Am I being overly picky with this cut in my new knife?

T

TW-Knife

Joined
Aug 31, 2001
Messages
144
Well, attached is the pic. The knife cost me over $575.00 and is a limited edition run. The picture is 1 of 3 cuts (grinder marks?) on the blade. The picture is the worst and you can put a fingernail into it. The actual picture of the knife shows this cut but you wouldn't know it was a cut due to the picture quality.

I asked for a swap of the only other one available and was denied due to the fact that I may not like the other and want to return it thereby missing a sale for the dealer on the second knife. Didn't want to return the knife, just get one without any marks? Anyway, I was given the makers email and told he would repair if I wanted. I've emailed a couple times the last week 1/2 and no reply by the maker.

Am I asking too much? I based it off of what I would say if I sold the knife here in the forums. I would have to mention the marks, hence, I felt that asking for them to be removed wasn't being an anal picky sob :) Maybe I am? :confused:

Thanks in advance for any input.
 

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I would think that the dealer would have an inspection period for the buyer. I would also like to know why a dealer would not send the knife back to the maker when he got it. The dealer should have inspected it before it was sold. That mark is unacceptable.
 
I did have the inspection period which I was in when I called about the knife, but I really wanted one, so I didn't want to send it back and hope the other one available at the time still was. The dealer said it wouldn't be, and I agreed, but I couldn't buy the other knife and send the 'cut' blade one back so I kept the marked up one. Reason: The dealer thought I may want to return the 2nd one for some reason also and wouldn't sell it to me until he received the one I had and wouldn't hold the other one for me either.

The dealer said he looked at the knife and didn't see anything... I didn't know if he was implying I did it somehow, but the cut is visible in his own picture on the web which was taken before I ever had my hand on the knife.

I know it's vein but to have everyone ask "how did you do that" each time I've shown it to friends is disappointing when you're talking about a brand new custom. Some aren't even knife folks, but they notice!
 
TW-Knife,

That dealer seems to have very poor customer service. It seems odd to me that he refused to allow an exchange for the other model he had in stock and brings his business practices into question. In my opinion you are well within your rights to ask for a refund.

There are too many fine custom knives being made for you to settle for something you aren't happy with. I wouldn't worry too much about it being part of a limited edition run. For that amount of money there are plenty of fine one of a kind knives for you to choose from.

If that dealer refuses to give you a refund, please come back and give us his name, I personally would not want to do any business with him in the future.

-Jose
 
If dealer doesn't make this right, I agree you should let us know, and this should then be moved to GBU forum to make sure everyone knows.
 
I don't think the dealer would have a problem with the refund at all, but I want the knife! :)

Just wondering if I'm making too much trouble wanting it fixed or if others would pursue having the maker take the cuts out? It means something to me to have the knife at what I would call 100% and although it is just superficial (since the knife is like a bank vault in actual workings) I don't want it there!
 
Yes you want the knife but it is flawed and you should get the most for your money. You wouldn't buy a new car with the seats riped would you? Or a new car with a long scratch in the fender? I think the makers ethics are also questionable, this knife should have never left the shop with those scratches. If you can put your fingernail in it then it is large enough to hold moisture and dirt. It is hard to build a good reputation in the knife business, it is easy to get a bad one.
 
Sounds to me that if you really want this knife, you should contact the maker and have the problem resolved. Based on the scale of your picture, it seems like it is something that could be buffed out. I don't believe this brings into play any ethics issue on the part of the maker. It could have just been a mistake. It could be something that was just missed. I would give the maker an opportunity to resolve this before passing judgement on business practices of any kind. Knifemakers are only human after all.
 
I wouldn't want that on my knife. Was hand rubbing one last weekened and went back at least three times to grinder to get gouges I had missed, and this is just for a user I plan on using my self(to destruction if possible, though hopefully no normal use will destroy it, otherwise i need a lot more work on my heat treat. :) For something that was supposedly a limited edtion that I was selling I definitely wouldn't let it leave the shop like that, or if it did happen(very possible as an honest mistake), would do whatever I could to make it right.
 
