Your newest addition:traditionals of course!

Yeah, I have a couple of A.Wrights that are pretty nice. They are not as smooth opening and closing as a Great Eastern, but they are pretty nice. My Otter Messers are very nice, and are at about the same price point as the Wrights. Hopefully GEC will run another true lambsfoot sometime, as a Hartshead is not in my future, apparently. Or, I'll save up and snag a Waynorth off the exchange.... I don't feel a real sense of urgency, either way.
But, you are correct... at least my May hasn't made me bleed, yet...:rolleyes:
 
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The Laguiole recently for my birthday, and the Opinel and Douk-Douk today. I'm in a French mood!
 
[snip] I was warned about the crappy craftsmanship in Sheffield these days but my Hartshead Barlow is so nice I was seduced by the great quality on that knife. Guess I owe Jack Black a big thank you for his dedication to my HHB quality. At least that one is something I'm proud to own.

I ordered my MM knife 40+ days ago, and didn't turn up any negativity beforehand. :( This experience has made me really appreciate having Jack Black Jack Black as a proxy for buying well-made Sheffield cutlery. :thumbsup: I too have a HHB that is heavy on the "pride of ownership".
 
Yeah, I have a couple of A.Wrights that are pretty nice. They are not as smooth opening and closing as a Great Eastern, but they are pretty nice. My Otter Messers are very nice, and are at about the same price point as the Wrights. Hopefully GEC will run another true lambsfoot sometime, as a Hartshead is not in my future, apparently. Or, I'll save up and snag a Waynorth off the exchange.... I don't feel a real sense of urgency, either way.
But, you are correct... at least my May hasn't made me bleed, yet...:rolleyes:
I just received this email from MM:
Hi Bill
If you send the knife back I'll give you a full refund.
I've got an apprentice who is learning the trade and he did the grinding of the blade. I should have checked his work more closely to be honest.
I am also in the process of swapping my spring and blade steel to better quality ones which will improve the quality of the knife.
My address is:
Michael May
Portland Works
Randall street
Sheffield
S2 4SJ
Kind regards. Michael
 
Arrived in the mail today my Michael May Sheffield Barlow. I remember saying to you that I would send you a picture. Same issues that you have with yours. Disappointed like you ... But it's pretty well constructed and a very pretty knife. Rams horn scales.

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I got mine the other day. I was wondering how you felt about the fit/finish of your knife. Overall, mine is a nice knife with some issues with the grind on the lambfoot blade. I have learned that most of the parts are supplied to Michael by AW Wright so QC might be an issue. My knife is really pretty and seem to be robust so I guess I'm satisfied but probably won't buy another from him.


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I just sent you a PM. If the subcontracted parts aren’t right, he should send them back, not go ahead and use them. Wright’s QC shouldn’t have a bearing on his QC.

Can argue with your terminology one bit. Several people recently received knives from MM with the same complaints. Heck, when I opened mine for the first time the back spring lifted a brass burr from the liner and it cut my finger like a razor. Hate to one-up you but mine drew blood from other than the blade! I special ordered an A Wright knife and the back siring has gaps so big that I can slip a razor blade into them all the way. Beautiful knife but the F&F isn't any better than the MM knife. I was warned about the crappy craftsmanship in Sheffield these days but my Hartshead Barlow is so nice I was seduced by the great quality on that knife. Guess I owe Jack Black a big thank you for his dedication to my HHB quality. At least that one is something I'm proud to own.



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I ordered my MM knife 40+ days ago, and didn't turn up any negativity beforehand. :( This experience has made me really appreciate having Jack Black Jack Black as a proxy for buying well-made Sheffield cutlery. :thumbsup: I too have a HHB that is heavy on the "pride of ownership".

Sorry guys, only just seen this. I'm afraid ordering from Sheffield is very hit and miss. I put a huge amount of work into my SFOs, and with each one I've had to make numerous visits to Sheffield, make dozens of phone calls, and be very assertive in order to get a high standard of work. I won't be doing any more unfortunately.
 
I just received this email from MM:
Hi Bill
If you send the knife back I'll give you a full refund.
I've got an apprentice who is learning the trade and he did the grinding of the blade. I should have checked his work more closely to be honest.
I am also in the process of swapping my spring and blade steel to better quality ones which will improve the quality of the knife.

