What is going on with Benchmade???????

A

AncientSUL

Joined
May 28, 1999
Messages
887
Hey guys and gals,

I am writing this because of the tread that General started about Benchmade loosing Allen Elisewitz. I think Knife Outlet really hit the nail on the head when they said Benchmade burned a lot of bridges in this industry. I talked to a few people over the past few months about this. It seems that Benchmade does indeed not pay their designer their royalities. That would piss me off if it was my design. Allen has worked with BM for six and a half years. After leaving BM, Les sent out a press package to his distributors saying that Allen, is no longer with the company because he is a non-performer, his designs do not generate profit for the company. Personally, I think Allen Elisewitz designs' built the BM company.

Les stop paying Ernest Emerson for the CQC7 design and that is why Ernie took Les to court. Ernie had Chris Carracci as a witness. Guess what Les did not pay him for the AFCK design. This makes me real sad because I have seen a lot of brotherhood in this industry and this type of action is not what make an industry grow. It destroys it.

Benchmade trys to put out a nice letter for us to read but we know better. All we have to do is talk to a few of their distributors and retailer. I think Allen Elisewitz designs are great. So are the designs of Ernest Emerson, Bob Terzoula, Pat Crawford and Phil Bogueszinki(spelling). I am sure they will be around for a long time. It is Benchmades lost.

Liong
 
Well, whatever happened between Benchmade and Elishewitz is now a private matter between the two, but I agree in that it is a big loss for Benchmade to loose such a talented designer/maker.
 
Hi Liong,
This is nothing new. Greg Walker tried to tell people about this company and personnel years ago in Fighting knives mag but nobody listened and folks keep sending them their money. Most individual makers dont have the time or money to litigate with anybody so they just usually leave and cut their losses. The most humorous part to me is when people defend certain companies because they put out a half decent product. Remember how people defended the 750, that it didnt look exactly like a certain well known semi production knife and was not a copy of it?
The sad part is some here will defend them and keep buying.

See you next week bro.
Dave
 
I still want a Nimravus and Nim. Cub. Gee, Allen Elishewitz designs! After that, maybe no more Benchmade for me. Heck, it seesm that CRKT has taken my interest anyway. Polkowski, Walker... wait a second. Look where the designers went! They even have Kit Carson designs!

By the way, a week or so ago I went to look on the Benchmade site and noticed a new blade with the AFCK handle. I wonder if CJ gets some $$ for that new knife?
 
I'm not Crayola, but CJ == CJ Carraci (sp?), who has a forum here on BFC (Urban Jungle). CJ Carraci was the designer of the AFCK, IIRC.

Hope that helps...
 
I switched to spyderco for a number of reasons. Bm got a little arrogant and artsy for my taste.

It isn't surprising that they screwed designers.


I don't even think their work is very good any more. though the griptilian did catch my eye.
 
I think that a designer needs to read his licensing agreement and have competent legal counsel before hooking up with a knife mfg. That way, everyone knows what is going on and agrees to it in writing.
 
Let's not get run over by the bandwagon, It sounds like BM hasn't been fair to the designers that brought them so much of their success.

But bad-mouthing those knives themselves isn't right. BM has a lot of good designs, even if they're slow to credit the sources, and they've done a creditable job manufacturing them, which is why they're so successful.

A lot of businesses succeed because their management is hard-driving and ambitious. If they've antagonized too many designers and customers, they'll feel the loss, eventually.

It's a shame, because it didn't have to be this way.
 
I have one BM, the 940. I like it. However, I don't like the way they seem to be doing business. I can't say that I will never buy another BM product, but I have no real enthusiasm for or loyalty to the company. Companies like Spyderco, who have unblemished reputations generate loyalty.

It is only a matter of time until this kind of conduct hurts Benchmade bigtime.
 
As much as I like the a lot of BM's knives, I decided a long time ago not to support them. They have policies that I do not agree with. They tell there dealers what price they can advertise BM knives for and supply internet dealers with knives after they have supplied all their brick and mortar dealers first, so if you want one of their knives when they come out you have to pay a higher price. They want to control the selling price of their knives and I think that that is wrong.

They obviously don't treat the makers that collaborate with them very well either. I once received an email from one of the makers that still works with them and he did not sound overly happy with the situation either, but due to contractual agreements was forced to continue with things the way they were. You should be trying to keep the makers that work with you happy, not trying to allienate them. Their knives are very good, but this company does not impress me in the slightest.
 
Guys and gals,

I wish someone from BM would chime in on these forums. But I guess they won't or maybe they will.

Anyway, I stopped being a BM fan a long time ago when my AFCK would not withstand the spinewhack test. I know so of you disagree with the test but I do believe in it. Plus I really do not like the AXIS lock. Not that it is not strong but just the location of the lock makes it really easy to disengage when you might not want it to unlock. Oh well, the show is next week. Maybe I will go ask Les himself.

Liong
 
Originally posted by AncientSUL
Plus I really do not like the AXIS lock. Not that it is not strong but just the location of the lock makes it really easy to disengage when you might not want it to unlock.
Click to expand...

This has been covered in other threads. Liong, please don't buy into this lazy assessment that some on these boards have promoted, in regards to the Axix lock. The Axis lock would be EXTREMELY difficult to close accidentally. Simply having a lock button on a handle is not contingent on the safety of that lock.

However, this is not the point of the thread, so I'll add my 2 cents. Benchmade continues to be a very controversial company and I hope their behavior eventually bites them on their big fat ass.
 
The situation is unfortunate. BM will probably on the loosing end in the long run. They make some really fine knives, but seem to have lost the best of their design team.
 
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