why you should avoid any Ritter RSK knife

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username_5

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I bought a Ritter RSK1 (folding knife) and am not happy with it due to lateral blade play. I attempted to contact Doug Ritter via his website and none of the links work.

I then contacted Benchmade via their website and now have to wait 2 business days for a response. I sent it late Friday and that means no response before Wednesday. In the mean time I am out over $100 for what was supposed to be a quality knife.

The knife is anything but quality. It has more lateral play in the blade than the cheapest of Chinese knock offs.

Beware the RSK knives, they have no ready means of contact for a refund and that is always a warning sign. One I did not head. Don't make my mistake.
 
I think this is the first complaint I've heard about Doug Ritter's work. Maybe just give the situation a few days or until you can get in touch with Doug himself.
 
username_5 said:
I bought a Ritter RSK1 (folding knife) and am not happy with it due to lateral blade play. I attempted to contact Doug Ritter via his website and none of the links work.

I then contacted Benchmade via their website and now have to wait 2 business days for a response. I sent it late Friday and that means no response before Wednesday. In the mean time I am out over $100 for what was supposed to be a quality knife.

The knife is anything but quality. It has more lateral play in the blade than the cheapest of Chinese knock offs.

Beware the RSK knives, they have no ready means of contact for a refund and that is always a warning sign. One I did not head. Don't make my mistake.
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It cannot possibly be the case that your individual knife is a factory defect? It could not possibly occur that the company will, under warranty, replace or repair the knife? All knives from this point of origin must be avoided at all costs, on the basis of this single sample, even before the company has had a chance to respond to a query sent after close o business just befoer a weekend?
 
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and answer this like it's a genuine problem, even though I'm getting a whiff of troll droppings as I read the OP.

I currently have 5 RSKs in both sizes and blade finishes and I've traded or sold 4 others over the years. None of them has had any problem whatsoever. Not to say you don't because any company can have an occasional QC slip, and I have read of a few other people having issues with their RSKs, but that doesn't mean that everything a company turns out is junk. Benchmade consistently produces a very high quality product under Doug Ritter's name.

If you bought it from Aeromedix directly, I'd suggest contacting them via e-mail. From what I've read here, they always respond in a timely manner and they are more than willing to fix any problem. If you got it "pre-owned" from someone then BM will take care of the problem, although they may charge you for it if they judge that the knife has been abused.
 
Your first post ever on bladeforums, and bashing a well-respected company. Shame on you. Do you have any good info on knives you can share with us?
 
The Ritter is made by Benchmade and I am sure they will make it work properly for you. I have had very good luck with Benchmades customer service, when it was needed.
BTW, is your pivot screw tight enough? I just bought a Cabelas D-2 Griptilian and there is no play at all, but the pivot is quite tight. Maybe that could help a little.
Good Luck, I am sure Benchmade will take proper care of you.
 
...
...I am not done yet. Until this piece of crap knife is fully refunded with no expense to me to ship the crap back I will just keep posting to knife enthusiast forums about how bad this knife is. Less than 12 hours until I post to the next site....
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I dunno, but I think Ritter is asleep after midnight :)
not that he's the retailer or manufacturer
 
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But considering he's bashing Doug on Doug's ETS forum too, troll may be more appropriate.

Benchmade is the manufacturer and AFAIK Aeromedix is the only retailer. The RSK is Doug Ritter's mod of the Benchmade Griptilian so if there is blade play not associated with a loose pivot screw, it's Benchmade's issue, not Doug Ritter's. I've got three Griptilian's I use and none have problems with blade play.
 
Moved from the General Knife Discussion to FEEDBACK.

The mistake you made here was bringing a complaint before giving the seller and the manufacturer a chance to respond. You could have phrased your problem more civilly, for example, asking if anyone has a current email address for Doug Ritter as the website's links don't seem to work. In any case, I believe he will respond here, perhaps on Monday. Unfortunately, the business world was not sitting here waiting for you to pop up.

You will notice you have succeeded only in tarnishing your own reputation with this outburst, not Benchmade's or Mr. Ritter's.
 
I think that bashing BM and Ritter and then making demands based on threats of "exposure" on other knife related websites is stupid and immature.
First this is the biggest knife related website your reaction to said complaint is half hearted at best. Other knife related websites will also not appreciate you joining and with your first post bitching.

Get over it...its a warranty issue...unknot you panties and try and work with the system. Honey draws more flies than vinegar my friend. You probably have just pooped in your own bed.
 
