Is BM full of BS?

[DGG]

Here are some links to steel info that might help. Benchmade is a respectable company and if you ask them about any concerns I would imagine they would get back to you with all the info.

http://www.ajh-knives.com/metals.html

http://www.huntingblades.com/tyofstusinkn.html

http://www.gordonengland.co.uk/hardness/rockwell.htm

http://users.ameritech.net/knives/steels.htm

Here is some good basic info about knife sharpening.

http://users.ameritech.net/knives/

Hope this helps!

 

[logo]

If you (Benchmade) are not willing to make a public statement on an issue of performance then I am not overly interested from a consumer point of view.

Hello Blop, are You Benchmade?

Emails are problematic unless permission is given to repeat the contents in which case why not just address the issue publically in the first place.

-Cliff

I meant it not as any kind of secret negotiations

If You email them directly or PM one of the forum's admins (Benchmade or BSST), You should become the answer - whatever should it be - much faster as in a forum thread.

They are not so often active there, as for example Mr. Glesser in his forum.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

If You email them directly ...

I talk to various makers and other people about knives in email and on the phone from time to time, however from a consumer/performance perspective, private conversations are not something that I take seriously, except prototype tests and similar.

I want to see a clear public statement for fairly obvious reasons, you can say any crazy thing in private "Yes, we heat treat our steel over a four day process, it is quite involved it requires a case of banannas and four liters of jello pudding." You laugh, but I have heard similar - not in public though.

I have emailed them a link to the thread. This isn't a question which requires the president of the company, it either actually represents hardness tests actually performed on the knives or it does not. If it does I would be curious as to the as-quenched hardness.


-Cliff

 

[logo]

Hi Cliff Stamp,

I have emailed them a link to the thread.

Well, to write it clear again: my proposition was not a suggestion to start a "private conversation" - however I wrote only "sent a PM or email", I didn't wrote "what to send?".

I do the same from time to time (I mean sending a link for example), when I ask something in forum and don't get the quick answer in a thread - as I wrote: they are not all the time in the forum and they don't read all threads one after one.

So, a PM or email would be normally just a faster way to communicate with them. That's all and nothing more.

I hope, You'll get an fast answer from them now.
______
greetz,
logo

 

[Knifeclerk]

"Yes, we heat treat our steel over a four day process, it is quite involved it requires a case of banannas and four liters of jello pudding."

Hm, a jello quench. I like the sound of that.

 

[BenchmadeNut]

Well Knifeclerk and cliff you got your reply on the Benchmade forum. Looks like you'll have to find another way to discredit Benchmade. I know they didn't issue a press release like you would have hoped but you got your answer none the less. I dont really think the average knife buying consumer is all that concerned about wether the knife they bought is one point off the advertised RC hardness anyway. Its pretty much a non issue for most people.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

For those curious, five blades were tested and all came 59/60 HRC. That is definately the hardest I have seen that steel listed. It would be interesting to compare it to Cold Steel's and Spyderco's which are ran softer.

-Cliff

 

[Knifeclerk]

Indeed. And for what it's worth, I have no problem with Benchmade. I own several of their products and enjoy every one of them. But I feel that the best way to keep a company good is to keep it in check. Call them on something when it sounds hard to believe or too good to be true.
I like Benchmade.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Yeah, it is hardly out of line to simply ask for confirmation on some spec's.

-Cliff

 

[Blop]

I have to correct myself. I didn´t get the "receipt" for 154CM. I had asked for M2 and get their heat treating advices.

As for the consumer information: They claim their blades to be 58 - 60HRC. What else do they have to say?

Another advantage for direct call is: At the forum you meet Jason. He himself, as i said is not an engineer. I recieved my answers on technical questions from Steve Ingram. He is into all. He did promote the auto axis as it firstly came out.

There are knifemakers around who **** on customers and tell a bucket of BS. I guess, if they look at their own knives and imagine the ppl. buying it, they can´t do other way.

Every time i stood in contact with Benchmade i always get a serious and true answer.

I started with asking what material the washers were. They told inbetween 24 hours that they were nylatron.

I asked about their heat treating of D2 and get their recommendations.

I asked about ht Ms and get thei recommendations.

I asked about a thicker Nimravus and get a smack. Steve Ingram told me i better buy a pry bar, but they will never make this proofed knife thicker (he didn´t changed my mind, but this was a brave point of him).

Bob Kaspar did a hail on Benchmade at the time, when the 806 came out. He said, everybody in the industry loves Benchmade because they are so nice ppl.

That´s what i think too. They are serious, give as much information as possible (more in general than many others and if asked in special), they accomodate the customer if there is any problem.

The only thing, that is sure about Benchmade: If you have a problem with your knife and you are sending it in. They will replace it in almost any case or in parts but will never ever tell you, what the problem was.

For me it feels like i don´t know if they really look at my problem or not. But for sure: You are not directly involved in it, they will not ask you.

They make the knife. You use it as such. No twisting.

I have no doubt in their claims, even though you may find typos. If you are not sure, ask or search another proof.

 

[Blop]

For those curious, five blades were tested and all came 59/60 HRC. That is definately the hardest I have seen that steel listed. It would be interesting to compare it to Cold Steel's and Spyderco's which are ran softer.

-Cliff

You have tested five Benchmade blades and all came out at 59 or 60HRC, is that right?

Would you please tell me /us, wich knifes / blades it were?

TIA

FORGET IT!! I have read, it was Steve Ingram himself testing it.

Yes, till you have asked they didn´t have known.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

They claim their blades to be 58 - 60HRC. What else do they have to say?

The concern here was it was just a typo, they noted it wasn't, issue resolved.

-Cliff