Sent my Sebenza in for a washer and...

Macchina

Macchina

Joined
Apr 7, 2006
Messages
5,213
I messed up one of the washers on my Sebenza 25 and sent it in for a replacement. I also asked that they replace one of the screws as it was a bit marked up and included a note that asked for the knife to be sharpened only if it needed it. My 25 was sent in extremely sharp but I thought the factory bevel was starting to get worn down a bit and may need to have been touched up (CRK would know, right?). I have owned quite a few Sebenzas over the years and always loved how acute the factory bevel is because it allows me to freehand a secondary bevel on the edge for years before it needs to be reprofiled. I can sharpen anything and reprofiling edges is no big deal at all to me but I prefer not to scratch a Sebenza blade.

I checked their website and the total for these services should have been $4.50. I get a call a couple weeks later and the bill is now $30. Surprised, I asked what they had done and they had apparently added a basic cleaning to the package which I didn't really get why but wasn't disappointed. Inducing the return shipping, this is not a bad price if a company even has to just touch your product when you consider overhead rates. I paid it and eagerly waited to finally have my 25 back!

The knife came today and apparently the "basic cleaning" was a spa treatment! They had replaced all the screws, refinished the handles, and of course replaced the washers. The knife is in great shape and opens smoothly again! I looked the knife over and quickly realize they decided to sharpen the blade: interesting... I run my thumb along the blade and am very sad it doesn't catch my print. I run the blade at a 90 degree angle to my thumb and it doesn't cut at all! The bevel that has come back on my knife is more obtuse than the edge I sent it in with! This means they had to actually grind away the ENTIRE existing bevel to put a more obtuse one on. Not only that but the angle varies significantly on one side as it approaches the tip...

I am actually shakenly upset by this, which is silly: it's just a knife. I sent this knife in with a perfectly good edge and I'm going to have to take diamonds to my freshly spa'd Sebenza. I don't get how this can possibly happen to a $400+ knife. Why would any other angle of bevel be put on the knife than the standard factory angle? Why would they see my note and put a more obtuse angle on the blade?

I'm not sending it back in and will probably not send in another Sebenza. I feel like I shouldn't be posting this and it makes me feel very materialistic but I couldn't wait to get this knife back and was really really bummed to see a varying-angle bevel on a knife I love so much. I don't have much else to say aside from I wish so badly CRK would read the note and use common sense when deciding whether or not to reprofile a knife.
 
It's very disappointing to hear that they sent you back a knife with an inconsistent edge bevel. That they didn't follow your instructions, and did things with the knife you did not request is disappointing but to be expected. A bad edge crosses over into unacceptable territory...

If I bought a new CRK and the edge bevel wasn't perfect I'd return it immediately. I certainly wouldn't accept anything from a spa treatment that I wouldn't accept in a new knife.

Question: Did you ask if they'd send you washers and screws before sending the knife to them? I'm not saying you should have just asked for new washers instead of sending your knife in, that's your prerogative. Just curious as to whether they would have or not.
 
justsomedude said:
It's very disappointing to hear that they sent you back a knife with an inconsistent edge bevel. That they didn't follow your instructions, and did things with the knife you did not request is disappointing but to be expected. A bad edge crosses over into unacceptable territory...

If I bought a new CRK and the edge bevel wasn't perfect I'd return it immediately. I certainly wouldn't accept anything from a spa treatment that I wouldn't accept in a new knife.

Question: Did you ask if they'd send you washers and screws before sending the knife to them? I'm not saying you should have just asked for new washers instead of sending your knife in, that's your prerogative. Just curious as to whether they would have or not.
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On their website they say they won't ship out a washer. I would have really liked that but I believe they actually fit them to the knife so it's very understandable that they want you to send the knife in. I actually really like the CRK company and feel bad about bringing this up but it shouldn't happen.
 
If you read the sticky at the top "Some words from Chris" You will see:

"If you have a problem with our product, whether perceived or real, please contact us first. We always respond as soon as we can to email and telephone calls. The progression of a post on a perceived problem usually sets in motion all kinds of extrapolation, criticism and negative comment that benefits no one, least of all us. This is a public forum – what is posted here can be read by absolutely anyone, so think about what you say. "

I think I would have talked to them first.
 
I can certainly understand you being upset over this. Given CRK's reputation for customer perhaps you should call them to see what they can do to rectify the issues.
 
I appreciate your post Macchina. I don't find it unfair because regardless of what happens next it's informative that they gave the knife a spa treatment before explicitly asking you and therefore might go to greater lengths to explicitly tell them not to do that if I ever sent a knife to them for similar reasons.

You can't reasonably ask people not to post their experiences because others over extrapolate on anecdotes.
 
jjg6319: You are right. If this post was wrong, I'll lock it, however I feel the note directly referencing the sharpening was all the communication that should have been needed to prevent this issue.
I don't really get how this problem can be fixed. Steel was already removed once, and sending it in would just result in more steel being removed and the edge becoming even thicker. When removing steel from an item as expensive as this you don't really get a second chance. My Sebenzas are heavy users but thickening the edge causes the most drastic and rapid reduction in performance possible.
 
