My Love-Hate Relationship with Benchmade

762x54Rmed said:
My problem as a prepper is that I can not get factory spare parts like I can with many other knives
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- In a SHTF scenario, I'm carrying fixed blades and short swords, along with a lot of firearms. :)

I have a Benchmade Kulgera that broke one of the Omega springs last month. I carried it without any real issues until today when the other spring broke. I called Benchmade and they told me to send it in. I've had it for 3.5 years and was hoping that it would have lasted a little longer.
 
I think the reason they want you to send the knife in is because if they did send the the springs out 70% of the knives would still end up getting shipped to them because the person thought they could fix it but couldn't. Not everyone it mechanically inclined. I've taken apart my mini grip many times and those springs can be a pain to put back in. :confused:

As for the outside the US customers, I think its because with shipping and taxes it wouldnt be worth it for someone outside the US to send their knife back. So they will just send the spring.

Most knife companies want you to send your knife in for repair. Its not uncommon.
 
Jobob182 said:
I think the reason they want you to send the knife in is because if they did send the the springs out 70% of the knives would still end up getting shipped to them because the person thought they could fix it but couldn't. Not everyone it mechanically inclined. I've taken apart my mini grip many times and those springs can be a pain to put back in. :confused:

As for the outside the US customers, I think its because with shipping and taxes it wouldnt be worth it for someone outside the US to send their knife back. So they will just send the spring.

Most knife companies want you to send your knife in for repair. Its not uncommon.
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Obviously this is a common issue though. I can understand them not wanting to send parts for warranty reasons maybe but I and others have offered to waive the warranty and just do it our selves.

They could even sell the springs, I would buy some. What the do now is not a good business practice, especially for a part that apparently breaks quite frequently.
 
Jerbo said:
Maybe you could clarify why you understand that they treat their customers in this fashion. It can't be that they are afraid someone will copy the design as it would be just as easy to buy a Benchmade and take it apart if that was the case, I just don't get it, great knives, bad attattude in this case or in the case of replacment springs, worse if they do indeed supply springs to customers outside the US while requiring US customers to go through the posting and waiting game.
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Because they would get knives shipped back in pieces everytime a user couldn't reassemble a knife or complete the repair..... and for international customers they understand that the roundtrip shipping process is expensive and sometimes risky (customs).
 
This is simple. If you work on your knife beyond sharpening, the warranty is void. It is obvious if they open the box and find a knife in pieces that they voided their warranty. If their policy is based on people sending their knives back in pieces that is not fair to the millions that could easily make that repair in minutes. I wonder how many gunsmiths have received guns in pieces from mechanically declined people. Should the warranty be void on your Sig P220 if you replace the hammer spring? Benchmade's policy is terrible and wrong.

I have a mini griptilian and a 710. I service my knives by dissembling, cleaning then reassembling every year or so. It is very easy to remove and replace the springs. I have not purchased more Benchmade products due to their policy on the parts.

I do not recommend Benchmade to anyone other than people that are totally mechanically declined who would rather send it in due to their inability to fix it themselves.

Had I known their policy prior to purchasing, I would not have purchased my Benchmade knives in the first place.

I hope they change their policy. There are two knives I am ready to purchase but will not due to their return for repair policy. I am totally willing to void my warranty to service my own knives.
 
I've heard that guitar string will work, but I still dislike the lock. The entire thing rests upon two thin pieces of wire. You can argue they're easier to replace than a frame/liner lock, but I've never heard of a liner lock breaking from simply being used too much. Lockbacks have a much thicker spring that do not appear as if they will break any time. On the other hand, one constantly hears about broken omega springs and such.
 
I'm confused. A company that wants to get its hands on a failed bit of product to look at is bad? Sure it would be nice if everything was always the way I want it, but guess what, I'm just me, that makes me a minority. So you want Benchmade to add a second layer to their product shipping stream for the 100 people a year that might want a spring?
Besides, any mechanical part can break, linerlocks can break, pivots can wear out, lockback springs can break (I've had it happen on a mid-high end production knife)
Instead of looking at BOO HOO, benchmade won't send me a spring, just ask them to tune it up while they have it, and replace the washers and the like.
 
gadgetgeek said:
I'm confused. A company that wants to get its hands on a failed bit of product to look at is bad? Sure it would be nice if everything was always the way I want it, but guess what, I'm just me, that makes me a minority. So you want Benchmade to add a second layer to their product shipping stream for the 100 people a year that might want a spring?
Besides, any mechanical part can break, linerlocks can break, pivots can wear out, lockback springs can break (I've had it happen on a mid-high end production knife)
Instead of looking at BOO HOO, benchmade won't send me a spring, just ask them to tune it up while they have it, and replace the washers and the like.
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...which would fix absolutely nobody's problem.

"I've had to take my car back for service four times, but they cleaned it while it was there so I can't complain."

A++ advice, would read again. :rolleyes:
 
Dorito Monk said:
I hear you 100%, OP.

