Pretty strong words there DWRW, may be you need to step back and take a deep breath and mellow a little, its not the end of the world.
If you dont like em dont buy em, more for us.
IF you want Res C, check out the Scrap Yard, you'll be a happy camper.
...... But, I am not really going to apologize about my other comments.
That is how I feel about it.
Granted, my feelings are largely based on frustration. But, I feel my frustration is justified.
I am a knife enthusiast and avid knife collector. I am "passionate" about my hobby.
I "DO" like Swamp Rat knives...... that is why it frustrates me to see this type of "cut" in quality and effort to provide at least par quality scales.
I like "working" knives, but I still want a nice level of finish.
Nothing personal Leatherman. I know you have been around here a long time and well respected on these forums. But, I am NOT new around Swamp Rat either.
However, I DO call things like I see them.
Whereas, your comments "Could" possibly be biased (even if subconsciously) since you do earn income off of selling sheaths for Busse knives.
Or maybe lesser quality scales just doesn't bother you - fine and fair enough..... I guess.. (????? -
)
But, let's put it in a different perspective.
Since you make leather sheaths and sell to customers. (And very fine quality sheaths at that. I have seen your work and I don't blow smoke to appease you. If you make a quality product, I will call it a quality product. I have given all kinds of accolades to Swamp Rat over quite a few years. I am just unhappy with recent micarta and speak my mind with hopes of helping change for improvements in the future.).......
How would Swamp Rat DOWN-grading the finish of their micarta handles be much different than you selling sheaths where you don't sand the sides of the sandwhiched leather to flat (- Just leave them nice and ratty) - and maybe don't stain the sides of the leather while you are at it?
Would you expect your customers to complain?
Would you be satisfied with providing that level of product?
Would you tell your customers: "I agree with you that the older ones look much better, but with a cost/price ratio to stay with it was much easier to simplify the process.
The unfinished sides of my sheaths are actually so easy to deal with I dont see a need for the shop to sit and sand them and finish them, I'd rather ship my sheaths quicker." ????????
Your sheaths, whether they get used or not, are built tough and still have a fine level of finish.
How can you make a product yourself especially leather sheaths and put the effort into the finish quality that you do, imply that Swamp Rat's lack of finish in their recent micarta handles is really up to your expectations?
I would have a hard time believing that you, with at least as much familiarity with other knives and micarta around the industry, would honestly consider some of Swamp Rat's recent micarta scales up to industry par.
I like SR-101. I like Swamp Rat designs. I am just dissappointed that the quality of finish has dropped.
Honestly, although I would have been dissappointed in the "DOWN-grading done to Swamp Rat scales anyway. I am still (years later - sorry for the long term grudge) dissappointed in how I received my Ratweiler.
I had one of the original Ratweiler's. But, mine came from the final run of the Ratweilers. I was VERY dissappointed when I received my Ratweiler - as Swamp Rat had changed the handles on the Ratweilers to a much lesser quality of finish. I was even more annoyed because they had done this without giving ANY notice to anybody that it was going to be changed. They just shipped the last orders with the new "Lesser" quality handle. There were PLENTY of pictures all over the place with a certain type of handle and then I (and others) recieved a much lower level of quality handle on the final run!
I am generally a big advocate of Busse customer service. But, I was honestly very let down and un-impressed by how the Ratweiler handle change happened.
I contacted Eric about it. I had dealt/talked with Eric about things prior to this with always positive experience and respect for how Eric handled situations. (* For the record, I have spoke with him since and have seen how he handles other situations on the forums and I do believe Eric to be an upstanding person with good intent.) But, when I explained my frustration about the final run of Ratweiler handles, he said I was more than welcome to send the knife back. But, he didn't have any of the early handle designs and that was it.
So, while he was very agreeable to taking the knife back if I didn't want it, I still was unable to get a knife as I had intended to buy, as I had paid for, as I wanted and as I was led to believe I would get. There was no explanation or apology in regards to the un-announced and inappropriate DOWN-grade in the Ratweiler scales. I think this was handled wrong - .... no pun intended.
But, I don't think it was all Eric's fault. And aside from this one exception, I still defend Eric as a great guy and worthy of respect. Idoubt he had any say so in the matter (????). It generally just appears that Eric gets what he gets.
But, the Ratweiler's SHOULD have been made the same - OR Busse/Swamp Rat should have notified everyone of the changes prior to taking orders for the final run. And in my STRONG opinion, the final handle run of the Ratweiler was not worthy of the same price as the earlier runs of the Ratweiler.
The earlier Ratweiler handles were nice with nice "full" radiusing and a nice quality of finish on the micarta:
The final run of Ratweiler scales - with "flat" scales, only radiused at the corners and poor finish quality on the micarta including fuzzy....! ) - Honestly, this next picture looks a lot nicer than my actual Ratweiler scales looked. Mine were very fuzzy. :
Both Ratweielers were the same price at $178.95
At $50.00 more than the Camp Tramp!
The original Ratweiler scales were worth about $50.00 more (IMO).
When I received my Ratweiler from the final run with final "un-announced" changes to the scales, I was sorely disappointed and sold it very quickly as I did NOT think it was worth $50.00 more than the Camp Tramp.
Because of the ongoing practice of not providing properly finished micarta scales, I would not have purchased the Chopweiler if I could not have purchased with G10 scales. Unfortunately, the G10 still does not have the nice full radius shaping of the scales like the earlier Ratweiler (Rat Mastiff and Rat Daddy), but at least the G10 scales are sufficiently smooth and decent looking finish quality.
but, I had to pay an additional $20.00 premium for the Chopweiler with G10 scales.
The Chopweiler was released at $198.95 - $70.00 more than the Camp Tramp
The Chopweiler G10 was $218.95 - $90.00 more than the Camp Tramp.
These prices are getting very high and very hard to justify.
And yes, I am very familliar with Scrap Yard and I am a very active member on Scrap Yard Forums since they opened as well as at Rat Chat for many years now.
I really like my Chopweiler (G10), RMD (G10) and HRLM from recent releases, but with these increases in prices, Swamp Rat is going to have to be dead-on with designs and probably going to have to keep offering G10 or improve their micarta. Or I am going to have a hard time justifying the purchases.
I don't buy Swamp Rat or even Scrap Yard or the odd high dollar Busse because of the herds or because I can sell it, or because I can sell sheaths for it.
I buy because they are good. - Design and finish quality are part of the decision equation.
In my efforts to get certain little aspects up to par - for products I would like to continue purchasing, I believe, as a consumer, I need to speak my mind about details I wish it to be improved. And then I hope these issues are addressed and improved.
Otherwise, what will be next?
.
These knives are an incredible value for the quality you receive!:thumbup:
