Poor Quality on Forum Military???

Jett · Feb 2, 2001

My Forum Military just came in the mail and I am disapointed with the quality of the bug inlay. Everything else about the knife is perfect. The markings on the blade are perfect as is the action and lockup. The bug inlay looks like a cheap holographic sticker that somebody has peeled off half way and stuck back on. There is a clear cut angled line across the bug that has a different finish on each side. It would be ok if this were a blended transition but it is not. To make it worse, the top half finish looks like it has a couple of air bubbles in the finish that show really bad and looks cheap. To make a bad ownership experience worse, all my knife buds who had to listen to me talk about the new blade for the past few months now laugh because "the bug sticker looks like it is going to peel off". This Military (#28 of 500) has not been a good embassador of spyderco quality. Every one of my friends who are all kife knuts have said," That is why I buy Benchmade (or Emerson, Microtech... the list goes on). After so many positive forum emails regarding this knife I must have got stuck with a lemon. Has anybody else out there had a similar experience??? I originaly planned to pick up two of these and give one to my father. I am glad I held off and will pick a better blade for him in the near future.

Jett

Fozzy · Feb 2, 2001

Jett-

Give Spyderco a call. I've always found them outstanding in the customer service department. I'm sure many other forum members will tell you the same thing.

Ben

------------------
"If you're upside down and burning, you probably went too fast."

ronybear · Feb 2, 2001

I agree with Ben. Every production knife company is going to have one slip through that does not meet the high quality standards set by the company! I bought (5) of the Forum Militarys and everyone of them are perfect! Give Patti a call at the Factory Outlet and I am sure they will send you a different one. These are perhaps the most gorgeous knives that Spyderco has made. I really think you should call them and not show that knife to anymore friends! It is definetly not representative of Spyderco's product! IMHO (In my humble opinion!)

------------------
"Love Dem Spydies"
AKTI Member #A001251

colobbfan · Feb 3, 2001

Jett,
Welcome to the Forum. I'm sorry you've encountered this problem with the Forum Military. But, please do call or otherwise contact Spyderco ASAP. I'm positive they will rectify the situation! Angela & Patti are the absolute best.
I looked at several of the Forum Militarys when they first came in. (I live near SFO) There were several of these knives with a similar problem as you describe. Patti & Angela had set them aside to send back to manufacturing. I'm positive yours just slipped by them. The spyderco inlay is gorgeous on these. So do contact them fast. I understand they have very few left of this original shipment.
John

------------------
A day without Spydies is like a day without ... WELL, Spydies!!!

Lokelani · Feb 3, 2001

Greetings Jett & welcome to the Forums!
I'm sorry to hear that you are disappointed with your purchase. Please return the knife to us here at SFO and I will be happy to exchange it for you. I have one left and it now has your name on it (#53). Please email me at sfo@spyderco.com and let me know if this is satisfactory to you.
Aloha~
Patti@SFO

Brian_Turner · Feb 2, 2001

ONE left? My, didn't those move quick!

NCBlades · Feb 2, 2001

The brown truck arrived today with 2 more forum Military's today. One is for a friend and I am going to carry the other one. I just love this knife. All three of mine look great. Thanks Sal and Spyderco!
michael

------------------
"For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword."
Heb. 4:12

"Lets meet at my house before the game on Sunday" God

Sal Glesser · Feb 3, 2001

Hi Jett. sorry for your disappointment. I'm sure we'll fix it.

For the record. The natural shell is sliced and layered in mmicro thickness, then laminated to G10 (.031). the G10 shell is then cut out with a lazer. The G10 handle of the Military is CNC milled with a very small cutter (which needs to be replaced each 30 pieces). the lazer cut shell is then installed (perfect fit) into the handle.

I believe it is the "other companies" that use "peel & stick" decals on their pieces.

Is this your first Spyderco knife?

In fact, I would go so far as to say that the "other companies" have never made such an inlay in all of their combined histories, and personally, I don't think thay can. Just my opinion.

sal

Full Tang Clan · Feb 3, 2001

I don't own one but just finished looking at the pics at the thread, "They're here...." by Brian Turner.

I have to agree with Jett. It really doesn't look all that exciting, or different from the stock Military. Looks like a regular Military adorned with those bubble stickers your little sister used to stick on her school books. Yes, I realize that it is much better than that, but hey, I'm being honest. It's not that special looking for a limited edition knife.

