WWYD? Being too picky or justified?

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russde

russde

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Bought a knife recently with ebony scales (I won't mention the brand, type or dealer and I have cropped the photos to hopefully 'hide' that info, if you know, please DON'T mention it) when I unwrapped the knife the light almost instantly hit a shiny spot on the mark side pivot pin.

I rubbed it with my thumb, but it didn't rub off or get any less shiny. I have to wear glasses when I read now (but I'm NOT old, shhh) and I could clearly see 'filler' of some kind around the pin in the scale. I don't expect perfection in a knife that I'm going to carry, but I paid almost $100 for this knife and it seems almost as if this one should have been marked a second, I rarely buy new knives and in a used knife I would expect dings and dents but feel the seller should mention filler even in a used one. Most likely the dealer does not have another so if I return it I am out of luck.

So..unreasonable? justified? What Would You Do?

The shiny spot in the filler in each of the pictures is a divot or depression
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That would bother me. It really annoys me when expect us to accept workmanship like that. I'd send it back. They won't change if we don't force them to make a quality product.
 
protourist said:
That would bother me. It really annoys me when expect us to accept workmanship like that. I'd send it back. They won't change if we don't force them to make a quality product.
Click to expand...

I agree and that is not a first quality product, but depending on the brand I would be impressed that they even noticed a problem and made any attempt to "fix" it.
 
I think the name of the company should be released. If you have a good company, they want to know where they made an error, and what to do to fix it. If they're just passing items off, hoping that no one notices until it's off the dealers floor, they won't last long.
 
I've sent knives back for similar.

Someone once wrote a comment in this forum along the lines of 'we are not paying to QC a knife, that's the manufactureres job', I have to agree with that sentiment.
 
Well the dealer responded that he called the company and 'yes, they use a clear filler to prevent checking during the hafting process...I can see about a replacement (doubtful), refund you, or clean it up for you'
Feeling pretty upset now. 'Clean it up'? Blah. I asked him when I bought the knife (he had two) if I could pick one, 'no, they are identical'...sheesh, if it were a $20 knife I'd ignore it, but...hell, I'll quit complaining.
 
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To me, QC is to catch things that have gone wrong in manufacturing. Using filler goes beyond that, as they applied it as a "fix" for the tearout that occured when they drilled out the pin hole. Perhaps they thought that when they sanded the bevel edge that goes through the pin that it would be below the level of the filler. Just trying to play devil's advocate.

I would agree that it should be considered a "second." I'd bring it to the attention of the dealer/manufacturer before fretting anymore. They're nice guys and you can probably work out something to your satisfaction.
 
Oops, OP responded first. I'm not really sure why you're "pissed." He offered you your money back.
 
I would have to agree the knife should'nt have left like that:thumbdn: It is clearly a blowout from drilling or peening. If I was you I would ask for a refund as it seems your not happy with it and you have every right to be upset. I know it would bug me especially if I noticed it immediately upon opening it. Hope everything works out ok for you.
 
Keep it family friendly folks. We can express our dissatisfaction without using language that doesn't belong here.
Thanks
 
RonnieC said:
Oops, OP responded first. I'm not really sure why you're "pissed." He offered you your money back.
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First, good on the vendor. Love a guy that stands by their merchandise.

But why wouldn't he be ticked off? You pay better money for any product (tools, houses, watches, etc.) in hopes of avoiding issues like this. You pay more to get more. You pay more for better quality materials and manufacturing processes to ensure that the product you purchase is made to higher standards than less expensive items of the same type.

You pay more so you don't have to waste your time with quality control issues that belong to the manufacturer. Even if the vendor refunds your money, what about the time involved on your end to get it back to him and the costs of shipping at least one way? And in the end, you still don't have what you paid for, which should have been a quality knife.

I would send it back to the vendor and not purchase another knife of that brand. If a repair of a spalted hole or galling from working the pin by filling it with colored CA right off the manufacturing line is acceptable to them as good QC, then they don't need my money. I am tired of lowering my standards to accept poor workmanship and materials, regardless of the product.

