new service pricing structure

I'm really bummed. My 940 was a gift and Ive had to sharpen it so much it's getting really thick. Still usable but not as much of a pleasure anymore
 
This is sad to learn.

Luckily I’ve collected enough Ritter grips to last this lefty a lifetime. It’s my favorite Benchmade and replacement blades aren’t an option anymore anyways. ;)
 
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plow_2 said:
I'm really bummed. My 940 was a gift and Ive had to sharpen it so much it's getting really thick. Still usable but not as much of a pleasure anymore
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Reprofile it. Get a coarse diamond stone, rod, or whatever and remove some steel behind the edge. If you're hesitant to do it yourself, send it off to one of the BF members who sharpen knives. Heck, take a chance and send it back to Benchmade to be sharpened although they're not know for their superior sharpening skills themselves.
 
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I just got off the phone with BM. If you login to your account you can actually enter your model number and it will give you a quote. Custom Shops however are not set up yet so she had to put me on hold and find out. I was quoted $70 for a new M4 blade for my 550 Custom Shop.

Just an FYI.
 
Is the Benchmade rep still around here? If so, can you come out clarify what's the reblade policy is like currently?
 
Had a good look through Benchmade's own forum, and while I could find no official announcement, there were some discussions there on the price increase for replacement blades. It seems that the blade replacement fee was adjusted beginning of this year and is now at least 1/3 the original MSRP of the respective models. Examples were mentioned, such as $190 for a replacement Anthem blade and $75 for a replacement Bugout chromium nitride coated blade. It is no longer the previous set prices of $30 for a satin blade and $40 for a coated one.

What this means for Benchmade's international customers is that sending in a knife for a blade replacement is no longer a viable option when one takes into account the associated return mailing costs.
 
BMCGear said:
I was quoted $70 for a new M4 blade for my 550 Custom Shop.
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Do ya think it’s safe saying a S90V blade for my custom shop Mini CR would be priced similarly? It was a gift from my wife so I don’t use it hard, but a $70 blade replacement is definitely something that will keep it in the dresser drawer. I’d hate to be in a situation where I might have to bear down on a knife and it’s the one in my pocket.
 
Lee D said:
Do ya think it’s safe saying a S90V blade for my custom shop Mini CR would be priced similarly? It was a gift from my wife so I don’t use it hard, but a $70 blade replacement is definitely something that will keep it in the dresser drawer. I’d hate to be in a situation where I might have to bear down on a knife and it’s the one in my pocket.
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I would say it would be atleast that. The member above saying it's around 1/3rd the price of MSRP looks to be onto something. My Grip was $230 new so 1/3 of that would be about $75.

Now, with that being said, I'd carry and use that knife. I used to think similarly and found that I got a lot more enjoyment out of using my knives than keeping them in a drawer and fondling them occasionally. It's your knife but your wife bought you that tool to use. Cherish it by carrying and cutting with it often. :)
 
Ouch. At 90$ you start entering the price realm of a whole new blade. Not a 940 mind you but you can get S30v griptilians now for right around 100$ and even less used...

At that point you are really getting some diminishing returns from getting a new blade in an old worn knife and might as well consider buying a whole new blade to put through the hard work stuff.
 
Yeah was quoted $70 for a bugout replacement blade. I can buy a new bugout for not much more. Defeats the purpose of the blade replacement warranty, after you considering shipping cost and wait time. I'll keep the benchmades I have, but I have ventured out to other brands for now. FWIW, I have a Dividend M390, and Kershaw will replace the blade for $10. Much better deal considering the knife only cost me 60 bucks.


TXPO
 
Half ass prediction of BM being sold within 2 years. Edit: owner of several customs for my kids and a few regulars of my own, the standout being the 810.

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Texaspoff said:
Yeah was quoted $70 for a bugout replacement blade. I can buy a new bugout for not much more. Defeats the purpose of the blade replacement warranty, after you considering shipping cost and wait time. I'll keep the benchmades I have, but I have ventured out to other brands for now. FWIW, I have a Dividend M390, and Kershaw will replace the blade for $10. Much better deal considering the knife only cost me 60 bucks.


TXPO
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That's just silly for collectors. Easy enough to get 20-25% off Benchmade if you have a relationship with your dealer. That said, they aren't focusing even slightly on the few of us who are serious collectors and who post on these forums. A couple of years ago I spoke with Les about some of this stuff, and although it's a little obvious in hindsight, things like blade centering mean absolutely zero to 98% of their customers. Most of their customers who buy one or two knives don't know anything about blade prices until it comes time to replace a blade.
 
