- Joined
- Dec 15, 2007
- Messages
- 1,420
Rather than reblade my 2000 era 501, I ordered a new one from Amazon and received it today. Here's what I posted on Amazon:
"I received one today that was obviously a return to Amazon. I have two 501's, one from about 1980 and another from 2000. I wanted to get a new one as I've retired the two I own. The earlier micarta scaled one for sentiment's sake and the 2000 one because it was getting a little beat.
The one I received today was in a Buck box with no packing material and scotch taped closed. I called Buck to be sure about how they send the knives out and was told they don't use scotch tape to close their boxes and there should have been a foam sleeve protecting the contents. There wasn't and the knife and sheath were rattling around loose.
However, what concerned me more was the quality of the knife itself. The scales, while fitted pretty well to the frame were poorly made. There was a fair amount of side to side blade play compared to my two older models and a little up and down play. The blade does not appear to be anywhere near as well polished as my earlier versions although it was well-sharpened. Lastly, the lock bar spring when the knife is closed left a fair amount of exposed liner along the spine. It is flush on my earlier two versions.
Amazon is sending out a replacement and I'll report back. Buck wanted me to send the knife to them but at my expense. Will give them another chance through the Amazon replacement. I've read a number of gripes about Buck quality since they moved back to Idaho in 2004-5 but I'd hoped it was a thing of the past. I hope this example was an anomaly and returned to Amazon for the same reason it's being returned again. I'm also a little disappointed that Amazon didn't have this in their warehouse deals section of the site, there's no excuse for selling a returned item as new."
A very, very different knife from the 2000 model I have which is not as well made a knife as the 1980ish micarta version I own. I have a new Duke coming from another seller and hope that it's a better knife than the 501 I received today. Also hope the replacement 501 is closer to what I came to expect from Buck. If not, I'll have to look around for an earlier example elsewhere.
"I received one today that was obviously a return to Amazon. I have two 501's, one from about 1980 and another from 2000. I wanted to get a new one as I've retired the two I own. The earlier micarta scaled one for sentiment's sake and the 2000 one because it was getting a little beat.
The one I received today was in a Buck box with no packing material and scotch taped closed. I called Buck to be sure about how they send the knives out and was told they don't use scotch tape to close their boxes and there should have been a foam sleeve protecting the contents. There wasn't and the knife and sheath were rattling around loose.
However, what concerned me more was the quality of the knife itself. The scales, while fitted pretty well to the frame were poorly made. There was a fair amount of side to side blade play compared to my two older models and a little up and down play. The blade does not appear to be anywhere near as well polished as my earlier versions although it was well-sharpened. Lastly, the lock bar spring when the knife is closed left a fair amount of exposed liner along the spine. It is flush on my earlier two versions.
Amazon is sending out a replacement and I'll report back. Buck wanted me to send the knife to them but at my expense. Will give them another chance through the Amazon replacement. I've read a number of gripes about Buck quality since they moved back to Idaho in 2004-5 but I'd hoped it was a thing of the past. I hope this example was an anomaly and returned to Amazon for the same reason it's being returned again. I'm also a little disappointed that Amazon didn't have this in their warehouse deals section of the site, there's no excuse for selling a returned item as new."
A very, very different knife from the 2000 model I have which is not as well made a knife as the 1980ish micarta version I own. I have a new Duke coming from another seller and hope that it's a better knife than the 501 I received today. Also hope the replacement 501 is closer to what I came to expect from Buck. If not, I'll have to look around for an earlier example elsewhere.