Ontario = Rollercoaster of Frustration!

Iboschi

Iboschi

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Update: Ontario replaced the knife themselves and within the six month time frame (about two months turn around). It showed up a couple weeks ago and is ripe and fit to be used. It took some doing, but it DID get done!
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Okay, here's my story:

I bought an ONTARIO Ranger RD-9 several months back and thought it was pretty decent. After giving it a few workouts, a minor flaw became significant. The handles were off-set by a little over a millimeter, nearly two. Not real noticeable with gloves, but with the gloves off it became a blister machine.

Rather than send it back to the retailer (in hindsight I should have). I gave Ontario the opportunity to make it right. I emailed them and they told me to send it back. I see this as a fortuitous sign and send it in. After a couple weeks I wondered what the status is and email them again. They respond and tell me the replacement will ship out the same day, or next day at latest. GREAT! I think. Ten days pass and I wonder if perhaps there was some kind of hangup, so I call in this time to verify that it shipped out.

The woman I speak to is very kind and immediately finds the packing slip, but no knife, so she jumps on the case to check the status and even has people running around the building to find the knife. After a few minutes on hold, she comes back with bad news. The problem I had is the status quo and every knife coming out is coming out that way. QC cannot find one without that defect. They are going to re-tool the production line and will be correcting that issue. This is the kicker: They expect it will be SIX MONTHS before they have the issue ironed out and my replacement available.

The woman I spoke with was very nice and helpful and I appreciate her service. I expect she does what she's able within what the company allows and would have done more if she could. This is where I am upset, I feel like Ontario should do something to facilitate this, and make it right. Offer my money back, offer me something to tide me over or offer to update me monthly or something. Instead I was given a case number for future reference and sent on my way.

I think my disappointment is evident, although it is a complicated situation for both parties. Anybody have a recommendation on a course of action for me to speed this up or get some satisfaction sooner rather than later?
 
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Could the handles have been sanded down(not that you should have to do anything)

But if they all have that problem--it would seem an easy fix(FOR THEM) to just sand the handle.

and I agree with you--THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE for you.
 
The handles could have been sanded on one side, but the other side would have been recessed. One side extended over the tang and the other side was recessed. They were attached off center rather than extending on both sides. I could have done it myself, but I thought they would just send me a factory fresh one that came as it should have in the first place. If I had known a replacement was six months out, I would possibly have made other arrangements. What they told me was "send it in and we'll replace it". Bummer.
 
Iboschi said:
He chimed in on another thread (http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=713399) and I will be in touch with him soon. I didn't want to inconvenience him though. As I understood it, he isn't involved anymore with the Ontario product. Either way, I hope to get it sorted out before six months. I'll update the threads with the results.
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It is clear from the other thread that he is involved with the Ontario product. Deeply!

He will fix the problem for you. Justin is among the most "stand-up" guys in the business.
 
I bought a RD9 from a dealer last May 2009. When I received the RD9, it had a chipped blade toward the tip. The dealer refused to exchange the RD9 defect for another and told me to resolve it through Ontario. I spoke with Mr. Bob Cramer who is the VP for OKC, and he was quick to resolve my problem. In the end I had a new RD, BUT I had to eat the cost of S&H twice, so it cost me $20 more. I buy quite a few knives every month and I NEVER returned to that dealer again! Good luck, I wish I had his phone number for you, but I was also in contact with Diane Stanbro from Ontario Knife Company, try her also;
diane@ontarioknife.com
Phone: 800-222-5233
FAX: 800-299-2618
Good luck !

As far as Justin Gingrich, he is a good guy, but I don’t think he can do anything about the RD9 since it is an OKC product and a Ranger Knives design, this knife is not his custom knife/work which would be another story. That is like Rat Cutlery (ESEE), they do not guaranty the Ontario “Rat” knives because OKC produces them, RC is affiliated by name only, it’s an Ontario product and a RC design, RC will only guaranty there own RC/Rowen knives. After my incident happened, I contacted Justin and bought a custom RD9, best big blade chopper I have to date!!!
 
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Tactical Tanto said:
They have been losing a lot of buisness lately. They're going to end up just like Camillus.
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thanks for clarifying your opinion on it, but i dont think the comparison to camillus is accurate. Most of the cutlery companies have probably had bad years as of late. I suppose time will tell though.
i didnt know if you had any inside knowledge or had heard anything on it.
cheers
ivan
 
Update: Ontario replaced the knife themselves and within the six month time frame (about two months turn around). It showed up a couple weeks ago and is ripe and fit to be used. It took some doing, but it DID get done!
 
Iboschi said:
Update: Ontario replaced the knife themselves and within the six month time frame (about two months turn around). It showed up a couple weeks ago and is ripe and fit to be used. It took some doing, but it DID get done!
Click to expand...
Glad to hear that they made this right for you. :)
 
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