Canal Street Half Moon Trapper = Disappointed

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Pelikan

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Oct 20, 2011
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I posted about a week ago trying to decide on a knife from Canal Street, and ended up going with the half moon trapper in Smooth Autumn sunset bone. Got the knife today, and although the quality of the blade and mechanism are top rate (spring seems perfectly strong/adequate to me) the finishing of the handle is quite poor. (EDIT: Closer look reveals a shoddy mechanism as well. See pictures below.) The main rivet/screw hole was overdrilled on both sides, gouging the handle, and it appears to have been fitting too tight, cracking the handle itself. I'm sure it'd be only a matter of time before the handle fully split, given its current condition. I'm fairly certain I'm just going to return it and get a nice razor like I was originally intending.

In light of my experience, I, personally, can't recommend this brand. I've gotten five dollar chinese bargain bins that had a better quality to the finish.

Gouged/overdrilled handle:

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Handle cracked straight through:

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Hairline crack running almost through the handle:

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Large gap between handle and butt:

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A few more things I've noticed, first one the blade is off-center, actually brushing against the liner on opening/closing:

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Canal Street has a good rep around here, but your example is not groovy. That gap, by itself, is a deal breaker. This one should be returned. I have 2 or 3, and their fit and finish is most excellent. Good luck with that one. I did have a medallion fall off once, but that was easily remedied.

IMG_1742.jpg
 
I'll admit that does look pretty shoddy. I owned a "Pinch" which is the same knife but with a lockback. Mine didn't have any finishing issues near that bad aside from an off center blade. Unfortunately with some brands it's important when buying online to ask the dealer to look at a few and hand select the best example. Sorry you got a lemon man :thumbdn:

Nathan
 
Send it back, they will make it right. Some of the best customer service I have ever encountered. I have a half moon trapper that fell around 80 feet, hit several steel I-beams on the way down, came open, and landed on the blade. Only broke the scales. If I can figure out the camera will post pictures.
 
I think you just got a lemon that got thru their QA. From my dealings with CSC, they are a top notch company with a top notch product.
 
In looking at the knife more carefully I've noticed issues with the mechanism as well, the most notable being the knife is off center, actually brushing up against the metal liner as it opens and closes. I really don't know about this brand. If a knife this bad escaped QA then their QA people must be drunk. As soon as I opened the box the cosmetic things jumped out at me, and I keep noticing more wrong with it the more I look.

...yeah, definitely going back. To all of you with CS knives, lets hope they hold up over the years.
 
Definitely send that one back. Sorry to see you're first was a lemon.
 
My first was a lemon as well, but take heart.
CSC is a stand up company, they definitely see the flaws in knives sent back. I sent mine back and I had a new one in no time, they just missed the problems with my knife the first time.
I hate having to send knives back, it shouldn't happen as far as I am concerned, but we all make mistakes, give CSC a chance to make theirs right.
 
CSC will likely stand behind their product, at least from all I have read on this and other forums, but it is hard to understand how this particular knife got out the door.
 
Pelikan said:
I posted about a week ago trying to decide on a knife from Canal Street, and ended up going with the half moon trapper in Smooth Autumn sunset bone. Got the knife today, and although the quality of the blade and mechanism are top rate (spring seems perfectly strong/adequate to me) the finishing of the handle is quite poor. (EDIT: Closer look reveals a shoddy mechanism as well. See pictures below.) The main rivet/screw hole was overdrilled on both sides, gouging the handle, and it appears to have been fitting too tight, cracking the handle itself. I'm sure it'd be only a matter of time before the handle fully split, given its current condition. I'm fairly certain I'm just going to return it and get a nice razor like I was originally intending.

In light of my experience, I, personally, can't recommend this brand. I've gotten five dollar chinese bargain bins that had a better quality to the finish.

