Ruined knife=Great service.

NGK-Webmaster

NGK-Webmaster

Joined
Jun 21, 2002
Messages
2,283
I posted something about this in another area but it belongs here for sure.

Awhile back I worked a very bad car accident at work, I was the 1st on the scene, one of the cars was damged very badly on the front end, he hood was pushed up to the windshield almost there was a bad fuel leak from this car also, the battery was smashed and the wires on it were crossed and they were arking, I used my Spyderco Police to reach in and cut these wires apart quickly, which it did like they were butter, when I got done I went to fold the knife closed but it wouldnt close when I looked at it, the blade had been melted down to a short nub and fused to the frame/handle of the knife, I was like crap ruined this knife.

The next day Mike at New Graham saw the knife and got a laugh from it, He then called Spyderco and told them what happned to the knife, They said ship it to us. About 2 weeks later I got a new Spyderco Police knife by way of UPS, I don't know if they had fixed mine or replaced it but either way I got a perfect working knife back.

I don't see any company beating this kind of customer service, Spyderco could have easily saud "thats life" and that be the end of it, but they didnt they went the extra mile and won over a life long customer.
 
Does anyone know what Spyderco charges or if they even will switch the blade on this knife? It came back to me a fully serrated and I like a plain edge better. Was wondering if sending it in they will change the blade type at a reasonable cost. I like the plain edge better at work in Law Enforcement becuase I think it's more versatile.
 
Thanx for the kind words, NGK. The Police model is a Rescue model with a point. There is very little on the market today that will cut alongside a serrated Spyderco Police model, especially in the SAS ("Save & Serve") group. I don't know what Mike would do, but I would suggest you consider cutting something first.

sal
 
I agree that nothing cuts better then the serrated edges on that knife, but I can't sharpen one worth a hoot, and I guess maybe im old fashion in reguards to the plain edge, the knife was a gift so it came with the serrated edge, where if I had bought it I would have chosen a plain edge, if they made it at the time, this model is one of the original SS handles Ive had the knife for quote a few years, maybe as many as 7-8. no complaints with it was just wondering.
 
I'm surprised you didn't get zapped when you cut the wire with the SS handles and all. Also that is very cool of spyderco to replace the knife.:D I actualy carry A couple spydies usualy a fully serrated rescue and a plain endura. Then I have the best of both worlds.
 
I supposed that while you're cutting the wire, the knife replaced the wire inside to conduct electricity. Given that the electricity provided by part of the wire on one side of the blade passed to the other side of the blade and to the other wire when you cut it, the electricity doesn't need to go through you to ground.
I'm no expert on electricity, but this makes some sense to me.
Next time try to put on something on your hnad before you try to cut the wire.
I've done something like that on a SRK and it melted part of the edge, but since the knife was shorting the circuit, there was not much of a problem of shorting out, and the kraton provided the insulation anyways.
Anyways great to hear that you saved someone, and great to hear that spyderco replaced your police ;)
 
It sounds like you were in parallel (electrically speaking) with your knife. This means that both you and your knife experienced the same voltage drop. You didn't get zapped because a car battery is only 12 volts and your body is a very large resistor. The power dissipated by a load (you and your knife) in an electrical circuit is Power=(voltage)^2/(resistance). So your knife blade acted as a very small resistor (approaching zero ohms), resulting in a huge amount of power being dissapated, and thus got toasted. You, on the other hand, were fine.

Good story, and good for Spyderco being such a stand up company.


-Dan
 
I agree with Spyderco being such a stand up comany......but have no clue about your electrical answer, of course I have problems gettin light bulbs in the sockets right most of the time..............
 
NGK-

If you were dealing with alternating current (AC) like a wall plug, you would have gotten zapped pretty good. Automotive electrics or direct current (DC) so unless YOU are the best path for the current to go to ground, you wont feel much if anything. You can still get pretty badly hurt with DC so do be careful. By putting your knife into the circuit you put the full battery potential to the knife in the form of a short circuit hence the 'arc welding.'

As far as the serrated edge... Stick with it! get yourself a nice Sharpmaker and you'll have no trouble keeping an edge!!

Stay safe!!

Ben
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top