Benchmade's QC Problems.

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jkarp_53

jkarp_53

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I just came home from a trip to my local REI, and while there took a look at the LE 551 in G-10 and S30V. At first glance, and in about four seconds I noted how far off-center the blade was and handed it back to the salesguy that was raving about it's quality.

I would not accept this knife, prolly would've asked to see if they had another in better shape...but at $175 would have passed no matter what. For that money I want QUALITY not QUANTITY.

To Benchmade: You guys have got to get off of this slide in poor workmanship. Your slip is absolutely showing and it's embarassing to me as a long time collector and big fan of yours. Your silence in these issues at this point says more then anyone would have thought.

There's my $.02

...Joe
 
Yeah, I think they really pushed it with price hikes and continuing lack of communication.
 
I couldn't agree more. I've only been collecting benchmades for about 2 years, and I have accumulated over 25 and STILL counting. I recently got the m390 contego, and like almost everyone here said the blade was off centered to the right. I did just buy a 300-1301 and its flaw less, but I don't know when those where made. My point I guess is with my recent benchmade 810 I was not overly impressed, but the new 300 made up for it in some way I guess.
 
I would say they have really lost their way. Benchmade is out of touch with it's end user and that is a very bad thing. Anytime a manufacturer is deaf to the end user's ears, they open up market share for the taking. And no matter how much they raise prices, I refuse to believe a company their size would see that as a good thing.
 
I havent seen any qc issues on my benchmades but then again I only have 2 right now. I did get a 275 recently and in all my efforts to get the blade centered it stays a little to the right, which really irritates me for a $165 knife, I just got a $25 kershaw today and it has better blade centering than my 275 which should not be that way. The pricing thing is ridiculous and unnecessary too, I love benchmade but they really dont seem to care about the customers as much anymore.
 
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Blade centering isn't a huge deal to me. As long as it's not drastically closer to one side, I'm fine. I have seen other issues though that were more disheartening, not to mention the uninspired designs and gigantic gold class prices.
 
jkarp_53 said:
I just came home from a trip to my local REI, and while there took a look at the LE 551 in G-10 and S30V. At first glance, and in about four seconds I noted how far off-center the blade was and handed it back to the salesguy that was raving about it's quality.

I would not accept this knife, prolly would've asked to see if they had another in better shape...but at $175 would have passed no matter what. For that money I want QUALITY not QUANTITY.

To Benchmade: You guys have got to get off of this slide in poor workmanship. Your slip is absolutely showing and it's embarassing to me as a long time collector and big fan of yours. Your silence in these issues at this point says more then anyone would have thought.

There's my $.02

...Joe
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That's crazy. IIRC, all of the BM R.E.I knives have serrated blades. I never understood that. Why limit your sales, because there are a lot of people that absolutely detest serrated blades.

$175 is WAY out of line for an S30V Grip... You can order one exactly like you want for around $140 from BM, OR you can buy a Ritter Grip for even less.
How in the world did the come up with $175 ? Strange. Granted, that particular knife is an REI exclusive, but I don't even like REI. At least the one in our area. It seems like a place for the yuppie bike riders and hikers to hang out. YMMV of course...
You can order the exact same knife for close to $35 less.
 
338375 said:
That's crazy. IIRC, all of the BM R.E.I knives have serrated blades. I never understood that. Why limit your sales, because there are a lot of people that absolutely detest serrated blades.

$175 is WAY out of line for an S30V Grip... You can order one exactly like you want for around $140 from BM, OR you can buy a Ritter Grip for even less.
How in the world did the come up with $175 ? Strange. Granted, that particular knife is an REI exclusive, but I don't even like REI. At least the one in our area. It seems like a place for the yuppie bike riders and hikers to hang out. YMMV of course...
You can order the exact same knife for close to $35 less.
Click to expand...

This Grip has G10 scales and green standoffs, and it actually is available in plain edge. Run a search for "Benchmade 551-1401" and it should come up. (not sure if I'm allowed to link to REI?)

As far as QC and out-of-box fit and finish goes, I've had a couple that weren't perfect, mainly funny edges on 710s and one 806 LE where the left-hand, tip-up clip mounting point had one of the three holes not tapped correctly.

I have to say, though, my most recent purchase (immediately before the pricing bump) was a 581 - and it was very, very good out of box. Centered, sharp, even grinds, no play at all. I've since removed the spring and safety, and with a bit of tweaking of the pivot it's still centered and while there might be a hair of horizontal play that I can't get I'm not sure it's there some days and it's very minimal on the ones that it is noticeable.

Just wanted to give them their fair dues - while QC may be hit and miss, they are still capable of turning out some very well put together knives.
 
This really bums me out...

I really think the blade centering issue has to do with warpage during the heat treat, I wonder what changed.... thats something they should have locked down at this point
 
somebodyelse5 said:
This really bums me out...

