It stinks having to pay for sharpening now

Snow

Snow

Joined
Jun 3, 2001
Messages
2,233
Well I don't want to just be a complainer, and I certainly understand why they did it, but it really stinks that any significant work to be done on a Spyderco now costs $20. I've only ever sent in one other knife and it was taken care of for the nominal $5 return shipping, nothing more. I have always been very impressed that Spyderco offered to sharpen knives for free.

I have a Sharpmaker, and I sharpen my knives myself, but my uncle used my Rescue as a screwdriver this past Christmas and I finally decided a few days ago to fix the tiny chip in the edge. I called up Spyderco and was disappointed to learn that for chips or significant sharpening work, a fee of $20 is now applicable.

I understand that it takes time and productivity away from other things every time they sit down to sharpen a customer's knife for free, but it's still a bummer. I just don't have $20 to throw down for a grind job, and I don't think I could fix it on my own, so I'll just have to live with the chip and make this my new hard use knife. :grumpy: Oh well.
 
Sharpening a knife and repairing a damaged edge are two different things. Removing a chip due to abuse requires a lot more time than a simple re-sharpening. From what I understand, it's still $5.00 to have your knife sharpened. Had the knife chipped due to a manufacturing flaw, I'm sure Spyderco would have replaced it. Using a knife as a screwdriver is asking for trouble.
 
Yeah, I agree there is a difference between sharpening and regrinding to repair an edge. I don't use my knives as screwdrivers, but I set it down and my uncle took it and used it. It still cuts fine, but there is no tip with which to make fine cuts. I can deal, but it's just a bit disappointing.
 
Don't mean to be harsh but......


Knives are not to be used as a screwdriver. If you use the knife for something other than what it was meant I don't see how you even have grounds to complain.

Tell your uncle that since he used it as a screwdriver that he just bought the knife from you. It's sad that people use other people's tools and then when they break them they don't even care.


And it still is free to have your knife sharpened. The $5 is simply covering return shipping.

Cheers, :)
David
 
I sent in a knife with the tip broken. I didn't think it should have broken given the way it was used. They reground the tip, but sent me a letter telling me their policy had changed and in the future they would charge me. However, I've seen knives sharpened for 3$ at gun shows irrespective of chips and tips reground for $5-10. I think if sharpening is free, your work should be $5-10 not $20.

I think it's totally bogus that "significant resharpening" is not free...why else send it back to the factory? Spyderco made its reputation on free sharpening of its difficult to sharpen serrations. It was a distinct reason to buy their knives over other manufacturers. Cold Steel, they'll sharpen plain edge for I believe $10, but not serrations. Buck will sharpen and fix for free.
 
you mean that I now have to pay to have my tip reground? :confused: :( I was just thinking of sending a folder in....precisely because I don't know how to resharpen the tip myself....actually, small chips and dents are also the reason I would send the knife back for a factory resharpening.

any reason for the change in policy? this is a little surprising as I recollect having the best experience with Spyderco's customer-oriented policies.
 
Brownshoe: I agree that is one of the things I love about Spyderco. Just like Surefire, they will go to amazing lengths to keep their customers happy and to keep their products going strong. It was awesome to be able to send in a knife in pretty rough shape and have it come back brand new.

Fisher of Men: I agree that knives aren't screwdrivers, and I don't use mine as such. I wouldn't know how to approach my uncle about it, and anyway when it happened I was upset, but just thought "oh well, I can send it in and Spyderco will fix it up". I know Spyderco isn't obligated to fix a chip resulting from harsh use, but it was nice that in the past they would do so anyway.
 
do they still sharpen serrated knives for only the $5 return shipping free?

i have an SE endura from @ 1988 that could use a good sharpening. :)
 
bill_G said:
do they still sharpen serrated knives for only the $5 return shipping free?

i have an SE endura from @ 1988 that could use a good sharpening. :)
Click to expand...

Yep.

Unless your SE Endura is in such terrible shape that they cannot sharpen it.

:D
 
Sal once posted the procedure for every knife returned to them. It's probably in the archives but IIRC, each knife was received, logged in, sent to the proper people for the work, etc. You've got to figure that if the total of all of work and handling takes one hour, they're losing money on each knife they sharpen.
 
Frank said:
Sal once posted the procedure for every knife returned to them. It's probably in the archives but IIRC, each knife was received, logged in, sent to the proper people for the work, etc. You've got to figure that if the total of all of work and handling takes one hour, they're losing money on each knife they sharpen.
Click to expand...


Yeah whomever emailed me back explained that, and even if they didn't I understand that it takes them time to perform that service when they could be using it to make money. I understand them wanting to make money. It was just an unpleasant surprise when I was expecting to get my knife fixed and now I learn it costs $20. Guess I will have to use one of my other Spydercos for a while! :cool:
 
Snow,
I have resharpened a few knives with chips and tips missing using my 203 Sharpmaker. It can be done, but it does take some work. Do you have a pic of the damage?? It is usually a sunday afternoon type of job. Good luck.



Blades
 
Get a small DMT diamond stone and do the rough work of reprofiling with that. Then your Sharpmaker or other touch-up system can take it from there.
 
I get three dollars per knife to sharpen. I charge more for reprofiling though and if a blade is chipped real bad with a chunk out of it that requires a lot of work I don't see why someone would complain about it personally. If it bothers someone that much to have to pay for a 'repair' to one of their EDC knives he should just do the repair himself. Theres no time like the present to learn how and nothing better to learn on than a damaged knife. It takes time to do a major reprofile correctly without damage to the temper or cutting ability of the blade and time is valuable. Most guys like myself try to pay ourselves $20 an hour. Pretty cheap by todays standards if you stop to think about. One carbide drill bit in a 3/16 size costs me nearly that much to get it to my front door.

