Hinderer XM-18 Problems...PLEASE HELP!!!

[bearcut]

This post is precisely why I don't recomend any $400 folders to relative newbies.

The average $200 knife is a huge step up from a $40 one. Average Joe can see, and usually appriciate, the differences.
A $400 folder may leave them wondering what the heck they paid so much for.
Add in a few problems, real or imagined, and they question everything.
Problems in a + - $400 high buck folder can really confuse them.

Having to break a knife in is one thing, and most people wouldn't understand it. A dull blade is another thing altogether.

I don't blame them. $400 + knife should come with a sharp, nicely finished edge.

As noted in another post, having to sharpen a new blade on a high buck folder is like having to change the dirty oil on a brand spanki'n new Ferrari before you drive it off the lot.

 

[thk2009]

Thanks for all the quick replies!

I will just give it to my brother and let him decide. He has much more experience in the expensive knife world.

I guess I am just a newbie and don't really get it, but you'd think when you buy a really expensive cutting tool, it would be sharp. The thought of spending a bunch of dough on a knife and getting a dull one really just blows my mind. To each his own though. At least I know that this is how the knife is suppose to be and my brother should be able to appreciate it for what it is.

Thank you guys again for the help and hope you have a great turkey day!!

AKnife-I would take 40 bucks for the buck. I don't use it except to open mail/packages so it still has that great walmart new edge!

 

[Kaizen1]

Thanks for all the quick replies!

I will just give it to my brother and let him decide. He has much more experience in the expensive knife world.

I guess I am just a newbie and don't really get it, but you'd think when you buy a really expensive cutting tool, it would be sharp. The thought of spending a bunch of dough on a knife and getting a dull one really just blows my mind. To each his own though. At least I know that this is how the knife is suppose to be and my brother should be able to appreciate it for what it is.

Thank you guys again for the help and hope you have a great turkey day!!

AKnife-I would take 40 bucks for the buck. I don't use it except to open mail/packages so it still has that great walmart new edge!

Just a quick clarification. If it is as dull as you've described, that is not the way it's supposed to be. It should be much, much sharper.

 

[stabman]

If you're new to knives, the 'amount' you've spent might be regretable in terms of what you recieve.

I'm not new to knives, but if I spend more than $50 on a knife, it damn well better at least cut paper.

 

[Thalestin]

IMO from what ive seen here and a lot of the reviews of the XM-18 is that it is an overrated beast. Sure it is strong as heck, but it aint a slicer by anymeans. I havent heard anything about them being stiff, but I guess you could loosen the pivot a bit to fix that.
I used to really want one, but after reading reviews from the passaround and the ridiculous cost for a secondary market blade, I will most certainly pass.

Honestly, I think a lot of people review a knife with how they expect a knife should be for the cost they spent. Often I see reviews praising a knife and it hasnt even been used. I really don't feel you can give a good review unless you have been using the tool for at least a month. That is just me, and your milage will vary considerably.

 

[unwisefool]

IMO from what ive seen here and a lot of the reviews of the XM-18 is that it is an overrated beast. Sure it is strong as heck, but it aint a slicer by anymeans. I havent heard anything about them being stiff, but I guess you could loosen the pivot a bit to fix that.
I used to really want one, but after reading reviews from the passaround and the ridiculous cost for a secondary market blade, I will most certainly pass.

Honestly, I think a lot of people review a knife with how they expect a knife should be for the cost they spent. Often I see reviews praising a knife and it hasnt even been used. I really don't feel you can give a good review unless you have been using the tool for at least a month. That is just me, and your milage will vary considerably.

Overrated how? I would suggest handling one in person before you pass judgement.

 

[knerd]

Overrated how? I would suggest handling one in person before you pass judgement.

Overrated the same way other expensive knives are. People hype them up so much that once you get one in hand you have really high expectations. Instead of mentioning their dissatisfaction, people will post praise after praise to try and justify their purchase (I know not everyone does this, but I've seen it plenty of times). I'm sure Rick makes great knives, but I've noticed that there are almost no negative things said about higher end knives which is total BS. Yes, I love my Strider SNG, but I can list at least 3 things wrong with it. I'm sure if I handled a Sebenza it wouldn't meet my expectations due to all the praise it's gotten, just by it's design alone I can spot things I'd hate about it.

So yes, overrated.

 

[Kaizen1]

Overrated the same way other expensive knives are. People hype them up so much that once you get one in hand you have really high expectations. Instead of mentioning their dissatisfaction, people will post praise after praise to try and justify their purchase (I know not everyone does this, but I've seen it plenty of times). I'm sure Rick makes great knives, but I've noticed that there are almost no negative things said about higher end knives which is total BS. Yes, I love my Strider SNG, but I can list at least 3 things wrong with it. I'm sure if I handled a Sebenza it wouldn't meet my expectations due to all the praise it's gotten, just by it's design alone I can spot things I'd hate about it.

So yes, overrated.

Some people might be looking to justify their purchase, but it's not like they couldn't get their money back just as easily if they were really dissatisfied with it. I can name a few things that I might want to change on the design, but it doesn't mean that I'm not highly satisfied with mine. And we need to distinguish between one person's assessment of the knife from another person's interpretation of that assessment and making a judgment based on it. Was it "overrated" because someone gave a positive review and happened to be sincere about it, or was it because the person reading the review interpreted that review to mean something different to him? One person's "great" is another person's "good". You seem to be blaming the reviewers for hyping up their views about the knife, but I don't think it's that clear cut.

 

[knerd]

Some people might be looking to justify their purchase, but it's not like they couldn't get their money back just as easily if they were really dissatisfied with it. I can name a few things that I might want to change on the design, but it doesn't mean that I'm not highly satisfied with mine. And we need to distinguish between one person's assessment of the knife from another person's interpretation of that assessment and making a judgment based on it. Was it "overrated" because someone gave a positive review and happened to be sincere about it, or was it because the person reading the review interpreted that review to mean something different to him? One person's "great" is another person's "good". You seem to be blaming the reviewers for hyping up their views about the knife, but I don't think it's that clear cut.

It's not just "one" person, it's many that cause knives to gain hype and become overrated. And I doubt there are any good "reviews" out there, most likely just people praising the knife they just bought. If I did a "review" when I first got my SNG it would be nothing but praise and saying how it's the greatest knife ever, but after using and inspecting the knife after weeks of owning I see it's not the greatest knife. I'm not saying the XM-18's are bad, just overrated and over hyped. The same thing can be said about any knife, but I've noticed it more in higher end ones.

 

[Kaizen1]

It's not just "one" person, it's many that cause knives to gain hype and become overrated. And I doubt there are any good "reviews" out there, most likely just people praising the knife they just bought. If I did a "review" when I first got my SNG it would be nothing but praise and saying how it's the greatest knife ever, but after using and inspecting the knife after weeks of owning I see it's not the greatest knife. I'm not saying the XM-18's are bad, just overrated and over hyped. The same thing can be said about any knife, but I've noticed it more in higher end ones.

I wasn't referring to "just one" person. You're essentially saying that anyone who gives a positive review must be overrating it. There are plenty of knives in all price ranges that get mostly positive reviews. So what? I'm saying that people should also take some responsibility for how they take these reviews. In most knife reviews, there are a lot of subjective terms thrown around, which makes it easy for people looking at reviews to mistakenly assume that one person's subjective term has the same meaning that they associate to it.

The 2 complaints in the OP was:
1) It wasn't as smooth as he thought it would be
2) It wasn't as sharp as what he thought it would be

It is a fact that the XM-18 can very easily slice paper when it's sharpened correctly. Hell my Swamp Rat Rodent Waki was able to shave arm hair and slice paper when I got it from the factory and it has a thicker spine and a thicker edge than the XM-18. Secondly I've read a number of reviews talking about how the XM-18 was difficult to flip open without wrist action at first. I have also made that statement in the past regarding it and Rick has stated it a number of times himself. These are facts.

 

[knerd]

Eh, I see this isn't getting anywhere fast... It doesn't matter how someone interprets a review, the knives will still be overrated (imo). Same with the SNG, I knew it was overrated and read several opinions on the knife and still bought it because I like the design. The XM-18 is just another knife that everyone's trying to pickup and gain bragging rights. I'm sure there are some people out there that actually use them, but most pics I've seen show brand new knives that look like they've only been held and opened.

I think you're confusing overrated with bad. I'm not saying the knives are bad (wouldn't know though, haven't used one). Whatever, it's obviously not clicking... If you honestly can't see past the hype then I'm sorry.

 

[Kaizen1]

Eh, I see this isn't getting anywhere fast... It doesn't matter how someone interprets a review, the knives will still be overrated (imo). Same with the SNG, I knew it was overrated and read several opinions on the knife and still bought it because I like the design. The XM-18 is just another knife that everyone's trying to pickup and gain bragging rights. I'm sure there are some people out there that actually use them, but most pics I've seen show brand new knives that look like they've only been held and opened.

I think you're confusing overrated with bad. I'm not saying the knives are bad (wouldn't know though, haven't used one) but saying they're overrated.

No, I don't think you're saying that they're bad. But you continue to make generalizations that just don't hold up. For instance, you said "The XM-18 is just another knife that everyone's trying to pickup and gain bragging rights." So you're saying that people don't honestly want this knife outside of bragging points. This is a ridiculous claim. This is a knife forum. Many people show they're knives, especially when they just got one and are excited about them. Some folks like the fact that they can share their excitement with others who share a common interest. As knife EDCers, we're all a minority in the world. But how is it that you can say with conviction that people don't honestly really like their XM-18s?

There were a lot of knives that I've gone through and each one that I really liked, I spoke about it on these forums often. When my primary EDC was a Paramilitary, I got onto most of the Para threads and offered my opinions and experience about them, not because everyone else liked them but because I honestly loved mine. Hell, I still get on the Para threads and offer my general enthusiasm about them because it's still one of my favorite Spyderco designs. And I no longer own a Para.

You may be right that some people have over-hyped the XM-18. I think that the inflated prices show that. I'm just saying that there seems to be people who honestly really, really like their knife. And so what if the pictures you see don't show them as being used up? The condition of the knife in no way is indicative in itself of how much someone likes their knife. Sometimes a used up looking one is a sign that the person don't care at all for the knife. Okay, now I'm just going on too long here. I think you have some points. I'm not saying that you're completely wrong. But I can say for sure that some of us honestly really like our knives and if everyone else decided tomorrow that it was no longer the flavor of the month, it wouldn't bother at least some of us one bit.

 

[sizzler]

If I had an XM-18 I would use the ever living crap out of it. I would be sort of pissed if it wasn't sharp, but, when you pay that much for a knife it's best to keep looking forward, sharpen (or get it sharpened) and proceed to use the ever living crap out of it.:thumbup:

 

[starboard]

I have no issue with perfunctory factory edges, as long as they can be convexed without removing a whole mess of metal. Yet, at this price level, push cutting paper seems like it should be part of the deal.

 

[knerd]

But you continue to make generalizations that just don't hold up.

If you read my posts you'll see other sides to the generalizations I make, I know not everyone buys them for bragging rights and even stated it in the previous thread. And IMO if a knife doesn't show wear or isn't used than I don't see what else it's useful for other than bragging rights or a very expensive object to fondle.

But how is it that you can say with conviction that people don't honestly really like their XM-18s?

I never said anything regarding this.

And so what if the pictures you see don't show them as being used up? The condition of the knife in no way is indicative in itself of how much someone likes their knife.

Has nothing to do with how much they like it, if the knife isn't used then what's the point of continually posting pics of it here. I'm not just talking about XM-18's, it's a peeve of mine to see pics of brand new looking knives being constantly posted here and members say how great they are. Sorry but to me, you can't judge how well a knife is if you never use it properly. All the power to people that want to spend money for an expensive paper weight.

It seems like you're trying to convince me to change my opinion or something which isn't going to happen. In the end it's just a knife, albeit overrated and overpriced.

 

[bearcut]

I agree.

I use my knives.

My SNG GG has scratches all over it. It has a striped blade so it doesn't show as much, but they are there. The GG handle doesn't show scratches, but if it were smooth it would. NIB it aint.

My 'zaan had scratches all over the handle, that's why I ended up polishing it. Before I polished it, it sure didn't look like all the "hard users" on these forums. It looked like it was rode hard and put away wet.

BTW, I am pretty carefull with my knives, but they still get scratched up.
I carry my keys and coin in the opposite pocket so they don't even have contact with that stuff.
They still don't look as pristine as most of the photo knives I see around here which leads me to believe that most never get used.

Most high buck folders seen on this forum look mint.
Usually the poster raves about how great the knife is.

Uh-hu.....

 

[Thalestin]

Overrated how? I would suggest handling one in person before you pass judgement.

Overrated in the fact it is still just a big fat knife that cuts poorly for 600 bucks. I bet my para mili would out cut it anyday of the week. Sure I couldnt pry open a door, but you couldnt with your knife either. If you want to send me yours so I can try, feel free, ill pay for shipping. Most xm18 on this forum arent even used anyways, so they get defended for being great knives as they sit in a safe. If I saw lots of pics of users and they got steller reviews, i may change my mind. Till then, ill just make opinions without holding the knife. Ive done it many times before, and usually am dead on. Havent made a bad purchase yet either. Just because you don't own one, pics and other reviews can enable you to understand something without being able to handle it--like many things in this world

 

[LorenzoL]

There is a member on this forum, knifenut1013, who is a genius at putting sharp edges on expensive stuff.

 

[lava_lamp]

I don't own a Hinderer. Never handled one. I own two Striders and three Chris Reeve Knives and a bunch of other production folders.

I expect any knife I buy to come to me sharp and to open smoothly, though I realize that some require a little break-in. I would expect the same if I bought a Hinderer. Calling the OP a Noob for having this expectation, too, doesn't seem reasonable or civil to me...

 

[softrockrenegade]

The edge of an xm-18 needs to be brought back to be a good slicer mine came at what seemed to be around 30 degrees per side and after I brought it back to about 15 degrees it's a terriffic slicer despite the thick blade stock and it def got easier to open after time I use it all the time on the construction site and its exellent!! No safe queen here lol