My knife broke! Make sure you can trust yours.

[DavidEnoch]

I had a Smith and Wesson neck knife that had a skeletonized handle. Saturday, I was working in the back yard and needed to cut a few vines which were about 3/8" in diameter. I cut a couple easily and then on the next cut, the blade rotated up. What the heck, then I realized that the blade had broken. Where the blade meets skeleton section it only has about 1/8" of steel top and bottom. It shouldn't have broken, but it did.

I had trusted that knife as part of my kit. I am so glad this failure happened at home. My other neck knife is a CRKT Ryan Plan B and is a more solid knife and I feel comfortable with it.

I just wanted to mention this incident to remind everyone to take a critical look at their tools. I don't think I will ever carry a skeletonized handle knife again.

David Enoch

 

[harryhaller]

It shows how important it is to try out kit at home - as well as a way of getting used to the kit before going out with it.

 

[BigShot]

Have you contacted the retailer or S&W about the failure?
You might be in for a refund or a free replacement. It certainly doesn't look good for a knife to fail like that.

 

[JohnL]

I think S & W knive have a lifetime gaurantee...

 

[NatG]

next time buy a real knife and not a toy

that sounds a bit harsh, but it's not really meant to be, but most knives that are marketed as "tactical" are not really intended for use, they're intended for playing wiht and making sandwhiches.

However, to be fair, it does sound like your fault was a HT issue instead of a design one, SandW should be able to sort you out

 

[Draven]

Got a pic?

Is it fixed blade or a folder? I can't find any fixed bladed S&W knives with skeletonised handles...

I do agree with NatG though, tactical knives are generally marketed at armchair survivalists and mall ninjas rather than outdoorsmen, in my experience. A skeletonised handle is never worth it imo, for all the weight it saves. Sounds like it's a combination of poor steel AND poor HT to me...

Pete

 

[MadRat]

I just wanted to mention this incident to remind everyone to take a critical look at their tools. I don't think I will ever carry a skeletonized handle knife again.

David Enoch

Right on....

Take a look at the TOP's Range.... A slab of steel in between 2 handles...

No frills...... no nonsense.....

Go for somthing like a Night Hunter.... Soild piece of kit......

 

[V8Mondo]

I prefer Gerber knives, but I do have a Buck knife.

I read a thread on another forum where someone had broken the blade on their Buck knife.
He called their customer care to buy a new blade for the knife.

They said they would send him a brand new blade for free and if they could not they would send him a new knife...saying that it is covered under the warranty. Even after he explained that it was his own fault that the blade broke...

Another person broke his Buck knife and sent it back asking that they regrind the point and bill him for the work. The new blade came back with a note, "Buck Knives don't break". There was no charge.

Cool in my opinion. Its a shame that other manufacturers dont back their product in this way!

 

[Toddy]

Helle do
One of mine delaminated......I'd a new one in my hands within days, no charge and all the way from Norway

I've seen three broken buck knives though, so their statement's just mince.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[BigShot]

Another person broke his Buck knife and sent it back asking that they regrind the point and bill him for the work. The new blade came back with a note, "Buck Knives don't break".

I like that.

It's got nothing whatsoever to do with knives - but Oakley have awesome customer service too. It'd take something pretty special to get me to buy anything else after my experience of that.

I've seen three broken buck knives though, so their statement's just mince.

Nice turn of phrase. Not heard that one before.

 

[MadRat]

Buck Knives are renowned for breaking...... Don't even think about buying one....

Gerber.... Mmmmmm..... Ever tested one to destruction..... Don't take much.......

After some considerable years of doing all sorts of things with knives.... From carving to using as a hand hold up a mountain...... I would only depend on two makes for Woodcraft or Survival. Fallkniven or TOPS. Then only the most basic no frills models....

WM, F1, S1, A1 & Night Hunter, Lone Falcone, Armageddon.

For clearance machete's.... Tramontina, or for heavy duty.... Martindale or Magnum.

 

[Toddy]

I find it hard to take seriously any knife maker who advertises on their front page knives called, "Punisher" and "Taliban Takedown" though.
http://www.topsknives.com/

Maybe it's a cultural thing

cheers,
Toddy

 

[MadRat]

I find it hard to take seriously any knife maker who advertises on their front page knives called, "Punisher" and "Taliban Takedown" though.
http://www.topsknives.com/

Maybe it's a cultural thing

cheers,
Toddy

Lets hope people dont judge you by your avatar.

TOPS have a number of Quirky names.

The Punisher is a sort of copy from the Punisher film, and is in fact a very good bush knife.

Yes I know what you mean.......

I asked Helene of TOPS if they were avalable without the name and signature on...

Unfortunatly no was the reply.... Ho hum....

Probably get one some time and out with the Matt Black spray can.....

They sell a lot to the US & UK Forces.......