From my point of view, when you stop to look at the facts here. You have a major knife manufacturer that has employees, health insurance, workmans comp coverages, and who knows what other liability issues and fees to deal with to run a business. They are only charging a small fee to cover shop time to repair something that isn't their fault for a customer, and then only charging what is on par with what a small time back yard mechanic like myself charges. Frankly I see no reason to complain.
 
STR you don't understand the situation. What you do as a sharpener does not apply to Spyderco. They are a manufacturing company, not a sharpening service. They should have built their warranty costs into the price of their product, not change the policy after I've bought the blade.

When I bought my first Spyderco the company made me a promise in their warranty about sharpening. Their serrations are hard to sharpen and they promised me they'd sharpen it for the price of return postage for the life of the knife. They didn't say anything about chips, etc. They have now changed their policy, but I've still got my old knife with the old promise. Other knife companies do these services still for free. Cold steel tells you up front they don't sharpen serrations. My muffler shop guarentees their mufflers for the life of the car; parts and labor. I've had a free muffler put on my 15 year old car under warranty. I asked them if it bothers them, and they said they don't care because their policy is built into their business and they want me as a repeat customer in the future.

What I found really interesting is my most current SPyderco, bought from SFO this year, didn't come with a warranty. First knife ever from spyderco that didn't have either a slip sheet with the warranty or the catalog. Does this mean I now have no warranty rights? Do I need to print the website warranty in case they change their policy in the future again?
 
STR understands the situation perfectly. You're the one who's trying not to understand.

When I bought my first Spyderco the company made me a promise in their warranty about sharpening. Their serrations are hard to sharpen and they promised me they'd sharpen it for the price of return postage for the life of the knife. They didn't say anything about chips, etc.

Sharpening, serrations, not chips or snapped off tips. They don't repair broken blades for free.
 
They used too fix tips under warranty...but not now. And there was no charge for "significant sharpening work" Spyderco has told me more than once they don't do repairs, only warranty work. Now Spyderco still doesn't do repairs (e.g. blade replacements, stock parts for old knives) but now charges for things that used to be done for free. Is that equitable? For new blades...sure they don't even give you a warranty...but for old ones sold under the old conditions?

I'll give you another example of warranty changes. Due to a design flaw, the integral pocket clips sometimes come off when caught on something. Doesn't take much force (i.e. pants not ripped). This used to be a warranty repair item, not anymore. Another example. Spyderco used to replace Jot Singh Khlasa's when the clips would tear off due to a design flaw (screws into micarta.) This was something that could have been fixed by any competent knifemaker. If that happens to your Jot now, no fix, no replacement knife.
 
Why should people who don't abuse their knives have the cost of sorting out your knife and others like it?
I'd rather pay less and not have the option of repairing my knife if I'm stupid with it.
 
Snow, I was trying to be kind. You really cannot possibly expect Spyderco to fix for free what your uncle did to your knife can you? We are not talking about a routine sharpening job here. He broke out part of your cutting edge if I read your description right.

Seems to me you are trying to blame Spyderco for something they are not responsible for. Their policy is more than fair and certainly not something that warrants a negative post over. It says right there in black and white what they will and will not do, and what will and will not be covered. This thread topic isn't even an iffy gray area. It is an open and shut case. Spyderco is not responsible for fixing at N/C what was abused. They are simpy providing a coutesy to their customers to even sharpen for what they charge.

If it were my uncle that did that to one of my knives I'd take him a copy of an add for the knife showing the price from Spyderco to replace it and tell him to make that check out to me for the knife he just bought! Then when he gave me grief over having to fork over the new knife cost I'd say fine, pay me the $20 for having the damages repaired and that would be acceptable.

Spyderco still charges a nominal fee of $5 to cover shipping for routine sharpening.
 
STR said:
Brownshoe, I was trying to be kind. You really cannot possibly expect Spyderco to fix for free what your uncle did to your knife can you? We are not talking about a routine sharpening job here. He broke out part of your cutting edge if I read your description right.

Seems to me you are trying to blame Spyderco for something they are not responsible for. Their policy is more than fair and certainly not something that warrants a negative post over. It says right there in black and white what they will and will not do, and what will and will not be covered. This thread topic isn't even an iffy gray area. It is an open and shut case. Spyderco is not responsible for fixing at N/C what was abused. They are simpy providing a coutesy to their customers to even sharpen for what they charge.

If it were my uncle that did that to one of my knives I'd take him a copy of an add for the knife showing the price from Spyderco to replace it and tell him to make that check out to me for the knife he just bought! Then when he gave me grief over having to fork over the new knife cost I'd say fine, pay me the $20 for having the damages repaired and that would be acceptable.

Spyderco still charges a nominal fee of $5 to cover shipping for routine sharpening.
Click to expand...

Well actually I USED to be able to expect Spyderco to fix it. That's the point of my post. They used to provide that service for free, and now they don't. That is disappointing to me.

Furthermore, I didn't worry about asking him to replace the knife because if you read my original post, the damage happened a while ago, and last time I sent in a knife their was no $20 clause. I didn't worry too much about it because I knew I could send it in for $5 and have the damage fixed.

I think you are missing my original point. I never said I thought it was unfair or unreasonable for them to fix a damaged knife. All I said was that it was disappointing that they started charging for something that used to be free.
 
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