Benchmade Discussion without Politics or Insults

[toker]

Last note about CT. Despite our recent ridiculous gun laws, we still have open carry. Let that sink in for a minute.

 

[craytab]

It's possible to be outraged at my state government and also at Benchmade. As for funding my state, what choice do I have? I can move somewhere else and pretend the Anti-2A agenda isn't going to follow, but it does. I choose to stay here and fight.

I'm part of the local Pro-2A groups and part of several national Pro-2A groups. I sent letters, testified, etc.

As for banning guns, CT has done so in name only. They banned high cap magazines (grandfather clause) and AR-15s. Except for prebans. You can even own silencers/suppressors and machine guns here. You can still buy them everyday. That's how asinine our law is.

But this topic is about Benchmade and their Pro-2A stance.

Well, good on you for fighting. I fear it is a losing battle in your state though. I understand that saying I'd move isn't so simple. That said, people doing some chest pounding on this issue live in places that have far more ridiculous reputations than what they are complaining benchmade has.

I have to travel through your state often and I hate it everytime. Can't legally carry my gun that I can carry in most of the rest of the USA.

 

[craytab]

I'm open to look at anything that says Benchmade is pro 2A. I'm sure the digging will be deep and thorough and the truth will make its way to the surface.

How about digging deep into such things for various other companies people love. Will there be the same outrage?

 

[shinyedges]

How about digging deep into such things for various other companies people love. Will there be the same outrage?

Hell yes. I feel just as stongly about Leatherman. I can't speak for everyone but I can speak for myself, the answer is yes.

I don't care what company it is, once it's brought to my attention they are actively working to undermine our constitution my reaction is the same. I have owned:

2 Benchmade 162 sibert fixed blades
1 Benchmade vicar (bought from you lol)
Mini grip
Contego
Adamas
Regular grip


I have otherwise had no issue with them.

 

[toker]

How about digging deep into such things for various other companies people love. Will there be the same outrage?

I can't speak for shinyedges, but I only hold companies to what they purport to be. I don't like Amazon's political involvement, but they don't present themselves as a Pro-2A company. That's the Crux of the issue.

If there's another Pro-2A company that behaves contrary, then I would hold them to that standard.

 

[shinyedges]

I'm putting my money where my mouth is and moving my family to a state that my taxes will support politicians who have my freedom in mind. Vote with our dollars.

 

[ArchVV]

Some brave folks in here. So much true.

 

[craytab]

Pretty sure taxes and political donations aren't the same.

Which one does more harm to 2a? Benchmade throwing a couple grand around in a state that is very very 2a does nothing. 2a advocates continuing to live in, and support anti 2a state or city governments does far more damage. But some of these same people are outraged at benchmade? Look in the mirror first.

 

[craytab]

I'm putting my money where my mouth is and moving my family to a state that my taxes will support politicians who have my freedom in mind. Vote with our dollars.

That is exactly what I'm talking about. Good on you.

 

[Bad Ninja]

Naive.

Are you saying you don't pay taxes?

Now who's being Naive?

Benchmade isn't getting flak for paying their taxes.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

My thoughts? This is nothing more than a purity test. The idea that Benchmade is taking any sort of stand against the second amendment or for gun control is simply laughable. They didn't realize quite how their actions would be interpreted, or that a portion of their customer base was quite so high strung and they'll certainly suffer a bit for it, but this is a company that is absolutely soaking in gun culture from the ground up. As someone on the other side of the political aisle, this is 100% an example of folks eating their own, and I find it kinda hilarious.

 

[shinyedges]

That is exactly what I'm talking about. Good on you.

Warmer weather is a motivation too


Fellas, craytab is a friend of mine and I know for a fact he feels similarly to myself on the topic of protecting our families. Good dude.

 

[toker]

My thoughts? This is nothing more than a purity test. The idea that Benchmade is taking any sort of stand against the second amendment or for gun control is simply laughable.

Purity test?

Benchmade is a proud and unwavering supporter of both law enforcement and Second Amendment rights. These are commitments that we do not take lightly and will continue to support well into the future.

These are Benchmade's very own words. In light of the political donations made to Anti-2A politicians, you don't see how people are taking issues with the company?

 

[kickert]

The danger on forums like this are thinking that the whole populous thinks like the members of this community. We can discuss for pages on the merits of S30V versus 154CM versus 20CV, but I am guessing the majority of Benchmade consumers have no idea what those combination of letters and numbers mean and honestly don't care.

Most people who buy a knife aren't going to jump on a forum to learn about and discuss the merits of each producers or blade profile or steel selection. They are going to buy what suits them.

This may have some residual effect among a small portion of the knife buying community, but it may also spark some interest from more liberal sectors of the outdoor community (think people who read Outside Magazine instead of Field and Stream).

I'll be the first to admit, Benchmade handled the optics of this horribly and they will have hell to pay for a few weeks, but it will ultimately settle down by the time Spring comes and people are back out enjoying the great outdoors on a more regular basis.

