Kershaw Camp 18 fail.

Silvanus said:
If you can't chop a cinder block with it, it's not a Busse/Kin

dXFE753.jpg
Click to expand...

You'd better return that cinder block...
 
Ontario Knife makes a quality 18" machete.......no brainer, it's made for doing(accidentally hitting hard stuff) what broke your long tactical in 2, plus it's tactical as well if you learn. $25
 
RustyHammer said:
... abuse is abuse, plain and simple.
Click to expand...

And hitting a rock or cinder block while clearing brush is INEVITABLE if a machete is being used. Hitting a rock or cinder block or brick or metal object while clearing a grown up area is NOT ABUSE.

I have been using machetes for nearly 50 years. I live in an area that is primarily gumbo clay farm. You can work a fence line and not hit a rock. Come back later after several heavy rains and lo and behold there's a rock that wasn't there before. It popped out over time like a swollen zit. Or you find when some ass has dumped crap on your property and the weeds grow up around what you don't realize is there.

When clearing brush along fence lines, sometimes you hit a fence post or a rock. Some places are rockier than others. Big whoop. That's a hazard of doing real work.

If any one says they have NEVER hit a hard object while using a machete, they haven't been using it for work.

Do I hit a rock every time I use one. No. But the hits are way up in the thousands. That's what happens when you have long fence lines to clean up where power tools are not feasible. I've rolled, chipped, ding and bent machetes just about every time, sometimes just barely, sometimes who-hoo.

I have NEVER, EVER had one snap anywhere, much less back in the belly like the OP's did. That's bad metal.

Like kilgar said, take a file to it or bend it back. Machetes are designed for heavy use. How many have I bought over the years to replace the ones that I've worn out?? Don't know. Lots. Not counting the "collector machetes" I have, I have currently 9 on the property - one in/on every vehicle, tractor and building on the place, so if I need one, I don't have to waste time going and getting one if I need one. Except for the "spare" in the shop, every last one has hit a rock or fence post sometime in the past and they all have battle scars.

To the folks giving the OP dirt about not writing down each and every word that passed between himself and the CS rep, BAH... How many of you remember to put each and every picky little detail and nuance in a post? Nope, none of you do. Most probably didn't even read the posts he made CAREFULLY. Bet ya didn't even read where he mentioned that the CS rep said he would have expected the blade to chip or moon at the point of impact.
 
Mrknot said:
Love my Beckers!
Unfortunately the biggest I have is the 9, and for clearing pointy, thorny brush, it's just a bit on the short side.
A Becker Patrol machete is a bit out of my price range as they are no longer in production and fetch a premium price on the used market...though I've heard rumors that KaBar is bringing it back, along with the Reinhardt Kukri...as soon as that happens I will own one.
My 9 with my stripped CS Riflemans Hawk on a recent camping trip:
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, the BK-6 Patrol Machete is NOT scheduled to be brought back any time in the near, or far, future. The RBK, yes, probably sometime in 2015.
 
zzyzzogeton said:
Unfortunately, the BK-6 Patrol Machete is NOT scheduled to be brought back any time in the near, or far, future. The RBK, yes, probably sometime in 2015.
Click to expand...

That is indeed a bummer :-(
About the 6 that is, not the RBK, that's awesome!
 
On topic, glad that Kershaw took care of the issue at hand. They have some of the best customer service available.

Rasco said:
Yeah, Quiet, I think we are agreeing with each other, mostly.
Sounds like the contact with the cinder block was accidental on the OP's part, and for a $30 knife, I'm guessing Kershaw would have replaced it all the same.
But as far as your "I expect people to be 100% honest when dealing with big companies", c'mon man.

If, like you said, there is a chance he stands to LOSE something by being honest, of course he's going to omit certain details to increase his odds of getting what he wants, which in this case, is a replacement knife.
His goal here was to obtain a new knife, not maintain some kind of moral integrity.
Click to expand...

Off topic, but to address your comment.
This is a huge problem these days and on many levels. An overall glaring lack of accountability and integrity on the part of many people. It might not bother you, you might have dealt with these types in your daily activities, but the world does not need more of this, on any level. When you do get to a place where you deal with people like this, you'll understand. Personally, I prefer to deal with folks that do have some form of moral integrity as you put it. If you feel that legitimizing it is necessary, it doesn't really speak well. No preaching sermons, no holier than thou, just common sense.
 
RustyHammer said:
... abuse is abuse, plain and simple.
Click to expand...


Really? He told them what happened. Hitting rocks hidden brick like that happen when using a machete, it is kinda the point of using a machete. If the OP was complaining about edge damage, a big chip or roll then he really would not have much room to complain. Blade snaps in half? Yeah that is a problem that a manufacturer needs to deal with because that should not happen with a simple carbon steel.
 
These threads crack me up. Tools break sometimes. Kershaw took care of their customer as expected and now we're nitpicking at what was said to whom and what should or shouldn't be expected as normal for a given task. Hitting something unexpected while using the tool for it's intended task is not abuse. It's a bummer your blade broke. I have a Camp 10 that I've beaten the snot out of it's holding up just fine. Hopefully your replacement blade will serve you well.
 
Last edited:
A reputation for excellent customer service should not permit a corporation to expect the end user to do their quality control, in my opionion.
 
newdebate said:
A reputation for excellent customer service should not permit a corporation to expect the end user to do their quality control, in my opionion.
Click to expand...
In your what? Also how are they going to QC this? Baton ever camp series knife they make through a cinder block? Considering KAI took the knife to do some testing means (to me at least) that this was a once in a blue moon kinda thing.
 
newdebate said:
A reputation for excellent customer service should not permit a corporation to expect the end user to do their quality control, in my opionion.
Click to expand...

Is this a chronic problem? These are production knives and stuff happens. Why do you think manufacturers have warranties? What could have been done from a QC standpoint to prevent this? The reviews on the Kershaw Camp line have been favorable from what I've seen.
 
Update:
3 business days after I took it into the factory, my brand spanking new Camp 18 arrived on my doorstep.
Excellent service from a stand-up company.
 
Weird how this knife didn't break with all that cinder block bashing...
[video=youtube;dPgSOQY4CDk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPgSOQY4CDk[/video]
 
It's not weird at all. The amount of force you can apply through a 3' blade isn't comparable to the amount of force you can apply through an 18 inch blade. Attach that knife to an 18' stick and swing it into a cinderblock. Still won't be a comparable thing due to geometry but it'll be a lot closer.
 
Quiet said:
It amazes me that you smacktalked a product, after lying to the manufacturer in order to snag a new one after it broke during your careless use. Wow.



Well, you can always break your free new one and use that one to modify. :thumbup:
Click to expand...


Mrknot said:
Bought the Kershaw Camp 18 about 6 months ago. Been using it for mostly light-duty grass/weed control and the like.
About a week ago I decided to really put it through its paces and clear out a blackberry and holly infested part of our "back 40".
Made it most of the way though, whacking and chopping through the bushes and up to 1" thick branches, when on a down-swing the tip contacted a hidden cinder block.
This is the result:

Ouch!

As luck would have it, I live about 10 miles from the Kershaw-Kai-ZT factory so I ran it in there this morning.
The guy behind the counter was shocked. He asked me how it had happened, was I batoning with it or trying to chop through a log?
"Nope" I said, "just blackberries and holly."
"Well, OK then, we don't have one here, so give me your address and we'll ship you a new one."

Great service, but I am left a little skeptical about the quality of this product.
I've had the Camp 10 since they first came out. I've batoned, chopped and used the stuffin's out of it with nary a problem. My hope is that this was just a fluke manufacturers defect and the replacement will be considerably more durable.
Anyone else have any experience with this line of Kershaw products?
Any input or observations?
What happened to the Kershaw/Kai manufacturers forum BTW?
Click to expand...

I am afraid that I must agree with Quiet. Based upon what you wrote, Mrknot, you deceived Kershaw with a false claim, at least that is how it appears.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top