks ago, initially I was impressed with the fit and finishes, but upon close examination I found some tool marks on the thumb stud, that resemble a dent.
I fire off an email to AL Mar service, first praising the knifes good fits and finishes, but raise concern about the thumb stud.
No reply for a week, so I send another one, refer to an excerpt from their warranty regarding workmanship and enquire the possibility for them to send me a replacement stud. So another week passed, then I got the following reply :

From AL Mar customer service
Mr Lai,

From your submitted photograph, the thumbstud is fine and within specification.

Your attempt at manipulating a portion of our warranty statement will not work – the omitted portion “Only Al Mar Knives personnel can make warranty determinations on our products” is most important and will not be overridden."

I was dumb founded. What kind of service personnel would call their customer manipulative over a few dollars worth of thumb stud?! They really thought I have nothing to do but to send them 2 emails and photos?

There are proper ways to refuse people without resorting to insults, maybe my photo was not clear (which I can try again),but their reply is so rude and unprofessional, if this were my staff, it'll constitue a fireable offense.

Anyone have any recent bad experience with AL Mar?
 
I have a few Al Mar knives that I like quite a bit, but I am aware of their horrible customer service reputation, so I would be careful about investing too heavily into their products. I see them as a company content to drift quietly into the future, reaping the profits from older designs. They are not innovative, and want to do as little work as possible, and just to maintain what they already have.
 
Stonesell- thanks, that would explain the very slow response and terrible attitude from them.
I got very suspicious when no one put their name down at the end of their email, just Al Mar Knives. This shows a general lack of accountability when dealing with their customers.
 
Some companies have this reputation. I think Al Mar has a rep but it is far from the worst we see around here. The in formation is out there. Do your research on a company before deciding to support them with your dollars.
 
lai77120 said:
.... upon close examination I found some tool marks on the thumb stud, that resemble a dent....From your submitted photograph, the thumbstud is fine and within specification.


Anyone have any recent bad experience with AL Mar?
Click to expand...

Sounds like they gave you the answer your problem deserved. An experience is good or bad based upon your attitude.
 
Brownshoe- not sure anyone can call it a good experience when they call you (me) manipulative over few dollars worth of parts.

I'm actually a very easy going person, but you must admit that reply from Al Mar service was rather uncalled for.
 
Very disappointed to read that Al Mar Knives has become this kind of company. I agree with that if AMK CS felt that the knife needed no service, that's a valid position and they should simply say so. Not accuse a customer of manipulation from the get-go.
 
Last edited:
Al Mar makes great blades, but I have given up on them considering multiple warranty/service emails were never returned. That stuck with me...

I tend to stick with company's that have prompt customer service: Emerson, ZT, Benchmade, Spyderco etc.
 
There is still some lawsuit on appeal, involving the new owner, and Al Mar's widow. Al Mar was in Special Forces, during the Vietnam war. Apparently she retained a 40% interest in the company, after he died, but the new 60% owner never paid her any dividends. http://marcutlery.com/faq.htm Perhaps it's less of a mystery now, why he treats customers poorly.
 
Last edited:
Now that sheds some light on the issue!
I remember reading, or hearing, that his widow is a few cards short of a full deck. Maybe that has something to do with that mess?
Joe
 
I am consistently amazed at the value of BF and the generous sharing of both good and bad experiences.

I was intending to buy an Al Mar this week, but no more.

As one poster above wrote it, they can "glide into the future" without me.
 
That lawsuit, if true, is some of the slimiest stuff ive seen in awhile.
 
stonesell said:
There is still some lawsuit on appeal, involving the new owner, and Al Mar's widow. Al Mar was in Special Forces, during the Vietnam war. Apparently she retained a 40% interest in the company, after he died, but the new 60% owner never paid her any dividends. http://marcutlery.com/faq.htm Perhaps it's less of a mystery now, why he treats customers poorly.
Click to expand...

I actually [supposedly] spoke w/this guy who "was a buddy of Al's and bought out the biz when Al got sick" (despite the fact that Al died suddenly of a heart attack) a few years back when i was calling AMK abut getting an AlMar-stamped slip pouch for a vintage Eagle i bought here years ago. Dude asked for a pic, i emailed him some after which he tried to buy the Eagle from me and after i said i just wanted to buy a new pouch he said he'd send me one right away.

That was 2011. I'm still waiting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top