@#$%&* Benchmade!

Peter Atwood

Peter Atwood

Joined
Oct 26, 2000
Messages
2,468
Geez, what a pain. All I want is a replacement handle slab for my 705s and they refuse to send it to me. This is for the show side which is the easier side to replace. Of course the damage to it is my fault completely- I had sanded through the thin edge while trying to make a thumb groove to improve access to the thumbstud thus exposing a corner of the omega spring. ARGGH!

Anyway, I figured I'd email Benchmade and see if I could buy a replacement slab. Sure, if I send them back the knife and pay 25 bucks! Come on folks, I'm a good craftsman and a decent sport but I find the Benchmade policy of "no one takes apart our knives but us" to be a bit silly. They're nice knives but they're not THAT good. I mean Chris Reeves gives ya the damned wrench for goodness sake and says to have at it.

To heck with 'em. I'll just have to make my own in carbon fiber or cocobolo or something.
tongue.gif


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Peter Atwood

email:fountainman@hotmail.com
 
Um, the problem is, for every 'good craftsman', there are 50 who would end up sending a knife back in pieces. While I have been occasionally annoyed with this policy, from the standpoint of a business, they simply can't afford to send out parts. CRK can, because of the small volume they produce.

--JB

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e_utopia@hotmail.com
 
I guess I'm not really following that logic. If they charged me say 8 bucks for the piece and then I screwed it up and sent the whole thing back to them then they could charge me another 25 or 30 bucks to put it back together. They make out either way and in fact will save time and money by just sending me the piece. I'm not going to send them this knife which will take all of five minutes to fix and that includes sticking it in an envelope.

Of course, it will take me a couple of HOURS to machine a new piece for it....Oh well, just call me a lemming!
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Peter Atwood

email:fountainman@hotmail.com
 
Sure, there are a lot of kitchen table gun and knife butchers out there, but my attitude is ENCOURAGE them!
I don't know how much money I've made off of guys who's "Brother in Law" took their gun apart and couldn't get it back together.
Benchmade could happily do the same thing.
Send the guy the part, if he's competent to screw on a new piece of plastic (g10, carbon fiber, Niftylon 5000, whatever, all same same) then FINE, if not, let him screw it up then send it back to them and pay them TWICE.
Mr. Bladebutcher learns a valuable lesson, and BM makes money, what could be better?

I'm not sure, but it sounds to me like fountainman was willing to pay for the part, so why not?

I called Emerson Knives the other day in need of some clip screws. The lady I talked to said they'd just send them. I'd hate to think I'd have to pay 10 dollars postage to mail the knife back so someone there can turn a screwdriver for me and install .25 cents worth of screws that are covered under warranty anyway.

I think BM is headed downhill anyway.
Seems their QC "ain't what it used to be." and while they do still handle customer service, their attitude seems to be shifting to the worse. They don't seem overly interested in input from the Community, and to me that smells of decay.
I hope not, Les has been a factor in the knife world since the explosion started. (It could be said he was key to CAUSING that explosion.) I'd hate to see things go south for them now, but I think they need to wake up and remember from whence comes their daily bread.
IMHO, YMMV ETC.


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Tráceme no sin la razón, envoltura mi no sin honor
 
Well, let me just say this: they ain't no Chris Reeve!

BM is on a course that is condescending, detached uncaring about the people who buy and use their products. I don't see where they have anything so special that would make the astute knife knue put up with that.
 
Well, it all sounds good, until you actually figure the money spent. Their warranty department seeks to break even, not to make a profit. It takes substantially longer than five minutes to replace a scale on a 705, and someone needs to be paid for that time. Someone needs to be paid to handle the package. Someone needs to make the extra part. Etc. Etc. Warranty work on knives is not a profit-making business, so the less they have to do with it, the better.

And, for the record, Benchmade will supply clips and screws. Since it's pretty close to impossible to mess up a knife by replacing the clip, they run little risk.