The dealer thought I may want to return the 2nd one for some reason also and wouldn't sell it to me until he received the one I had and wouldn't hold the other one for me either.
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I think that’s BS and you should post a thread in GB&U about the dealer. Let the readers decide if this practice is fair or not. I hope the maker can rectify this flaw on a knife you obviously really wanted. Good luck
 
Hey Bob,
If this knife was sent to you from a maker would you as a dealer accept it? I don't think so! TW-Knife said in his opening post that this is one of 3 marks on the blade? I can see letting one slip but 3? And if it is deep enough to catch on your fingernail then buffing it out would probally not work. It wouuld also drastcally change the blade finish and the whld knife disassambled and the blade re-finished. Yes knifemakers are only human but there is a thing called quality control. I inspect every piece before it leaves the shop. Every knife I make represents me as a maker and my abilities.
 
I've got a high amount of respect for the maker and many here do too. This knife won't change that... after it's been fixed. :D I just hope it can be buffed out without leaving an indention in the blade... it's too nice of a knife!
I will be waiting to hear from the maker, but it's been 1 1/2 weeks which is another reason I posted as stated above. I wanted to make sure I wasn't being overly picky and a reply wouldn't be warranted. I believe it is and will be waiting. No big hurry in waiting because now I think the maker will fix the marks.

As for the dealer not selling me the 2nd knife and returning the flawed one, I think he was just trying to protect his investment, which I can understand, but customer service wise I thought it stunk! I felt I had a valid complaint and was told in not so many words that if I liked the knife the marks weren't a big deal. Glad I'm not the only one (outside of my personal friends/co-workers) who thinks the cuts shouldn't have even been there as new from a dealer!

To be fair... the other two cuts are hidden behind the bolster with the blade open and one of those looks more like a tiny vise mark. I could live with those, but the main one in the pic... :(
 
I don't know who the maker is, but get his # from one of the Knives Annuals, and call him. You can't always count on people getting emails, or opening them either.
 
Good idea Mike. Being a computer geek type I'm so used to communicating via pc it's second nature these days.
 
Let us know how this unfolds. I am sure that we all would like to know. It is truly disappointing to get a new knife (especially handmade) and find that the fit and finish doesn't meet your expectations.

I would definately call the maker asap and get his response.
 
bob_glassman wrote:

I would definately call the maker asap and get his response.
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I think bob_glassman is correct. Call the maker. He/she will in all likelihood want to get that knife back and fixed ASAP. I know if I had a $575.00 piece out there, I'd want that knife to be nothing short of show-piece perfect. After all, if a knife has my name on it, it's a direct reflection of what I'm all about as a knifemaker. Surface defects on blades absolutely will not do. I'm sure nearly all knifemakers feel the same way.
Here's hoping you get it repaired and are able to enjoy it all your life!

All the best,
Mike U.
 
Got the #, made the call, and all is well! He (the maker) said he had actually answered 2 of my emails, but I guess something happened to them on the way to me, or they went to the dealer and he didn't forward on to me? The way he figured it was some sort of grit or debree marked the knife up after it left his shop as it wasn't there when he sent it out. I can believe this knowing who he is and the work he produces and the location of the cuts. Just glad it'll be taken care of whether I'm being overly picky about such small marks or not. (which I don't think I am :) )

Thanks for all the replies and help/idea's!

Added: I don't mean to bash anyone as some emails I've gotten have said, especially the maker. In my opinion it was a dealer issue the whole way, except for the fact I couldn't get a reply from the maker by email, and I think that was clear?
 
Just got the knife back yesterday! Looks b e a u t i f u l :D and there's no marks or cuts, not even a trace!
Even with a little hassle I'm 110% happy with the knife. The dealer even picked up the shipping tab to the maker for my troubles so atleast I wasn't out any more $!

Thanks again to all.
 
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