What brands WON'T you own?

[Masteroffajitas]

I won't ever buy united cutlery, SOG, or any car-brand knives or gun brand knives (unless maybe a remington or glock).

 

[JTR357]

-Donates campaign funds to liberal politicians.
-Has made comments against private ownership of so-called "assault rifles" (by definition an assault rifle is ClassIII and tightly regulated, not semi-auto like the sheeple believe)
-Manufactured a special run of Leatherman tools for the ATF which were inscribed "ATF-Always Think Forfeiture"

That's reason enough for me!:thumbdn:

I have one leatherman that was a gift in the early 90's.I was thinking about getting a newer model.Not now.To hell with them.


[edited to add] Also don't & won't buy any autos,just never liked them.

 

[Tostig]

That's reason enough for me!:thumbdn:

I have one leatherman that was a gift in the early 90's.I was thinking about getting a newer model.Not now.To hell with them.

I too did not know that , but I will investigate it and if true , spread the word to avoid buying their products.

I own one that I use for work .



- Well it is true.... I never heard this before now. Thanks for the info.
:thumbup:

 

[supasuprab0b]

gerber, dork ops, cold steel and crkt just do not have products in their lines that interest me. With one exception, i own a gerber artifact. it is not a knife though.

i avoid CRKT because AFAIK they are made in taiwan, and i would rather support american brands. If i am going to go outside the us, it will be for a much better value than a CRKT.
I just dont like the majority of gerbers knives.

As for Cold Steel and Dark ops, both use over the top marketing, which i do not like. and Dark ops designs are just plain silly. Mall Ninja Anyone?

 

[Teague]

No Benchmade for me. Overpriced and overhyped!

 

[flashlife]

I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I just bought my first SOG knife, I was warned on this forum before buying and I bought anyways. Well the blade has a lot of play, the knife handle rattles, and the blade knicks the clip. All this for a $165 MSRP knife. I'll be cautious before buying another SOG knife and that is the nicest I can say.

btw: that SOG is going in the mail tomorrow!

$165 and the thing rattles!

That's a defective knife! Yeah, send it back to SOG for replacement.
I EDC a SOG TwitchII and it's rock-solid, takes and holds a great edge, and operates like a piece of fine machinery...a real jewel. If you ever consider SOG again, check out the Twitch II...~$45.00 at Lowes.
Of course, it comes in a nuclear-proof blister pack, but the I always cut them open to handle the goods personally before purchase.

(No, I don't work for nor have any relationship to SOG. )

 

[flashlife]

...

Knives I will buy without hesitation:
Spyderco--every day of the week baby! My #1 brand!
Fallkniven-nicely designed and built
Buck-good value for the US made products
Mora/Frosts/Eriksson- best value there is
A.G. Russell-unique and practical designs
Kershaw-good value, some nice designs
...

+1 on AGRussell...what you said, plus top-notch customer service and a 'lifetime for any reason' waranty.

 

[OrdnanceBubbaUSMC]

Another thank you for the heads up on Leatherman...always had the same Gerber multi-tool since 2002 that has lived through several deployments and much abuse, but was thinking of getting a fancy looking Leatherman for my father.

I think finding out things like such as this is good not only in the sense of not supporting companies you don't like for personal reasons. It helps when you want to pick up a new knife or tool and you have a large selection which you need to narrow down.

I'm not sure if Gerber multi-tools are still made as good as the one I have, anybody have some good Leatherman alternatives that are recent purchases?

 

[stabman]

Bark River - Again, seem to be great knives. A friend has several and I really like some of the designs. However, they just don't have adequate size handles on them.

Try the Clax!
I guarantee it will be a big enough handle for you.:thumbup:

 

[udtjim]

I will Never say Never to any brand, style or size of knife.

 

[Dekz]

Dekz-
BOA, loved the knife, that's why it was my 'go-to' in that situation. when the chaos was going down i had to cut some rope/tarps and tie some doors closed and the lock failed and almost cut my fingers off. not a good time to be bleeding.