--JB

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e_utopia@hotmail.com
 
That reminds me of my experience with API treestands. I was making the rifle rest a little shorter cause I'm short. I screwed it up and all I wanted was a new rifle rest, it's just a curved piece of aluminum for crying out loud. They said they couldn't sell just parts cause it's "not in the computer that way" then finally I got someone who said they could sell me one but it would take awhile to find a box the right size. Then they said they were waiting for an instrution sheet. I told them I had two of the stands and already had the instructions!! I finally got the part but it was H E double toothpicks to get it.
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Ken Cook:


I think BM is headed downhill anyway.
Seems their QC "ain't what it used to be." and while they do still handle customer service, their attitude seems to be shifting to the worse. They don't seem overly interested in input from the Community, and to me that smells of decay.
I hope not, Les has been a factor in the knife world since the explosion started. (It could be said he was key to CAUSING that explosion.) I'd hate to see things go south for them now, but I think they need to wake up and remember from whence comes their daily bread.
IMHO, YMMV ETC.


</font>
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I agree totally.

Benchmade used to be at or near the top a few years ago, and has severely slipped.

With their recent 'enforcement' of their MAAP pricing, their refusal to sell to internet dealers, their absurd policy on replacement parts, and their general arrogance towards the customer, I think they are headed downhill fast.

It is time for Les to reevaluate his policies, and realize he is only hurting himself and his company. I'm a huge fan of BM. I sincerely hope things change, and soon.

Mike



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DISCLAIMER:

The opinions expressed here are my own, and in no way reflect the opinion of any other person, living or dead. Of course, your opinion may vary, in which case the prevailing laws of your jurisdiction shall apply.

firedept_md_wht.gif


E Mail me anytime:
INVADR1@aol.com
 
I can understand BM's policy. Yes CR suggest his knives to be taken apart, I believe he is the only one. Call MT and see if they will do it, for awhile they wouldn't even send clips out for the LCC. CR built his knives with the intention of them being taken apart by the customers.

I don't understand why everyone thinks they should be able to take the knives apart just because CR allows it. Most companies don't allow there equipment to be worked on unless it's by someone they have certified. Why should BM be any different.

You flat out admit to messing the knife up, then you make a post about how this ticks you off that BM can't send you a piece. IMHO they offered a good and reasonable fix to your situation. There policy is straight forward and has been discussed on several occasions.

I have dealt with BM on a few occasion and their service has been great. Everyone I have spoke to on the phone and threw email has been perfectly polite. I have several of their knives and have never had a serious problem with any of them.

fountain water, your profile says you are an artist. I'm sure you wouldn't approve of someone altering one of your pieces of work. How would you feel if someone went around complaining because you wouldn't supply the paint to fix the art that they screwed up on.
 
Of course, you COULD take this discussion to the BM forum... heh heh heh.

Laughing, ducking, running for cover,

Walt (Acknowledged Benchmade Warranty Buster) Still Banned from the BM Forum.
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<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by CODE 3:


Benchmade used to be at or near the top a few years ago, and has severely slipped.

With their recent 'enforcement' of their MAAP pricing, their refusal to sell to internet dealers,


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Not that I'm jumping to Benchmade's defense, but isn't it actually that they won't sell to internet only dealers?

I have dealt with GP Knives before, who are "authorized" Benchmade dealers on the internet. They had the 690's before just about anyone else. The difference is, though- at least I thought- that they also have a brick and mortar store as well. Sorry, kind of off topic, just wanted to clarify.

Firebat


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Name's Ash......Housewares.
 
Please send me all your unwanted benchmade knives... I'll find them a good home...
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I think Benchmade's unwillingness to supply spare parts and/or their disallowal of disassembly might have something to do with liability issues, should you mess it up and hurt yourself.

Otherwise, wouldn't it be cool if they sold kits!

David Rock



[This message has been edited by David Rock (edited 02-14-2001).]
 