 

[Toddy]

Lets hope people dont judge you by your avatar.QUOTE]

Actually that's the teacher from South Park, saying, "Oh ! ", and It does kind of look like me.........dressed in green, beanie bunnet on and carrying a knife 'cos I'm about to make something...................... It's even got the long dark hair, green eyes and looks like a well rounded five foot two wee lady What more does it need ?

There's a bunch of those avatars from around the same time on the forum........it was a kind of in joke at the time.


I still don't think their front page is the kind of advert that would encourage me to buy their wares.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Hoodoo]

Buck Knives are renowned for breaking...... Don't even think about buying one....

Gerber.... Mmmmmm..... Ever tested one to destruction..... Don't take much.......

After some considerable years of doing all sorts of things with knives.... From carving to using as a hand hold up a mountain...... I would only depend on two makes for Woodcraft or Survival. Fallkniven or TOPS. Then only the most basic no frills models....

WM, F1, S1, A1 & Night Hunter, Lone Falcone, Armageddon.

For clearance machete's.... Tramontina, or for heavy duty.... Martindale or Magnum.

A lot of Buck knives break because they use a cheaper grade of stainless steel and heat treat it to it's limit. Great at holding an edge but can be brittle and fatigue easily from a lot of bending.

Testing to destruction has never impressed me. I don't use my knives for prying or chopping concrete blocks. I understand TOPS knives philosophy. No problem. They are oriented towards a military style knife. I used to get them to review for Tactical Knives back when I wrote for TK, but they never interested me and I sent them all back. Most are too thick to be a good outdoors knife imo. I'm sure others will disagree but I don't need a sharpened prybar for what I do outdoors and in fact, I find them a hindrance. If I was military or police, I might think differently. I had a long chat once with the owner of TOPS, and he understood my point and I understood his. He had a knife break on him once and IIRC, he was serving in Vietnam at the time. He decided that he would make a knife that would not break and that's the main reason most of his knives are so thick. Personally, I made it through 4 years in the Navy with only a SAK. And for several years after that, solo wilderness backpacking, canoeing, freight train hopping, and hitching thousands of miles, and still only a SAK. When people tell me I NEED a sharpened prybar for the outdoors, I have to scratch my head because my personal experience has been otherwise.

 

[MadRat]

I still don't think their front page is the kind of advert that would encourage me to buy their wares.

cheers,
Toddy

Agree... If I didn know better It would do the same for me.........

Strange how some companies name things.......

 

[MadRat]

A lot of Buck knives break because they use a cheaper grade of stainless steel and heat treat it to it's limit. Great at holding an edge but can be brittle and fatigue easily from a lot of bending.

Testing to destruction has never impressed me. I don't use my knives for prying or chopping concrete blocks. I understand TOPS knives philosophy. No problem. They are oriented towards a military style knife. I used to get them to review for Tactical Knives back when I wrote for TK, but they never interested me and I sent them all back. Most are too thick to be a good outdoors knife imo. I'm sure others will disagree but I don't need a sharpened prybar for what I do outdoors and in fact, I find them a hindrance. If I was military or police, I might think differently. I had a long chat once with the owner of TOPS, and he understood my point and I understood his. He had a knife break on him once and IIRC, he was serving in Vietnam at the time. He decided that he would make a knife that would not break and that's the main reason most of his knives are so thick. Personally, I made it through 4 years in the Navy with only a SAK. And for several years after that, solo wilderness backpacking, canoeing, freight train hopping, and hitching thousands of miles, and still only a SAK. When people tell me I NEED a sharpened prybar for the outdoors, I have to scratch my head because my personal experience has been otherwise.

Also agree... However if it breakes after being hit whilst battening then?
So a thick knife comes in handy every so often.

I have been using an Armageddon for some three years or so for a majority of tasks. and it is good for clearing trails as well as intricate stuff ..... Tho not as managable as a Mora or Pukko type. At least they can be used without breaking.....

Billhooks an saws are also usefull, however sometimes there are weight and item restrictions....

Woodcraft and Survival in some places are very similar scenarios....

Sometimes what you need is a very general all purpose knife....... That dosen't break....

I think we are all on the same page here......

 

[BigShot]

I think sometimes you need a knife and an axe.

 

[gzornenplat]

I still don't think their front page is the kind of advert that would encourage me to buy their wares.

cheers,
Toddy

The second page - click on the 'Taliban' link is worse

HEY...MR. TALIBAN...

"SOMEBODY'S GOING TO HAVE A BAD DAY.....
...... A VERY BAD DAY....AND ITS NOT GOING TO BE THE INFIDEL"

Do you get a free comic?

 

[BigShot]

Doesn't look much cop as a fighting knife either.
I'm not sure I'd want a part serrated tanto point if I was off to get myself into a knife fight in an Afghan cave.

I'm just glad I don't have to make that choice, but if I did, I seriously doubt I'd be taking that... thing... along with me.

It is an odd item description that's for sure!