<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Bugs3x:
Of course, there are going to be at least some, if not many, who'll tell you that BM is the best, that they own a dozen of 'em and have nary a quibble with one.</font>
Yep, and there'll be tons of MT, Spyderco, Emerson, etc. fans that'll say the same thing when those brands are questioned. Doesn't mean they're liars. Just drawing from their own personal experience, which differs from one to the next.
Regarding the idea that times have changed for the worse for BM-I have to disagree with that sentiment, as my experience with BM, though limited, spans about six years. IMO, their quality has increased steadily over that time period. My most recent acquisitions (four Axis locks-one sold, one given as a gift) showed excellent fit/finish, and three of them even had good edges (believe it or not!).
For some reason, people seem to think that one bad apple somehow affects an entire product line. Go figure.
Also, I have yet to see a major online dealer that doesn't carry Benchmade.
Since I've discovered the Sebenza and custom knives, I may never buy another BM, but that doesn't change the fact that they make fine knives-though, like every manufacturer, they let a bad one slip every once in a while (luckily I've only heard about it, and not had to tell about it
). There will always be someone with something positive, OR something negative to say.
The bottom line is BM leads the industry. BM sells. BM doesn't do those things because their products suck.
I totally agree that you should handle a knife prior to ordering one, to make sure it suits you, if possible, and if you have concerns about quality, have the online dealer inspect the knife prior to shipping it (that can go for any manufacturer). Nothing wrong with stacking the odds in your favor + you can always send it back.