 

[madcap_magician]

Corporations can donate to political campaigns and politicians.

Er, Title 52, Subtitle III, Chapter 301, Subchapter I, Section 30118 of the USC seems to say otherwise. Corporations are free to expend money on election efforts individually (and are explicitly disallowed from coordinating with candidate campaigns) as per Citizens United, but not to donate to candidates' campaigns.

Even if that were not the case, anyone saying that Benchmade Knife Company has donated to anti-gun candidates has either A) failed to present such evidence, B) misread the presented evidence showing that individuals at Benchmade have made campaign contributions, or C) mistakenly assumed that said individual donations went to anti-gun politicians, which is false in most cases.

 

[shinyedges]

Er, Title 52, Subtitle III, Chapter 301, Subchapter I, Section 30118 of the USC seems to say otherwise. Corporations are free to expend money on election efforts individually (and are explicitly disallowed from coordinating with candidate campaigns) as per Citizens United, but not to donate to candidates' campaigns.

Even if that were not the case, anyone saying that Benchmade Knife Company has donated to anti-gun candidates has either A) failed to present such evidence, B) misread the presented evidence showing that individuals at Benchmade have made campaign contributions, or C) mistakenly assumed that said individual donations went to anti-gun politicians, which is false in most cases.

The owner is the company in my opinion, just like mick strider is strider. Who he donates to with the profits from his company are one in the same with the company making the donation in my eyes. Mince words on that if you like.

Some of those politicians they supported were CLEARLY and staunchly anti gun, maybe you misread the same report I read?

 

[Insipid Moniker]

Purity test?

Benchmade is a proud and unwavering supporter of both law enforcement and Second Amendment rights. These are commitments that we do not take lightly and will continue to support well into the future.

These are Benchmade's very own words. In light of the political donations made to Anti-2A politicians, you don't see how people are taking issues with the company?

Yup, 100% a purity test. If they slowed down and thought about it they would realize that Benchmade is never going to make material contributions to any kind of anti-gun legislation. It wouldn't make sense from a business perspective or a cultural perspective. Political donations happen all the time to all different parties for a broad variety of reasons. Often, they're earmarked to go to a specific pet cause, and in an exceptionally blue state, it's unsurprising that people working for Benchmade would donate to the party in power. The actual hard evidence of them in any way being anti 2A is simply nonexistent. But please, keep doing it, it makes me grin.

 

[madcap_magician]

The owner is the company in my opinion, just like mick strider is strider. Who he donates to with the profits from his company are one in the same with the company making the donation in my eyes. Mince words on that if you like.

Well, you're free to hold that opinion. I think it's a bit harder to argue that Benchmade and Strider are equivalent, since if Mick and Duane disappeared, so would Strider Knives, whereas if Les disappeared, someone different would (and has) taken over.

Some of those politicians they supported were CLEARLY and staunchly anti gun, maybe you misread the same report I read?

No, I didn't misread it, nor did I say that some of the politicians Les or Benchmade employees funded weren't anti-gun. Just that most of them weren't. I am also open to being wrong on that count, since I didn't look at the background of every recipient.

 

[Bad Ninja]

Er, Title 52, Subtitle III, Chapter 301, Subchapter I, Section 30118 of the USC seems to say otherwise. Corporations are free to expend money on election efforts individually (and are explicitly disallowed from coordinating with candidate campaigns) as per Citizens United, but not to donate to candidates' campaigns.

Even if that were not the case, anyone saying that Benchmade Knife Company has donated to anti-gun candidates has either A) failed to present such evidence, B) misread the presented evidence showing that individuals at Benchmade have made campaign contributions, or C) mistakenly assumed that said individual donations went to anti-gun politicians, which is false in most cases.

The facts are there if you choose to look.


The problem is the dishonesty.

BM got ALOT of love from the pro 2A crowd. They feel betrayed.

It's like when a spouse cheats on you.
It takes a very long time to rebuild the trust, if ever.

The gun guys aren't as forgiving as most might think.

They almost bankrupted Smith and Wesson, and caused the company to be sold for pennies on the dollar.

There are still hard feelings about Ruger and Bill has been dead almost two decades.

This won't go away anytime soon.

It sucks, because BM makes good knives, but you gotta walk the walk of you talk the talk.

Integrity is extremely important in business.

 

[shinyedges]

Yup, 100% a purity test. If they slowed down and thought about it they would realize that Benchmade is never going to make material contributions to any kind of anti-gun legislation. It wouldn't make sense from a business perspective or a cultural perspective. Political donations happen all the time to all different parties for a broad variety of reasons. Often, they're earmarked to go to a specific pet cause, and in an exceptionally blue state, it's unsurprising that people working for Benchmade would donate to the party in power. The actual hard evidence of them in any way being anti 2A is simply nonexistent. But please, keep doing it, it makes me grin.

Factually incorrect:

What does that say?