@#$%&* Benchmade!

CPR, didn't you break the spring on yours within a few days of receiving it? To me, that means manufacturing or material defect. Unless you took it apart and ... well.. um.. messed up. If so, oh well. I remember reading your plight, but I don't remember all the details.

In any case, I now have 4 working axis locks (plus one spare parts axis lock that went through some, um... testing), two lockbacks, and a fixed blade. Never had a single problem with any of them. One (1) of them had grind lines that weren't nearly perfect. All the rest were awesome. So I'm not buying into their QC slipping.

I personally think that they should go ahead and let you buy another scale and put it on, but that's their choice. When it comes to customer service, I can't say that I'm impressed with theirs. But, I don't recall ever using it.

Heck, I see this as a good opportunity to get some customizing done to it, ya know.

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The most affectionate creature in the world is a wet dog. - Ambrose Bierce
Most dog owners are at length able to teach themselves to obey their dog. - Robert Morley

iktomi

[This message has been edited by rockspyder (edited 02-14-2001).]
 
FNG,

Good point, although I was unable to find the OEM in my travels. You wouldn't happen to know where one could obtain the exact omega springs that Benchmaded uses? I could go back to buying Axis locks if you hook me up with the manufacturer!
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Later,
Chris
 
I have a few BMs, some MTs, and some more high end custom/handmade/whatevers.
The BMs were purchased over a period of five years or so. If anything, their QC seems to be improving: the later examples have less blade play, more even grinds, sharper blades.
Part of people's different experiences could be the luck of the draw.
 
When you buy a firearm you receive a manual with basic instruction for stripping the firearm. This is as far as the average guy needs to go. For detailed stripping, customising or servicing you go to a recognised professional. I have seen many fools strip Colt Government models, CZ75s and other fine habdguns as far as they could go and then need a smith to put them back together.

When you buy a knife there shouldn't be a need to take it to pieces. Have I disassembled my BM730 to see how the Axis lock works? Heck no. It works fine and that's all that matters.

If you feel the need to customise your knife then either go to a professional or send the knife back to the factory. You can't blame BM for your screw-up.
 
Andre,

Let me clarify: I am NOT blaming Benchmade for MY screw up!!!!

All I want is to be able to purchase an extra handle slab to replace my damaged one. I fully admit that I am responsible for that damage and I am willing to pay for the material to repair it. I just don't see why I can't buy a simple little piece of plastic that they have machined to fit my knife. They have tons of pieces sitting in bins waiting for assembly I am sure that sending one out to me isn't going to hurt a thing or disrupt their production schedule.

Knives are extremely basic and relatively inexpensive low tech items. There are very few parts to them. Why are these companies unwilling to work with their customers to supply them with what they desire? Sure Benchmade will fix my knife but not until I send it to them and pay 1/6 of the value of the knife.

If I owned a S&W 357 and wanted new handle slabs, not only could I purchase replacement factory pieces but I believe there are also after market sources for such things. How about Harleys? I can't think of a better example of something that will be endlessly customized. There are so many examples of this sort of thing.

And liability is not the issue here. What could the liability of the knifemaker be compared to the liability of a car maker? And the car maker expects people to damage their products and get killed by them, in fact they count on it.

No, I think knife manufacturers should get with the program and realize that customers will do things that sometimes aren't to bright. Then they should make an effort to accomodate them as long as they are willing to pay. Otherwise they might get on Internet bulletin boards and start silly flame wars.
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------------------
Peter Atwood

email:fountainman@hotmail.com
 
Andre,

The gun analogy is good up to a point. But in this thread, I don't think it is valid at all.

If you were trying to hand modify a pair of Smith & Wesson stock wood grips and you screwed them up, I'm sure they would send you a pair for a fee...

Also, I don't think it is fair to say that you have to send a handgun back to the factory for placement of other grips, you know, exotic wood, stag or Pachmayr...

Fitting blades and whatnot is more in line with what you are speaking of.

------------------
"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.
 
I've had Smith and Wesson send me parts for my discontinued pistol, I've had Glock send me sights for free for my pistol, I've had wieder send me some spare parts for my wieght machine, parts I just wanted extra, for a price. I've had backpacking gear companies send me stuff, for free, like a part for my water filter, material to patch my patagonia jacket. Patagonia told me at first to send it to them and they would patch it but I told them I didnt' want to have to send in my jacket evertime I got a little hole so they sent me the material so I could do it myself.
I don't see any reason BM can't sell a part so someone can make a simple repair. And I'll never get another API treestand again!!!
 
As far as the issue of BM going in a downward direction, I just don't see it. The new 42's, Ares, Osborn's, and Elishewitz pieces look real sweet. With those, and other additions I can't think of any other manufacturer that has had a better new line up in the last 2 years. Of course I'm just talking from a product stand point, not any other aspect of there biz.

Just my 2 cents
 
I can buy every part (aside those restricted by FFL) from almost every firearm company but it's a good thing there's no liability in that industry.

BUT, heaven forbid you try to replace a handle slab on your amazing revolutionary technology, as seen on TV, NASA approved, self detonating, comes with a liability laywer in a can, to sue BM knife with 2 moving parts.

But the bottom line is this, it's BM's knife they can do what they want in the form of customer service after the sale. I'm sure it's much more convient for BM to only allow BM to take apart their knives for any reason, but IMO it's not about the convience of the company it's about convience of the customer.

If you don't like it, don't buy their product. Tell your dealer WHY you don't buy their products. Heck, tell THEM why you don't buy their product. Cutting their profits seems to be the only way to make a lot of companies listen these days so make them listen if you don't like what they do.

Personally, if I messed up a handle slab on one of my older BM's knives just out of pure principal I'd order myself some 1/8" G10 or carbon fiber and make a pair for less $ than what BM wants for a single mass produced slab and problably have less downtime and a better product when I was done.

But I've been known not to purchase from companies who's practices I don't like, and to tell them what I don't like.

I'm unreasonable that way.

Todd

 
The analogy of replacing grips on an S&W reminds me of Sigs policy. If the grips are removed/replaced by anyone other than a Sig armorer (of which I am one) the warranty is voided. That policy is in place because the grip screw holes in the aluminum frame are easily stripped. Many Sig owners do it anyway at their own risk.
Rich
 
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