Spyderco Bushcraft UK - announcement

Sal Glesser

Sal Glesser

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Dec 27, 1998
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I regret to inform you that the Bushcraft UK models just introduced by Spyderco are no longer shipping.

The designers, Chris Claycomb and the chaps at Bushcraft UK did an excellent job on the design. Our maker did an excellent job on manufacture. The problem it turns out is in the wood used for the handle.

The wood that I selected from our USA source was Spalted Maple. It was the most striking wood that the supplier had available. It was my understanding that the material was stabilized and would not shrink once formed. We’d had some problems with some of the prototypes shrinking so I was sensitive to the issue.

We were assured that the wood was stabilized and would not be a problem. The wood was custom cut and prepared in the US and sent to our maker in Taiwan.

We’d been working on the project for a couple of years and really wanted a top drawer piece. When the shipment arrived, we QC’d the run, numbered the collectors and began shipping parts.

A short while later, we noticed, and we had complaints of the wooden handles shrinking and cracking. We spoke with our supplier, who was quite surprised. They said that shouldn’t have happened. They said we should soak the knives in boiled linseed oil and it would solve the problem. We thought we could just wipe off the linseed oil.

After soaking the entire shipment in the linseed oil for more than a week. We still experienced some cracking in some of the pieces. We continued to ship the pieces that appeared ok, but we wrapped them in plastic and left linseed oil on the handle for additional protection.

Then we learned that the linseed oil didn’t easily wipe off. After trying a number of methods, the only thing we found that could actually remove the linseed oil is acetone. Not fun stuff to work with.

At this time, we don’t yet know what we are going to do with the 1000+ finished pieces that will more than likely all crack. The supplier can’t help us, other than to replace the wood. The maker is not responsible as they did a good job.

I would like to extend my apologies to Chris Calycomb and Bushcraft UK, A bummer for sure after all of their efforts.

I would like to extend my apologies to our customers, especially those that have been waiting for the model.

I would like to extend my apologies to our crew that had to mess with all of the attempted “fixes”.

We are considering making another run, once we find a wood that will in fact not shrink.

sal
 
I can understand that wood is what actually looks the best in this knife (being focused on buscraft) but you might consider using some other handle material while you find the wood that you want or even selling the ones with cracked handles as seconds for a discount. I bet there is a lot of people in this forum more than able to rehandle them in case they have problems with them. Well, at least that' what I would do. Being in Spain and buying most of my blades overseas (that it, the US) I wouldn't send a fixed blade back for a cracking issue in the handles.
Mikel
 
Why not sell them as blanks? Blanks sell well, and give the bushcraft community a chance to customize!

I'd consider one!:D
 
Gee, Sal...what can I say. Sorry you had all this trouble w/ the Bushcraft UK. The pictures I've seen show it to be a beautiful knife. This episode, though unfortunate, provides yet another example of Spyderco's commitment to quality and your high ethical standards. I'm more a folder guy myself and hadn't intended to buy a Bushcraft, but if you were to sell them as seconds I'd most likely get one.
 
Lot of rework - not good.

But, it is another example of good service that Spyderco is known for.

Personally, I'd hope for a set of micarta scales, since I understand these can be made with sufficient precision not to be individually fitted to the knife. Leave the wood ones on, put a set of micarta scales in the box, with fasteners.
 
Ughhh. You and all those associated with the project have my symathies. The only glimmer of light in this is that you and Spyderco are once again setting the stanard for integrity and candor. It's too bad that those qualities are most clearly seen when things like this happen.
 
I second selling with out scales.
Might be fun to hand pick some nice wood and give it a go.
 
Sal,
One could even refer to the situation as a Mega-Bummer.

I soaked the handle on mine in a shallow dish of linseed oil for about 6 hours till Bubbles complained about the headache. :D
Dunno about the accumulated effects of a solid week (on either wood or people in the vicinity), but once I was "persuaded" to remove the knife from the oil & re-can the oil, I just wiped the wood down well with paper towels, rubbed the scales a bit, and set it down to air out. Couple days later it was dry to the touch, I cleaned the half-inch or so of dried oil off the blade with alcohol on the end of a Q-tip, and it was done.

You guys must have had a hell of a mess with what you had to do at your end.

Any thoughts at all on a Micarta option?

Denis
 
That's bad news. I don't see how the company who stabilized the wood can not make it right and still stay in business.
I suggest selling them as seconds.
 
Another vote for selling blanks, I would buy one.

As long as the oil fixes the problem, I would not consider it a problem to buy one of these and wipe it down myself. Its a beautiful knife, so keep shipping them in some form, either as blanks, seconds or with instructions on how to take care of the oil saturated handle.

I bet most people here would buy them at your cost price without warranty, if you just need to get rid of them without too much of a loss.
 
Sal,

As a side not - I used denatured alcohol when I took the boiled linseed oil off mine - took it right off - and not nasty like acetone.

I think, though, that the alcohol caused the wood to shrink more. When it was cleaned and sat for a few days - it expanded again.

I am not sure why stabalized wood would be doing this, but it sure is shrinking and expanding. It makes little sense.

I love the blade and cannot wait for its re-release.


TF
 
paleojoe said:
Why not sell them as blanks? Blanks sell well, and give the bushcraft community a chance to customize!

I'd consider one!:D
Click to expand...

Why not keep the blades untill they find a different wood? It saves the team a lot of work and they can get them out much faster.
 
I suggest the tan Micarta for the Bush Knife, the same stuff that is on the T2!!!!!!!!

RickJ
 
A great statement from a top class company. :thumbup:

Is there anyway to keep the knives and just exchange the handles locally once you source better wood scales?

Otherwise, I say sell them to collectors with a clear disclaimer about what may happen- they will probably still sell. ;)
 
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How long can the knives sit in linseed oil?Or are they out and in their respective
boxes.On a side note I love mine,When I recieved mine I went toi my Father in law
(who owned a cabinet business for over 30+ yrs)also makes model A car parts(wood)
he told me to use Watco (marine)I haven't had any cracks I carryit everyday since I got
it three weeks ago.and have done 2 survival trips.

SSPX0168.jpg


SSPX0158.jpg



Tyrantblade
 
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Wood has to be thoroughly dried before it can be used as a knife handle. Spyderco was sold wood that was not dry - that is all that makes sense here.
It takes some time for wood to air dry, but it can be properly dried in a kiln in less time.
 
I'm sorry to hear of all the troubles...but i too would be interested in 2nds or blanks, either or both. A different wood may work out better, however...to the best of my knowledge, no natural material is stable forever. Should have lasted a LOT longer, of course. Sorry to hear it.
 
Sal, I was very sorry to hear this, it's truly a shame that it happened and your posting it here is a testament to your honesty and candor.

Ed Ricketts said:
to the best of my knowledge, no natural material is stable forever.
Click to expand...
That's true, but properly stabilized wood is, in effect, no longer a "natural" material. If done correctly the wood has been impregnated with polymer resin to the point of being closer to things like G-10 and CF laminates. It sounds to me like Spyderco got sold some wood which, instead of being truly stabilized, merely had the end grain sealed. The vendor's recommendation to soak the wood in linseed oil makes me even more certain that is the case. From what I understand, and what I've observed, properly stabilized wood needs no additional finish or treatment and would not absorb linseed oil. You should be able to cut it, then sand and buff the cut surface to a gloss just as you would with G-10 or Micarta.

Paul
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