DEFECTIVE Aqua Salt

[scubanick]

I just got a new Aqua Salt from cutleryshoppe.com and the blade is out of alignment.
When I set it on a table on its side, the blade sits at least 2 mm closer to the table on one side, versus the other. You can tell just by looking at it that it's crooked. Someone at the factory didn't put it in the mold properly when they attached the frn handle.

I am super unhappy about this.

Anybody else have the same problem?

Not only that, but when I emailed spyderco, first they want me to go back and return it through cutleryshoppe (even though it is NOT THEIR FAULT, IT IS SPYDERCO's FAULT) - and they want ME to PAY for shipping out of pocket, even though the knife is clearly brand new.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

This is infuriating.

[JNewell]

Handling problems like this through dealers is very common. Have you contacted Jeff at CS?

[Buckles]

maybe your table is crooked.

[CanisMajor]

Jeff is a stand up guy, contact him and everything should work out.

Canis

[Bluntrauma]

Agreed. I have bought several knives from Jeff and he is a stand up guy. I bought a knife from him that had a really small scratch on the blade. If it had been a user I wouldn't have even bothered. He took it back no questions asked. He'll take care of you.

[yablanowitz]

If you bought a new car and the front end was out of alignment, would you send it back to the manufacturer or take it back to the dealer? Who would pay for the gas in either case?

[scubanick]

I will contact him first thing monday.

But regardless, it is a defective knife and absolutely not the distributor's fault.

Whomever Jeff is over at CS, he shouldn't even have to answer a phone call about it. The burden of quality control can't be put on him to open every single knife that he ships out. It should be done by the manufacturer, before the knife is boxed up. Any other proposition is just ridiculously inefficient.

I sent an email back to spyderco after they told me I would have to pay for shipping, and told them I want a return mailing receipt and that I will not personally pay to send back a product that they built incorrectly.

I currently own four spyderco knives and I am thinking about owning none.

[scubanick]

and no my table is not crooked.

I have worked in a machine shop before, and I can tell if a knife handle is straight. you can see the bad alignment just holding it in hand. and then once you put it on a table and flip it back and forth it looks even worse.

I can't believe there aren't controls for stuff like this at the factory.

really, each knife should be inspected. It would take all of ten seconds per knife for basic aligment checks.

and @yablanowitz - get a clue. are you really going to make that argument?

No matter what, the knife must go through the mail system. Either it goes one leg right back to spyderco, where the problem originated, or it goes to cs, and then to spyderco. Two legs in the mail, and a lot of wasted energy. Even though it has NOTHING to do with CS.

[Agent_Ohm]

I just checked my aqua salt (also purchased from CS) and it appears to be properly alligned.

I would call CS and ask for a replacement.

[SteelDragon]

pictures?

[Bluntrauma]

I will contact him first thing monday.

But regardless, it is a defective knife and absolutely not the distributor's fault.

Whomever Jeff is over at CS, he shouldn't even have to answer a phone call about it. The burden of quality control can't be put on him to open every single knife that he ships out. It should be done by the manufacturer, before the knife is boxed up. Any other proposition is just ridiculously inefficient.

I sent an email back to spyderco after they told me I would have to pay for shipping, and told them I want a return mailing receipt and that I will not personally pay to send back a product that they built incorrectly.

I currently own four spyderco knives and I am thinking about owning none.

I think it is maybe a bit unreasonable to expect perfection from a production company. Mistakes happen and things slip through the cracks. Sure, it would be great if Spyderco put out a perfect knife everytime. Just as it would unfair for me to expect you to capitalize the "M" in Monday. Stuff happens. Get in touch with Jeff. He will make it right for you.

[defenestrate]

As stated above, Jeff is a good guy, Nick. Go through the standard procedure of sending the knife back to the dealer.

The distribution channels are designed in such a way that it is easier to handle it this way initially. If you were to have an issue with Jeff (and I highly doubt you will, I've had good results with him consistently) *then* is the time to worry the Spyderco W&R department about handling it. Spyderco is a very small company, with a short staff who work very hard to please. The dealer channels are there for a reason - think of the dealer as an authorized representative of Spyderco's wares (which the dealer essentially is, falling just shy of being an agent proper acting on Spyderco's behalf) and your first line of contact/inquiry - as each dealer is responsible for his or her own inventory, it is much easier usually for the dealer to manage things like this as it takes the load off of Spyderco proper. Do you see what I mean? The fact that you bought it from Jeff is a good indicator.

Think of your knife as a car - you feel you got a lemon, and there are multiple ways to handle it potentially, but until you let the dealer try to make it right, you are not really allowing the network of OEM->VAR->ELU to operate as it is meant to be (that's Original Equipment Manufacturer, Value Added Reseller and End Line User for folks who a little less familiar with TLA's (Three Letter Acronyms )).

Let Jeff help you. :D

[Rhiney]

Oops, better said by Defenestrate at the same time I was posting -- Time to bring the tone down a bit, I think. People have given you helpful suggestions and hopefully Jeff can fix you up at no cost to you. Before responding angrily, I really urge you to try that as a solution.