Fair enough. I do urge you to reconsider though, as you can see in this thread, Kershaw falls under almost everybody's "good" list.

I think your lock failure was a statistical improbability. Like I said, I completely understand your feelings after an experience like that, but if you give Kershaw another chance, I seriously doubt you will be disappointed again.

 

[znapschatz]

Leatherman-Tim Leatherman is anti-second amendment. I prefer a 15yr old Gerber multi-plier design to any of his stuff (one-handed opening).

Interesting about Tim Leatherman? If its true then Leatherman will not get my money.

-Donates campaign funds to liberal politicians.
-Has made comments against private ownership of so-called "assault rifles" (by definition an assault rifle is ClassIII and tightly regulated, not semi-auto like the sheeple believe)
-Manufactured a special run of Leatherman tools for the ATF which were inscribed "ATF-Always Think Forfeiture"


Politics aside (which is reason enough for me not to support him) his design requires two hands to deploy the pliers...a no-go for me.

Since this first came up in 2004, I have been doing searches and found lots of internet chatter but only one document on the subject of Tim Leatherman's politics. Along with about 30+ other representatives of sporting equipment and clothing companies, he signed a statement critical of the Bush administration's environmental policies and supporting John Kerry for President. In this document there was no mention of gun rights any of the other things on the s--t list, nor have I found any other documents (once again, apart from internet rumors) to support any other accusations.

This is what he signed onto:

Dear Fellow Americans:

We are business leaders in the outdoor industry and we have come together because we can no longer be silent. Outdoor businesses depend on abundant and available recreation opportunities so our customers can enjoy outdoor activities. In return, outdoor businesses employ over a million Americans, contribute $18 billion to the U.S. economy and work together to promote an active and healthy lifestyle to the 149 million Americans who love the great American outdoors.

In our opinion increasing the number of venues for active outdoor recreation, staunchly protecting the environment, bolstering recreation and conservation funding to our public land agencies and reducing health care costs go hand-in-hand. They are essential for the health and well being of the outdoor industry and its customers.

Senators John Kerry and John Edwards share our values and goals. They know that promoting active outdoor recreation promotes good health. They know that proactively protecting and supporting public lands for recreational use means future generations will enjoy them too. They know that improving the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink is not negotiable for any industry or business in America. They know that health care costs will continue to increase unless we are united in reducing obesity in America.

John Kerry and John Edwards are committed to preserving our national parks for the benefit of current and future generations. President Bush has promoted policies that break that commitment and endanger the future sustainability of our national parks. President Bush's policies have severely under-funded our national parks resulting in rampant understaffing, site closures, elimination of visitor education programs and neglected cultural and natural resource preservation, demonstrating indifference towards unsafe trails, unclear facilities and the growing shortage of safety staff.

As importantly, the Bush administration has rolled back basic environmental protections that undermine parks including:

Rolling back Clean Air Act requirements that ensure visibility and healthy visits to our national parks; Eliminating federal protections for our public lands that will allow mining, logging and development in national forests; Slashing the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which enables the National Park Service to acquire new land and protect and enhance existing parks facilities. In contrast John Kerry and John Edwards have a plan to protect the scenic landscapes and vistas for the appreciation of future generations through rigorous enforcement of clean air and water regulations and will preserve the resources that embody our cultural heritage through committed funding for parks operations by:

Increasing the operating budget of the National Park Service by $600 million will put our parks back on the path toward recovery and restoration. We will pay for this important objective by modernizing the sale of mineral rights and using the revenue generated to increase the operating budgets of our national parks. We know that Senator Kerry is a champion on the environmental issues that are central to our industry and customers. We also believe that Senator Kerry's economic and health care policies will keep our businesses competitive and health care affordable.

Therefore, we the undersigned are proud to endorse Senator Kerry as the next President of the United States.

Sincerely,

Tim Leatherman, president, Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. (Portland, OR)

(and thirty others)

In the election, almost half the country voted for Kerry, the other guy won, and that should have been that. Since when is supporting a Democrat, especially a loser, cause for a boycott? It wasn't war, just an election.

