More QC issues lately in knives...anyone notice this...??

[ikelo]

the last 3 knives i have purchased have all had some pretty pathetic flaws, including a victorinox compact that had a large chip in the blade.

 

[yablanowitz]

What I see is a lot more people whining about knives not meeting their (in my opinion) unreasonable expectations.

Really.

Think about it. Set the Wayback machine for the late 1960's. The four bedroom, 2 3/4 bathroom, two kitchen (the fully finished basement was set up as an apartment) house we were living in sold for $14,800. Dad bought a new Chrysler for $4000 and I mowed enough lawns to buy a new Buck Trapper for $20.

Fast forward about 40 years. The equivalent house in that neighborhood now lists around $150,000. The equivalent new car carries a $40,000 sticker price. What do you expect from a $200 knife? I'll bet it's a lot more than two 440C blades and saw cut black Delrin scales.

We're spoiled.

 

[Sigguy]

What I see is a lot more people whining about knives not meeting their (in my opinion) unreasonable expectations.

Really.

We're spoiled.

I don't agree at all. Why is it that when someone voices their complaint, they are considered whiners? This is just a bullying tactic used to suppress the voice of another.

A 200.00 knife should not arrive defective. Justifying and accepting poor quality, by using the "wayback" machine, is not valid argument for the technology of today. The discussion of economic semantics is moot when quality remains constant.

If the knife arrives defective, and they voice their concern, that does not make them a whiner or spoiled.

 

[yablanowitz]

They are still made by people. If you don't pay the people making them enough to care how they turn out, expect flaws. The cost of everything that goes into a knife has gone up, from the steel to the shipping to get it into your hands, yet people expect to get more (better finish, closer tolerances) for less money. In my opinion, that is unreasonable.

 

[RxEnergy]

I think expectations are higher, quality is still there.

 

[Ankerson]

I don't agree at all. Why is it that when someone voices their complaint, they are considered whiners? This is just a bullying tactic used to suppress the voice of another.

A 200.00 knife should not arrive defective. Justifying and accepting poor quality, by using the "wayback" machine, is not valid argument for the technology of today. The discussion of economic semantics is moot when quality remains constant.

If the knife arrives defective, and they voice their concern, that does not make them a whiner or spoiled.

If you want a perfect knife go with a custom and open your wallet wide because the more picky you are the more the knife will cost.

I haven't seen a knife that didn't have any flaws other than a few art knives.

Look hard enough and there will always be something.

 

[jamaljahda]

Quality control issues are more prevalent. I work in a QA department and we the technicians constantly get shut down for raising issues by upper management, buyers and PMs. to achieve the bottom line. Make as much money as possible even if it means cutting quality. I have seen vendors get switched all over a difference of .95 for a certain part. Yet when in the field samples came back the acceptable return rate had to be raised from 3% to 10%. They say in words that they care about customer satisfaction and retention but truth of the matter is today's corporate world lets everyone know that they are not secure in the jobs that the average CEO get 2-5 years, that buyers for multimillion dollar corporations are starter jobs. So everyone is out to just make as much as fast as they can, damn long term because in all reality I might not even be in this position in the next 3 years. While prices remain somewhat constant to slight increase because most products come from China, Mexico, Taiwan and Japan corporations are reducing quality and using cheaper parts to pad their own pockets. If you want a product that is going to be true quality, yes you will pay for it but purchase from an independent small business owner who relies not on just the sale for today but repeat customers. Custom knife makers while they will charge you 2-3 times more you will get what you pay for and if you are not happy they will to the best of their ability to make it right because their very well being and companies survival depends on reputation.

 

[GregS]

The data is all around you.

Example, a few months ago I bought a bookshelf at Wal-Mart, it comes unassembled. The damn thing had cardboard as a back! Cardboard! And the particle board shelves were so flimsy that once I put it together it could not handle the weight of my books without sagging. I had to return it.

Fast forward to a few weeks later. I am at my Grandma's house and mention the bookshelf incident. She says she has a bookshelf I can have that she also bought at Wal-Mart. The difference is, she bought her shelf 25 or so years ago. Even though both shelves were from Wal-mart was a night and day difference. The older Wal-Mart bookshelf had actual wood! Not just particle board! And it had a solid perfboard back instead of cardboard. It seems as solid as a rock compared to the newer one, they are not even in the same league.

I bolded and underlined where you went wrong.

 

[Ankerson]

Quality control issues are more prevalent. I work in a QA department and we the technicians constantly get shut down for raising issues by upper management, buyers and PMs. to achieve the bottom line. Make as much money as possible even if it means cutting quality. I have seen vendors get switched all over a difference of .95 for a certain part. Yet when in the field samples came back the acceptable return rate had to be raised from 3% to 10%. They say in words that they care about customer satisfaction and retention but truth of the matter is today's corporate world lets everyone know that they are not secure in the jobs that the average CEO get 2-5 years, that buyers for multimillion dollar corporations are starter jobs. So everyone is out to just make as much as fast as they can, damn long term because in all reality I might not even be in this position in the next 3 years. While prices remain somewhat constant to slight increase because most products come from China, Mexico, Taiwan and Japan corporations are reducing quality and using cheaper parts to pad their own pockets. If you want a product that is going to be true quality, yes you will pay for it but purchase from an independent small business owner who relies not on just the sale for today but repeat customers. Custom knife makers while they will charge you 2-3 times more you will get what you pay for and if you are not happy they will to the best of their ability to make it right because their very well being and companies survival depends on reputation.

