Sorry to hear about your bad luck. I live close to the ranch and called them one time to see if I need service if I could just drop a knife off. The answer was "no". I didn't expect them to work on it while I waited I just didn't want it lost since many of their models are not made very often. It really makes me think twice about buying their stuff.
You probably saw this from their website:
Warranty
All RICK HINDERER KNIVES products carry a limited warranty for the serviceable lifetime of the product. We guarantee our knives, pens and tools against manufacturing defects in materials, construction and to perform as advertised when maintained and used properly. Our Warranty does not cover normal signs of wear, rust, damage or breakage due to improper use, improper modification, or lack of maintenance. We cannot cover lost fasteners or hardware under warranty, but we do sell those parts. Any product we determine to be defective will be repaired or replaced at our discretion. To receive warranty repair or replacement, the owner must send the product to us to be evaluated. No other warranties are implied or expressed other than what is specifically stated here.
User modifications to folding knives that are not covered under warranty: Modifying or altering the detent in the blade or lockside, the lockface itself, the blade tang, thumbstud, and lockbar cutout. If modifications like these are performed on your knife they can ruin the lock up and or action of your folding knife. These modifications could render the knife unsafe.
3rd Party Anodizing: We
cannot warranty a knife that has been heat anodized with a torch. HOWEVER we will not void your warranty for using DC current to electro-anodize your titanium parts.
Using Aftermarket Fasteners and Parts: You are welcome to change your knife hardware without voiding your warranty. Example: Titanium clip screws are a common upgrade, installing a set would not void your warranty. The only case that would cause a warranty issue would be using improper hardware that would cause an issue with the knife that otherwise would not be there if you had the stock Hinderer parts installed.
Bevel Re-Grinds: If you have your bevels reground by someone else we will not void your warranty unless the grind has a direct impact on the problem with your knife. For instance if you had someone grind the tang to change the lock up and a problem with the lock occurred, there would be a cost associated to fix the problem caused by someone else.
If we determine that it is something other than a defect in workmanship or materials, we will inform you if the product can be repaired and your cost. If your knife has been abused or has seen hard use for a long period of time, it is possible that the useful life of the product has been exceeded.
***A side note for those of you who can’t flip your knife open to your liking, this is not a warranty or service issue. There are plenty of threads on the subject in our online forums at bladeforums.com and usualsuspects.net as well as youtube videos that can help you. Oil, pivot adjustments, and technique is where you will find your answers….The same goes for blade centering, lots of threads and info on the forums to help you out
Services we do not offer:
- We will not change the original finish, so for example we won’t tumble a knife that was originally blasted
- We do not do “custom” detent work, meaning we do not make detents lighter or stiffer, all folders are made to a certain spec, however it may not be absolutely perfect for “you”. An example would be for those of you that have trouble flipping your knife without using wrist, we do not stiffen detents. Or in the case of someone who finds the detent too stiff, we do not lighten them either.
- We do not change or alter the lock bar engagement.
- We do not do regrinds of any sort
- We do not mark blade steel types after the knife has left the shop
- We do not have a stripped screw removal service. Big boy rules apply, you strip it, you remove it.
- We do not re-finish, or re-coat DLC Coated knives or knife parts