Internet rumors can be toxic. If anyone can come up with documentary evidence of these accusations against Leatherman, please post them. Otherwise, an injustice is being done.

 

[C.S. Graves]

These two companies are personally blacklisted for what I consider unacceptable business practices and a general disregard for honesty and integrity: Benchmade and Strider.

I know about Strider, but what's the deal with Benchmade?

 

[syltetoy]

Since this first came up in 2004, I have been doing searches and found lots of internet chatter but only one document on the subject of Tim Leatherman's politics. Along with about 30+ other representatives of sporting equipment and clothing companies, he signed a statement critical of the Bush administration's environmental policies and supporting John Kerry for President. In this document there was no mention of gun rights any of the other things on the s--t list, nor have I found any other documents (once again, apart from internet rumors) to support any other accusations.

This is what he signed onto:

Dear Fellow Americans:

We are business leaders in the outdoor industry and we have come together because we can no longer be silent. Outdoor businesses depend on abundant and available recreation opportunities so our customers can enjoy outdoor activities. In return, outdoor businesses employ over a million Americans, contribute $18 billion to the U.S. economy and work together to promote an active and healthy lifestyle to the 149 million Americans who love the great American outdoors.

In our opinion increasing the number of venues for active outdoor recreation, staunchly protecting the environment, bolstering recreation and conservation funding to our public land agencies and reducing health care costs go hand-in-hand. They are essential for the health and well being of the outdoor industry and its customers.

Senators John Kerry and John Edwards share our values and goals. They know that promoting active outdoor recreation promotes good health. They know that proactively protecting and supporting public lands for recreational use means future generations will enjoy them too. They know that improving the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink is not negotiable for any industry or business in America. They know that health care costs will continue to increase unless we are united in reducing obesity in America.

John Kerry and John Edwards are committed to preserving our national parks for the benefit of current and future generations. President Bush has promoted policies that break that commitment and endanger the future sustainability of our national parks. President Bush's policies have severely under-funded our national parks resulting in rampant understaffing, site closures, elimination of visitor education programs and neglected cultural and natural resource preservation, demonstrating indifference towards unsafe trails, unclear facilities and the growing shortage of safety staff.

As importantly, the Bush administration has rolled back basic environmental protections that undermine parks including:

Rolling back Clean Air Act requirements that ensure visibility and healthy visits to our national parks; Eliminating federal protections for our public lands that will allow mining, logging and development in national forests; Slashing the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which enables the National Park Service to acquire new land and protect and enhance existing parks facilities. In contrast John Kerry and John Edwards have a plan to protect the scenic landscapes and vistas for the appreciation of future generations through rigorous enforcement of clean air and water regulations and will preserve the resources that embody our cultural heritage through committed funding for parks operations by:

Increasing the operating budget of the National Park Service by $600 million will put our parks back on the path toward recovery and restoration. We will pay for this important objective by modernizing the sale of mineral rights and using the revenue generated to increase the operating budgets of our national parks. We know that Senator Kerry is a champion on the environmental issues that are central to our industry and customers. We also believe that Senator Kerry's economic and health care policies will keep our businesses competitive and health care affordable.

Therefore, we the undersigned are proud to endorse Senator Kerry as the next President of the United States.

Sincerely,

Tim Leatherman, president, Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. (Portland, OR)

(and thirty others)

In the election, almost half the country voted for Kerry, the other guy won, and that should have been that. Since when is supporting a Democrat, especially a loser, cause for a boycott? It wasn't war, just an election.

Internet rumors can be toxic. If anyone can come up with documentary evidence of these accusations against Leatherman, please post them. Otherwise, an injustice is being done.

Well that does it for me I know I'll never buy a Leatherman and I'll let the world know about it. Also I found a lot of information about his anti gun involvement. I do not want to debate it. I'll spend my money elsewhere.