You should all just stop your bitching and moaning and DEAL WITH IT !!!!

I have read this topic thousands of times before and the same people are always crying that BM won't do this, or BM won't do that, or I @$#^%*-up my knife and BM wants me send it in and pay them for my brilliant, albeit stupid idea to take apart my knife.

SHUT UP !!!!

If you don't care for what I said, too bad, quit your whining and don't buy any of there stuff anymore, It'll leave more for me.

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"Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.
----Abraham Lincoln
 
CK,

It's about 30 minutes on the backroads.

As for someone buying my art and screwing it up and then asking for paint to fix it....I really could care less! My pieces range from ceramics (in which case they can just buy another if it breaks) to metal sculptures and jewelry. Once someone buys something from me they can do whatever they want with it.

My daily living is made from my craftsmanship-I hang wallpaper primarily. I have extremely high standards for my work and have no problem with people putting holes in the walls when I'm done to hang a picture. Benchmade should have had better access to the thumbstud in their original design of the 705s and then I wouldn't have had to be grinding out a thumbramp. As far as I am concerned I bought it and I can now do with it as I see fit.

Suppose I bought a Ford Mustang and wanted to get a little more umph out of it. I could put all kinds of new parts in it or a "hotter" chip. Or ground effects or a spoiler. No one thinks twice about that kind of after market tinkering. Why should a friggin LOW TECH object be the exception?

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Peter Atwood

email:fountainman@hotmail.com
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by fountainman:
I find the Benchmade policy of "no one takes apart our knives but us" to be a bit silly.</font>
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Especially since they pumped everyone up about the BM#42 BaliSong and how it would have replacement blades...now it is "coming out" that this was a mistake in wording, you will have to send the knife to them for the other blade...

I knew that was a farce and a marketing ploy to begin with, re: replacement blades.

They still make pretty good knives though!

The Emerson CQC-7s were real tough and I handled a "Knife of The Month" AFCK with pretty ugly, green-mottled, aluminum scales, but it was probably the most solid BM I have ever held outside of the BM#44, #45, #48 and the Custom Balis I have had.



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"You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol than you are a musician because you own a guitar." ~Jeff Cooper
And the same goes for a knife...
And, I'm a Usual Suspect.
 
remster135,

If you don't like this topic, why open a thread that is obviously geared towards complaining about Benchmade? If you're tired of reading about this subject, why read it for the 1,001st time? Nice post, BTW. You apparently put quite a bit of though into it.

fountainman,

Wait until you break an omega spring and have to send it back to Benchmade! I would suggest having some nice carbon fiber handles put on your Axis. I'm sure there are plenty of budding knifemakers out there that WILL take your money
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I learned my lesson from Benchmade's inane policies concerning omega springs. My answer to everyone's problem is simple. Don't buy any more Benchmades. I don't, and I haven't looked back. Life is too short and there are a plethora of non-Benchmade knives out there to be had!

Later,
Chris

 
((let's just post this once))

[This message has been edited by Esav Benyamin (edited 02-14-2001).]
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by fountainman:
Suppose I bought a Ford Mustang and wanted to get a little more umph out of it. I could put all kinds of new parts in it or a "hotter" chip. Or ground effects or a spoiler. No one thinks twice about that kind of after market tinkering. Why should a friggin LOW TECH object be the exception?

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Peter, that's exactly Benchmade's attitude also. You bought the knife, do what you want with it. Just don't involve them in any issues except materials or manufacturing defects.

I can't speak for anyone else; I have two Benchmade knives: a 975SBT Emerson and a 730 Ares. Both are beautifully ground, fit and finish are excellent, and the 975 has been doing hard work for years with no problems at all -- in fact, it almost seems self-sharpening.

If you didn't like the design, why did you buy that model? OK, these things aren't always apparent until we get to play with them ... that's what the "Knives for Sale/Trade: Individual" forum is for.
 
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