Kershaw Warranty Disappointment

[MaxFisher]

Hi All,

I've been sitting on this for a week or two because I didn't want to post a rant in anger. However, I'm still perturbed by it after waiting, so I thought I'd share.

I sent in a Camber to Kershaw recently. I sent the knife in because one of the body screws was stripped and couldn't be tightened and the blade was rubbing the non-lock side of the handle when closed. To be more detailed about the body screw, the head wasn't stripped, the hole was stripped so that the screw turned freely rather than getting tight. I provided a description of both issues on the warranty form and sent the knife to Kershaw.

The knife took eight weeks to get back to me. When it arrived, I took it out to examine it. I was sorely disappointed. To stop the blade from rubbing the non-lock side, they had disassembled the knife and bent the liner lock over to remove some of the pressure it was putting on the blade. This resulted in the knife having extremely early lock-up. The lock isn't slipping, but I'm very afraid it might over time because the liner lock is getting so little engagement under the blade. Nothing was done to fix the stripped body screw hole, and an additional body screw hole was stripped so now two of the screws just spin rather than tightening. Not only did they not fully fix my knife, they actively increased the problems with it.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Kershaw has sent me back a knife from warranty that was not fully fixed. In 2011, I sent them an OD-1 model knife with a frame lock that could be overcome with hand pressure. It came back to me with a lock that could still be defeated by hand pressure. After I sent them an email, they sent me a prepaid shipping label to send it back a second time. I was annoyed, but I sent it back a second time and it was replaced with a new one. In 2013, I sent in a Skyline whose liner lock could be overcome with hand pressure. I got it back and the lock still failed. With both the Skyline and the OD-1, the first fix appeared to be to bend the lockbar over so that it would provide a later lock-up, but the lock was still slipping in both cases. I didn't contact Kershaw right away about the Skyline. I had two Skylines at the time, so I just put the still failing one away and used the other one. About a year later, I sent the Skyline in a second time (at my own expense) and they fixed it properly that time.

I emailed Kershaw about my Camber when I received it back. I expressed my disappointment and explained that this is not the first time I've had a knife returned from warranty without being properly fixed. I got back an email offering me a prepaid shipping label to send it in again. I declined that offer because I just don't feel like I can trust Kershaw to be there for me as a customer.

I bought my first Kershaw knife (a Scallion) in 2002. I don't have that one anymore (I gifted it to a friend), but I still have the second Scallion I bought to replace it with 'Jul 2003' marked on the blade. I've owned many KAI products over the years, and I've carried them a lot. At this point, though, I'm just very disillusioned with their service and probably won't be carrying them much or if at all in the future. These warranty experiences combined with some other recent developments with their products have just left me feeling that they're more concerned with making money than providing reliable products and services to their customers.

 

[bodog]

Quite a few people have had very similar stories to yours. If they talk about it here they're labeled as trolls or haters or whatever. The best option, and I hate to say it because it shouldn't be this way, is to take your complaints to Facebook and/or start yet another negative KAI feedback thread and then lock it immediately. Then let it go and never mention here on bladeforums again.

Trust me on this.

Now on to the pragmatism. You get what you pay for. If you're buying a cheaper knife from one of the largest knife producers in the US, you can't very well expect for them to take personal interest in fixing one of their offerings with very little profit margin to begin with. As much as we want every company to take every problem their customers have very seriously, you can't have your cake and eat it too. Pay more and get better service or pay less and get crappier service, you can't have it both ways. The fact that they were willing to work on a more or less throwaway knife in the first place does really say a lot about them as a company.

 

[GasMan1]

I have only had to deal with Kershaw customer service one time. They replaced the blade for ten bucks on a used knife I picked up. And for no extra they replaced the clip and screws. It did take a couple months but other than that I was completely satisfied. I'm sorry you had these problems.

 

[undara12]

Pay more and get better service or pay less and get crappier service, you can't have it both ways. The fact that they were willing to work on a more or less throwaway knife in the first place does really say a lot about them as a company.

I think it just says that Kershaw tries to honor its written warranty. I think that is what a company should do, regardless of the cost of the product or the profit margin.

 

[American Jedi]

Wow, that's a bummer man. I'm sorry you had this experience. If anything, it's taught me to be leery of Kershaw in the future. In truth tho, I never really cared for the design of many of their knives.

 

[Velitrius]

Funny, I just sent two knives in to Kershaw.

The Leek had the little blade lock safety thingy fall out and need replaced. They replaced it just fine.

The second one was an old Wildcat Ridge of Grampas... he snapped the tip off and was hoping to get the blade replaced.

Kershaw sent a letter back, stating that they didn't offer that model any more, but pick anything from our catalog up to $60.

Grampa now has a new folding hunter on the way.

I've used their warranty service in the past and have been nothing but satisfied, sometimes impressively so.

 

[Rival1314]

Personally I think KAI has the best warranty for a production knife company, and 8 weeks is within their quoted turnaround time if you read their online info. You would be lucky to even get a response within that timeframe from some companies on this forum. When you sent it in, did you provide a detailed description of the issues you were having? Follow up with a phone call? Im sure if you took the time to chat with a rep you would find they are very caring and appreciative of their customers. As far as sending it in on your dime...if you fill out the warranty request they will pickup the shipping...you are just out the waiting time. If you feel your experience was so bad you need to put them on blast on their FB page, don't you think you should at least offer them the opportunity to rectify the situation first?

Just to be clear, you have a right to be frustrated....warranty should repair the product the first time every time, but if they don't then you should let them know. When all is said and done share the overall experience.

Im sure I will now be accosted for being a biased fanboy...so let the lambasting begin...

 

[RevDevil]

]Quite a few people have had very similar stories to yours. If they talk about it here they're labeled as trolls or haters or whatever.[/B] The best option, and I hate to say it because it shouldn't be this way, is to take your complaints to Facebook and/or start yet another negative KAI feedback thread and then lock it immediately. Then let it go and never mention here on bladeforums again.

Trust me on this.

Now on to the pragmatism. You get what you pay for. If you're buying a cheaper knife from one of the largest knife producers in the US, you can't very well expect for them to take personal interest in fixing one of their offerings with very little profit margin to begin with. As much as we want every company to take every problem their customers have very seriously, you can't have your cake and eat it too. Pay more and get better service or pay less and get crappier service, you can't have it both ways. The fact that they were willing to work on a more or less throwaway knife in the first place does really say a lot about them as a company.

Not quite fully honest there bodog are we? Context is everything, and there is a difference between a clear attempt to troll a company and someone that can articulate their experience in such a way that does not indicate some sort of preexisting issue with a company. I would even go so far as to say, give your personal record here and possibly in other places (I don't know other than what I see here), you are the least indicated to offer up any semblance of sage or sound advice in this specific scenario. Just because you didn't do it right, doesn't mean othrs suffer from the same affliction. Maybe some folks are just better at expressing themselves in a non-aggressive manner than others, who knows.

Personally I think KAI has the best warranty for a production knife company, and 8 weeks is within their quoted turnaround time if you read their online info. You would be lucky to even get a response within that timeframe from some companies on this forum. When you sent it in, did you provide a detailed description of the issues you were having? Follow up with a phone call? Im sure if you took the time to chat with a rep you would find they are very caring and appreciative of their customers. As far as sending it in on your dime...if you fill out the warranty request they will pickup the shipping...you are just out the waiting time. If you feel your experience was so bad you need to put them on blast on their FB page, don't you think you should at least offer them the opportunity to rectify the situation first?

Just to be clear, you have a right to be frustrated....warranty should repair the product the first time every time, but if they don't then you should let them know. When all is said and done share the overall experience.

Im sure I will now be accosted for being a biased fanboy...so let the lambasting begin...

No, that won't happen, as long as you don't start chumming the waters looking for it. You are entitled to your opinion, just as everyone else is. There are a lot of companies out there that have the same or better customer service than Kershaw does. It took me 3 tries to get a stop pin from one of the employees there at KAI, the person I was communicating with had no idea what a stop pin on a 0560 is. Crazy ain't it? Benchmade, Emerson, Busse, KA-BAR, on and on have "the best warranty", it all depends on what your "brand" happens to be. Everyone defends one brand or another and some people go as far as believing their beloved company is beyond any kind of reproach. Not true at all. When someone shits the bed, it's pretty obvious, regardless of the name on the blade, so long as expectations and reality exist in the same universe. BY your logic, if the service is so good, why would it take more than once to get it right? Serious question. There are people out there that are brand agnostic, they like many knives from many companies. Blind loyalty has never really been a good thing in any aspect of life. Then again, there are always a group of people always looking for something to get insulted by or butt hurt over.