You forgot to add cutting payroll and raising the production quota to make up for the loss in employees that will also add to QC issues.

 

[knerd]

It's more like the quality of production knives has gone up over the years and customers expect every production knife to have the quality of a custom knife. In the end, these production knives are mass produced and a few lemons get through the bunch.

 

[knarfeng]

More QC issues lately in knives...anyone notice this...??

Can't say as I have. The knives available today are so much nicer than the knives I used as a young man. The things you are noticing would have gone unnoticed.

 

[Ankerson]

It's more like the quality of production knives has gone up over the years and customers expect every production knife to have the quality of a custom knife. In the end, these production knives are mass produced and a few lemons get through the bunch.

Maybe more people are playing with their knives these days instead of just using them so they notice more things than before.

I know when I USE a knife it will get scratches on it, get dirty, dull, and all sorts of other things over time so I don't worry about how they look when new because they aren't going to stay that way more than a few mins or hours.

 

[TwinStick]

True, but most people agree, that a knife has pretty much one function---to cut. If i spent $200 on a blade & it was not sharp, I would send it back. I could sharpen it myself, but for $200 it better be sharp when i get it. I have bought Made in America knives from $50-$150. All of them would shave paper & hair when i got them. Some had the grind off to one side or the other & the $150 one was spot on & IMHO, expected, for $150. Also, IMHO, many overlook the OUTSTANDING Made in America knives all too often for the cheap crappy imports. There are MANY a good fixed blade MIA knives for $50-$150 or so. If more people bought them, maybe they would pay more attention to detail, but they are competeing in a global market where some get paid so little, they could not afford to feed thier family off the dollar menu at MickyD's. I have import blades as well, but now that i am older I try to buy American Made knives as much as i can.

Anyone remember Ross Perot ??? "If NAFTA gets passed, what you're gonna hear, is a giant sucking sound, & thats gonna be all the American jobs going across the border."

 

[Ankerson]

True, but most people agree, that a knife has pretty much one function---to cut. If i spent $200 on a blade & it was not sharp, I would send it back. I could sharpen it myself, but for $200 it better be sharp when i get it. I have bought Made in America knives from $50-$150. All of them would shave paper & hair when i got them. Some had the grind off to one side or the other & the $150 one was spot on & IMHO, expected, for $150. Also, IMHO, many overlook the OUTSTANDING Made in America knives all too often for the cheap crappy imports. There are MANY a good fixed blade MIA knives for $50-$150 or so. If more people bought them, maybe they would pay more attention to detail, but they are competeing in a global market where some get paid so little, they could not afford to feed thier family off the dollar menu at MickyD's. I have import blades as well, but now that i am older I try to buy American Made knives as much as i can.

Anyone remember Ross Perot ??? "If NAFTA gets passed, what you're gonna hear, is a giant sucking sound, & thats gonna be all the American jobs going across the border."

Some of the bigger knife manufactors have some models made overseas so they can keep up with demand and also make models here in the US.

In the end the knife industry is just a small part of the overall picture though.

 

[Sigguy]

If i spent $200 on a blade & it was not sharp, I would send it back. I could sharpen it myself, but for $200 it better be sharp when i get it. ."

You hit the nail on the head.

It is not unreasonable to expect a 200.00 knife to arrive sharp and the blade not rubbing the liner. The coddling of manufactures is sickening.

Buy a custom to get a new knife that is sharp. Really?

I was raised by a hardworking family and money never had anything to do with doing your work to the best of your ability.

 

[neuron]

Maybe more people are playing with their knives these days instead of just using them so they notice more things than before.

I know when I USE a knife it will get scratches on it, get dirty, dull, and all sorts of other things over time so I don't worry about how they look when new because they aren't going to stay that way more than a few mins or hours.

A huge +1 on this. :thumbup:

 

[TwinStick]

Yup, all mine are users as well.

 

[TomTerrific]

Real life experience is the only data I have....

In other words anecdotes, which are not data.

That said, after thirty some odd BenchMades, I received one with QC issues. One of the first things I do when I unpack a new knife is check the edge. This one has a really rough edge and the grinds are uneven.

The lady at BM said something to the effect that it's "burred," so it's on its way back.

I got a Kopa turquoise a while back that is just plain dull.

I don't know if we consumers are getting picky or if there are real QC problems. BM couldn't have been nicer in their response.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[czombie]

In other words anecdotes, which are not data.

That said, after thirty some odd BenchMades, I received one with QC issues. One of the first things I do when I unpack a new knife is check the edge. This one has a really rough edge and the grinds are uneven.

The lady at BM said something to the effect that it's "burred," so it's on its way back.

I got a Kopa turquoise a while back that is just plain dull.

I don't know if we consumers are getting picky or if there are real QC problems. BM couldn't have been nicer in their response.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Ummmm sure....

 

[shecky]

If anything, knives have gotten not only better since I was a kid, they've gotten cheaper overall, with a wider variety of styles and features to choose from.

There is a difference, however. I have gotten more discriminating.