I don't feel cheated, exactly...

[Lavan]

Contents better match package. I would not accept ANY answer other than one which satisfied ME completely. It is deceptive if not anything greater.

Mistakes are costly. That's a "given" in business. Have SOMEONE make it right for you.

And it doesn't matter if it is "equivalent." That's like saying a Burger King burger can be delivered at McDonalds.

Stupid mistake and easily remedied. They should have remedied.
:grumpy:

 

[EDCeeker]

I don't see how they're hiding it if it's marked on the blade. If this were an in store purchase, ...

Please re-read the OP's comments: It was an in-store purchase and the side of the blade marked with the steel type was not visible while the knife was still packaged.

 

[Bob W]

some of the more high dollar ones have had blade scratches I've had to polish out with a dremel tool and metal polish. seems a lot of the cheaper priced ones are finished better than ones costing 3 or 4 times as much

I've never seen a brand new Opinel with scratched blades.

 

[EDCeeker]

maybe benchmade figured they would replace the few knives that people complained about rather than spend anything saying its basically the same steel as N690 but now 440C. who knows I've bought a lot of brand new knives I could have gripped about. some of the more high dollar ones have had blade scratches I've had to polish out with a dremel tool and metal polish. I could have sent them back to the factory but if they let them go out like that in the first place I'd just as soon fix it myself if I can. seems a lot of the cheaper priced ones are finished better than ones costing 3 or 4 times as much. if he wants to bother with sending it back to benchmade with the reason he's returning it they'd more than likely send him a N690 one.

Reading this, and some of the other excuses for Benchmade's behaviour wrt this incident, I'm reminded of the reaction one generally sees here when Strider screws up. The accusation's been made that when Strider screws up, a mob bearing pitchforks, torches and a noose shows up, while other manufacturers get a free pass. Well, not from me, they don't. ISTM Benchmade should be held to the same standards, vis-a-vis what's promised vs. what's delivered.

 

[jill jackson]

i have around 53 knives. the CRKT ones almost never have any type of blade scratch. in that i mean that can be seen in any type light. these knives that come with a few minor places on the blade always seem to be the higher priced ones. sure you can't see them unless you look(closely). i believe they don't take the care with them because they know they will be sold no matter if there is a place or two on the blade. it won't bother most people they probably think. anything brand new i like to be as close to perfect as it can be. some of these bigger companies are victims of their own success. if it was me and i wanted what the knife was labeled as, I'd certainly pack it up with the package and a letter and send it back to benchmade. I'd also ask to be reimbursed for my cost shipping it back. I've had to return a few knives over the years and companies have always taken care of the problem. its not in their interest to have people that buy their product unhappy.

 

[pit man]

With the hype around Extrema Ratio knives I figured N690 was tougher than 440C,maybe Nos should test an Extrema Ratio next !!!

 

[t1mpani]

Good heavens--I've created a monster.

DaveH: "Is 440c really that different?" No probably not. Don't get me wrong, I am not of the opinion that I was going to get an awesome uber-steel and ended up with a crappy steel. It probably is very close to the same thing--I was just kind of looking forward to verifying that myself, and also seeing if I could discern any of the differences the addition of Cobalt was supposed to make in the alloy.

I'm feeling better about it this morning than I was last night--I needed to get something for my nephew's upcoming birthday, and since he's just become old enough to start hunting with his dad, this will make a great low-maintainance hunting knife, and I imagine he'll like the take-down feature...like a lot of young men, he likes taking things apart. Unless, of course, Benchmade contacts me after this long weekend and offers me a straight-up trade for a N690 blade, at which point I'll probably take it and pick up another one of these or something similar for the kid; I've still got 24 days.

I will doubtless pick up another knife in N690 at some point, and when I do I'm not expecting it to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Mostly, I'm just interested in finding out for myself just what it grinds like (damn near every edge that comes my way gets reprofiled) and how it behaves under the kind of uses I'll put it to--which aren't abusive, but with thin edges the differences in steels show up fairly quickly, and I'll be able to either say that N690 and 440C are so close as to be indistinguishable or if I'm at a table and a guy has the same knife in each steel and the N690 is $10.00 more that yeah, it's worth it.

 

[jill jackson]

N690 Stainless Steel
N690 is manufactured by Bohler Uddeholm (German company) and is their trade name for 440C.
It is a common steel used for knife making in South Africa
Have not found the supplier yet, only snippets of unofficial information.

This steel also called Austrian Cobalt steel - alloy containing 17% Chromium, Molybdenumm, Vanadium, and Cobalt.
Hi percetage of free Chromium makes it very stain resistent - if true at 17%, it would actually have the second highest Cr content - 440-C has the most at 18%.
Hardness 60 HRC

Extrema Ratio knives are made in a Extrema Ratio custom shop in Italy and is not nearly as well know in the United States as other companies. Started in 1997, they have taken the tactical world by storm. Many of the soldiers and armed men and women of the world carry Extrema Ratio. The result is a blade with a very hard edge (hardened and tempered to 60° HRC) that is very sharp, very long lasting with an elastic and tough body.

The Red line of BenchMade will be made in Taiwan - uses N690 Cobalt SS
There's at least three types of N690 steel -?
Leatherman Squirt P4

Typical Analysis:

Carbon Chromium Cobalt Molybdenum Vanadium
N690 1.07% 17% 1.5% 1.1% 1.1%

 

[hardheart]

Please re-read the OP's comments: It was an in-store purchase and the side of the blade marked with the steel type was not visible while the knife was still packaged.

My bad, was thinking of amw's post instead of the OP's, plus considering my own actions-I always check out a knife when I buy in store, it's the only reason I do so when they're always cheaper but more risky to buy online.

 

[samhain73]

N690 should be pretty much 440C, if it was labeled N690co (pretty much VG10) then it would be misleading.

 

[BladeHQ]

Bought a rant bowie from Blade HQ a couple of months ago.It was 440c.

Sorry about that! I corrected it on our website (it is really hard to keep up with all the changes manufacturers make- steels, cosmetic alterations and so fourth) and we just miss things like this. If anyone has one of these knives they got from us and are upset please fire me an email and we can work something out.

-Cam
cam@bladehq.com