Benchmade out of the box sharpness

[Hermes Trismegistus]

OP, this guy doesn’t speak for all of us. It sucks you got a dull blade, it isn’t common and Benchmade QC is pretty damn good. Either send it back or sharpen it.

I have not spoken otherwise, but the truth, "the truth" is important, and being a fanboy to the point of complete loss of objective reason is a problem! Benchmades quality woes are not a matter of speculation, they are not the product of fanboys of this, vs fanboys of that quibbling, they are not mere one offs, they are very well deserved. I have heard from the youtube shills that Benchmade has over the last year or so, come back, but I am not seeing any evidence of such, I handle many of their knives and the fit & finish, function, and durability of them is often a 50/50 proposition., I hear many accounts such as the ops. I know this, when a new knife owner who is also new to the world of knives, encounters such a blade as the op received, being told to learn to sharpen them, is shocking and apathetic on its face. I know that if he got a knife with a poor blade from Benchmade, then the odds are strong indeed its defective in other ways the OP may not be experienced enough in to identify without the aid of someone who does!

I would send that knife back to BladeHQ for an exchange or refund, and I would urge the op to look elsewhere if multiple issues manifest with his brand new Benchmade...

 

[brownshoe]

I've had 7 benchmade over many years. Bought my last in December 2020 as my Bday present for me. All were sharp out of the box. I've used them hard and used their repair service 4 times. It was excellent and free except for a replacement blade (kid snapped the tip on a Spike) and they charged me 15% of the cost of a knife for the replacement. Benchmade makes great knives, but it is run by humans. You-tube is not reality.

 

[shane45-1911]

when a new knife owner who is also new to the world of knives, encounters such a blade as the op received, being told to learn to sharpen them, is shocking and apathetic on its face.

It's a knife. If you use it, it will get dull. If it's a safe queen, then sharpness is a mute point. Learning how to sharpen a knife should be the natural next step after purchasing a knife that will see use.

I am not excusing any manufacturer for not providing a sharp edge on a new knife, but it's not the end of the world. Stop being so dramatic.

 

[Hermes Trismegistus]

It's a knife. If you use it, it will get dull. If it's a safe queen, then sharpness is a mute point. Learning how to sharpen a knife should be the natural next step after purchasing a knife that will see use.

I am not excusing any manufacturer for not providing a sharp edge on a new knife, but it's not the end of the world. Stop being so dramatic.

Hey, you can roll anyway you wish too, more power to you, however when I drop $50.00, $75.00, $100.00 or more on a blade, any blade fixed or folding, it had best be as absolutely well made as its materials allowed it to be made, if I reduce my standards on down to the logic where I, or anyone else for that matter, consider it the norm to both pay them their premium price and also do the finishing work for the manufacturer on their so-called premium knives, then why would anyone buy a knife at all when they can just go out and produce their own at substantial savings?

In this instance, taking into full account Benchmades demonstrable history of shoddy quality control, speaking for myself, I'd shoot that sucker right back to where it came from for full refund, are they capable of building a great knife, yes, yes they are and they do so, from time to time...

 

[pholder]

Use, sharpen, repeat. Simple really, Difficult to pick Perfection apart because it does not exist.

 

[shane45-1911]

then why would anyone buy a knife at all when they can just go out and produce their own at substantial savings?

I hardly think that I could produce a knife at "substantial savings", versus that I might need to sharpen one out of the box once in a while.

Sharpening a new knife is certainly more cost effective for me, then to start making my own knives - orders of magnitude more cost effective.

 

[jbmonkey]

back in 2010s it was very hit and miss in my experience with benchmade knives. last couple years I've found they've tightened up sharpening and quality in general much better, more consistent and decent overall.

 

[Yo Mama]

Its a Benchmade...

Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you'll get.

This! Send back to benchmade with them covering shipping if it's new, they will take care if it and make it right.

Just got a 940-1 back, was dull, and now is a light saber.

 

[skyhorse]

Nothing a few minutes on a stone won't fix , enjoy your new knife.

 

[sharp_edge]

Among all possible issues, the sharpness of a new knife is of my least concern (unless the manufacturer forgot to put an edge on it). As a matter of fact, I won't even regard the sharpness as a quality factor.

 

[qflite]

Agreed. Non factor. Unless the maker screwed up the grind, putting an edge on a knife is straight forward and part of regular maintenance. A quality maker should take pride in all aspects of the knife making process however.........

 

[Hermes Trismegistus]

I hardly think that I could produce a knife at "substantial savings", versus that I might need to sharpen one out of the box once in a while.

Sharpening a new knife is certainly more cost effective for me, then to start making my own knives - orders of magnitude more cost effective.

Overly simplistic, you, I think, miss point of comment, when we reduce our expectations of quality down to the level of paying premium prices for what is in effect a do it yourself finishing project, whats the point of the premium cost???

 

[shane45-1911]

for what is in effect a do it yourself finishing project, whats the point of the premium cost???

Over the course of how often I use and sharpen my knives, it is simply just one more time I need to sharpen it. It is not an issue (for me). Yes, I expect and hope a new knife is sharp out of the box. If it isn't, it's no big deal. To me, quality is MUCH more than receiving a knife with a sharp edge and I am paying for other things that are far more important (again, to me).

