Returned Knife

[Rob Simonich]

That is a tough one, I can only say what I would do in my situation. I would refund the money, keep the knife and never do business with the guy again. I am sure I am not the only maker with a little spot in the rolodex I call the black section, luckily, it is a very small section.....

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www.simonichknives.com

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Harry :

I think the knife was left in a sinkfull of water for an extended time (causing the handle to swell & natural oils to leach), and then left to set out on a wet drainboard for several days (which would explain the depth of the pitting).

I would be really surprised if that induced that level of rusting. I have done repeated soaks in salt walt baths for +24 hours on a D2 blade, I have never seen that kind of pitting.

The customer was made fully aware that D2 is NOT stainless, and was instructed in the proper care of this knife in order to avoid rust.

What difference does that make? It wasn't returned because it rusted.

Soaking a wood handled knife for an extended time should be a given NO-NO, I would think.

All our cheap kitchen knives have wooden handles, some are really old, 20+ years. All have been in water for extended periods of time as I have at times left dishes to soak and gone to bed completely forgetting about them. They are always left to drip dry when I would eventually get around to washing them The handles are still on fine it surpries me that a high end custom knives handle would be less stable.

-Cliff

 

[Walt Welch]

I tend to agree with the camp who would refund the customer's money, but then not do business with them again. One unhappy customer, whether his unhappiness is due to his own stupidity (which, of course, he will never admit) or not, is one too many.

It is widely known in business circles that irritated customers will write letters of complaint (and complain in other ways as well) several orders of magnitude more often than satisfied customers will write letters of compliment.

One thing I would consider, were I a knifemaker, is exchanging information regarding 'problem' customers with each other. Walt

 

[Harry Jensen]

As for Mr. Stamp's statements-
Thank you for your astute observations.

Harry Jensen

 

[Cliff Stamp]

No problem, it is of great importance when makers discuss such issue online. I wish it would be done more often. It is just as important of course for customers to make their desires known as it is for the information to flow the other way.

-Cliff

 

[KenOnion]

Harry,
Just kick his ass!!

I know after I spend alot of time and effort on a knife I get somewhat attached to them. I like to know there going to a good home where they will be loved and well looked after. Some would think we do this for the money and I guess we do somewhat,we need it to buy more supplies to build even more knives. But don't take a part of me and destroy it cause I'll be pissed .Use it all you want yes , don't abuse it.At least not arround me.

Sorry Cliff,if I can for just a moment respond to your comments without quoting .and let me first say, your probably a really nice guy and all and I'd love to meet you some day but I'll never send you a knife to torture . Not that I don't think it could hack it. I just can't stand to see someone throw away or trash a week of my work just for the hell of it. I know you say your testing them to there limits and all for whatever reason and thats cool . I prefer to test my materials thoroughly befor I've spent 40-50 hours in the fit and finnish department.

with reguard to the wooden handled kitchen knives that have spent a great deal of time in the sink.
show me one that hasn't separated.

Maybe to you Harrys knife wouldn't look so bad as he describes .But to him ,remember he spent a great deal of time on this knife and put a piece of his soul into it only to see it neglected .Of course it's going to be dis heartening .

I'm not attacking you Cliff I appreciate what you do . My intention is to let you know that not every knife is a spec sheet waiting to be filled out.

Harry , Realisticaly I'd give the guy his money that way he can't bad mouth you and then I'd clean up the knife and make sure it goes to a good home.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Ken :

I just can't stand to see someone throw away or trash a week of my work just for the hell of it.

I wouldn't like that very much either, but then again I don't think that is what I do.

with reguard to the wooden handled kitchen knives that have spent a great deal of time in the sink. show me one that hasn't separated.

Email me your address and I will mail one to you. You can keep it as it will not be worth the return postage. It will also be about 20 years old.

I'm not attacking you Cliff

I appreciate your post Ken, I want to know where makers stand. There are lots of makers out there, as long as there is a clear understanding of what they want and expect concerning their knives I can pick the right ones for me to work with.

-Cliff

 

[Bruce Evans]

I had a similar situation where a customer had bought a couple of inexpensive kitchen knives from me at a gun show and was wanting me to make him a custom skinner.Well the next show I was at and seen him he brouht one of the knives back,he had used a electric pencil and wrote the date on it and done a couple of other modifications to it,now both knives where made from metal cutting bandsaw blades in fact the same blade,they where both shaving sharp when he bought them,he said one was great but this one he couldnt sharpen.He said that he had never used it and wanted his money back,I politly refunded the moneyI think it was $20.00 .But my wife fixed the customer for me she had happened to go to that show with me and rite there in front of the customer she blew up and said loadly that I was not to make that man a nother knife,needless to say he avoids my table like the plague thankfuly I havent heard any bad comments .He does still have the other knife.Another customer had seen all this at the table and after the guy left asked to see the knife I showed it to him he said the man had just messed up the angle on the edge and asked if I could resharpenit I did in less thn 3 minutes and this customer bought it and he brags about it and laughs when he see the other guy.So giveng the monet back doesnt always hurt you,and let the wife deal with them.......Bruce

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The Soul of the Knife begins in the FIRE !!!! Akti # A000223

 

[KenOnion]

Thanks Cliff, I'm happy you accepted my comments as they were intended. You are a good man .My intent was only to share a different perspective.
Aloha!!! Ken Onion

 

[cjensema]

Just a comment about 20-year-old kitchen knives.... A good knife tends to become a favorite, takes a real beating over the years, and shows it. A cheap piece of junk doesn't perform well and it stays in the drawer, unused.

 

[Harry Jensen]

As for your statements regarding the tests you've done on D2, & the handles of cheap kitchen knives, I've spoken with Wayne Goddard about this.

His experience tells him that D2, DEPENDING ON THE MANUFACTURER, WILL VARY IN THE AMOUNT OF CHROMIUM, & CAN VERY WELL RUST, especially if polished to a satin, rather than mirror finish.

Handle material of unstabilized natual materials, left in a wet environment long enough, WILL show changes, such as twisting, swelling, and warping. This includes the harder woods as well (desert ironwood, cocobolo. etc.), depending on the length of time submerged.

I have no way of knowing what exactly this knife was subjected to (hell, he couild have used it to open sacks of sulfate of ammonia out in the garage!). but this is the FIRST KNIFE out of this material that has been returned due to ANY defects.

I tend to believe my own studies and testing procedures, as those of Mr. Goddard (who has 35 years experience in this venue).
Harry Jensen