Am I expecting too much?

C

crzyhorse

Joined
Oct 27, 2006
Messages
57
Got this 110 Slim Select today from Smokey Mountain Knife Works. Right side of the blade grind isn't too bad but the left side is atrocious. Not nearly as sharp as other non slim 110s I have. I'm sending it back to exchange for another, but for $35 bucks am I expecting too much?

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I bought this screw driver once... it was way worse than that! Still turned screws like a champ though. Just sayin'...
 
It's frustrating for sure. I've had bad luck on getting blades with uneven blade angles in the last few years.

My Saunter Legacy edition, 112 TRX, mini-Deploy blackout and now my Range elite all came with wonky grinds. The 112 TRX and the Range didn't have much of a tip as a result.

Of the eight non-standard steel Bucks I've bought since 2022, only four had a nice even edge grind out of the box.
 
This is why I try to handle things now before I buy them. Not always possible and sometimes I pay a bit more to do that. However, being able to see it is worth that bit of time/$$. For me, that is worth doing at this point in my life when possible. And, in the long run, I think it has saved me $$ as I have often seen/handled something and determined that it wasn't for me at all. A few $100 items like that (or more) covers the bit $$ I may pay a storefront for what they have in stock.

To the OP's question, that comes down to a ratio of hassle to send it back vs annoyance with the grind. Personal preference. If I got it to be a hard use knife, I would use it as such. If I got it to be looked and likely not used then I would likely send it back.
 
That one looks pretty bad. Even if it’s a hard user I would likely remove a lot of steel to make them even. That’ll drive us OCD guys nuts.
 
This reminds me of something I told my brother when he looking at a Pursuit he had bought and asked me, "How could such an un-even grind get out the factory doors?" I told him:

Do you know what they called the newest, least experienced worker at the Post Falls factory? Knife Maker.
 
I got a 110 with the carbon fiber & S30V with a really bad grind & even a small chip in the blade before. The dealer exchanged it right away with no cost at my end. I'm confident BUCK would have done the same thing. My guess is if you're grinding 500 knives a day, one is going to get through with a bad grind.
 
All good responses. On one hand, it's 420HC, and wouldn't take too much work to even it out. On the other hand, why didn't it come from the factory with at least an acceptable edge in the first place? I'm not just talking about Buck here, but it's rare that I get a new knife with an edge that actually suits me. Usually, it's okay until first sharpening. Other times, I have to go to work on it right away.

I guess I'm an old phart, and my wife says I have OCD, but it used to be called doing whatever you're doing right the first time.

Now that I got that off my chest, here's an exception. I got this limited run 111 a couple months ago, and not only did it come through with a flawless grind, I couldn't find a single thing wrong with it.:)
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I would send it back. A large part of why we purchase Buck is pride of ownership. Sure, you could just use it, but if all you want is functionality, a super cheap China made Walmart knife would cut just fine. I'm willing to pay Buck many times what i could get a cheap functional knife for, and in exchange, I want a nice example of American craftsmanship.
 
On the very low cost models I don't worry about grinds or centering. It's a semi-disposable tool. That said, I have a couple of limited release models that have obvious flaws that never should have left the Buck factory. Very disappointing. I need to send them in for warranty work.

Don't even get me started on the disappointing new 3xx series releases.
 
I think that returning the knife is the right call for the OP. It obviously bothers him.
I would just sharpen the blade and go use it but that is just me.
 
crzyhorse said:
Got this 110 Slim Select today from Smokey Mountain Knife Works. Right side of the blade grind isn't too bad but the left side is atrocious. Not nearly as sharp as other non slim 110s I have. I'm sending it back to exchange for another, but for $35 bucks am I expecting too much?

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I would be happy to get a return label and send out a replacement. Please email me directly at msmit@buckknives.com. I will make sure to look at the replacement sent. Please also let me know what color you ordered.
 
Buck Knives Inc. said:
I would be happy to get a return label and send out a replacement. Please email me directly at msmit@buckknives.com. I will make sure to look at the replacement sent. Please also let me know what color you ordered.
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I appreciate the offer. Email sent. I love Buck Knives and the 110. Growing up in Wyoming, every man (well not the Harvey Milquetoast ones, but the ones I wanted to be like when I grew up) had a sheathed 110 on their hip any time they were out and about. My first knife was a Buck "prince" model. (Promptly lost it but it started my love of Buck knives)

This is my first non traditional 110, lighter weight with a pocket clip and thumb studs.
 
I don't think the OP is asking to much, I have been frustrated by this for years. Look at the spey blade grind, the sanding on the red plastic looks like it was done by a child (handle sand not in these photos)



 
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