Hi all,
I decided I wanted to get my hands on a Benchmade 40TR trainer Bali-Song knife so I went searching for a site that sold it online and had it in stock since I'd had no luck finding it locally. I checked many sites that listed it as out of stock and a few that showed it in stock until you got through to the final stage of the purchase and then zingered you with the out of stock notice. TheBladeShop.com seemed to show it was out of stock but was expecting it in a week so I went with them. This was early October.
Well the week goes by and I notice that the charge has been made to my credit card so I take that as a good sign that the knife is on its way to me. After a few more days with nothing in the mail I decided to follow up with an email. I get a nice reply back saying that the knife didn't show on the expected date and that it's gonna be another couple of weeks. Sucks but what can you do?
The new delivery date goes by and still nothing and my credit card is still charged. So I contact them again for another update and I'm told it'll be another couple of weeks again. So I ask why my card has been charged and they say that's standard policy. I told them it shouldn't be and to release the charge on my card and they agree to.
So now I'm still waiting, and the new shipping deadline goes by again, and still nothing from thebladeshop.com, and I have to contact them again. This time I'm told the knife just happened to come in the night before and that the shipment is on it's way that morning. While I hate that I'm the one having to manage the back order, at least it's on its way.
So I get the knife and there is so much play in the handles as to be useless as a balisong knife. It should have never made it out of Benchmade QC if you ask me. It's also missing a sheath which the Benchmade website says is supposed to be with it. So again I email.
I'm told, "The Bali song trainers do not come with a sheath." and that "If you feel the trainer is not up to par in quality, please contact BENCHMADE.". Those are direct copy and pastes including the capialization. So okay the website for benchmade may be misleading about the sheath. I can understand that. But to then tell me in capital letters to contact the manufacturer if I got a crappy knife through them is just icing on the cake. Apparently once it's out of their hands they wash themselves of any issues.
So my first knife purchased through them is my last. I did tear down the trainer and corrected the handle play to an acceptable level. Still not as good as my 42 but I may put new phosphor bronze washers in it to correct that.
Thanks for listening and buyer beware. And does anyone know for sure if the 40TR doesn't come with a sheath? It's not the money at this point as much as the principle.
I decided I wanted to get my hands on a Benchmade 40TR trainer Bali-Song knife so I went searching for a site that sold it online and had it in stock since I'd had no luck finding it locally. I checked many sites that listed it as out of stock and a few that showed it in stock until you got through to the final stage of the purchase and then zingered you with the out of stock notice. TheBladeShop.com seemed to show it was out of stock but was expecting it in a week so I went with them. This was early October.
Well the week goes by and I notice that the charge has been made to my credit card so I take that as a good sign that the knife is on its way to me. After a few more days with nothing in the mail I decided to follow up with an email. I get a nice reply back saying that the knife didn't show on the expected date and that it's gonna be another couple of weeks. Sucks but what can you do?
The new delivery date goes by and still nothing and my credit card is still charged. So I contact them again for another update and I'm told it'll be another couple of weeks again. So I ask why my card has been charged and they say that's standard policy. I told them it shouldn't be and to release the charge on my card and they agree to.
So now I'm still waiting, and the new shipping deadline goes by again, and still nothing from thebladeshop.com, and I have to contact them again. This time I'm told the knife just happened to come in the night before and that the shipment is on it's way that morning. While I hate that I'm the one having to manage the back order, at least it's on its way.
So I get the knife and there is so much play in the handles as to be useless as a balisong knife. It should have never made it out of Benchmade QC if you ask me. It's also missing a sheath which the Benchmade website says is supposed to be with it. So again I email.
I'm told, "The Bali song trainers do not come with a sheath." and that "If you feel the trainer is not up to par in quality, please contact BENCHMADE.". Those are direct copy and pastes including the capialization. So okay the website for benchmade may be misleading about the sheath. I can understand that. But to then tell me in capital letters to contact the manufacturer if I got a crappy knife through them is just icing on the cake. Apparently once it's out of their hands they wash themselves of any issues.
So my first knife purchased through them is my last. I did tear down the trainer and corrected the handle play to an acceptable level. Still not as good as my 42 but I may put new phosphor bronze washers in it to correct that.
Thanks for listening and buyer beware. And does anyone know for sure if the 40TR doesn't come with a sheath? It's not the money at this point as much as the principle.