Personally, I think the Military was the wrong knife to do a custom job on since one of it's inherent characteristics is that it is simple, and austere. In other words, the ideal working knife.

A better choice would be a stainless handled Police. Chuck in a stone washed CPM 440V blade, and put some old wild west, Colt .45 type antiqued engraving on the handle, and voila...collector's item.

I think some of the limited run factory, custom knives are much nicer.

samo · Feb 4, 2001

Saw the inlay proto way back in November. Think its a real intricate process and would not fault those nice folks at Golden for such a great job... Well, maybe, just maybe one or two pieces may have looked awful, but that alone can be fixed. I guess each and every forum millie that leaves the factory is an individual work of art...

Sam

------------------
have spydies
will travel...
AKTI Member #A001148

tique · Feb 4, 2001

I don't know this as a fact, as I was not one that was instrumental in getting the forum Military produced, but I would guess they made the Military in a special run because that is what the people wanted. If you look, it is called the forum Military, therefore, it was what the people on the forum wanted, and is what we got. I'm happy with mine and I'm working on picking up another when the next set comes out.

I think the intricate inlay is an excellent contrast to the simplicity of the Military, and I think the police sucks, so I'm gonna have to say the Military was the best choice in this situation.

The General · Feb 4, 2001

DOH!!! My fav current Spyderco knife "Hail to the King!!!" And I missed out on getting one. Damn... Someone said they went for $125! Hey Sal, got any left?

500 is a bit low with us SpydieKnuts!

Cash is waiting!

I soooooo want one of those!

W.A.

------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/

tique · Feb 4, 2001

The first 100 are already gone

The next shipment of 100 will be in soon though

. I talked to Patti yesterday about it. The first 100 had the forum mark, the rest are just numbered with the inlay.

The General · Feb 4, 2001

Are they really just $125?

Pity I will miss out on a Forum model DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH

!!!! I really wanted one to remind me of all my friends on Bladeforums. I love this place! You guys ROCK!
*wipes tear from eye*

W.A.

------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!

tique · Feb 5, 2001

Yep, they went for $125 shipped from SFO. It was the Spyderco Forum, not BFC model though. I think the guys at their independent forum came up with the idea about 3-4 months ago or so.

The General · Feb 5, 2001

Hey Sal, how about some Bladeforums marked blades?

I GOTSA HAVE ONE!!!

PLEASE!!!!!!

*Now kissing carpet!*

W.A.

------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!

Flood · Feb 4, 2001

Sorry, TheGeneral, but that honor of having the BF logo engraved to a knife blade was reserved and now belongs to the BEST Spydie, the BF Blue G-10 Native! Told ya your "King of the Hill" Spydie list was all wrong!

-Flood

The General · Feb 4, 2001

Ya ya ya ya!!!

Thou speakest with a forked tongue!

Have a good un Flood!

(wanted one of those as well *sigh*)

W.A.

------------------
"To strive to seek to find and not to yield"
Tennyson
Ranger motto

A few useful details on UK laws and some nice reviews!
http://members.aol.com/knivesuk/
Certified steel snob!

Full Tang Clan · Feb 5, 2001

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by The General:
Are they really just $125?

Pity I will miss out on a Forum model DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH

!!!! I really wanted one to remind me of all my friends on Bladeforums. I love this place! You guys ROCK!
*wipes tear from eye*

W.A.

</font>

Sounds like Jett would be willing to part with his forum Military unless forumites convince him otherwise.

Dana Vibberts · Feb 6, 2001

Hi Jett,
I'm sorry to say the inlay as you describe it is exactly the same on my #11. The knife itself is beautiful as always, perfect in fit and finish... but the inlay does not reflect as it should. The top 1/3 reflects, the bottom 2/3 doesn't....
Since there is no way to replace the G-10 on that side, it looks as if I am stuck with it. I am not willing to give up the low #. I still feel it was great of Sal and the company to even try to do what we asked, and I guess like a penny that is struck upside down, this will be something that wasn't expected, but is still dear to me.

I care for all my spydercos, and this one is no exception. It may be a little marred, but I love it dearly.
Thanks again to Sal and Patti, and the whole crew....
Dana
(Windwalker)
PS Where could I post a jpg so that you good folks could see what Jett and I are talking about?