I really think the blade centering issue has to do with warpage during the heat treat, I wonder what changed.... thats something they should have locked down at this point
Click to expand...
Poor, hasty, or under skilled workmanship is more to blame than a warped blade. Now, a burnt edge is never good. That is usually a sign that the blade was also sharpened hastily and well, burnt. The discolored steel is a dead giveaway.

I have received several knives in the past with off centered blades, from many manufacturers. I don't mind trying to fix them myself, but it gets to a point where you have to wonder why on Earth should the customer have to do it? In my mind, a well centered blade is a clear sign of a precision built and designed folder. What really puts me off more than anything else is when I receive a knife that has a really sloppy cutting edge. For example, the primary bevel on one side will be 15 degrees on one side and the other looks like it's a transition from 5-40 degrees, all in the course of about a 3.5" blade. Luckily, the last couple Benchmades have been very sharp and the edges have been symmetrical.
 
RevDevil said:
Poor, hasty, or under skilled workmanship is more to blame than a warped blade. Now, a burnt edge is never good. That is usually a sign that the blade was also sharpened hastily and well, burnt. The discolored steel is a dead giveaway.

I have received several knives in the past with off centered blades, from many manufacturers. I don't mind trying to fix them myself, but it gets to a point where you have to wonder why on Earth should the customer have to do it? In my mind, a well centered blade is a clear sign of a precision built and designed folder. What really puts me off more than anything else is when I receive a knife that has a really sloppy cutting edge. For example, the primary bevel on one side will be 15 degrees on one side and the other looks like it's a transition from 5-40 degrees, all in the course of about a 3.5" blade. Luckily, the last couple Benchmades have been very sharp and the edges have been symmetrical.
Click to expand...

That's more what I am talking about.
 
As long as people are buying BM's nothing will be done. Returning online purchased knives with letters or emails of complaint regarding off centered blades, etc., complaints to store managers, etc. will make a difference...they are the ones buying the quantities and when they stop because of a drop in sales and complaints regarding poor quality will bear results better and more quickly than forums and letters/emails to BM.

BM was my first "good" knife and I still like it a lot but based on forum complaints/concerns regarding poor quality, higher prices I'll stay away especially when the ZT566 I just bought is nearly perfect out of the box...centered blade, etc. and at a very good price, especially compared to a similar BM.
 
I bought a 710 in mid December (before the discounts disappeared). Fit and finish looked fine. It's not as buttery smooth as I was expecting/hoping but after some breaking in it's getting better.

But when I went to sharpen it I took a close look at the edge and noticed a small notch in the belly. Also a small fraction of the tip is broken off. Both were visible under a loupe and can be corrected but I just didn't expect that from BM.

Now I find out others are having QC issues as well. Between that and the MAP fiasco I've bought my last Benchmade.
 
Skywalker31 said:
This Grip has G10 scales and green standoffs, and it actually is available in plain edge. Run a search for "Benchmade 551-1401" and it should come up. (not sure if I'm allowed to link to REI?)

As far as QC and out-of-box fit and finish goes, I've had a couple that weren't perfect, mainly funny edges on 710s and one 806 LE where the left-hand, tip-up clip mounting point had one of the three holes not tapped correctly.

I have to say, though, my most recent purchase (immediately before the pricing bump) was a 581 - and it was very, very good out of box. Centered, sharp, even grinds, no play at all. I've since removed the spring and safety, and with a bit of tweaking of the pivot it's still centered and while there might be a hair of horizontal play that I can't get I'm not sure it's there some days and it's very minimal on the ones that it is noticeable.

Just wanted to give them their fair dues - while QC may be hit and miss, they are still capable of turning out some very well put together knives.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the details, and clarification. I haven't seen that model before, but it has been a long time since I looked at their website. Every time I think of REI's BM knives, I think of the red Grips with black blades, but now that I think of it, that has been quite awhile back now.
So, we finally get a G-10 choice, but it's an REI exclusive. As much as I would like to have a G-10 Grip, I don't think I can bring myself to go to one of their stores, OR pay $175 for one
 
Seriously... there's more whining in this subforum than in any five daycare centers across the country.
 
I can not comment with any great intelligence on the QC issues coming from BM. But considering that BM's sell themselves these days (from BM's perspective maybe), who really cares what you little guys think. You are going to buy them anyway regardless. I have only owned one BM ever, and it was ok, for what it was. It cost me $165 and I used it for a year with no real complaints other than it was heavy. After it was stolen from me, I decided not to replace it. I just couldn't justify spending that sort of money for a knife that was, in the end, just a showpiece. "hey look it flips out with the touch of a button....ooooh aaaahh."

Having said that, I do not find it surprising that BM is so out of touch with its customers at least in this forum. A company can develop an unhealthy ego when they build things for a specific clientel and forget that it's the little guys like us who really keep them in business.
 
If you get a knife that does not meet your standards, no matter how insignificant - send it back. Do it again and again until they get the message.
 
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