My Manix 2 Maxamet Just Snapped !!

Status
Not open for further replies.
craytab said:
Maybe so but that shouldn't leave customers on the short end of the stick to fork out more money in order to cover knives that break under normal use.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

The assumption is that the OP did not snap the knife on purpose and that they were indeed using the knife under what’s considered normal use.

Either way, an unhappy customer can spread their experience which can, and does, result in loss of future sales. I was really hoping Spyderco would have sent him a new knife.

I just recently used a brand new S110V Manix to cut open a green coconut. It’s a fairly easy and non-stressful task on a knife. The tip snapped on the first one.

These super hard alloys have their advantages but seem to have specific parameters that they can function in.

But if you are a manufacturer who is going to make and sell them, you’re gonna have to deal with the potential increase in broken blades.
 
The sword cuts both ways on this one...

On one hand, despite plausible or possible scenarios of user error, it would generally be considered good customer service to just replace the knife.

On the other hand, especially with such a public example, replacing the knife would tell everyone that it's ok to rip through drywall with Maxamet because if it breaks, no problem, Spyderco will just replace it. From there, more people who don't know better will start doing all kinds of hard use things with Maxamet and they'll expect a new knife when they break it.

I work in a business where the warranty on very expensive products is easily voided, and has extremely specific limitations. I deal with those customers face to face in situations very similar to this.

An easier solution is to monetize the problem. While Spyderco knives are not Legos, a blade replacement program could be made available for current models, maybe with some limited legacy support, at a price that makes sense, and in accordance with the level of steel. Example: Maxamet = $100 with everything else costing less.

If a Spyderco custom shop were to emerge in the future, a synergy could be leveraged through it's blade inventory.

Just because a knife has a Spyderco logo on it doesn't mean that its invincible. Taking the time to understand advanced steels before using advanced steels is highly recommended. However not everyone is fortunate enough to know what they dont know before purchasing such things. For that reason, it may be a best practice for Spyderco to include more details in the box, including warnings about usage restrictions, like they do for knives that lack corrosion resistance.

Ultimately the situation sucks for both the customer and Spyderco. Personally, I also would have sent the denial letter while fully expecting it to not be the end of the conversation.

I recommend calling Spyderco on Monday, be nice, and just go from there.
 
How does Spyderco ensure consistency in the application of its warranty across multiple knives and issues?

Whose fault is the broken knife in this case? I know what it means to score drywall and I do not see any possibility that that knife could break perpendicular to the edge like that under circumstances described by the OP, especially given the location of drywall substrate on the knife and the apparent good condition of the edge after use in the drywall. In my mind, that leaves primarily two possibilities assuming the OP is telling the truth about how it happened. Either the knife was defective from the start or the OP did something to the knife at some point to compromise the integrity of the blade. I suppose the "third possibility" is that Maxamet normally does break with "normal use."

So in order, I guess it could be Spyderco's fault (defective knife), the OP's fault (compromised by the user), or the steel's fault (it's just what Maxamet does). I state the obvious, but I'd sure like to know how Spyderco figured out where to place blame.
 
I don't know the exact circumstances but I have no reason to doubt the OP stating what happened ... and from my own experience with a Manix 2 in Maxamet breaking in much the same area as his ... mine was not 2 weeks old and had not been used enough to cause any stress and when it broke there was no hard use or lateral stress on the blade. I still own several Syperdco knives, use and enjoy them but I am surprised at Spyderco's response on this one.

I learned my lesson and will not buy another blade in Maxamet ... they may fit well for some users but I have figured out that high hardness steels in general are not a good fit for my needs and uses the added edge retention can't make up for the things they give up to achieve that for me.
 
Man, that sucks

I’m not metallurgist by any stretch, but I can follow the basics.
I get that this is a steel that’s not focused on toughness.
If offerings like this are made in the future they should come with a warning label or disclaimer.
Like flashing banner on top of the web page warning.
I don’t feel like the op did anything I wouldn’t have done with the same
Knife.
 
Since we probably will never know the truth behind the broken blade, and because Spyderco has a long time reputation for truthfulness and quality products, I'm hesitant to say they did something wrong with the production of the knife, or the customer service.

If I were customer service manager I probably would have said how sorry I was the knife broke through no fault of Spyderco, and offered the customer a free nice brand new x-out Manix 2 lightweight model S110v, which I really like.

It would not be the perfect situation that the owner wanted, but it would show concern on Spyderco's part for a customer who spent some probably hard earned dough on an expensive Spydie. This obviously didn't happen so I'm probably under the influence of Covit-19 for even suggesting it.

 
on_the_edge said:
So in order, I guess it could be Spyderco's fault (defective knife), the OP's fault (compromised by the user), or the steel's fault (it's just what Maxamet does). I state the obvious, but I'd sure like to know how Spyderco figured out where to place blame.
Click to expand...
That seems like the breakdown of option to me. Based on Spyderco's response, it looks like they blame the customer. I do not have any reason to think the OP is lying and I have dealt with the OP on the exchange. Further, we have other accounts here of similar things happening to long time members in good standing, quality folks I trust.

This sort of looks to me like there is a issue with maxamet that is being handled inconsistently by the warranty department. In this case, the customer is being left holding the bag. This is something that shouldn't happen with any company but I expect it the least from Spyderco. Very disappointing and I am hopeful for a correction to this outcome by Spyderco and Sal.
 
Why not just remove the Maxamet blade and give it to R&D to research it. Then have the customer pick a new blade from the available steels on hand, replace the blade and ship it back to the customer. Seems like such an easy fix. Maybe there is more to it than that.
 
Thanks for all tour comments. I do appreciate all of your insights on this. I have carried a knife at work everyday for the last 25 years. From $10.00 up to $200.00. For the last 5 years I have only been using Spyderco’s. Manix 2, PM2, PM3 ,Shaman, and Delica‘s with various steels and scales. I have never seen a knife snapped this easily. I have always recommend Spyderco Knives because they have always made a quality product. This is my first warranty experience and to tell you the truth I really feel like I have been cheated on. I have spent so much money on Spyderco products (shirts, cases, knives, etc.). This experience leaves me feeling a little hurt. It’s ok, I’m a big boy and I’ll be ok.(lol). Thanks again for all your comments.
 
I would want to hear what Spyderco R&D had to say about it... Seems to be that a lot on this thread would agree that a blade shouldn't snap like that under those conditions, I agree. Maybe there is something that Spyderco considers misuse that we wouldn't think is too much for the knife to handle?

I have once a couple years ago (very reluctantly, I might add) scored the paper on sheetrock with an S110v PM2. Held up fine, but I didn't really drive the tip into the material, just cut the top paper layer so it could be snapped on the line. Of course it's a different knife and a different steel. And I wouldn't use my nice knife for that job if I had a choice. But the point is I don't think just sheetrock should cause a knife to snap like that.

Again, maybe Spyderco can chime in to give us a little more science on it?

Also, I think a card in the box of maxamet knives would be appropriate, like others have said. That steel is some different stuff.
 
Disappointing response. Perhaps they didn’t want to place direct blame on the user and just stated, not a warranty issue but please take a discount.

I’m about to contact Spyderco for an issue that is regarding the quality of assembly of a new knife. It will be interesting to see what they say.
 
Seems like Spyderco needs to not offer these crazy, hyper steels in harnesses that are at the top if the chart if this is going to be an expected outcome. The hole with a sharp edge notch intersecting the hole is also a design flaw in this steel as well, in my simple opinion.

Seems like a case where Spyderco can't win. Give the fans what they want and get to suffer the consequences for it one way it the other.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top