HI Warranty

W

wolfenhawk

Joined
Oct 1, 2009
Messages
141
Hey guys I was reading this post this morning : http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=735020&highlight=warranty and noticed a discrepancy between it :

Himalayan Imports Limited Lifetime Warranty Intentional misuse or abuse, however, does not fall under the warranty and is not honored in any way. ,

and this statement in the HI warranty :

The following models are warranted for "Field Use" and are warranted against breakage during "normal use". They are NOT warranted against MISUSE or ABUSE (intentional or otherwise) as determined by/at the discretion of Himalayan Imports, Its owners and/or staff.

1) Chiruwa Ang Khola (the only khukuri warranted for use as prybar)
2) Ang Khola
3) British Army Sevice
4) World War II
5) M-43
6) Ganga Ram Special
7) Bonecutter
8) Pen Knife
9) Ang Khola Bowie
10) Amar Singh Thapa Khukuri

The key words I want to point out here is "(intentional or otherwise)", as on the first thread says only Intentional, but the HI warranty says....well you've figured it out by now.
The reason I am posting this is because I unintentional struck I piece of metal buried under leaves while chopping brush close to the ground yesterday with my HI 15" Ang Khola and the metal on the edge of the blade actually ripped rather than bent. As a result I could not straighten out the edge of my blade and instead have a permanent deep nick in the blade edge. I sent Yangdu several scans of the damage done to my Ang Khola but I was told this was not "normal use" and was not covered by the HI warranty. So it seems that it does not matter whether you intend to or not if you hit something to hard and the metal on the blade edge actually tears rather than bends, YOU ARE NOT COVERED, at least I am not. It's still a good tool and I'll still use it, but I paid the extra cash in case the blade failed as it did when I accidentally hit that piece of metal....I say failed because it is my understanding the the blade metal should bend rather than rip, break or tear....however you want to describe it. I was thinking of getting an M43 too, but I've since changed my mind since there seems to be different versions of the HI warranty even in this forum.
I figure that I am going to get some very angry replies as I've noticed some of you feel very personally about HI; but especially after reading the posted thread and the difference between what it says and what the actual HI warranty says, plus my own personal experience with the HI warranty after accidentally hitting something harder than wood with it, I felt the need to speak up. After all, I'm not one of these guys performing a destruction test, I just hit something in the leaves while chopping brush.:confused::mad::thumbdn:
 
I'd like to see a pic if you decide to post one.
What did you hit exactly? Personally I wouldn't swing into a mass of stuff I couldn't really see but I understand where you're coming from.
 
AF said:
I'd like to see a pic if you decide to post one.
What did you hit exactly? Personally I wouldn't swing into a mass of stuff I couldn't really see but I understand where you're coming from.
Click to expand...

I didn't intend to swing into the dead leaves on the ground, I was just cutting brush as close to the ground as a could. I was an old receiver hitch I'd tossed there and forgot about. Like I said I didn't hit it on purpose and I think if the metal of the blade edge had just bent or deformed I'd have been able to fix it without the deep nick. I sent several pics to yangdu, but dought if I'll post them here. I've fixed the blade as best i can at the moment and I'll just keep using it. Thanks for the reply.
 
As the one who wrote the warranty, i don't feel there is a discrepancy.
There is only one warranty, which supercedes any other previous warranties.
The line in the shipping and ordering thread notifies you that abuse/misuse is not covered and the line in the actual warranty tells you specifically that abuse/misuse is not covered wether it is intentional or otherwise done. The part in the ordering thread is cohesive with the actual warranty.
In the past there have been warranty claims that were caused by people not using due care while using their khukuri, that is what the "otherwise" part was meant to cover. When you use your khukuri you are expected to treat it with due care and respect it as a sharp working tool. You must assume some risk of damage if you do not. Cases like yours are why the old warranty had to change and because some unscrupulous buyers were intentionally breaking secondary market product and then claiming warranty replacement.
When you chop that close to the ground you must be aware of what is underneath your chopping area and take proper precaution to avoid damage. It was an accident, for sure, but the damage was caused by you, and is not faulty manufacture or workmanship. The tip of all khukuri are unhardened, to keep them from shattering in your face. it will bend and/or tear out if struck against something that is harder than itself.
I am sorry that you feel wronged, but this accident was not a failure of the product, the company or the warranty, it was an accident, one that the end user must bear the risk and liability for.
Due to the abuse of the no-nonsense warranty it is no longer available. I for one, feel that this limited lifetime warranty is still the best on the market as the other companies only provide a warranty for 20 days after purchase, if any at all, after that period you are on your own.
 
Last edited:
So was it near the tip where the damage occurred? I understand your frustration but I also see the flip side. I say fix the damage as best you can and keep using the khuk.
 
Lets see: You bought something, you accidentally damaged it, and you want the manufacturer to replace it?

If I accidentally back my car into a steel pole, can I ask Nissan to replace it?

Chalk it up as a learning experience, fix the damage as best you can, and continue using it.
 
