Queen Canoe... encountered a bad sample

[thejamppa]

Hello everyone!

Today I received a nice, handsome Queen... However it has worst Fit and Finish I've seen in USA made knife, well its equally good than my first GEC #73. It still had some brass burls from machination, which cut off when brushed. Huge gaps... and when main blade is open and you shake it from handle... you can see and hear how blade wobbles. Worst case of blade play ever

I do hope my 2nd one is better. Yeah, another sweet encounter with my good old friend: Mr. Murphy. This I am affraid one of those samples never should have left from the factory from the first place. I'll either return it for seller who has 2nd sample or send it for Queen to make it right. Still, corssing a pond and waiting 4½ weeks to be again ripped off by our customs... I probably just get another sample from the retailer and return this one.

few pictures:

 

[TLARbb]

I can imagine how aggravated you are about this. When you hear stories like this, it certainly makes you wonder what is actually going on. Queen should have never let that one out of the factory and the seller should have looked at it and inspected it before shipping it to you. Well, that's my opinion anyway.

Ed

 

[thejamppa]

Still, I got 2nd Queen Dan Burke small Barlow. Its very nice, not quite as nice as my first one with very, very, very small gap betwen liner and bolster. Still very good, so today is not completely waisted. I just hope to get replacement Canoe soon. Its very nice single spring. First one I have.

 

[7rip13a]

Yowch, sorry to hear of the bad luck Jani. I've had fairly good experiences with Queen on average, but then again, I've only bought about 5 of their knives in total.

 

[HAKnPocket]

Jani my DB barlow is on its way back to Queen today. After encountering super stiff springs I picked the knife to death. I emailed and they told me to send it back and they would make it right. Mine was also a beautiful knife just not what I expected.

 

[thejamppa]

Stephen that is good to know. I also contacted Queen JIC. However I need to pay customs and 2nd time VAT if I have to send it to Titusville. However this was my 3rd Queen knife. I am actually used that I manage find monday pieces

 

[Morrow]

I can imagine how aggravated you are about this. When you hear stories like this, it certainly makes you wonder what is actually going on. Case should have never let that one out of the factory and the seller should have looked at it and inspected it before shipping it to you. Well, that's my opinion anyway.

Ed

The knife in question was made by Queen...not Case. I've seen poorly manufactured traditional knives from most companies still producing. It happens....

 

[Will Power]

It's a tiresome thing to encounter this.

I had to return a Queen CCC English Jack - the seller sent the wrong knife but that's another thing- with the most horrific gaps I've ever seen on a knife. Worse than what Jani showed. Open and closed, abysmal. The knife should never left the factory in that state and it costs over 100 USD not change. The Queen Muskrat I have is the opposite, superb finish all round and not that dear.

 

[thejamppa]

I'll get another knife from retailer. No noticable blade play and minor gap between the handles according the seller who was kind enough to phone me personally. I don't mind small gaps, after all my knives are users... but the blade play is... well another thing.

I can fix blade play in limited extense but this much is way too much to handles without actually disassembling knife, in which I don't have tools nor place to do it.

 

[sappyg]

that's rotten luck you're having there jani. i'm hopeful that you can avoid the VAT by going through the seller.

 

[thejamppa]

I'll post pictures of new one with my impressions in next week when I get it. I'm expecting it very eagerly. Its Canoe after all.

 

[glocktenman]

Sorry to hear about your problems with the canoe. I really like that pattern. I'm sure they'll take good care of you and have the knife back to you soon if you decide to return it to them.

I sent a knife back to Queen a few months ago with some problems. They sent it back squared away quickly. I'm very happy with their customer service. I'll continue to buy their knives because of their good quick response to the problems I had with the knife.

 

[TLARbb]

The knife in question was made by Queen...not Case. I've seen poorly manufactured traditional knives from most companies still producing. It happens....

A short in the brain I guess. Or fingers, but most likely the brain.

Ed

 

[midnight flyer]

I don't mind small gaps, after all my knives are users... but the blade play is... well another thing.

For users, I try not to be too picky. But still, when you put out your hard earned cash, you should feel like you got what you paid for, right? When I bought a Country Cousin, I didn't expect much. I got a good knife at a good price. Hard and stiff to open, a little gap here and there, and dull as hell. All that, D2 included, was just $24. I am very pleased. I worked on the stiffness, sharpened the knife, and it is a dandy worker.

