Quality Control

H

hat

Joined
Jul 16, 2000
Messages
70
This post is not directed at any specific manufacturer. Rather, I am concerned with the general level of quality in many production folders. I have noticed a deterioration in fit and finish over the last three or four years. Within the last year I have recieved several knives from "reputable" manufacturers that had defects that compromised safety- for example liner locks that did not properly engage. While many manufacturers claim to stand by their products, I have also had mixed results in sending knives back for service. It just feels to me as if the consumer has become THE quality control department for many manufacturers. What troubles me is that returning knives costs money. The price of postage can turn a "bargain" or even "just plain good price" into "expensive". This is especially true for knives being shipped across borders. With the rise in internet commerce and the lack of ability to inspect knives in person, this situation is of concern to all knife buyers. I think that we must all make it clear to manufacturers that, while the ability to return a product for service is important, it is not an excuse for putting lemons out on the market. Sorry for the long rant!
Hugh
 
Hugh,
I think we've all probably felt what you're feeling at lease one time or another in the past. Part of the problem is that we, as knifenuts, are a fair bit more discriminating than the average cutlery customer in our definition of what passes for acceptable quality assurance or quality control. We want the lockup of a liner lock to be just right, when the average customer of these companies probably doesn't even know that anything less is a potentially dangerous situation. I don't know if there's any easy way around this other than possibly establishing a good relationship with a reputable, customer service oriented dealer who's willing to inspect a piece for you before it gets shipped out the door.

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Semper Fi

-Bill
 
Thanks for the advice bronco. I think you are most certainly right about establishing a good relationship with a dealer. Still, I think it's important that we let manufacturers know that while we don't expect every knife to be a "gem", the knife must at the minimum function safely and reliably BEFORE it leaves the factory the FIRST time around. While it is nice to know that you can return a product if something goes wrong, returns generate added cost and bad will for everybody. This is especially the case when manufacturers specifically advertise the high quality of their knives and use it as a justification for high prices.
 
Wow, is this ever timely. I have, sitting on my desk right now, a Gerber A-F Covert folder with a liner lock that has to be manually engaged. I think an average Joe, with little experience in knives, would have no idea how dangerous it could be to use this knife. Now I have to contact Gerber, send in the thing to be fixed and wait God-knows-how-long to get it back. Not to mention the fact that I can't find a receipt for this nor can I remember where I bought it. Headache after headache!
 
I agree 100%, Hugh. And I don't think your constructive criticisms are all for naught, either. I'm fairly sure the smart companies (even the ones without forums here
wink.gif
) use BFC regularly to get this kind of feedback.
For example, it's no secret around here that many forumites are somewhat less than thrilled with the out of the box sharpness and consistency of edge grinds that the BenchMade factory puts on their knives. And based on some discussions I had at Blade West, I can tell you that these complaints haven't fallen on deaf ears. I'm not saying Benchmade didn't know a problem existed prior to BFC coming along, but by the same token I don't think it's outrageous to suggest that the opinions expressed here may assist companies in prioritizing what problems need fixing first.

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Semper Fi

-Bill
 
HAT,

I agree with you 100%. I have been wanting to write the same thing for awhile now. The last three Buck Knives I have gotten had the blades rub on the liner. The one was sent to me from Buck as a replacement for one that had a bad liner lock. I appreciate that they replaced the first knife, but I am only willing to pay to ship a knife so many times, before I give up. The last knife I got from Case (anniversary gift from my company) was worse yet. I am not sure it was worth the $5.00 spent to return it to the company.
I know this has turned into a rant, but a bit of QC goes a great deal farther than replacing the defective products after they have been sold.
 
Bronco- thanks for the encouraging words. Perhaps we as consumers simply need to do a better job of stressing, with constructive criticism, that quality control is important to us.
Hornet- I share your pain. It is disheartening to send youre knife away, wait for the factory to look at it and wait for it to be returned, only to find problems unresolved.
 
As a forumite who buys nearly all his knives from the Internet, QC is important as my shipping could end up costing more than the knife itself ($25-$50). Since it is a major pain to return stuff, I try to ask all the dealers I buy from to do a quick check on the knives I order.

While this helps somewhat, the sad fact is that some manufacturers don't exercise enough control over what leaves the factory. 'Return it to us and we'll fix' it is no solution when I costs me $35 to ship it halfway across the world. Costs are the main reason I suspect. Making folders with precise tolerances means those which don't meet the grade are disgarded.

Just my .02 Ringgit which would be .005 $US
Red

Red

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"Praise not the day until evening has come;a sword until it is tried; ice until it has been crossed; beer until it has been drunk" - Viking proverb
 
I think the manufacturers should have to reimburse the buyer the postage when it is a defective product. This would go a long way in getting the quility control that is needed.
 
I will refrain from picking on certain companies who I, along with others, have had have had grief with but suffice it to say that we consumers are being used as unsalaried Quality Control Inspectors for some brands. The old "never enough time or money to do it right, but always enough of your time and money to do it over" has unfortunately become the order fo the day with some manufacturers.

Let me just say this: Chris Reeves and Buck Knives (interestingly, two opposite ends of the price spectrum) are very concerned about customer satisfaction. Other than their sheaths, Marbles makes some very nice products the first time around as well.

[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited 10-10-2000).]
 
eaglehi1- good suggestion on the shipping. Paying shipping acts as a financial dis-incentive for the customer to return a knife. I don't think that a manufacturer should have to pay when the knife has been abused or accidentaly damaged in circumstances beyond reasonable performance expectations. Howevever, if a knife leaves the factory in a faulty state, the manufacturer should pay the costs of setting things right.
Nimrod- your post brings up an important point. While poor QC must be identified and dealt with, good QC must also be recognized and rewarded.

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Hugh
 
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