I would add that Spyderco does have excellent quality control, but excellent isn't perfect. Dealers frequently are in a better position to exchange a knife for you, and ship the problem one back to Spyderco. They are dealing in volume so there is no cost there, and no goofing around with shipping one knife here, one knife there. In that respect, I think it is more efficient than going directly to the manufacturer.

If I may make a suggestion - for what it's worth - I think you may have put some people off by posting with such anger and making statements like "I currently own four spyderco knives and I am thinking about owning none." That just reads as inflammatory and a bit silly when you've been offered a "no cost" to you solution of simply contacting the dealer.

Best wishes and I hope you get this problem resolved.

[grunt0331]

I just got a new Aqua Salt from cutleryshoppe.com and the blade is out of alignment.
When I set it on a table on its side, the blade sits at least 2 mm closer to the table on one side, versus the other. You can tell just by looking at it that it's crooked. Someone at the factory didn't put it in the mold properly when they attached the frn handle.

I am super unhappy about this.

Anybody else have the same problem?

Not only that, but when I emailed spyderco, first they want me to go back and return it through cutleryshoppe (even though it is NOT THEIR FAULT, IT IS SPYDERCO's FAULT) - and they want ME to PAY for shipping out of pocket, even though the knife is clearly brand new.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

This is infuriating.

stupid Spyderco. this is infuriating. i'm never buying another... at least until the new Para comes out.

[araneae]

First of all, I would take a deep breath and calm down. It seems silly to be "infuriated" over a crooked blade.

Your dealer is the agent from whom you bought the knife; so it makes perfect sense to handle the issue through them. I bought a new water bottle last week- it had a leaky cap. I took it back to the retailer and they gave me another. Why would I send it to the manufacturer?

[Blerv]

I will contact him first thing monday.

But regardless, it is a defective knife and absolutely not the distributor's fault.

Whomever Jeff is over at CS, he shouldn't even have to answer a phone call about it. The burden of quality control can't be put on him to open every single knife that he ships out. It should be done by the manufacturer, before the knife is boxed up. Any other proposition is just ridiculously inefficient.

I sent an email back to spyderco after they told me I would have to pay for shipping, and told them I want a return mailing receipt and that I will not personally pay to send back a product that they built incorrectly.

I currently own four spyderco knives and I am thinking about owning none.

I'm sure they have an open relationship with places like Cutleryshoppe. Reimbursements, bulk shipping of new and returned product, etc. If that's the way they do business that's the way they do business...it's not like Spyderco is beating them up for lunch money.

Typically with warranties (everywhere I have seen them in the world), postage and product is taken care of IF deemed defected aka "out of spec".

Spyderco has paid for shipping and returned perfect knives, paid for shipping and bought back knives people weren't happy with (from the UK!), and done things that no company should do...like replacing factory mistreated factory seconds because Sal said once, "that doesn't seem like it should have broken."

They have a fantastic warranty and repair department too which you can contact via email. It's their job to decide if things are within spec (using the coffee table test of course). Of course, I hear honey works better in the bee trap than vinegar.

Do what you want with your future purchases. I think they make an amazing product which are mostly finished by humans (who can make mistakes) then checked by QC reps (who are also humans). They handle problems and things that aren't problems and continue to come away smelling like roses where most companies would just ignore the customer.

Welcome to the forum. Goodluck in the future.

PS: Two of the best ways to get things for free in life is acting Nice and Ignorant. Trust me, it works amazing.

[The Deacon]

First thing to do would be to ask Jeff to check the ones he has in stock. You are assuming your knife is abnormal. That may, or may not, be the case. I doubt the handles are put on by hand, I'm more inclined to think it's done in some sort of a gang mold. If that's the case, I'd say there's at least a chance that's just the way they are. Better to know, and perhaps consider getting a different knife, than go through the same drill a second time. I know I have, or had, an Aqua Salt. Don't remember selling or gifting it, but damned if I can find it.

[gbelleh]

It sucks to get a lemon, but it happens. Buy enough stuff and it will happen again. It's happened to me plenty of times with high-end products from many companies. That's what the warranty is for. It will do you no good to get even more bent out of shape than the knife about it.

[Blerv]

I doubt the handles are put on by hand, I'm more inclined to think it's done in some sort of a gang mold. If that's the case, I'd say there's at least a chance that's just the way they are.

Very good point.

I was auto-typing the "we are all human" concept.

[dbcad]

Scuba, I agree about going through the dealer first. There is no reason for keeping a brand new purchase your not happy with.

I've dealt with KC quite a bit. They've taken 2 knives back from me only because I didn't want them after I saw and handled them.

Buying online has some inherent risks, one of them is paying for return shipping if you don't get what you want or expect.

I own 20 Spyderco folders now and see absolutely nothing wrong with their quality. I'm sorry you might have gotten a Salt that slipped through the cracks. I'm sure CS will graciously take it back. Shipping is what? $5 and a trip to the post office. That is what I would do if I recieved a defective Spyderco.
I realize you were probably anticipating the delivery, and know that disapointment is unpleasant on the heels of anticipation.

Keep things in perspective Scuba. Spyderco is in my mind the best and most innovative knife manufacturer out there.

Charlie