Benchmade AxisLock Spring Failure

S

Slowrid-Der

Joined
Apr 15, 2011
Messages
56
I have been a fan of Benchmade for a long time. I carry two each day. I have a yellow mini griptilian that I use constantly and my second is a 710 in case I need a larger and more aggressive blade.

I have a Benchmade 940 that sits in the safe most of the time. I took the 940 out and realized that one of the springs for the axislock broke. I emailed Benchmade for a new spring. In their reply they stated that I had to send the knife in for service. They will not send me a replacement spring and I can not buy one from them. The knife must be shipped back for service.

I do not like this at all. If I had known about this policy prior to purchasing five Benchmade knives, I would have purchased none. In contrast, I own a ZT0350. That blade had a screw issue when I purchased it. I called the company and they sent me replacement screws for the entire knife without question.

I have purchased my last Benchmade knife.

Knowing that Benchmade has this policy, will that make you reconsider future purchases or is sending your knife away for something as simple as a spring replacement acceptable to you?
 
Well, changing the spring means that you'll have to disassemble the knife and that voids the warranty.. You have to remember that most people are idiots and can't do s*it themselves without messing things up..

They offered to fix it, let them..
 
Although I do like the Axis lock, this possibility of a spring breaking has kept me away from BMs(although I have owned a few with no issues)....although a spring breaking is a not so common occurence from what I've read.
 
Sending out new screws is one thing. But allowing customers with unknown levels of competence to replace a critical part of the lock is another. I've always had good luck with Benchmade's CS.

If you eliminate Benchmade from your list of potential knives, you're going to rule out owning some really, really nice blades.

And throw that mini away. You always need a larger, more aggressive blade.
 
Yeah disassembling Benchmades voids the warranty, so it only makes sense that they don't want to entice you to void the warranty by opening it up to replace the omega springs. Sucks, but it's consistent with their policies at least.
 
I have no choice in the matter. I must send it back or have a broken knife.

When I purchase a knife, I use it for a week or so to be sure nothing is wrong with it. After that time, I disassemble, clean and lubricate it properly. My warranty is void at that moment. I just want a replacement spring without sending my knife away for two weeks. I should be able to do that if I want.
 
Not one bit. Axis springs rarely break, and if so then you do have to send it to BM. But you can take a wire guitar string and make all the omega springs you want. I have 5 Axis Lock's; 3 of the 275 Adamas, each flavor, a 950, and a new 810 Contego. I keep forgetting to stop by the music shop where I live to pick up the correct wire, I think it is an E string(?) so I can try out making some omega springs.

I know it is a hassle to have to send the knife in and I hope that someday BM will finally consent to mailing out the Omega Srings. But it will not stop me from buying an Axis Lock knife provided it is something I can't "live" without!:D
 
This same thing just happened to my 710 two months after i bought it. I am dissapointed but i sent to bm and i am hoping for a good customer service experience.
 
I wish BM would sell replacement parts, but they don't and it won't affect my future purchases.

I haven't experienced a broken omega spring in the last 12-13 years.

I've heard of folks using guitar or piano wire to fashion replacement springs, but I can't attest to their function.

BM will send out replacement screws, just not blades, springs or handles/liners.


Slowrid-Der said:
I have no choice in the matter. I must send it back or have a broken knife.

When I purchase a knife, I use it for a week or so to be sure nothing is wrong with it. After that time, I disassemble, clean and lubricate it properly. My warranty is void at that moment. I just want a replacement spring without sending my knife away for two weeks. I should be able to do that if I want.
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I respect your thoughts on it, but it's definitely not required for them to ship you springs.
 
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I don't mid sending my knives off at all, It makes me feel better knowing that my knives are being repaired by someone who does this stuff everyday for a living, rather than me trying to do it and either losing some parts for the knife or damaging it even more by trying to do something that I really don't know anything about. I agree with the above posts, you have people like me who may try to disassemble their knife and end up causing more damage than the original problem, and if benchmade is gonna warranty their products for life, then I understand why they would only want their people working on their knives, otherwise they would have a lot more problem knives being sent in just because someone thought they could fix their own knife and turns out they couldn't. Now I'm not saying the OP couldn't fix his knife, he may be very skilled at knife maintence, I'm just saying I understand where the companies are coming from with their policies.
 
How much to send the knife so they can put in a tiny omega spring that cost a few pennies? If they paid for the shipping both ways I'd do it.
 
The mini is awesome, that is until the spring breaks and I have to send it away for two weeks. I carry a 710 also if the need for a larger, more aggressive blade arises.

I have read stories that ZT will send springs also, it just hasn't happened to me... yet.
 
I argued with them and they emailed me a ups shipping label at their expense. So they will pay shipping both ways this time.

I should have the option to do the work myself.
 
Allen R. said:
I don't mid sending my knives off at all, It makes me feel better knowing that my knives are being repaired by someone who does this stuff everyday for a living, rather than me trying to do it and either losing some parts for the knife or damaging it even more by trying to do something that I really don't know anything about. I agree with the above posts, you have people like me who may try to disassemble their knife and end up causing more damage than the original problem, and if benchmade is gonna warranty their products for life, then I understand why they would only want their people working on their knives, otherwise they would have a lot more problem knives being sent in just because someone thought they could fix their own knife and turns out they couldn't. Now I'm not saying the OP couldn't fix his knife, he may be very skilled at knife maintence, I'm just saying I understand where the companies are coming from with their policies.
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My working knives get abused. I get sand in them and have to take them apart to do a proper cleaning. I should send them away for a few weeks to do something I can do my self in less than an hour? I surrender my lifetime warranty. I just want a spring.
 
Slowrid-Der said:
I argued with them and they emailed me a ups shipping label at their expense. So they will pay shipping both ways this time.

I should have the option to do the work myself.
Click to expand...

BM doesn't think so, telling us here won't do anything for you, BM has its own forums... complain to the right people.
 
cutter17 said:
Not one bit. Axis springs rarely break, and if so then you do have to send it to BM. But you can take a wire guitar string and make all the omega springs you want. I have 5 Axis Lock's; 3 of the 275 Adamas, each flavor, a 950, and a new 810 Contego. I keep forgetting to stop by the music shop where I live to pick up the correct wire, I think it is an E string(?) so I can try out making some omega springs.

I know it is a hassle to have to send the knife in and I hope that someday BM will finally consent to mailing out the Omega Srings. But it will not stop me from buying an Axis Lock knife provided it is something I can't "live" without!:D
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I like the idea of making my own. Spring steel from Brownells?
 
Slowrid-Der said:
My working knives get abused. I get sand in them and have to take them apart to do a proper cleaning. I should send them away for a few weeks to do something I can do my self in less than an hour? I surrender my lifetime warranty. I just want a spring.
Click to expand...

That's not the point, It would be one thing if you could report to them that you would take it apart and fix it yourself (and thereby eliminate any warranty), but that's not how it works.

I take my knives apart all the time, but since I'm not in the US, sending it back is too damn expensive. Although I do understand why they don't want us to fix it ourselves..
 
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