 

[coinbuysell]

I have never sent a knife to them for warranty work but I have received a new clip and/or screws a couple of times for no charge...I don't like that their screw heads seem to be extremely soft but at least I can get a few more after I strip the head of one dang near every time that I take one apart for cleaning, etc.

I could be called a fanboy of ZT, not so much Kershaw, but I agree that they should have fixed everything documented on your return form prior to sending it back.

 

[kershawguy]

I emailed Kershaw about my Camber when I received it back. I expressed my disappointment and explained that this is not the first time I've had a knife returned from warranty without being properly fixed. I got back an email offering me a prepaid shipping label to send it in again. I declined that offer because I just don't feel like I can trust Kershaw to be there for me as a customer.

You really should take them up on this offer of the prepaid, you bought a nice knife and they really do care, regardless of what others may think. Doesn't matter if its a $12 knife or a $200 knife they are the best in the business, but yes they are human. Give it another chance.

Dave

 

[robgmn]

One question: How did you discover the threads were stripped on the frame screw?

 

[bodog]

Not quite fully honest there bodog are we? Context is everything, and there is a difference between a clear attempt to troll a company and someone that can articulate their experience in such a way that does not indicate some sort of preexisting issue with a company. I would even go so far as to say, give your personal record here and possibly in other places (I don't know other than what I see here), you are the least indicated to offer up any semblance of sage or sound advice in this specific scenario. Just because you didn't do it right, doesn't mean othrs suffer from the same affliction. Maybe some folks are just better at expressing themselves in a non-aggressive manner than others, who knows.

That's debatable. Anyway, a good knife is a good knife and they do have a satisfactory warranty. I carry a ZT fixed blade quite often, almost every day. Had to remake the handles more to my liking but the blade is very good for what I need in a fixed blade knife. I've owned and enjoyed several more. I've also had an overall very good experience with their warranty department even though they dropped the ball on a certain issue.

Some things should be able to be talked about without people becoming defensive. If there are threads after threads filled with hype about how great their customer service reps are and you popped in and mentioned your experience that at least some of the reps didn't know what a stop pin was just to let people know, that's not trolling. Trolls are the guys that attack you for mentioning something about it because it's not agreeable to them and doesn't fit into what they want to believe.

I've really only been somewhat hostile about one person at one company and you know who that is. I won't mention it because it doesn't pertain to the thread.

Otherwise, Kershaw/ZT/KAI is very good for a company. Any company. Try getting a company to repair a pair of shoes after you've worn them for awhile. Or try getting an all inclusive warranty on anything else without paying an extra arm and a leg to get it.

 

[RevDevil]

That's debatable. Anyway, a good knife is a good knife and they do have a satisfactory warranty. I carry a ZT fixed blade quite often, almost every day. Had to remake the handles more to my liking but the blade is very good for what I need in a fixed blade knife. I've owned and enjoyed several more. I've also had an overall very good experience with their warranty department even though they dropped the ball on a certain issue.

Some things should be able to be talked about without people becoming defensive. If there are threads after threads filled with hype about how great their customer service reps are and you popped in and mentioned your experience that at least some of the reps didn't know what a stop pin was just to let people know, that's not trolling. Trolls are the guys that attack you for mentioning something about it because it's not agreeable to them and doesn't fit into what they want to believe.

I've really only been somewhat hostile about one person at one company and you know who that is. I won't mention it because it doesn't pertain to the thread.

Otherwise, Kershaw/ZT/KAI is very good for a company. Any company. Try getting a company to repair a pair of shoes after you've worn them for awhile. Or try getting an all inclusive warranty on anything else without paying an extra arm and a leg to get it.

I agree with you in the bolded part. There needs to be civil and intelligent discussion, not just screaming and arguing without any point. Acceptance that one person might know more about a process than another seems to be a hard concept to swallow for some (generally speaking of course).

 

[19-3ben]

You get what you pay for. If you're buying a cheaper knife from one of the largest knife producers in the US, you can't very well expect for them to take personal interest in fixing one of their offerings with very little profit margin to begin with. As much as we want every company to take every problem their customers have very seriously, you can't have your cake and eat it too. Pay more and get better service or pay less and get crappier service, you can't have it both ways. The fact that they were willing to work on a more or less throwaway knife in the first place does really say a lot about them as a company.