:rolleyes:
 
Sorry guys, only just seen this. I'm afraid ordering from Sheffield is very hit and miss. I put a huge amount of work into my SFOs, and with each one I've had to make numerous visits to Sheffield, make dozens of phone calls, and be very assertive in order to get a high standard of work. I won't be doing any more unfortunately.
Thanks Jack, I replied to MM and thanked him for taking the knife back. I gave him the option to fix all the problems with the knife or refund me. Maybe it was a mistake on my part to give him another chance; I don't know. I have communicated with other Bladeforums members who share my experience and had similar issues. They too will be writing the manufacturer and sending back their knives. Most of us collectors are discriminating buyers but also realize that perfection in the world of knives is rare. I know I don't expect it when it comes to "manufactured" knives versus custom made ones. Having said that I still desire a knife with excellent F&F.



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Sorry guys, only just seen this. I'm afraid ordering from Sheffield is very hit and miss. I put a huge amount of work into my SFOs, and with each one I've had to make numerous visits to Sheffield, make dozens of phone calls, and be very assertive in order to get a high standard of work. I won't be doing any more unfortunately.

That's a bit disappointing but completely understandable. I think everyone who has one of your SFO's can attest to the fact that they are outstanding and have excellent fit and finish.

I've purchased several of Wright's knives and to be completely honest, while they haven't had perfect fit and finish by any means, they aren't useless by any stretch. I'd call them more of a working knife as most of mine have had some combination of gaps in liners, springs that aren't flush, off center blades and slightly wavy edge grinds.

On another note, here's one of my latest acquisitions; a French friction folder by Mickael Moing.

 
I ordered my MM knife 40+ days ago, and didn't turn up any negativity beforehand. :( This experience has made me really appreciate having Jack Black Jack Black as a proxy for buying well-made Sheffield cutlery. :thumbsup: I too have a HHB that is heavy on the "pride of ownership".
I just checked on shipping the knife back to MM in Sheffield and the cheapest quote I received was almost $90. Well that's not going to happen. Going to check back with the manufacturer to see what options Have.. Not feeling real good about this.

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Yeah, I have a couple of A.Wrights that are pretty nice. They are not as smooth opening and closing as a Great Eastern, but they are pretty nice. My Otter Messers are very nice, and are at about the same price point as the Wrights. Hopefully GEC will run another true lambsfoot sometime, as a Hartshead is not in my future, apparently. Or, I'll save up and snag a Waynorth off the exchange.... I don't feel a real sense of urgency, either way.
But, you are correct... at least my May hasn't made me bleed, yet...:rolleyes:
I've packed my MM knife and I'm shipping back to Sheffield. I told MM that I would give him a chance to sort out the knife and indicated that I had high expectations. Maybe I'm being unrealistic; don't know. I will keep everyone posted. I want to give him every chance to make things right with me but I realize that it takes many "attaboys" to erase on "awe s__t".


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I've packed my MM knife and I'm shipping back to Sheffield. I told MM that I would give him a chance to sort out the knife and indicated that I had high expectations. Maybe I'm being unrealistic; don't know. I will keep everyone posted. I want to give him every chance to make things right with me but I realize that it takes many "attaboys" to erase on "awe s__t".


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I might do that myself, if he gives me the option. It took 3 months to get it, I suppose if I do send it back, it might be back in time for Independence Day, 2020.
 
I just checked on shipping the knife back to MM in Sheffield and the cheapest quote I received was almost $90. Well that's not going to happen. Going to check back with the manufacturer to see what options Have.. Not feeling real good about this.

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That's why I never sent back any of the bad Rough Rider knives I'd bought. The postage wasn't worth it. Then there is the very real possibility that you will spend the extra money to send it back just to get another bad example. Sometimes in this game you just have to eat a bad purchase, perhaps throw it in your toolbox and abuse the heck out of it.
 
That's why I never sent back any of the bad Rough Rider knives I'd bought. The postage wasn't worth it. Then there is the very real possibility that you will spend the extra money to send it back just to get another bad example. Sometimes in this game you just have to eat a bad purchase, perhaps throw it in your toolbox and abuse the heck out of it.
My one experience with a defective Rough Rider was a sowbelly stockman I bought in person at the Rough Rider Store about four years ago. I didn’t notice until I got home that one spring was cracked. I sure wasn’t going to drive all the way back to the store or pay return postage for a seven or eight dollar knife, so I emailed them this photo. Two or three days later I had a perfect replacement in my PO box and they said to just keep the defective one. I was impressed. Of course, this was a pretty clear-cut defect - no judgement call involved.
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