That's something I can't stand about Benchmade. I've spent so much EFFing money on shipping knives back to them it's ridiculous... It would be one thing if I lived down the road, or the next state over, but I live on the opposite side of the continent from Benchmade's Oregon location. I live THREE THOUSAND MILES away - shipping costs about 20$ one-way with minimal insurace. I had to do this three times with my first Presidio and once with my Bradley Alias - That's quite a lot of money to spend on repairing knives that should never have needed it in the first place. :eek: Plus, they didn't even fix the Alias the last time I sent it in, so I'm once again stuck with the choice between keeping my broken knife or throwing another 20$ down the drain and hoping Benchmade gets it right this time. :barf:

So, yeah, I'm obviously unimpressed that the first two Benchmades I've bought were defective in the first place, but that can happen to any company, I guess. The biggest problem is that instead of just sending me a little envelope full of Omega springs (which would cost Benchmade all of a buck or two, shipping included), they required me to drop 20$ of my own money on shipping, per knife. 20$ of my money to fix their foul-up. Plus, then they have to ship the knife back to me on their dime - not only is it extremely inconvenient, it's not economical in the slightest for either the customer or the company. :confused:

For the money I've wasted on shipping defective knives back to Benchmade, I could have just bought a couple of Kershaws that wouldn't have needed such babying... I really like a few of Benchmade's designs, but they have a worthless warranty policy for someone in my situation (a customer who doesn't live a stone's throw away from the factory). From now on, I'm just going to MacGuyver some omega-springs out of guitar strings or something the next time they break.
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Interesting, they didn't fix my alias either. It took 3 times, and a conversation with a manager to make it right. They made me happy, but I'm suprised to hear you're another case.
 
Maybe its a lawyer thing in the us of a? Like how hults bruk won't sell their axes here because of the lawyers. That might explain way they'll send omega springs outside of the usa but not here. Course I could be way off. wouldnt be the first time, but the legal climate in this country stinks and nothing surprises me as the main reason big company won't do something is cause their legal departments tells them not too.

Keep in mind I'm thinking outloud...I have no proof of this and other than knowing for a fact that hults bruk said they wouldn't sell their products in the usa because of the lawyer industry......I know squat. Just throwing out a guess.
 
I would happily forgo my warranty rights and pay for Omega springs if I could get my hands on some. I would even get my surrender of warranty rights notarized. I would also hold Benchmade harmless from any future liability claims and put it in writing. It's too bad they are so out to lunch.
 
I can confirm the overseas shipping of Omega Springs. I am stationed in Europe, and when the Omega Springs broke on my Ritter Grip, I asked them to send me the springs because I was afraid customs would charge me when they sent the knife back. Took them a couple weeks, but they sent the springs, a full set of screws, and a new pocket clip at no charge.
 
I think they send them overseas because they don't want to have to pay for shipping of a knife to over seas places.
 
bobusx said:
I can confirm the overseas shipping of Omega Springs. I am stationed in Europe, and when the Omega Springs broke on my Ritter Grip, I asked them to send me the springs because I was afraid customs would charge me when they sent the knife back. Took them a couple weeks, but they sent the springs, a full set of screws, and a new pocket clip at no charge.
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It is strange for me to hear about folks in different countries getting shipped Omega springs. There seem to be a fair few people who've got Benchmade to do that for them, but when I asked them about it, they refused. I specifically asked them about just getting some omega springs last time I had to get my Presidio repaired, and even explained my situation (ie: This was not the first time I was sending this knife back to them, plus I live in Canada and it costs an arm and a leg to ship the knife). Still, they refused to make an exception. :thumbdn:
 
Maybe benchmade should seek out another material. Apparently. omega makes a silicon spring.
 
Once again I'm reminded of why I have never owned and do not own now any benchmades. I've been looking at the smalle Bone Collector...but I'll pass once again.
 
Dorito Monk said:
I hear you 100%, OP.

That's something I can't stand about Benchmade. I've spent so much EFFing money on shipping knives back to them it's ridiculous... It would be one thing if I lived down the road, or the next state over, but I live on the opposite side of the continent from Benchmade's Oregon location. I live THREE THOUSAND MILES away - shipping costs about 20$ one-way with minimal insurace. I had to do this three times with my first Presidio and once with my Bradley Alias - That's quite a lot of money to spend on repairing knives that should never have needed it in the first place. :eek: Plus, they didn't even fix the Alias the last time I sent it in, so I'm once again stuck with the choice between keeping my broken knife or throwing another 20$ down the drain and hoping Benchmade gets it right this time. :barf:

So, yeah, I'm obviously unimpressed that the first two Benchmades I've bought were defective in the first place, but that can happen to any company, I guess. The biggest problem is that instead of just sending me a little envelope full of Omega springs (which would cost Benchmade all of a buck or two, shipping included), they required me to drop 20$ of my own money on shipping, per knife. 20$ of my money to fix their foul-up. Plus, then they have to ship the knife back to me on their dime - not only is it extremely inconvenient, it's not economical in the slightest for either the customer or the company. :confused:

For the money I've wasted on shipping defective knives back to Benchmade, I could have just bought a couple of Kershaws that wouldn't have needed such babying... I really like a few of Benchmade's designs, but they have a worthless warranty policy for someone in my situation (a customer who doesn't live a stone's throw away from the factory). From now on, I'm just going to MacGuyver some omega-springs out of guitar strings or something the next time they break.
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USPS is way less than 20 anywhere in the USA, with insurance and tracking. Maybe you don't like the service, but I pay around 9, no matter the distance for a small flat rate box. Just a thought to consider rather than paying twice as much.

I've never had a B/M spring break yet. But, I've shipped back other brands, never a B/M for anything.
 
jill jackson said:
USPS is way less than 20 anywhere in the USA, with insurance and tracking. Maybe you don't like the service, but I pay around 9, no matter the distance for a small flat rate box. Just a thought to consider rather than paying twice as much.

I've never had a B/M spring break yet. But, I've shipped back other brands, never a B/M for anything.
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I don't think USPS shipping is available to me in Canada.

Canada Post's cheapest international service, Expedited Parcel, is $19.43 according to their website, plus 2$ for 100$ worth of insurance on the parcel.
 
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