You're post isn't wrong, but you should update it after the situation is fully resolved. Ideally you'd have waited, but clearly this is a rational post and you are open-minded, and not everything you've said would be mitigated by their further rectification, which I'm sure will be satisfactory.

I think that sticky is pretty funny, they're pretty much saying, 'please call us before you say anything remotely negative here'. Duh everybody want's that, everybody wants to have their cake and eat it too.

In fact, your post is exemplary of one that is aware of the fact that, "what is posted here can be read by absolutely anyone, so think about what you say." Because you clearly go out of your way to make people understand what you were happy with and what you weren't, and that you understand this experience was just one instance and not necessarily a reflection of their customer service in general.
 
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Macchina, I understand your position. I am very particular about my stuff as well. I wasn't suggesting you lock the thread. Your post was informative for me.
 
OP, please do call CRK to discuss this issue. Even if you get no resolution from them, they need to hear that their guy on the sharpening bench did not do a proper job. Maybe that will help prevent the same thing from happening to someone else in the future.
 
I will say, they took care of a warranty issue for me and had the knife back in less than one week.

That said, that was the second time I sent them a knife. Not for a design or function issues really. Just a minor pet peeve.

The positive is getting the knife back in less than a week and they cover shipping and all cost.
The negative is even after writing a letter with some kind words, I add please do not sharpen in bold.
As well as large writing on the warranty form.
What happens. They sharpen the knife that i had hair splitting sharp. And it is returned with a super dull edge that will not catch a finger nail. Yet it was perfectly even.


They do everything rite and I looked past it. They also did not remove any material and simply did that buffed finish. Atleast I think that is how they do it.

The services they provide are my favorite in the industry. That said. I doubt I will need to send mine in for a decade with the quality product they make.
Matt
 
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Macchina, what happened to you could happen to others. I'm sure Chris wouldn't approve of that at all. I wouldn't want that to happen to me or any of us because CRK wasn't accorded the opportunity to keep their service people in order. Please let them know.

To put it plainly, if someone there can't sharpen their own knives properly, if they won't follow and respect your written wishes, then something is definitely wrong and that needs to be addressed.
 
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It think in your case you should let them know your concern and we all know they will make you happy.
I love the warranty department and I think they are a step above all others.
 
I think it's important to note that aside from a blade replacement (which is ridiculous for ~1/32" of blade height being removed) nothing can really be done to correct the situation. They put a more obtuse edge on a knife than it had coming in the door. I am in the process of reprofiling the edge on diamonds and that will be that. I probably should have requested no blade sharpening however I normally love the Sebenza factory edge and that is what I hoped for.
 
That said, all signs point to contacting them so that it does not happen again to one of us. I am sure they can trace back to whoever did any part of the work . From the fitters, refurbishers to the sharpening guru.


Macchina said:
I think it's important to note that aside from a blade replacement (which is ridiculous for ~1/32" of blade height being removed) nothing can really be done to correct the situation. They put a more obtuse edge on a knife than it had coming in the door. I am in the process of reprofiling the edge on diamonds and that will be that. I probably should have requested no blade sharpening however I normally love the Sebenza factory edge and that is what I hoped for.
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If you have started re-profiling, as you say that will be that. There will be nothing to talk to CRK about. IMO you should have contacted them before fuddling with it( or even posting) and seen what they came up with as a solution.
 
Maybe some folks would be fine with it also. Could just be a preference thing. But no doubt they would have taken care of you. They clearly put good time and effort into making your knife as nice as possible.
But they really need to pay attention to customers notes.
 
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I have to disagree with it being inappropriate to post a real experience i with CRK in this forum, good or bad. I understand that a Google search can take anyone here and could give them the wrong impression of CRK. So, to be fair, I would say that if an issue such as this is going to be made public, CRK should be allowed an opportunity to correct whatever issue there may be and the outcome of the situation be posted here as will.

We all know that even the best of us are still human and what matters is how these problems are dealt with. Anyone who has had experience with CRK customer service knows that they WILL take care of this and do what they can to ultimately exceed all of our expectations. I wouldn't be surprised if they put a new blade on this knife for free if that's what it takes.
 
Someone had a bad day at the shop. I'd call them and whine about it while drinking the coffee I got on the way back from the fedex.

I'd be like: "Take that BMW nine T catalog away from your boss and put him on the phone puleese." :D :D :D

I don't understand what a "more obtuse angle" means though. ?



Following instructions from a customer should work. When I drop off my car for a basic wash no vacuum and I get a full service with hand wax I'd be confused too.

If I sent my Sebenza in for, lets say washer is missing, with a big fat note in the package and some dude drops it in the spa pile I would be rightfully angry. I love my handle wear with its snail trail patina.
 
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Please do call and make them aware of your unhappiness with their service. You say they can't really make it right for you, but at the very least you've maybe spared one of us not having our notes read and wishes held. Thank you for posting.
 
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