However, the other Queens I have purchased have been good all except for one, and it was pretty bad. (Dan Burke Barlow)
I sent it back and it was replace with a peach. This always reminds me to purchase from a reputable dealer in case I get to feeling a bit cheap. They stand behind their product.

I just bought two more Queens from XXike XXatham at his store, and they were top notch. I am thinking that XXike must do a bit of quality control on his end before shipping.

I can fix blade play in limited extense but this much is way too much to handles without actually disassembling knife, in which I don't have tools nor place to do it.

Nor should you have to. No knife should require disassembly to bring it up to acceptable standards if they are reseaonable standards to begin with.

The frustrating thing for me is there are finally a lot more interesting traditional (or traditionally inspired) patterns out there now by some of our premiere makers. They make so many good knives, but here, on other forums, and with my personal experience there seem to be more and more knives slipping through quality control. I bought a Canal Street knife about that was a special edition of only 100 pcs., and the quality was so bad I sent it back.

You would think with only 100 to make, someone could take a look. The opposing blades rubbed to the point they scratched one another, the crinking was so severe that one blade rubbed on the liner, and would actually catch on the liner of closed too fast. A beautiful design, I could say not "no" to it. I sure could after I got it.

I would like to think that these "better" makers would concentrate on quality since they will never own the pricing market, but they don't seem to feel the same way.

And while typing this, I think of some of my friends that have knives they aren't happy with that they paid a pretty good penny for (American made). They don't participate on any forums or sites. They are simply knife users that tried to buy a good knife. They suffer in silence, thinking it isn't worth the fight to send back a $75 knife. Believing that their $75 bought them out of the box good fit/finish/grind/operation/steel, they are disappointed.

They don't go here, or the other sites and complain. They just resolve to buy lesser price crap from the sporting goods store at 10% of the price of a premium American brand and then they don't care what they get. They don't expect much for $7 - $8. If they get one that is a total POS, they simply return it on the spot to the store for an exchange that takes 15 minutes. Otherwise, they have a utility grade knife they can easily replace.

I always wonder how many poorly constructed knives are floating around amongst the rest of the great unwashed. I'll bet there is more than we can imagine. The folks that carry them just don't care or may not even know what to expect from a knife.

Robert

 

[thejamppa]

Thank you very much Robert for insight. I agree your parts and I am glad to hear also your experience. My Dan Burke's have been quite excellent. I got two of them. 1st one was Near perfect. Rock solid, sharp no gaps. 2nd had minor gap that is not really noticable unless you look it against the day light or light source. It had very minor bladeplay but with rubber hammer and careful use of time I got it rock solid. 2nd sample also less stiff springs. I put my 1st sample in box to be spare and yook 2nd sample into my carry.

I got country Cousin with help of fellow forumite. It has quite gap on side but no daylight shines thru. It has very stiff back springs but sharp and solid knife. I like it.

 

[Noddy]

It is a shame about Queen's patchiness, because good ones are terrific

I just got a couple of older cobo pieces, and they have great fit and finish, steel sharpens up nice, all that. But I have had duffer or two - mainly in the birds eye ranges - which I won't try again

Besy of luck, thejamppa

 

[thejamppa]

Here's replacement... Worse in terms of gaps... but now blades are rock solid. It takes me while to get used that big gaps. I think sending it to Queen would just cost more and would not be worth of the hassle with customs. After all blades are really sharp and rock solid. Like rest of the knife is too.

 

[Will Power]

Those gaps are not at all pleasant.Nor should they leave the factory in that state.

But, I sympathise with your situation, sending back is a lot of trouble.Why not e-mail Queen those pix and ask them to comment, they might just send you a new knife with no returns?

 

[Seals]

Queen generally makes an excellent knife.I hate to see they are letting this type of material out of the plant.Even if they are still good "users" you can get better fit and finish for $9-$12 in a Rough Rider,China Buck,Kissing Crane,and too many others.There are many that desire only USA cutlery,but there has to be a good reason.Higher quality being the main reason.

 

[thejamppa]

I've carried it today. Gaps aside knife is really solid. Good backsprings (5 in scales 1-10 pull ) Main blade can be opened by pinching. Pen blade is really thin and wicked slicer. It came razor sharp. Its dang near perfect knife... minus gaps.

I think I am growing into this knife though. I did mailed to Ontario knife company as they own Queen with couple of photos.