First experience with Spyderco customer service...

In regards to Cpirtle's experience with Spyderco, I can relate. My first experience with Spyderco Warranty and Repair was positive overall. Mike was great to deal with, in house repair time was not too long, etc. (This is where I can relate) However, I returned a Gunting that was "rebounding" on the Kin-op to Spyderco. I received the same letter Cpirtle did, stating your knife has been recondition, sharpened, etc. The kicker is that the knife still was rebounding and some glue from some box tape was still on the blade. I thought reconditioned my arse. I contacted Mike and sent the knife back to Spyderco (another mailing expense) and the second time around, my Gunting was replaced. Over all the experience was good, perfect, no. But, the warranty states it is "fair" and not perfect. On the flip side, I had a broken tip on knife and the overall Spyderco experience was AAAAAAA+++++++. Go figure.
 
Thanks for the support guys.

It's really amazing to me how most of the active members of this forum would rather pretend this kind of thread didn't exist rather than face the fact that Spyderco does indeed make mistakes.

If I were a FNG with a hundred posts or so, many of them would be in here trying to discredit me (it happens all of the time), but since I'm not they would probably rather see this thread quickly slip into Internet Never-Never Land.

I'm not saying I won't let it die, I did that for 4 days while I waited for the knife to be returned. But at this point I don't have many options IMO, I'm certainly not going to call Mike to try and have it repaired again.
 
Uncleknife. I'm sorry, but we do not re assemble knives that have been taken apart. The time that it takes and the skill that it takes is expensive and would cost more than you paid for the knife. Your best bet is to send it to a custom knife maker. We no longer make the model that you are customizing. We didn't make it in Golden, we don't have parts. We could send it back to Japan and have one of their custom makers assemble the knife, but I think it would be much less expensive to have it done domestically. I appreciate your interest and support, and I understand and appreciate your desire to cusomize the piece. It is just not a service that we can provide at this time.

Cpirtle. If you are still displeased, then I would suggest that you send it back with the specific request that you have. perhaps we can please you.

Mike and Keith process many hundreds of knives each week. Week after week after week. Thousands of knives per year. Their record has been excellent. Keith said that the knife you sent in had severe side play, as though someone had been readusting the pivot. He said he took the knife apart, re-adjusted for the side play which was removed, and then he re-oiled and returned your pieces. He was under the impression that he had solved your problem. I would suggest that you contact Mike and Keith again and see if you can get what you are seeking.

sal
 
Thanks Sal.

The knife was sent back to you in the condition it was recieved when I bought it new.

Do you honestly expect me to believe that if your QC department can't catch a knife with vertical play they will catch every knife with lateral play?

I did send very specific instructions with the knife, a typed letter explaining what the problem was. Your staff just chose not to read the letter fully, that's painfully obvious.

The last time I spoke to your service department, Mike tried to pick a fight with me, after that experience and ... the fact that I'm bringing into questions their ability to support my issue and ... the fact that I've started this thread ... I highly doubt I will get too warm of a welcome.



The bottom line here is that I sent in a brand new knife, my problems were not addressed, along the way I was treated like crap by Mike and the end result is I got my knife back with no services rendered. Oh yeah, I'm out $6 shipping and you want me to take a leap of faith and spend $6 more dollars to send it back to "see if I can get what I'm seeking".

The knife should have just been fixed or replaced the first time, period.

It's all moot at this point though because I sold it at a severe loss just to put this part of my past in the past.

In the future when I'm planning on sending a knife to Spyderco for repair I will just go find a bum to kick me in the nuts and save the $6.
 
I also had a negative experience with Mike at customer service.

About one year ago I broke my blade on a new Military, the break was at the spyderco hole. I called and was told to send in the knife and they would examine it for metal/heat treat possible problem. I shipped the knife and broken blade section with written instructions to return the broken blade, I wished to use it for a woodworking project.

I received a letter stating the knife was not defective and was quoted a very nominal amount to replace the blade. My money order was sent immediately. After many weeks and several calls, Mike gave me a commitment on time for completion.

