What happened??

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Riotfunk

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Like most on here. I’m always on the lookout for good well made US knives. I’ve been purchasing them to collect here and there over the last 7 years. Some mass run and some, one offs. And every one of them, problem free. Until 2022.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve returned and warrantied more knives in the last 7 months than I have in the last 7 years. All US made.

Knives that are straight up bad out of the box. Awful or missing grinds, poor machining, unfinished handles, blade play, rattle, lock failures, Spotty anodized areas, heaps of red lok tite so blade is seized.

I’ve kept 3 out of the last 9 US made ones I’ve purchased. Kershaw live wire, Benchmade CF mini adamas and Chris reeves sebenza 31. All fantastic out of the box.

I’ve returned 2 Microtech MSI (I’m waiting on a 3rd one), 1 Microtech Socom Elite (I’m waiting on a stitch) 2 Spartan Harsey (Gave up on these guys), Squid industries krake raken v3 (waiting on replacement). All with significant issues and all signed off individually by a QC person. I’ve yet to get a decent microtech this year

But yet the last 4 non US made knives were fantastic out of the box. Urban EDC 5.5, WE schism, civivi elementum, and a Crkt 3802k. Good or cool looking knives don’t need to be pricey. But when a mass produced 35$ Crkt outperforms and has better build quality and grinds than 300-650$ knives. Somethings definitely wrong.

Anyone else been having issues like this?
I’m still buying, but damn it’s hard when most are limited releases. And can’t exchange because are sold out everywhere. And then have to wait months for warranty repair on a brand new knife.
 
Riotfunk said:
Like most on here. I’m always on the lookout for good well made US knives. I’ve been purchasing them to collect here and there over the last 7 years. Some mass run and some, one offs. And every one of them, problem free. Until 2022.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve returned and warrantied more knives in the last 7 months than I have in the last 7 years. All US made.

Knives that are straight up bad out of the box. Awful or missing grinds, poor machining, unfinished handles, blade play, rattle, lock failures, Spotty anodized areas, heaps of red lok tite so blade is seized.

I’ve kept 3 out of the last 9 US made ones I’ve purchased. Kershaw live wire, Benchmade CF mini adamas and Chris reeves sebenza 31. All fantastic out of the box.

I’ve returned 2 Microtech MSI (I’m waiting on a 3rd one), 1 Microtech Socom Elite (I’m waiting on a stitch) 2 Spartan Harsey (Gave up on these guys), Squid industries krake raken v3 (waiting on replacement). All with significant issues and all signed off individually by a QC person. I’ve yet to get a decent microtech this year

But yet the last 4 non US made knives were fantastic out of the box. Urban EDC 5.5, WE schism, civivi elementum, and a Crkt 3802k. Good or cool looking knives don’t need to be pricey. But when a mass produced 35$ Crkt outperforms and has better build quality and grinds than 300-650$ knives. Somethings definitely wrong.

Anyone else been having issues like this?
I’m still buying, but damn it’s hard when most are limited releases. And can’t exchange because are sold out everywhere. And then have to wait months for warranty repair on a brand new knife.
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You're a sick man buying all those nice knives in the past year. You'll fit right in with the rest of us, welcome!🍻
 
I'm surprised to hear that about Spartan, I have been contemplating a folder, what were the issues??
 
According to polls and studies, Millennials and younger do not have the pride in labor that boomers and older have had. They want to do the minimum work for a check, and many Gen Zers are not interested in doing manual labor or even corporate desk work. So, workers from Japan & Germany still have a work ethic and produce quality products. Chinese, I don't know about.
 
Spydercos tend to be pretty good. Not all but most of mine have been pretty perfect right out of the box. Have not had any really bad ones from Spyderco, just a few niggles that only an OCD knife nut would complain about.

The Taichung Taiwan produced ones though have all been 100% perfect. I hate to say it but the Taiwanese seem to be at the top of the mass knife producing heap at the moment.
 
Try M K&T. Greg and Co won't let you down. Nor will Buck or GEC. Not a single Hinderer. So many companies. Not everyone can make it perfect, every time.

My Spyderco PM2 is perfect. Don't carry it. Simply not my style. Maybe you should try to identify your style and zero in on a company that can provide what you're looking for.

Try looking at the myriad and plethora of fixed blade edcs. Wow! Are there so many options! So many makers on these Forums, for sure!

Several on my list!

What happened?

You stopped looking at the options in front of you.
 
