Ontario Retribution Question

KLJTech

KLJTech

Joined
Aug 26, 2005
Messages
1,180
I just received a brand new Ontario Hossom Retribution 1 folder is an incredible knife from a looks (having not used it on anything) and feel stand point. I have never hand a knife that just felt so perfect (comfort and stout) in my hands before. The liners are very thick and lockup is great. I believe that this knife is going to be a huge seller.

Now for my problem, brand new out of the box there are some scratches on the side of the blade and some (tiny) nicks in the false edge and along the top edge. The blade is perfectly centered when closed but the grind on the edge is a little off to one side. In other words the edge doesn’t make a perfect V as it’s a bit off to one side.

So, there is nothing wrong with the knife from a using standpoint but I would rather my brand new knife be close to perfect out of the box. If it’s going to get scratched up then I want to be the one doing the scratching.

Is this stupid of me? Would any of you send the knife back for exchange because of a few cosmetic flaws on an otherwise great knife? The company has already been contacted and have offered to replace it. Have any others here had the problems I have described with their Ontario Retribution?

Thanks in advance for your input.
 
You paid your hard-earned dollars for the knife?

Are you happy with it? I would guess that you are not since you took the time to post.

Every time that you look at it, the aberrations are going to nag at you. You might as well send it in and get a new one or get it fixed to your satisfaction.

Mine was perfect out of the box!
 
If I wasn't happy with the knife, I would send it back. I am with you, I want my brand new knife to be perfect too.
 
Whether you are happy or not and whether a knife should be perfect or not should also take into consideration the price of the knife. The Retribution is in the price range of a lower range premium production folder. If what you have received is not up to the finish of other knives in the similar price range, you are entitled to get it changed.
 
Airyq has a good point, I’m unsure at the price point of this knife if I’m asking too much for it to be pretty much without noticeable flaws out of the box.

The last two folders that I have purchased are the full sized Manix and BM 630 Skirmish and both were perfect when the arrived at my doorstep. The Skirmish was more expensive but I believe that the Manix was pretty close to the same price as the Retribution 1.

From what I have read on the forums it seemed like most everyone that bought this knife made a point to say that the knife looked almost flawless out of the box. I believe that I read that the sharpening of the blade was so good and even that it must have been done by machine.

I would love to hear from more owners of the Retribution to hear what they thought of theirs when they first received it. I know that most anything that I collect be it knives or watches I can be a bit hard to please if all isn’t as it should be. I know that I can be very fussy about things that others possibly would not even notice but I value the money that these things cost and the money doesn’t come easy.

If you purchased this knife how was yours new out of the box?

Thank you very much for the feedback.
 
I agree with Daniel and would ask about returning it. I have two of the Retribution 1's (only one now as I sold the other) and both came out of the box with perfect fit and finish, in regards to what you are describing. If you ain't happy, you'll always have a little doubt in your mind.
 
I am thinking that perhaps the Skirmish is easier to put together than a knife with liners and scales. However, considering the good things which have been said about the Retribution, if it cannot match up to a Spyderco or Benchmade in the $120 price range, it must have been a lemon which slipped through.

If I were you, I would be disappointed.
 
Mine was flawless except for some very faint grind marks in the micarta, but you'd have to be anal to pick that up :)
 
I am almost dead certain the knife didn't come from the factory (Fox in Italy) with those blemishes. It sounds like that blade has been previously handled and scratched, possibly by or at the dealer's shop. Even so, if the dealer denies responsibility and won't replace it, send it back to Ontario for a replacement. It's unacceptable.
 
The fit and finish on my R-II was perfect. Everyone I have shown it to has expressed the "wow" factor. Send yours in and have it corrected. For the money, the Retribution series has to be at the head of the line.
 
God I love these Forums, the fact that the original designer (Hi there Mr. Hossom) shows up and puts his 0.02 in is FANTASTIC.

