Esee knives vs Bark River Warranty

E

ESEESAVVEE

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Jul 4, 2010
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I know that Esee is a no questions asked warranty but is Bark River as well?
Their website says free from manufacturers defects, as many companies state also, but on knivesshipfree.com, they say they have a strict no questions asked policy. Any first hand knowledge?
 
reading the warranty on BRKT's site it sounds like typical phrasing so they don't have to cover abuse, misuse, neglect or just wear and tear. it also only covers the knives and presumably their axes too, but not the sheaths.

but, you're right. KSF says "no questions asked", but they are not the manufacturer.

just seems like this might be better off asked in a general area here. simply because it's not an ESEE versus BRKT question, but one about the Barkie warranty.

i've never heard anything bad about BRKT, but you might find it if you look long enough.

i'd love to add a few to my collection, i just don't have the budget for it at the moment. perhaps soon tho.
 
They will cover just about everything. I've been using BRKT knives for about 3 years. I just sent one in that I pulled the wood handles off and couldnt get them back on right. Just sent it in. I had a BRKT bowie that I chipped the blade last summer they repaired it, since sold it. I had a knife that a friend royally screwed up. It was a leather handled Boone. He borrowed for hunting season. When he returned it he had used gorilla glue to tighen the handle. He had let it get on the blade and then tried to remove it undoubtly with a powersander. The knife looked like crap. I thought it was ruined for sure. They took the knife and made it look new. It only cost me the shipping there and back. My 3 favorite fixed blade compaies are ESEE, BRKT, and Fallkniven.Out of those three I own more BRKT than the others.
 
My daughter helped me by soaking my bravo 1 in the sink for a couple of hours.
The carbon steel blade is pitted all over.
Mike told me to send it in and they would give it a "spa treatment" (includes sharpening).
The only cost would be return shipping.
I haven't done it simply because the knife is a user
 
Horn Dog sent a BRKT blade in at some point and it either never got fixed or took six months or something. All I know is it wasn't right. His review alone will keep me from buying anything they make.
 
imaginefj said:
Horn Dog sent a BRKT blade in at some point and it either never got fixed or took six months or something. All I know is it wasn't right. His review alone will keep me from buying anything they make.
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I have to utterly disagree with that. I have never had a issue with Bark River as far as warranty, quality of product design. The only reason i have had to use their warranty is because i use their knives more and have more then RAT knives until the last year ( now i use them about even). I have chipped and broken three knife tips because i am a clutz. Sent them in at various stages and within 2 weeks they were back at my door, new tips, razor sharp and polished nicely. all paid was shipping.

My bamboo handle on my Tanto got nicked in a move around my office, stuff going this way and that way. sent it in, new handle, no questions asked. I dont think you can ask for more then that.

I have not had to use RAT warranty and hope to not need it. To me they are the same warranty, just different words to describe the same care. Mike is a stand up guy. you can easily get a hold of him and many times when you call bark it might be him picking up the phone. Easy fellow to talk to and full of knowledge.
 
I've heard that people love their Bark River's and Bark RIver's big dog visists some other knife forum regularly and is a real gentleman and goes extended length when it comes to Bark River products and warranties.

I don't know personally, my Barkie is still in mail :D
 
I posted this picture of a knife I bought at a swapmeet about 30 years ago.
Marble2.jpg

When I couldn't provide any history on the knife he (Mike Stewart) offered to give it a spa treatment if I sent it to him to investigate, as it intrigued him.
This is how it came back with a complimentary sheath made by Sharpshooter.
DSC00863.jpg


059.jpg
 
Bark River Knives has a forum of similar character to the ESEE one:

http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/showforum.php?fid/59/

I frequently read (post a little) in both and the same quality discussion takes place over there. Drop in and take a look to learn more about BRKT knives if you have not had the pleasure of knowing much about them.

I have a RC-3 and an Izula and like them a lot but I bought a BRKT Liten Bror in 3V steel a few months back and it came out of the box light sabre sharp - seriously!! I have never handled a knife that sharp before - gave me a new baseline for "scary sharp".

BKRT has a very similar warranty and repair policy to ESEE so no worries there.

While ESEE has a smaller product line with only a few variations (colors, handles, etc.) you can get BRKT knives a huge range of styles, designs, steels, and handle materials. So you can really find something that fits your personal use needs and preferences. They typically only make their models in batches so if you miss the design you are looking for you might have to wait until the next batch is produced if it is produced at all again (happens to some of the less popular models).

I am a fan of convex sharpening and all BKRT knives that I know of are hand convexed from the factory.

Like ESEE, BRKT seems to value their customers to a high degree and participates in the forums to engage their customers in discussion on a daily basis.

BRKT knives are very dangerous knives to get interested. With so many models and varieties, you could very quickly drain your bank account. This is a VERY bad thing if you are easily tempted to buy quality knives you know you do not need (so far I have resisted buying any more - but it has been difficult:))
 
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As far as I have ever heard Bark River's warranty is top notch. I've never heard a complaint. I'd trust 'em with anything I have.
 
Bark River's STATED warranty is not as good as ESEE's, but I've never known Mike Stewart to not make things right.

But I've also never seen someone run a knife over with a forklift or something just to get a new one, either.

I think they cover just about anything, but, as an above poster said, they word it the way they do so they have the option to reject service due to obvious abuse and whatnot.

As for traditionally styled production knives, Bark River is the top of the game, IMO.
 
Bark Rivers warranty is top notch, they will fix or replace anything. And from my own experience, Mike Stewart is an incredibly generous man. One thing to remember however, you have to wait for when they can replace it. It be replaced when the next production run is made, which could be a couple months to a year. However there I know of at least one instance that it did take a year, Mike replaced it with 2 knives for the trouble.
 
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