Spyderco warranty is worthless

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bitehandler

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My smallflay has a cracked liner in the bite handle. The crack goes across the liner about 1/4" below the tang cup. The crack isn't visible in pictures.

So I call Spydercos warranty dept. yesterday. I was told it was a violation of federal law for them to return it to me if I send it to them. Today Jack a supervisor from Syderco warranty dept. called me. He said unless I am a member of the military they cant help me. He said it not legal for me to own such a knife according to the Federal Switch Blade Act. I told him I live in Oregon where it is legal to own switchblades/balisongs. Then read him the law he was using to not stand behind his product and the exceptions to the law. United States Code
TITLE 15 - COMMERCE AND TRADE
CHAPTER 29 - MANUFACTURE, TRANSPORTATION, OR DISTRIBUTION OF SWITCHBLADE KNIVES
sections 1241-1244

Section 1244. Exceptions
Sections 1242 and 1243 of this title shall not apply to -
(1) any common carrier or contract carrier, with respect to any switchblade knife shipped, transported, or delivered for shipment in interstate commerce in the ordinary course of business;
(2) the manufacture, sale, transportation, distribution, possession, or introduction into interstate commerce, of switchblade knives pursuant to contract with the Armed Forces;
(3) the Armed Forces or any member or employee thereof acting in the performance of his duty; or
(4) the possession, and transportation upon his person, of any switchblade knife with a blade three inches or less in length by any individual who has only one arm.

Spyderco refuses to acknowledge line 4 but they have no problem with line 3. Since the blade on a smallfly is slightly less than 3" it is exempt and legal to ship back to me. I pointed out that BM never has a problem like this, and always stand behind their products.

Originally Jack said he would give me credit in the amount of the msrp. of a smallfly. Then he called me again to say they wont give me credit,repair or replace my knife since its their opinion that its illegal for me to own such a knife.

What a joke, I will never own a Spyderco knife again.
 
I'm moving this to the Feedback forum as the topic is more about customer service than the knife.
 
That's disappointing. Recently Spyderco has been my favorite brand. I'm sorry about your problem! That's incredibly frustrating.
 
Unbelievable, and I always thought Spyderco stood 100% behind their products. I also read a couple of recent threads complaining about Spyderco's customer service. Why does it seem like Spyderco's CS has taken a decline lately?
 
bitehandler said:
(3) the Armed Forces or any member or employee thereof acting in the performance of his duty; or
(4) the possession, and transportation upon his person, of any switchblade knife with a blade three inches or less in length by any individual who has only one arm.

Spyderco refuses to acknowledge line 4 but they have no problem with line 3.
Click to expand...

Do you have only one arm?
 
Okay, first off a balisong isn't even a switchblade. It's a gravity knife and the two are very different.

A gravity knife is a knife with a blade contained in its handle, and which opens its blade by the force of inertia or gravity.
Click to expand...

That being said, it's ridiculous that they can't do anything for you. Or at least they say that they can't.
 
Aren't balisongs commonly sold and shipped just about everywhere within the USA? I've seen them in stores, flea-markets and offered mail order a lot more freely than button opening switchblades.

I have had Spyderco's customer service give me a hard time, but when I brought it to Sal's attention, every time he took care of me. I don't know if he could help in this case though. It's different than any of my problems were.
 
Spyderco got bitten by the Feds for importing balisong parts. The fine was serious business. They have to assume they will always be under scrutiny now for following the letter of the law.
 
For some weird reason Balisongs do fall under the switchbalde act. I didn't ask spyderco to brake any laws. It's perfectly legal for them to repair or replace my smallfly. It's completely shameful that they won't help me. I even asked them to point me in a direction that could be helpful. I gave them every chance to help me out. They recommend that I send it back, even though I would get nothing for it. It's frustrating to deal with such a ridiculous company policy.
 
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Esav Benyamin said:
Spyderco got bitten by the Feds for importing balisong parts. The fine was serious business. They have to assume they will always be under scrutiny now for following the letter of the law.
Click to expand...

I talked to Jack about that situation. That doesn't change the fact smallflys are legal to sell and own. The spyderfly was being imported from China. The smallfly is made in Colorado.
 
yes they got into trouble over that. they where warned not to import there butterfly any more but they did it anyway. I belive $400,000.00 plus they took all of the butterfly knifes and there parts.
 
I would keep calling them and trying to someone higher up on the phone. These are million dollar companies and shouldn't be dicking around their consumers like that.
 
A few months ago I had a Szabofly. During flipping one of the pivots became lose and when I went to tighten it I broke it. I contacted spyderco by email immidiately. They just asked for my info and sent me new parts.

That has been my only dealings with spyderco cs and I was very pleased
 
Esav, how is refusing to stand behind their warranty following the letter of the law. The law clearly states that knives with a blade 3" or less are exempt from the federal switchblade act. Spyderco is using a law that doesn't exist as an excuse to not stand behind their products. That law hasn't stopped them from producing and selling the smallfly.
 
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