Yeah - that sort of damage isn't covered. No knife or ax is going to fair much better when subjected to that sort of impact - accident or not. Expecting the manufacturer to cover such an issue is unfair (especially a company as small as HI). I'd suggest posting the pics you sent so we can assess the damage and suggest your best course of action... these kuks are built so thick and wide that just about any damage can be ground out (though a belt sander is definitely going to be a must for bigger dings).
 
I think the OP is saying that despite his mistake, the damage to the blade was so extraordinary that the blade must be defective. I don't think I agree with him but without pics there's no way to make a real judgment.
To use a car analogy, if you backed into a telephone pole at 5mph and your car exploded, that would probably indicate a manufacturing error, even though the accident was your fault.
 
AF said:
I think the OP is saying that despite his mistake, the damage to the blade was so extraordinary that the blade must be defective. I don't think I agree with him but without pics there's no way to make a real judgment.
Click to expand...
I agree with your statement, AF. I also understand that Auntie has heard the explanation and seen the pics and deemed this as not covered under warranty. In the end any coverage is at her discretion, and in this case her decision, i feel, is appropriate.
 
Last edited:
I use the rake for batting my mother in law outta the sky when she flies around on her broom.:eek::foot::D
 
Karda said:
I use the rake for batting my mother in law outta the sky when she flies around on her broom.:eek::foot::D
Click to expand...

That just makes her angry, she burns my rake into flames, by her touch alone, and I have to rake her lawn with my cramped, curled and dirty fingers!!!

:)
:D:thumbup:
She luvs me so...

:o
Mark
 
Where's THE DUCK when you need him, huh Karda? After honing his "research" skills on all those bats in his cave, you'd think he could come by and give you a hand...and perhaps a Durba? All those talents and what does he do with them? That's right-he's retiring.....AGAIN.
 
The DUCK is much too busy with his one legged dancing girls to be concerned with the likes of mere mortals:p

As for the warranty, Yangdu has made her decision. It was a bad accident, but an accident nonetheless. Yangdu cannot afford to absorb every boo boo (major, minor, accidental, or intentional). If the khuk had snapped at the bolster or chipped out 2" of the the sweet spot, then that might be a craftsmanship issue.

No one offers a "free" warranty. Every product that is warrantied has its likelihood of breakage weighed against those expected to apply for said warranty assessed and built into the cost. Ginsu offers a "lifetime" warranty (which is a durable goods warranty of 1-5 years) on $20 knives. The truth is that Ginsu probably makes 200% profit on these knives and multiplies that over 100 million sold.

Yandgu does not operate on such high profit margins, nor does she pretend that her knives are completely indestructible.
 
Karda's explanation is accurate and a good explanation about
HI policy for replacement. I am sorry that you had an accident
with your Khukuri blade, but HI is not responsible for accidents.
 
Karda said:
I am sorry that you feel wronged, but this accident was not a failure of the product, the company or the warranty, it was an accident, one that the end user must bear the risk and liability for.
Click to expand...

+1

killa_concept said:
Yeah - that sort of damage isn't covered. No knife or ax is going to fair much better when subjected to that sort of impact - accident or not. Expecting the manufacturer to cover such an issue is unfair (especially a company as small as HI).
Click to expand...

+1 to this also.

It really does sound like the OP accidentally damaged his Khuk and thinks that HI should pay for his mistake. I really think that is very wrong, to provide such insurance would mean that HI would need to raise their prices to cover the costs of claims against it and why should I get a worse deal because others won't accept responsibility for their own actions? I would hope that HI would accept responsibility for manufacturing defects and bad heat treats, but I don't expect them to take responsibility for their users mistakes. I would urge users like the OP to 'man up' and own their mistakes, not try to get someone else to foot the bill for them.
 
A receiver hitch should be softer than the blade of your khuk and your khuk should have cut into the receiver tubing.
I have a log splitter made of this material that I accidentally hit with my cheap, Brazilian hatched, and cut into the tubing with no damage to the hatchet.
 
Huh - I really want pictures to assess the damage now... The metal should deform and not majorly chip out. That's the sort of edge that Uncle Bill expected, and that's what I would expect too, extreme case or not.
I retract my previous comment and am now awaiting a picture to see what sort of ding we're talking about here...

Uncle Bill said:
Extreme testing

I sometimes test a blade to see if it chips, fractures or deforms when put to extreme use. I know that I am going to damage the blade so if you are not prepared for blade damage don't do this test. I chop nails and bolts, usually, to see what happens. If the blade chips out or fractures I have usually damaged the blade beyond repair and I really hate to see this. If the blade deforms and can be put back to near original condition with a little work I am much happier. This is what I want to see on the HI khukuris and how they almost always perform.

Hope this info might help in checking out your knives.

Bill Martino
Click to expand...

Given though - this statement was made prior to the change in warranty terms - and it also says nothing about the warranty covering such misuse... but I still think his expectations of the products should be upheld to a degree. Again, awaiting pictures before I come to a conclusion
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top