Benchmade's QC Problems.

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skyhorse said:
Yes for every complaint that's posted on a forum,I'm sure the other thousand pieces produced with no issues will go unnoticed.I had planned on purchasing a dozen or more mini grips,so I have no problem personally with their quality.Those plans have changed not because of quality concerns,but rather imho at their current retail price there are far better options from other knife manufacturers.
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harris2 said:
True, but the reverse can also be said... What about the thousand pieces with issues that never get reported here or returned to Benchmade? Some owners don't care, or aren't aware of the deficiencies. The true statistical number will never be known, and is still unacceptable just based on the number of complaints from this forum. ;)
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Not to get into a big battle debate or anything but if a knife owner doesn't notice any "deficiency" -or doesn't care about the same things a collector with a microscope cares about, how is that a deficiency? I don't know anybody with enough throw away cash to pick up a Benchmade-level priced item and just say "Meh, it doesn't work right. Oh well." My guess is that true problem knives get returned.
 
Same here. Never intended for it to become a grudge match and I don't believe it has become one. What I'll add for clarification is the following; I will guarantee you if I gave my father a Benchmade knife that has an uneven edge grind and off-centered blade that are considered deficiencies by most of us here he would not notice! If it cuts, and fits comfortably in his pocket he is happy. Heck, he doesn't even know the difference between a blade made of 440c and M390 steel. However, that doesn't mean the deficiencies aren't there and a microscope is not needed to see them ;). To some a knife is just a knife.
 
I need to go through some of my Benchmade knives and see which ones need to go back. An earlier discussion here convinced me that some of the vertical blade play on the Adamas, AFCK, TSEK, and 710 should not be present. It's noticeable, but I had always figured it was supposed to be that way. Apparently, the Axis lock is claimed to be self adjusting, it is not on any of the knives I own listed. Aside from the lock rock, there are some clip screws that just will not hold a screw in, it spins in place. These arrived that way from the store. :confused:
 
Man, I'm not experiencing any of this other than the very slight up/down blade-play, but it's honestly never bothered me since I know the lock isn't going to fail.

I've got a couple of Benchmade knives on the way - I hope I don't get any lemons.
 
EZ Bake said:
Man, I'm not experiencing any of this other than the very slight up/down blade-play, but it's honestly never bothered me since I know the lock isn't going to fail.

I've got a couple of Benchmade knives on the way - I hope I don't get any lemons.
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Non-Axis Lock knives I'm assuming.
 
this_is_nascar said:
Non-Axis Lock knives I'm assuming.
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No - vertical play in a liner lock would be a concern, but in an Axis-Lock it's not going to cause failure, so I could care less so long as it's only very slight play and not just way sloppy (and I do own Axis locks with no play as well, so I know Benchmade should be able to do this).

None of my Axis locks have just major amounts of vertical blade-play, but most will produce a slight wiggle if you just really work the blade up and down and pay attention to it. That's been my experience with nearly all Axis locks though, very few have had no blade play (I own 2 that have absolutely no blade-play).
 
EZ Bake said:
No - vertical play in a liner lock would be a concern, but in an Axis-Lock it's not going to cause failure, so I could care less so long as it's only very slight play and not just way sloppy (and I do own Axis locks with no play as well, so I know Benchmade should be able to do this).

None of my Axis locks have just major amounts of vertical blade-play, but most will produce a slight wiggle if you just really work the blade up and down and pay attention to it. That's been my experience with nearly all Axis locks though, very few have had no blade play (I own 2 that have absolutely no blade-play).
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Somewhat similar to the compression lock in this respect - vertical play is annoying but nothing more. Having said that, I'd be quite annoyed. :(
 
this_is_nascar said:
I don't see how that's physically possible. That's why I was asking.
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It does happen. Side to side play is common and typically adjustable by us, but 'radial blade play' which allows a rocking movement from spine to edge is something Benchmade has had to repair for me in at least three cases. And I did have to send them up each time - and which were repaired to my satisfaction.
 
this_is_nascar said:
I don't see how that's physically possible. That's why I was asking.
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As it wears, the bar travels further in the channel, so it doesn't have vertical play. If the bar bottoms out in the channel, then it can't adjust anymore, and vertical play occurs. The axis lock doesn't wear quickly, so it's pretty rare. The only time it's happen to me is when the knife came with the bar almost bottomed out from the start.
 
this_is_nascar said:
I don't see how that's physically possible. That's why I was asking.
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It's easily possible - you just get the tolerances for the bar, the slots in the liners and the tang ramp out a few thou. But I always thought it was incredibly improbable, which apparently is not the case. :(
 
I don't think all Axis mechs are created equal. As blade and liner thicknesses increase and the geometry of the three point lockup surfaces decrease, that's where I've personally seen the vertical slop. The Adamas and Contego are prime offenders. Smaller, thinner knives like the 940 and the Pardue 500 series seem to have it right in my experience.
 
Professor said:
I don't think all Axis mechs are created equal. As blade and liner thicknesses increase and the geometry of the three point lockup surfaces decrease, that's where I've personally seen the vertical slop. The Adamas and Contego are prime offenders. Smaller, thinner knives like the 940 and the Pardue 500 series seem to have it right in my experience.
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Benchmade has even stated that a slight bit of vertical play (not visible but felt) is within spec on the Contego and Adamas due to the mass of the blade. That being said, my 810-1401 and my wife's 275 have zero vertical play and lock up like a vault.
 
Professor said:
Respect to your wife on toting a 275. That's impressive!
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And she's only 5'1". An acquaintance let me try out some of his knives for a couple weeks to see which one I wanted to get, and every time she held the 275, she got a silly little grin on her face. I was going to get her a custom mini-Grip, but she said "if you're going to get me a knife get me the one I really like." Who'd a thunk it?

Anyone who says the Adamas is too big for their hands must be the size of a nine year old...
 
RevDevil said:
I need to go through some of my Benchmade knives and see which ones need to go back. An earlier discussion here convinced me that some of the vertical blade play on the Adamas, AFCK, TSEK, and 710 should not be present. It's noticeable, but I had always figured it was supposed to be that way. Apparently, the Axis lock is claimed to be self adjusting, it is not on any of the knives I own listed. Aside from the lock rock, there are some clip screws that just will not hold a screw in, it spins in place. These arrived that way from the store. :confused:
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I did just that. I have 19 BNIB Benchmades. I went through them all, and they were all centered and locked up 100%, with two exceptions. My auto Bedlam has slight up and down play but it will work in it has only been cycled by me about ten times the bar hasn't gone past the liners. The other was a Contego. It was just a little off centered I fixed it in 30 seconds. So mine are not too bad. But for the price they should all be 100% going out the door IMHO.
 
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