Checking the Aeromedix site, I found at the bottom of the home page a CUSTOMER SERVICE module:

>MY ACCOUNT
>GIFT CERTIFICATES
>RETURNS
>SHIPPING INFO
>CONTACT US
>888-362-7123

Each of these being links, you could have clicked on CONTACT US or just called the 888 number. If you tried to contact Doug Ritter at ETS, you were barking up the wrong tree. He's the designer, not the manufacurer or retailer.

That was easy.

By the way, hae you tried ArchAngel's suggestion about checking the pivot tightness?
 
Shame on you! Benchmade is an outstanding company and will certainly stand behind it's product. While I was serving in the Gulf I had an old Stryker, and it was my favorite knife in the world except for the partial serrations, but I could live with that. One day I tore the clip off getting out of a vehicle and stripped everything out of the liner. I sent it back to my wife who sent it to Benchmade with a note stating what happened and I believe she mentioned the serrations also. They fully refurbished the knife with brand new liners washers and hardware, and put a new blade on it without serrations! They sent it back and when my wife asked them what the bill was they said simply, "Thank your husband for his service to our country." I gave that knife to a friend when I retired, and it is still serving in the Gulf. I am also sure that Benchmade will fix it whenever it is needed, so again, SHAME ON YOU! You give those folks a chance to do their job and they will, I promise.
 
username_5 said:
I then contacted Benchmade via their website and now have to wait 2 business days for a response. I sent it late Friday and that means no response before Wednesday.
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That's tragic:eek: People take nights and weekends off these days? What will they think of next? And they have the courtesy to let you know it might take them a couple of days to get back to you? I'll be darned. And they will probably even fix the knife. Jeez, the nerve of some people!
 
Remember, it is a Friday, and many people are returning to work next week. Many businesses, if they are open at all, are operating on skeleton crews. I have had several Ritters, and they are some of the few folders that I really use hard. I have not had any problems. Benchmade, Aeromedix and Doug Ritter will get back to you. It might be Monday though.

I have gotten help and updates from Doug Ritter, and exceptional customer service from Aeromedix and Benchmade.
 
popedandy said:
That's tragic:eek: People take nights and weekends off these days? What will they think of next? And they have the courtesy to let you know it might take them a couple of days to get back to you? I'll be darned. And they will probably even fix the knife. Jeez, the nerve of some people!
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Hey guys, he has over a hundred dollars ($115 plus S&H) :rolleyes: tied up with this knife and he needs it back immediately :jerkit:

Hell, I considered buying the knife off him just to shut him up 'cause I know Benchmade will fix whatever is wrong, but he's gone to so much effort to piss off DR, Aeromedix and Benchmade, that I wouldn't want to spoil the experience for him. Besides, I just bought a new RSK Mk1 for Christmas. It's fine BTW, no blade play, good lock-up, nice and sharp. . . all those good things you expect from Benchmade. My RSK Mk1 in M-2 is now officially retired.
 
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I've tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, but there is a procession of events that seems curious here.

He became irritated and somewhat verbally combative after a moderator at ETS locked a thread he started, and shortly after and ONLY after that, did suddenly talk of this horribly defective knife surface.
 
If this was 4 days ago, I'd vote this the dumbest post of '08. Here's my reasoning:

1: It's a holiday weekend, a four day holiday weekend (for some) and you believe America's knife makers should be putting their nose to the grindstone?
2: You're not even angry with the right company.
3: If being out a hundred bucks or a knife ties you up that bad, you need to re-think your budget or knife need.
4: First post? Really? Honestly, I don't believe it. You're someone else on the forums.
 
Maikutis said:
4: First post? Really? Honestly, I don't believe it. You're someone else on the forums.
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I think we are too quick to assume an unknown is an alter ego. In this case, I doubt it. He came here as elsewhere to make trouble, because we are an audience, and a large one.
 
:rolleyes:

I have a host of the Doug Ritter designs manufactured by Benchmade (and am eagerly anticipating his new Lone Wolf-sourced design) and have had no such problem.

The others have made a good point---Doug Ritter is solely the designer, not the manufacturer. It's not his warranty, or his fault. Contacting him would be like me contacting my GMC's design team because I have a warranty issue---pointless.

BM customer service is first rate---patience is a virtue.
 
I will never understand paying over 100 for a grip, however how you addressed your problem makes me think of a little boy, who was never liked in high school, and will now take it out on the world.
 
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