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jaypowell0185 said:
Man this news just turned me off to Benchmade. I was so looking forward to picking up a mini adamas
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Yea I know, the mini adamas looks pretty cool but I doubt I'll pull the trigger. I just bought another knife from another big manufacturer and the value is much better and they still offer blade replacement at a reasonable price. The last benchmade I bought was on black friday from a local dealer because it was 30% off. I just can't justify more benchmades anymore, the butterfly tax is getting ridiculous. Plus ever since the new higher management took over, the service, QC, and value has gotten worse. I understand the need to raise prices on the blade replacement, but they could have been a little more reasonable on the cost. It makes me wonder if they will eventually charge for life sharp requests in order to lower how many they receive. As others have said it wouldn't surprise me if the company sells in the next 4 years.
 
Observing the way Benchmade has increased their prices over the years this comes as no surprise to me. Avoid powered sharpening devices to prolong the life of your blade or look at other options for your next purchase.
 
I am not happy about this but it is still better than Spydercos reblade policy.
 
As a BM owner/user for many years, I find this disdain, no, disdain is not the right word... complete “screw them, I’m never buying another product again over-the-top-ness?” stemming from the replacement blade price increases really strange.

First, I’ve never had anything but good experiences with their customer service. If I’ve needed parts or clips, they’ve sent me parts or clips, usually at little or no cost, but I’ve never sent a complete knife to them for all-out repair or reblading, even though I probably could have. I sharpen mine myself, and fix whatever breaks that I can, mostly because I don’t want the hassle of shipping and waiting, regardless that the warranty exists.

That said, I also fully understand and acknowledge that my use of a knife may very likely be far less rigorous than others, coupled with the fact I have several (ok, more than several) knives, and not just one dedicated knife to cut stuff with, so wear gets distributed a bit thinly. I’ve never personally worn a single blade so far out that I reasonably thought the manufacturer owed me a new one based on damage from use I put on it. They’re tools, they wear, I expect that. I know folks who DO put that kind of wear on knives, and I understand it sucks replacing one if you gotta, but that cost not a deciding factor for me when I buy them, because it’ll probably be a non-issue in my casual use. I do expect warranty coverage for defects in manufacture and assembly, but not legitimate, expected wear. Maybe the price of reblades IS unreasonable now for hard users, but I don’t and probably never will have a dog in that fight. Nonetheless, the warranty is a nice icing on the cake for their knives, which I enjoy, but I don’t buy them solely because of their warranty.

What does irk me, and I’m curious if this was a catalyst in the hike, is something I’ve noticed here and there among current collectors’/enthusiasts’, which is the parameters of wear worth sending in for warranty work and/or reblading. Scratches in finish? Buying a knife with serrations, then deciding you’d rather have a plain edge? Upgrading/changing steel because you think you need a better one? Wanting a coated blade because it just looks better with your snazzy new aftermarket scales? Were these the folks who were abusing the service intended to help a company support their loyal users? If you bought something and expected something else, is that BM’s problem to fix? I mean, sorry your knife has a bit of character after using it a few times, but does it neeeeed a whole new blade? “No, but it’s not LNIB anymore, and it’s covered under LifeSharp, so I might as well.”

Additionally, I was thinking about the secondary market, which I imagine was probably far less of an issue in years past before the Bay. Is it possible there’s a significant enough issue with flippers and folks buying secondhand beaters at rock bottom prices, then sending them in for brand new blades? At least enough so that BM was losing enough in “repairs” to secondhand (thirdhand, fourthhand) buyers that they had to make up some costs to keep up or curtail this type of activity? I dunno. Would lowering the price of reblading again, BUT requiring proof of retail purchase or warranty registration be the answer?

Like I said, $70 - $90 is still less than a new BM knife, but not so inexpensive those buying that battle-rattled handle assembly with an oversharpened blade with a busted tip and smooth serrations on the Bay can put a brand new blade on it for cheap and earn the clout of having a Benchmade. For whatever clout is worth. Lol.

Eh. This isn’t really a “come to defense of the almighty Butterfly as a fanboy” argument. I’m just thinking out loud (well, on the keyboard anyway). I could be completely wrong.
 
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