Locutus D'Borg said:
According to polls and studies, Millennials and younger do not have the pride in labor that boomers and older have had. They want to do the minimum work for a check, and many Gen Zers are not interested in doing manual labor or even corporate desk work. So, workers from Japan & Germany still have a work ethic and produce quality products. Chinese, I don't know about.
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Not saying your work force's "work ethic" doesn't matter , but this is primarily a management / QC issue .

Rot at the top ! There's no excuse at this price point , IMO .

Return stuff that's not acceptable . But ... I wouldn't keep giving my business, very long , in return for repeated disappointment and hassles .

I'd be looking elsewhere , PDQ .
 
That sucks about the Microtech. I had a Socom Elite that had lock rock, and they fixed it and had it back to me in about a week and a half.
I haven’t bought a ton of new ZTs, but the newer ones I have (white box) seem to have better grinds and more consistent lockup/action than they ever did….as they should for the price increases. I haven’t tried the new one tho.
My experience with Hinderer has been 100%, since the tri way came out. Always good & consistent on the F&F, grinds, lock up, action, etc.
Spyderco seems pretty good too. Out of maybe 9 or so I only had an issue with one (lock stick), and it went away on its own.
 
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DocJD said:
Not saying your work force's "work ethic" doesn't matter , but this is primarily a management / QC issue .

Rot at the top ! There's no excuse at this price point , IMO .

Return stuff that's not acceptable . But ... I wouldn't keep giving my business, very long , in return for repeated disappointment and hassles .

I'd be looking elsewhere , PDQ .
Click to expand...

To a certain extent, there also, "the eye of the beholder" factor. I've carried and used knives for almost 65 years. Many of the things people find unacceptable today people in the past would have found to be totally fine and they would have been thrilled to have.

It's not just that the manufacturers find it difficult to get good workers. It's also that the average person in the US has never worked in a factory, and has no concept of what it takes to produce a product. Any product. We've become a nation which excels at consumption. People take pride in being OCD, and being critics, instead of being producers.
 
Knife collecting is a funny hobby.

When you're new, you're like a sponge and trying to learn as much as humanly possible as quickly as possible. Then you start accumulating...sometimes, (as in my own case), at a degree which can be a bit overwhelming.

You become very particular with increased knowledge, and start noticing flaws and subtleties within the work of makers, both custom and production.

Then, oftentimes, you reach a point where you chill a bit and where something that would have set your OCD alarm off in years past, no longer seems like as big a deal. (Within reason, of course, and depending on the purpose and function and cost of the piece.)

That said, I can't generalize about the laxity of current work on the part of certain outfits, but I can say that here is plenty of quality work to be had...right here in these United States.


knarfeng knarfeng I was typing this reply while you were posting yours. There's a certain synchronicity there...
 
There’s a simple answer and it spares me the headache.
I just buy the brands known for quality workmanship.
CRK, Busse(kin), RMJ and Spyderco.
 
knarfeng said:
To a certain extent, there also, "the eye of the beholder" factor. I've carried and used knives for almost 65 years. Many of the things people find unacceptable today people in the past would have found to be totally fine and they would have been thrilled to have.

It's not just that the manufacturers find it difficult to get good workers. It's also that the average person in the US has never worked in a factory, and has no concept of what it takes to produce a product. Any product. We've become a nation which excels at consumption. People take pride in being OCD, and being critics, instead of being producers.
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100%

I've seen to much to be critical of little things. I have to say that I am so impressed when my $40 folder is so nice. I am more critical of expnsive knives and willing to forgive faultsin cheaper knives.
 
Locutus D'Borg said:
According to polls and studies, Millennials and younger do not have the pride in labor that boomers and older have had. They want to do the minimum work for a check, and many Gen Zers are not interested in doing manual labor or even corporate desk work. So, workers from Japan & Germany still have a work ethic and produce quality products. Chinese, I don't know about.
Click to expand...
What a load of manure... I fall into the older "millennial" end of the spectrum... While it's true I've not ever had a factory job, you can bet your high dollar knives that pride in one's work isn't extinct. I'm not usually one to toot my own horn, but I'm pretty darned good at what I do, and have been doing for my entire adult life. Most of that time as a business owner...

If not sticking with a job that treats you like crap is a bad thing, then I guess I'm guilty. Not gonna waste my life punching a clock for a bunch of dicks like my dad and grandad did. I'll trade fame and fortune for seeing my kids every day and being involved with their lives... Not to mention helping out the senior members of the family.
 
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