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Improvements Benchmade could make TODAY!

diamond

January 09, 2014 04:44

So with the new price structure (okay BM, it's not a new policy, just enforcement of existing policy, whatever) most people including myself are up in arms about where our money is now going? But this is not another thread about pricing...

After picking up some of the more classic designs, I can see what the old-timers (not callin ya old, just long-time collectors,

haha. I'm still quite new to all this) have been saying about F&F and QC suffering. Know that I say this out of respect and appreciation for BKC and do understand that with the immense growth and success the company has received, it becomes more difficult to ensure QC on thousands of knives that are manufactured each year.

Well forget what Curly said in City Slickers -- it's not just 1 thing, but 3 things that could immediately improve BM quality and justify higher prices for higher quality. From my untrained observations, here are a few simple, cost effective improvements Benchmade could implement right now, to allay some of its loyal customers' concerns and drive both quality and value in their product:

1 - Upgrade the base Steel from 154 CM to CPM154! In much the same way as going away from Red Class and foreign production, stay with American Steel (could be Crucible or Carpenter) and Don't use anything less. It's great stuff and yes there is a noticeable improvement, even to a novice like myself. There's probably a small increase in cost and BM might have to wait for the next large shipment, but this could happen right now. Surely BM's wonderful technical and engineering staff could quickly adjust to mastering production with the new steel. Of course I'd personally like to see M390 or S90V, but I'm being realistic here

2 - Grinds and Sharpening Geometry from the factory. This has been a long-time gripe with BM, and I know it has improved in recent years and I do give BM credit for taking committed steps to ensure better standards. However, your competitors are CONSISTENTLY delivering a sharper product straight from the factory with cleaner edges and even bevels. Even blade centering on similar priced knives -- now that it costs more, expectations will also rise

3 - Oxide ONLY pocket clips. You've got a couple patterns to choose from - whether split arrow, classic, or the new deeper carry. But no more painted clips that look crappy and beat up after a day or two of actual carry time in the pocket. On $150, $200+ knives, Really? If the clip is supposed to be black, make the dang thing black!

4 - DLC coating. Speaking of keeping black things, black... The current coating sucks! It's not great and it wears very quickly. DLC is amazing, I have a competitor's knife (my first knife that actually started me down this road...awww

) that has taken years of all kinds of ABUSE and the DLC still looks fantastic on it. It may add a little cost, but I can't believe that on the scale that BM would be using DLC that it would be significant.

Ok, there you go, 3 simple things to improve BM quality. I even threw in a 4th for free. I will await my $80,000 Consultant fee

BTW if anyone else responds; I must charge a focus group fee of $100K. Thanks in advance BM

Comments

14 comments

po

January 10, 2014 18:31
Zzzzzzzz.....

154CM is the best value for production knife steel, period.

I have purchase hundreds of Benchmades, and only had one with an asymmetrical grind. It didn't bother me.

There is a new coating on the pocket clips - looks like cerakote to me, seems much better than the old painted ones, but that's not saying much.

Coatings wear, but they still work. They are there for low vis and rust resistance at which they succeed. Beyond that, DLC would be fine.

We've been hashing all this over for years. The check is in the mail.
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ryxlyx

January 10, 2014 19:20
quote:

There's probably a small increase in cost

Probably? Whole New Ballgame...

In order:

1) QC
2) QC
3) QC

Wonderful CS at BM, but I've received many bad grinds. When returned? Answer: "it's not a gold class". And stuff like blades contacting liners and being sent out anyway? Totally unacceptable, in spite of their willingness to fix it.
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different

January 10, 2014 20:36
hmm... I dunno. I also have had many hundreds of Benchmades and have had only a few with blades anywhere close to the liners and only one that touched. The blade steel is fine with me, as long as there are limited editions with better steel of any model I like. That keeps me happy. Pocket clips, yeah, the prescratched black clips are a nuisance. I wish something could be done about those.

I don't see any of Benchmades main competitors so far ahead on blade grinds. Every single time a new Paramilitary 2 comes out the spyderco forum is packed gull of people complaining about blade grinds.

I get so sick of people badmouthing Benchmades over silly things like saying you need buckets of omega springs on hand. That is garbage. I carry an axis lock Benchmade almost every day and have since they came out and have never had an omega spring break. It's silly rumors that get perpetuated around the internet based on one persons experiences that make people think this stuff is common.

In every single company in every single industry there is always room for improvement. For anyone to deny that and say they were making the best product possible would be insane.
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jraysp

January 10, 2014 21:39
quote:

Originally posted by different:
and only one that touched.

And I ended up with that one.
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something

January 10, 2014 21:47
I really don't see a problem with Benchmade's grinds. I can only think of one I've had off hand that the grind was little ugly on, but it was still a perfectly functional edge.

Factory sharpness over the last year or two has been every bit as good or better than other brands of knives I've owned.

The painted clips are certainly something that should be improved, they scratch way too easily.
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ryxlyx

January 10, 2014 21:58
Dawns on me we're talking different grinds here-- I was talking mains, where a couple years ago I (and others) bot quite a few LE's that were all over the map. When the 520/525M4s came out they seem to have corrected that.

Regards sharpening grinds I've never had issues, and when maybe 2 years ago BM really focused on correcting that complaints dropped to zip. But to my knowledge they're still handsharpened so there's bound to be differences.

Sorry if I caused confusion.
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diamond

January 10, 2014 22:21
quote:

Originally posted by Po:
Zzzzzzzz.....
154CM is the best value for production knife steel, period.
We've been hashing all this over for years. The check is in the mail.

Po, you're right there is nothing earth shattering or mind blowing here -- my main point is that Benchmade could put these simple upgrades into place almost immediately and with low cost and expenditure to them. And in turn their customers would see an immediate increase in value and quality

154CM may be the best value right now, Idk? That's just to the point though, for a couple bucks or more likely pennies more on the scale BM would purchase CPM154, everybody could have an upgrade
You know the old business adage, if you aren't moving forward, you are falling behind...
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diamond

January 10, 2014 22:54
quote:

Originally posted by ryxlyx:
Wonderful CS at BM, but I've received many bad grinds. When returned? Answer: "it's not a gold class". And stuff like blades contacting liners and being sent out anyway? Totally unacceptable, in spite of their willingness to fix it.

Sorry guys, this has been more like my experience. I expect more in a couple hundred dollar knife and IMHO we all should. I really do appreciate that BM stands behind their products and is willing to re-sharpen, replace clips, or otherwise fix an issue with a knife, which in addition to supporting American manufacturing, is one reason I buy their knives.

quote:

Originally posted by something:
Factory sharpness over the last year or two has been every bit as good or better than other brands of knives I've owned.

In my limited experience a competitor in Oregon and one in Colorado have ALWAYS come sharper out of the box than my BMs (except for 1)
I did like my Volli grind and what BM did with the M4 blades that I've got, so I think that is a good sign it is improving recently. The better all around attention to detail and Fit and Finish is what initially steered me over towards LEs. That and the fact that they have handle materials and blade steels I prefer and wish were in the production line

Don't get me wrong, I'm not out to bash BM. I want them to keep making knives I love and am proud to own. Axis lock is the best out there.

I also want to hear from all you guys and gals that have been at this longer than me as to what improvements could be implemented pretty darn quick and inexpensively???
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po

January 10, 2014 22:57
quote:

Originally posted by ryxlyx:
...I was talking mains...

Me too. Edge grinds are neither here nor there. If you don't like the edge on your knife, put another one on. Like putting gas in your tank, air in your tires. People who don't like to sharpen hate those automotive analagies.
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different

January 10, 2014 23:24
quote:

Originally posted by JRaysp:

quote:

Originally posted by different:
and only one that touched.

And I ended up with that one.

trouble maker!
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jraysp

January 11, 2014 00:09
quote:

Originally posted by different:

quote:

Originally posted by JRaysp:

quote:

Originally posted by different:
and only one that touched.

And I ended up with that one.

trouble maker!
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fastjan

January 11, 2014 02:24
Yes, making CPM 154 the new starter steel would be huge. I've never had any knives with CPM 154, but have been told by one respected knife maker that it is significantly better than 154CM. Also, instead of using D2 steel, they should upgrade to CPM D2. I have both of those and there is a clear difference.

Making DLC the basic coating would also add value.

Tightening up QC so there are no more uncentered blades would also be necessary to elevate the value of these knives to match the new pricing. Example: I wanted another M4 710 and they were taken off the market for centering issues and maybe other issues as well, like the blades hitting the stand-offs. This poor QC has got to be costing the company in profit and reputation.
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po

January 16, 2014 22:42
People on here cried like babies when the pricing control Nazis struck, so buyers were limited to a 20% discount from MSRP. Imagine how they bawl if the blue class were defined by CPM154 and DLC coated blades that cost $250?

154CM works great, so does D2, and that's how you get a fantastic $150 blue class knife.

Now me personally, I'd love to see every knife in M4 or M390. I like M steels. I'd happily pay $250 for a blue class knife with M390, DLC, and a 3D contoured handle.
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fox184

January 17, 2014 01:39
quote:

Originally posted by Po:
People on here cried like babies when the pricing control Nazis struck, so buyers were limited to a 20% discount from MSRP. Imagine how they bawl if the blue class were defined by CPM154 and DLC coated blades that cost $250?

154CM works great, so does D2, and that's how you get a fantastic $150 blue class knife.

Now me personally, I'd love to see every knife in M4 or M390. I like M steels. I'd happily pay $250 for a blue class knife with M390, DLC, and a 3D contoured handle.

440C works fine for that matter. I do agree with the oxide/blued clips. The painted ones they way they peel just look cheap.
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