 

[walleyeguy7]

crkt, gerber, sog, cold steel, etc have never done it for me

not interested in benchmade anymore because i dont like the feel of their knives or the f&f and i dont like the axis anymore.

buck has never done it for me because of the the feel of their knvies and the f&f...except for the buck mayos, which are very nice but ill probably never own one.

kershaws dont do it for me anymore either (sadly, great company) because i dont like the feel of their knives or the f&f and i dont dig ao anymore.

emerson has never done it for me in the past but i may pick up a satin cqc 7 someday just because i think its pretty cool. i probably wont.

i prefer spydercos to all 4 almost exclusively, especially their liner and framelocks. they definitely have a ton more character in my experience. i really enjoy spydercos.

as goes for fixed blades, i dont dig ontario, becker/kabar, rat, tops, fallkniven, bark river, scrapyard, or swamprat much anymore as i just prefer to spend more money on a busse.

i dont dig autos, balis, slipjoints, or $250+ production knives (especially strider) anymore so that rules out quite a bit.

so im currently interested in a couple spydercos, tons of custom folders, and maybe a busse. there really is no company ill never own, its just how i feel at the moment, what i currently own, and any good or bad experiences ill have in the future.

 

[DD1]

I have my Favorites, but believe it or not, I can just about find a knife from any mainstream knife company that I will like. I'm not talking about cheapo $3 knife companies, but the mainstream decent companies.. I guess I don't look at the name so much, but more so at the design..
Examples:
Spyderco-- The list is long.. Caly 3, Military, Manix, Delica Wave. ect, ect..
Benchmade-- Griptillians, Rukus, Lum Tanto, ect. ect..
Strider-- I love the look and feel of SNG and SMF and the materials.. But to much money for me, though I have owned 2 SNGs in my day
Cold Steel-- Ti-lite, American Lawman
SOG-- Topo Meridian, Trident Tanto
CRKT-- Hissatsu Folder and Fixed blade
Emerson-- CQC-10, 7, 8, 11
Gerber-- Air Ranger, FAST Draw, fairbairn applegate combat folder
Ka-Bar-- USMC Fighting Knife, TDI models

You get the point....

 

[vjb.knife]

Lot's of brands out there these days that I won't buy again or in the first place. I would never even consider buying a United Cutlery piece.

There are a few that I used to really like but now I wouldn't buy anything from them. SOG They have gone to H#LL in a proverbial handbasket. Gerber is almost as bad. Cold Steel is right up there and so is CRKT.

I have had bad service experiences with a couple and that definately puts them in the dog house - SOG and Al Mar.

I generally don't like the designs out of a few like Buck, Boker, Case, Puma, Queen, Muela, TOPS, Wenger and Schrade but they are decent enough brands in general.

And for one reason or another I think that these brands generally suck Benchmade, Bear, Dark Ops, Frost and S&W.

There are probably a lot more but I just can't think of them now. In general there are a lot more companies that I won't buy from than those that I will.

 

[robicon]

Well that does it for me I know I'll never buy a Leatherman and I'll let the world know about it. Also I found a lot of information about his anti gun involvement. I do not want to debate it. I'll spend my money elsewhere.

Since this isn't a political thread, I'll leave politics at the door.

A google search will turn up plenty of anti-gun sentiments despite Leatherman's plea otherwise ("I own a rifle and shotgun").

The following link will lead you to a gov. bid process by which Leatherman made the tools in question ATF-etc.etc.etc.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1989163/posts


Now, some may decide that isn't incriminating enough and for you I'm willing to bet nothing's going to change your mind.

With all the players out there making quality knives and tools, I'll choose to spend my money with one that supports my rights (and has a modicum of scruples).

Leatherman's "impassioned" plea to "think of my 300 employees before making a decision to boycott my products" falls on deaf ears. Leatherman should've thought of that before making his personal politics public...

 

[rwasham]

Gerber is the cream of the crap......except in the way of multitools....they make a mean multitool......but ive had several of their knives literally just fall apart on me, and im by no means hard on knives.

 

[wally@ferguson]

SOG and Strider...both over priced and over hyped.

Was never a great fan of the "hole" on Spydercos but recently acquired a couple with more coming and am really impressed with quality and F&F. I understand CS is outstanding.