The Camber is a $70ish knife. I realize there are much more expensive knives out there, but a knife in the $70-80 range made with an S30V steel blade is hardly a "throwaway knife," unless perhaps you're Daddy Warbucks.

 

[kershawguy]

The Camber is a $70ish knife. I realize there are much more expensive knives out there, but a knife in the $70-80 range made with an S30V steel blade is hardly a "throwaway knife," unless perhaps you're Daddy Warbucks.

The price of the knife may dictate how they handle the warranty, for example on a cheaper knife they would most likely toss it and send out a new one, with a more expensive knife like the camber they may try to repair it and in this case they failed to satisfy the customer but are still willing to try again. It makes no difference how much you spend , Kai does value its customers and do actually try to keep them happy. They have a high success in customer service from what I have seen and heard over a period of 30 years or so that I have been following them, collecting and selling their products.

 

[Quiet]

Quite a few people have had very similar stories to yours. If they talk about it here they're labeled as trolls or haters or whatever. The best option, and I hate to say it because it shouldn't be this way, is to take your complaints to Facebook and/or start yet another negative KAI feedback thread and then lock it immediately. Then let it go and never mention here on bladeforums again.

Trust me on this.

Now on to the pragmatism. You get what you pay for. If you're buying a cheaper knife from one of the largest knife producers in the US, you can't very well expect for them to take personal interest in fixing one of their offerings with very little profit margin to begin with. As much as we want every company to take every problem their customers have very seriously, you can't have your cake and eat it too. Pay more and get better service or pay less and get crappier service, you can't have it both ways. The fact that they were willing to work on a more or less throwaway knife in the first place does really say a lot about them as a company.

A $90 Camber is a "throwaway knife"?

 

[bodog]

A $90 Camber is a "throwaway knife"?

It's definitely not their $500 premium models. To most customers it's not a throwaway knife. To the company, I'd think it might be. I'm surprised they didn't just send a new one. Seems like it'd cost less than the man hours needed for one person to process the knife in, have someone else inspect and repair it, then someone else send it back postage paid.

 

[asdf12345]

8 weeks is within their quoted turnaround time if you read their online info. You would be lucky to even get a response within that timeframe from some companies on this forum.

I've had inquiry sent, response received, knife sent, and knife returned from Emerson, Spyderco and Benchmade that were 1/4 that time. 8 weeks is Microtech tier turnaround.

Don't you think you should at least offer them the opportunity to rectify the situation first?

If people don't share their bad experiences, how is anyone going to form a view of a company's overall quality of product and service?

Doesn't matter if its a $12 knife or a $200 knife they are the best in the business

Best knife or worst knife, this is a warranty service issue.

Yes they are human.

Who cares?

Give it another chance.

Dropping the ball once on fix warrants a topic made, in my opinion. Warranty services are there in case something that shouldn't go wrong did. There should be no excuse for warranty service to go wrong. When people report their experiences, you start to get an idea of how many people are having problems.

 

[mqqn]

Sorry you are having a frustration, Max.

My experience with Kershaw customer service has been very different; I have had 2 week turnaround or less on all of my personal dealings with the company.

Although it is not ideal to have to send a knife back a second time, if they are offering a pre-paid envelope, and there is a strong potential that they will replace the knife on the second try based on your previous experience, why not go through with that?

It sure sounds like they are trying to help.

@asdf12..
It's no excuse for not getting it right, but to think that 6 or 10 negative experiences posted here in the BF over time is any clear indicator of a systemic problem is not complete thinking.

Kai ships out hundreds of thousands of knives annually, but you don't see hundreds of thousands of threads here from all those customers saying they are happy.

It is the rarefied few that are:

• 
  members here

• 
  have a bad experience

• 
  choose to post about it here

I hope the OP chooses to follow through and let the company correct the issue.

best

mqqn

 

[jasonp]

SOrry to hear about your experience. I've bought and used many Kershaws (and ZT's) over the years. I've had nothing but great experience with their customer service. I did have one Kershaw I had to send in twice but the 2nd time was at their expense. While it sucks to have to wait, as long as they offer to stand behind their product, I'm good with a company. Off the subject but my wife bought me a Fitbit Surge for Christmas (their most expensive model). The batteries have all been an issue and I'm waiting on my fourth exchange. This last one barely lasts for a one hour run. It's frustrating but again, as long as the company stands behind their product, I'm good. I'd rate KAI at the top of the customer service scale.