And "premium cost" is relative. I don't consider anything that Benchmade offers to have a premium cost. That implies that they also offer lower-priced "bargain" models as well - which they don't. The price is the price, no "premium" anything.

All other things being equal, a dull edge on a $100 dollar knife bothers me just the same as if I received a dull edge on a $2000.00 custom blade - exactly ZERO. I would expect my custom knife to be suitably sharp, but it's not a deal breaker if it isn't. And on a $100 factory knife, I have little to no expectations of everything being perfect.

 

[Hermes Trismegistus]

Over the course of how I use and sharpen my knives, it is simply just one more time I need to sharpen it. It is not an issue (for me). Yes, I expect and hope a new knife is sharp out of the box. If it isn't, it's no big deal. To me, quality is MUCH more than receiving a knife with a sharp edge and I am paying for other things that are far more important (again, to me).

And "premium cost" is relative. I don't consider anything that Benchmade offers to have a premium cost. That implies that they also offer lower-priced "bargain" models as well - which they don't. The price is the price, no "premium" anything.

All other things being equal, a dull edge on a $100 dollar knife bothers me just the same as if I received a dull edge on a $2000.00 custom blade - exactly ZERO. I would expect my custom knife to be suitably sharp, but it's not a deal breaker if it isn't. And on a $100 factory knife, I have little to no expectations of everything being perfect.

My final input on this matter is this, its really very simple, Benchmade has a demonstrable history of very poor quality control, its not necessarily that the designs are bad, many of which are really quite nice, some like the Sibert knives are superb, its in the execution! The reality is this, if they shipped a knife that was not properly sharpened, then the odds increase(substantially)that they skimped in other areas as well! I would not be surprised in least to discover OP's knife blade way out of center, perhaps rubbing on scale or liner, and gaps in construction. Speaking for myself, I would never buy a Benchmade knife for two specific reasons, the above quality issues, and the just as important political orientation of the company which is decidedly to the left of center. Compare almost any Civivi offering with that from Benchmade, $40.00/$95.00 for Civivi's to well into the multiple hundreds for many Benchmade models, its a real eye-opener....

 

[shane45-1911]

The reality is this, if they shipped a knife that was not properly sharpened, then the odds increase(substantially)that they skimped in other areas as well!

Says you. Your addition of the word "substantially" implies you have done some sort of research or study to substantiate YOUR claim. Which with all due respect, I doubt very highly although I would love to see the empirical evidence to support your SUBSTANTIAL claim.

Lack of a sharpened edge does not mean lack of quality in any other areas. I have received many knives, both factory and custom that were not sharpened to MY satisfaction, and they were flawless in every other aspect.

 

[Sidehill Gouger]

I've never kept count but I know over the years (that goes back to Pacific Cutlery) I've used several dozen new out of the box Benchmades and have never had any complaints about the factory edge. I'm carrying a gen 2 Adamas right now and it certainly was razor sharp as delivered.

 

[c7m2p3]

Ive had decent experience with BMs out of the box but I also almost always go put my own edge on blades within the first few weeks of taking them out of the box. If you have the capability that is what I would do. You'll have to do it eventually with S30V anyways if you open boxes fairly regularly, and it will be a lot quicker than trying to get a return and replacement from a vendor or going through lifesharp. An hour or so vs several week turnaround.

 

[brownshoe]

Hey, you can roll anyway you wish too, more power to you, however when I drop $50.00, $75.00, $100.00 or more on a blade, any blade fixed or folding, it had best be as absolutely well made as its materials allowed it to be made, if I reduce my standards on down to the logic where I, or anyone else for that matter, consider it the norm to both pay them their premium price and also do the finishing work for the manufacturer on their so-called premium knives, then why would anyone buy a knife at all when they can just go out and produce their own at substantial savings?

In this instance, taking into full account Benchmades demonstrable history of shoddy quality control, speaking for myself, I'd shoot that sucker right back to where it came from for full refund, are they capable of building a great knife, yes, yes they are and they do so, from time to time...

What Benchmades do you own in the $50-100 range? You can't bash a company if you have no experience with their product & service.

 

[T.J. H]

None of my Benchmade’s arrived hair popping sharp. No big deal, I just sharpen them to where I want. Also, I hear a lot of complaints about Benchmade’s quality control. I’ve only had one minor issue and BM took care of it, no problems. The rest of my BM’s were perfect fit and finish.

 

[pholder]

My final input on this matter is this, its really very simple, Benchmade has a demonstrable history of very poor quality control, its not necessarily that the designs are bad, many of which are really quite nice, some like the Sibert knives are superb, its in the execution! The reality is this, if they shipped a knife that was not properly sharpened, then the odds increase(substantially)that they skimped in other areas as well! I would not be surprised in least to discover OP's knife blade way out of center, perhaps rubbing on scale or liner, and gaps in construction. Speaking for myself, I would never buy a Benchmade knife for two specific reasons, the above quality issues, and the just as important political orientation of the company which is decidedly to the left of center. Compare almost any Civivi offering with that from Benchmade, $40.00/$95.00 for Civivi's to well into the multiple hundreds for many Benchmade models, its a real eye-opener....

And you have issues with their political orientation?