The knife arrived with new blade,,,,the original blade piece was not included. The new blade also rubbed the G-10 side while the original did not. I called Mike and requested my original blade be returned and got a vauge "we will look for it but it is probably gone" answer. I also requested if it was acceptable for the blade to rub when opening etc. He answered that rubbing was within acceptable assembly procedures and since I did not have use of the knife for two months plus it would not be worth while sending it back again. Second call for my missing blade piece was also a vauge non commitment. I asked if I could adjust the blade to center it and was told,,,,,no it is a factory adjustment.

I paid for the replacement blade and accepted my responsibility for the breakage. My original blade is still MIA and the knife was returned with off center and rubbing on G-10. Not the best feeling for Spyderco repairs and customer service.

I have owned approximately 30-40 Spyderco knives over the years and this is my first repair experience. My first model 203 Sharpmaker was purchased directly from Sal at a woodworking show in the early 1970's.

Regards,
FK
 
Dang...At this point, I'm STILL wondering if I should bother contacting Mike at Spyderco to see if he (they) would/could move the pocket-clip of my SS Police model to the other side, so I can carry it the correct way...(I'm a "lefty" with a right-handed Police model)...

:confused:
 
glockman/Dann

I would recommend trying a local gunsmith. They have lots of experience drilling and tapping for small screws for sight mounting etc. From everything I have seen Spyderco doesn't do custom work.
 
I have also had my first experience with Spyderco customer service, and it was great. I sent my well used Police PE G-10 into Spyderco for sharpening, and I received it back today hair popping sharp, and the blade has been polished like new. Hell, the whole knife looks new, and I have used this knife pretty hard. :) Thank you!
 
from what i have been reading about the service of spyderco, i am afraid to mail in my FACTORY NEW, DEFECTIVE knife sharpener for repair. i have it packed and ready to go, but at this time am VERY leary about trusting i would even get it repaired or replaced without a hassle(from everything i have been hearing). over the last 2-3 weeks i ordered a couple thousand dollars worth of tacticle knives, needless to say, not one was a spyderco... (emerson, benchmade and SOG was all that i approved of)
 
Originally posted by waynejitsu,
i have it packed and ready to go, but at this time am VERY leary about trusting i would even get it repaired or replaced without a hassle(from everything i have been hearing).
Click to expand...

You'll never know about the Spyderco Customer Service unless you try it....:rolleyes:
_________________________________________

From personal experience, and I've had quite a few, I have NEVER been let down by Mike and the Spydie crew. Before I mail anything off back to the factory, I always call Mike and explain/comment on my situation with whatever Spydie I am planning on sending back.
These are just a couple of experiences;

One of my last interactions with their CS dealt with a LNIB Civilian SE (GIN-1 steel) that I had picked up at a gun show. I was planning on sending it back just to get it resharpened, however, I noticed a flaw on the pivot where the steel seemed to be chipping. I called and talked to Mike asking if he could check it out for me, he asked me to send a note to remind him of the area of concern. About a week later, I had a NIB Civilian SE (ATS-55) sent to me to replace the faulty one.....without any questions or any hassles.

A couple of weeks ago, I called Mike to ask if I could get some screws, for the pocket clip on my Ti Lum Tanto, that I had stripped while changing to tip down carry. He asked for my address and shipped them out to me ASAP, no problem. A couple of days later, I got them along with a spare pocket clip....free of charge.

Everyone has a right to their own opinion, but for me, Spyderco has the BEST Customer Service out there.
 
I have no doubts that the "goods" out weigh the "bads" where Spyderco's CS department is concerned.

My points are:

  • They are not flawless as many would have you believe.
  • The one time I utilized their service I was treated rudely and my knife was not fixed. Arguably, nothing was done to it.
    [/list=a]

    It's bad enough that I had to pay money to send a brand new defective knife to Spyderco to be repaired, let alone be told to spend more money to send it back again because they did not follow the letter I included the first time.

    I'm sorry, but it's not my job to be Spyderco's quality control person. Not for their production department, or their service department.

    Constantly allowing this myth of perfection to continue is not doing anyone any favors. I think Spyderco needs to hear it when they screw up and so do the people who buy their knives. Let everyone draw their own conclusions.
 
Originally posted by cpirtle,
Let everyone draw their own conclusions.
Click to expand...

My point exactly....;)

And I hope that everything works out for you, cpirtle, I'm pretty sure that it will.
 