BTW, the Retribution I is my X-mas present to myself. I'm so looking forward to Christmas Morning :D
 
It's very re-assuring to see the designer having such confidence in Fox and Ontario. It does not get better than this :thumbup: . Another one on my to-get list then.
 
Thank you very much Mr. Hossom for taking the time to give me your opinion on this subject. I shipped the Retribution back to the dealer today to have it exchanged for another one.

I cannot imagine how happy/proud you must be of how the Retribution series turned out. I have never held a more comfortable knife in my hands before the Retribution 1. The handle feels as if it were custom made for my hands and I know it has been said many times on these forums but it is built like a tank.

I usually carry a Ranger RD6 or RD7 on me when my family goes camping in some beautiful woods along a river a few hours from my home. I will still bring one or both of those knives but I could easily see me carrying only the Retribution 1 for the entire trip and never feel the need to unpack either of the fixed blades.

Thanks again,
Kevin
 
Well Guys,

I took close-up high-resolution pictures of the small scratches and the nicks on top of the blade and the owner of the online knife store. He said that the scratches could probably be polished out with toothpaste but if I wanted to go ahead and send it back to him and he would exchange the Retribution 1 for another. I packed the knife up better than it was sent to me and insured it for the full purchase price and shipped to him via Priority Mail (same way it was shipped to me). I had sent along a note to please check out the next knife before shipping and thanking him for his time.

I checked the tracking over the weekend and noticed that he had received the knife. After a couple days not hearing anything about another knife being shipped out to me I email today to check in. Unfortunately for me this was his reply (copied and pasted)

“I have rec'd the knife and , to be honest , I am cofused.

Your previos eMail said it was scratched and appeared to have been used. I cannot find any scratches or abuse as you state. All of these Hossum knives are identical to this one.

This knife was the last one in our inventory...they are all gone. Some new version will be introduced in early 2007 , but no more of these.

I keep my prices so low that some dealers around the country complain constantly about the prices...cry babies !!! If you do a search on Google for Retribution by Hossum , you will instantly see that I am $20.00 to $ 60.00 cheaper than other dealers.

I am refunding your purchase amount , minus the shipping tonight, and hope you understand. The knife you returned has already been sold and the listing is now deleted. I wish I had 200 more of these.”

Now I am out the shipping to me and back to the store without a knife to show for my trouble. This is the first time in a long time that I haven’t just purchased from either New Graham or Grand Prairie Knives. Live and learn.

I have not said the dealers name because after receiving his email (that I was out of luck) I replied with his email stating that the pictures (I sent) showed what appeared to be grinding marks from the factory (his words) and I could return it. He now wants me to resend the pictures (which I no longer have) to prove that it is the same knife and to refresh his memory of the pictures. I no longer feel it necessary to prove my honesty to him, that’s what I’ve told him and I have no idea what his response will be. I’ll buy the knife from someone I used to doing business with.

I am very sorry that this post is so long, I’m more than a little ticked off.
 
WOW! Just reread this post for the first time since I posted. I think I would also be ticked as it seems like the dealer would have explained the situation beforehand that he was out of stock before having you send yours in. If this is the "last" of the style you may have wanted to keep the knife as it was and do some elbow work yourself. Have you been able to find another, perhaps you might want to go sit on the dock by the bay?

Maybe a little off topic, but what is this "new style" coming in 2007?
 
Yes, I was more than a little ticked off at the dealer as I had emailed him pictures of the blade and I even called him to make sure all would be fine with an exchange. Since then I have purchased another Retribution 1 from www.gpknives.com and it was perfect. I should have stayed with dealers that I have done business with in the past. The only reason I used this other dealer is they had a good price and someone on the forums spoke highly of them.

The good news is the knife is great and has immediately has become one of my favorite folders along with my Manix and full size Skirmish. I have never had a folder or fixed blade that fit my hand better than the Retribution I. It feels like it was custom made me and to top it off this is the stoutest folder I have ever seen.

Merry Christmas.
 
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