Gouged/overdrilled handle:

scaled.php


Handle cracked straight through:

scaled.php


Hairline crack running almost through the handle:

scaled.php


Large gap between handle and butt:

scaled.php


A few more things I've noticed, first one the blade is off-center, actually brushing against the liner on opening/closing:

scaled.php


scaled.php
Click to expand...

I probably would have contacted them first before posting this, and give them a chance, that way after whatever service you get from the company, you could then post a fair follow-up Thread explaining the faults of the knife, and then what customer service did to fix your complaints. Dont forget, its a production knife, and some do slip by, this is not always a reflection on the company, maybe in this case Harry on the line was waiting for smoko...and the bell went?
 
I think you should definitely give them a chance to make it right. Contact CSC directly and ask them if they want you to return the knife directly to them for replacement, or go back the seller. On this particular one I wouldn't want a repair, there is just too much wrong here to ever feel good about it.

I would normally agree with Duncan about posting before the resolution if it was a liner gap, OR a gap between the bolster and scale, OR the blade rubbing the liner, OR a cracked scale, OR the over drilled pivot hole, but when it's all of those on the same knife, they deserve the exposure.

Of course when they make it right you should post that here as well.
 
That blade touching the liner, the gap on the spring, the large gap between bolster and bone are terrible. This kind of knife would incense me.

Should be replaced immediately, should never have been put on sale frankly. CS is one cutlery company I've never warmed to, their knives have far too little snap for my taste. Yes they appear to have good customer service, but judging from what I've read on forums over the years, that customer service seems to get used a lot......
 
Pelikan said:
A few more things I've noticed, first one the blade is off-center, actually brushing against the liner on opening/closing:

scaled.php
Click to expand...

In this pic the blade actually looks bent or krinked. It looks centered at the pivot but seems to dive toward the liner. I wonder if most of the off centered blades we see are a result of a warped blade? In the case of this knife it is so poorly built that it is hard to tell.
I'm sure CS would like a do over on this one.
 
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Do send it back Pelikan, they're aware of it and pulling their hair out trying to figure how that one got out. The only thing they can figure is that possibly one of the rejects mistakenly wound up on the packing table and was shipped out. That's definitley not something they'd intentionally send out the door. Looks like an early model single blade, none of the pins are spun on the smooth handled knives nowadays, they're all peened smooth (like the cover pins). You could even call first, the number's on the box, Wally or Gene will likely answer and they'll definitely make it right. Good Luck!

Eric
 
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I have the same knife purchased within the last year and I see a couple of things different. Maybe it's the photograph, but the proportions are different on mine.

In the pic showing the gap at the end, the ratio of the length between the edge of the pin and the gap to the width of the end piece is about 1:2. Mine is more 1:2.75.

In the pic the knife tip comes down even with the end cap. Mine goes about 4mm farther.

The pin closest to the CS seal is smooth headed and flush with the scale on my knife, like the pin shown by the end piece.

These may be a result of distortion by the camera lens and not a valid comparison, but those differences leaped out at me.

I had a GEC knife off centered to where the blade had been scratched. The seller, Knives Ship Free, replaced it w/o any hesitation whatsoever.

I have many CSC half moons and have never encountered this problem.
 
The issues you are having with this knife are not cool at all. Let us know how they (Canal Street) remedy this. I'm betting they will make it right.
I'm hoping they will anyway. I'm rooting for this company to make it. :)
-Bruce
 
We are sorry that one of our knives slipped through the cracks like you received. That is the perils of a
Hand made knife company. Looks like we had a bad day. We are also sorry that you have not brought this matter up directly with us. If you would, we would be happy to correct this. The vast majority of our customers think we have a very special product, and we strive very hard to make the best knives made anywhere. We do provide a warrantee however that covers instances like occurred with your knife.

Best regards

Michael@droppointhunter.com
 
Thanks Michael.......


Shame..Shame on the OP for not contacting the manufacture first, instead of tattling .... many of us own Canal Street Cutlery knives and know differently plus a good majority of the rest realize that an error can happen with any manufacturer
 
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