FWIW, I spoke to Mike on Monday regarding a pivot bolt that had fallen from one of my knives. At first I thought he sounded somewhat cold and unconcerned, but then he started a short conversation which was quite pleasant in nature, unrelated to the problem with the knife. Much of a person's demeanor is transmitted non-verbally, and being unable to see a person while communicating can sometimes cause misunderstanding. BTW, he advised he was sending me another pivot bolt, no charge.
 
Maybe he just likes to be mean to some people cuz he thinks its funny that he gets all these free knives he can throw around and people call in cryin about gettin there blades tightined and screws replaced . lol:D maybe? i would ;) . but im sure hes not that kinda person. hes only human! ... or is he?
 
The only thing that seems to be coming out of this is inconsistency, which really is more worrying than a wholly wonderful service or none at all.
I've only had brief dealings with the factory, and then for a very minor matter, when I bought a second hand SpyderWrench over here and asked if I could buy the official Manual to go with it. It arrived free of charge a day later, crossing the atlantic faster than my local post.
If something went wrong with any of my Spydies, Warranty or otherwise, it would be far less hassle to go find a friendly engineer to sort it out rather than send it back and forth across the water. Alas all mine will fail Warranty the second I get them home from an incurrable need to take them apart and tinker with them, polishing out machine marks etc.
 
UPDATE...
just to see for myself if all the horror stories are valid, i decided to return the defective sharpening stone today. it shipped out via UPS. now i'll wait and see what happens. i'll let everyone know, one way or the other. hopefully it will be good news:)
 
Well, I guess I'm going to end up commenting on this thread after all. I've been reading the updates every few days.


Cpirtle,

First, I would like to say, you are absolutely right - Mike shouldn't have made rude comments about being placed on hold.

I doubt very seriously that it will happen again, as you've made his boss (Sal), a good portion of the Spyderco crew, and a large number of knife knuts aware that it happened.

The President, of what I assume is a multi-million dollar corporation, publicly apologized to you for the "uncomfortable experience", and offered to try and make things right. I doubt very much that you would see that happen with nearly any other corporation - knife industry or not. Especially over one defective item.

I'm not saying that you're wrong to complain. You spent $6 on shipping, were treated poorly, and ended up back where you started.

It seems to me, however, that a lot of your complaint revolves around the $6 for shipping.

You've comments have included:
"One thing that was overlooked by Mike is that I bought a $100+ knife, paid to have it shipped to me, then had to pay $6 to ship it back to Spyderco to correct an issue that arguably should have been caught at the factory."
......
"The knife was sent in for repair at my expense (I don't care about that part, it was only $6)."
......
"Oh yeah, I'm out $6 shipping and you want me to take a leap of faith and spend $6 more dollars to send it back to "see if I can get what I'm seeking". "
......
"In the future when I'm planning on sending a knife to Spyderco for repair I will just go find a bum to kick me in the nuts and save the $6."
......
"It's bad enough that I had to pay money to send a brand new defective knife to Spyderco to be repaired, let alone be told to spend more money to send it back again because they did not follow the letter I included the first time. "
Click to expand...

The Spyderco warranty (taken from www.spyderco.com ) clearly states:

"All costs associated with the shipment of the product are the responsibility of the original knife owner."

I can't think of a company that does pay for incoming shipping on warranty work.

Anyways, it's unfortunate that you got a defective knife. It happens. No quality control is perfect. But, by buying a knife with a warranty like Spyderco's - you've agreed to the terms, including paying for the shipping on a defective knife.

Perhaps Spyderco was unable to repeat the problem when they received the knife. Perhaps they overlooked it. Either way, they didn't fix the problem. This also happens.

After raising the issue on a public forum, especially a major public forum like Bladeforums.com, I think your best bet would have been sending the knife back to Spyderco again, with a copy of the thread attached. I don't think a company with the reputation of Spyderco would have let you down a second time, especially once Sal was aware of the problem.

There's not an awful lot they can do for you now, as you choose to sell the knife.

I for one never expected Spyderco to be perfect, as the people there are just human. I just believe that they are a step above many other knife manufacturers. I have had nothing but pleasant encouters with Spyderco. I'm sorry that you had so many problems with them.

-- Rob

PS - I'm not assosiated in any way with Spyderco, blah blah blah
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top