I know I have said it many times here, I am not going to do the factory's job for them. I have to do all the quality control on my products from start to finish, and others need to do the same. It's part of the cost of doing business, and therefore becomes part of the final price. I want what I pay for when I buy a product. In a knife like that, I didn't buy a second, a starter, a fixer upper, or anything else like that. The only additional effort I should have to put into a premium knife like that one (come on, we all know the only domestic manufacturer using ebony that is in that price range...) is to make sure it is sharpened to my liking.

Robert
 
Is it just residue on the surface? If so I would sand it off and call it a day and be glad they took the extra care to "reinforce" that area.

Just a thought.
 
Personally, I could live with that. I have a similar knife that had a MUCH worse problem than that. The wood right at the bolster had either chipped or corroded leaving a ragged divot, and it looks like clear filler had been applied. I sent the knife back, hoping the slab would be replaced, but on return, it looks like all that was done, was the slab AND the bolster were ground down ruining the top edge.I haven't the heart to do a close inspection to see if the slab really was replaced or not. If I look straight down on it, it appears normal, but at an angle, the slab and bolster are clearly thinner than the mark side. I only say this as a caution, that what you may assume will be the easy fix, may not be what is chosen by the shop. Be clear on your intentions and communications with them.

~Jim
 
I can understand being disappointed, but not angry. It's a transaction. Didn't get what he wanted and can get a refund.

I also don't understand the righteous indignation regarding the manufacturer. I was in manufacturing for decades. QC does not mean "everything comes out perfect." It means there are a set number of procedures and inspections followed, and in a production environment often on a certain sample of the output. If using some type of epoxy during the hafting process is SOP for them, perhaps there was a hidden void in the ebony that got filled, and was only revealed when the long bevel was sanded into the profile. Based on this thread, maybe they will add one more QC step to check for this. :)

Ain't nothin' perfect in this world, and writing off the manufacturer as a whole, while your prerogative, may be a bit harsh. ( I have this exact knife, and it is a good one. )
 
There is no way that is an acceptable product. You should return it to the vendor and get your money back. That's not just a bit of filler around the pin; there is considerable material removed from cover showing the scale underneath it to a significant degree. It appears to have been sanded back to remove some kind of defect. I would get my money back. Or, call the manufacturer's customer service about the issue. Is the seller an authorized distributer? Might make a difference with the manufacturer regarding warranty.

Ed J
 
If I modded a knife and had a blowout like that, I would sadly take it apart and start over. You should have been there to see how many tries I needed on Doug's Schrade 708...:o

Definitely send it back...
 
Based on the assumption that one isn't happy with a dealer/vendor's handling of the situation:

Either send it back to, or communicate directly with, the manufacturer. Don't waste any time trying to get the dealer/vendor to make it right. It's in the manufacturer's best interest to ensure they're shipping quality product. Sometimes dealers won't be as willing to go as far. But, the manufacturer knows they can't afford to develop a reputation for poor quality and/or bad customer service. If they are willing and eager to correct this themselves, they might also be interested to know if a vendor of their product isn't backing it to the same degree, or at least bringing such issues to their attention. It reflects badly on the brand, if their distributors don't represent or back the product as faithfully.

That's my 2 cents' worth... :)


David
 
It has never been a big deal for me to send a knife back to the manufacturer to repair or replace it. I think that should be done here. If it is a $100 dollar knife, then send it to the maker.
It is easy to miss a small detail. They are not Gods, just people!
Give them a chance to make it right!
If they don't, then get on their case!! (No pun intended!!)
 
Recently I sent back a flawed limited edition knife to a large manufacturer. Initially I was told parts were in stock and to send it in. A week later I received a call stating the parts exhausted and a refund was offered. Since it was a short run no replacements were available. Having waited years, yes years, for the knife I asked to have it returned. The manufacturer obliged and sent me an additional knife for my "troubles." They also made and attempt to find a similar replacement and offered several other options. The flaw, while significant, does not impact function and is in a spot where it's rarely seen. I've been using the knife a bit since it returned and am satisfied with the outcome.
So if it were me I'd send it back to the manufacturer and see what can be done.
Good luck and I really hope it resolves to your satisfaction.
 
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