I love it, I always wanted one, and I've got to send it back
One of those truly frustrating things that happens with knives is getting one you've really wanted and having the excitement snuffed out because there are issues that require sending it back to get fixed.
On the day after Christmas I ordered a S&M File & Wire Cotton Sampler as my birthday/Christmas gift for myself. Came in yesterday. Took it out, unwrapped it, looks great at first blush. This is a knife I've wanted to try ever since I saw it first come out, a knife I could never totally put out of my head, so I was really jazzed to finally be getting it.
I run my finger along the edge to gauge the edge and feel something odd. It's like there's a wave to the edge near the tip. The edge isn't really biting sharp so I keep my finger on it for a few more passes. Yup, there's definitely an irregularity there. I look over the blade more closely and find the main grinds on each side aren't even, the shoulders don't match up. One side is ground more deeply, like it was leaned on harder at the grinder. The edge bevel is also not even from one side to the other but it's opposite of the way the main grind is off. The side with the shallower main grind had a larger edge bevel and vice versa.
That spot where the edge bevel gets narrow is where I can feel the wave. The edge is not totally straight from end to end. There's a small curve in there. Rather defeats the purpose for a wharncliffe/sheepsfoot blade. At best it was just ground poorly. At worst the blade is a bit warped. You can also see the burr left at the tip.
This shows how far past center the edge bevel goes on one side compared to the other. I know it's blurry, but try to follow the line of the edge from the tip back toward the pivot. It's off pretty much the whole way.
Very much bothered by the blade I close the knife back up and look over the rest of it. Oh, what's that on the tang? Some left over polishing compound or gunk? No. It's actually a gouge out of the metal on the top and another on the bottom.
Almost looks like it was twisted off whatever it was cut out of and the bits that got left behind weren't noticed.
Also, the backspring is not as strong as I think it should be. Pulls pretty easy out of the handle but it's much too easy to push down from the open position. Maybe a 4 out of 10. Considering it's a big broad blade and has a half stop I think it should be 7 or 8. I want that added measure on the back end because with so much blade to pinch opening it up isn't a real issue.
I called Queen and will be sending the knife back to them come Monday. I hope they can make it right. Considering these are limited run models I don't know if that means they have to try to repair the knife rather than just replace it with a better example off the shelf. Truth be told, I don't want this particular blade repaired because of the large defects at the tang. I would want it replaced.
For the S&M brand, and the File & Wire series especially, this really is not the quality I've come to expect. Compared to my CB Morgan gunstock the blade on the sampler is pretty poor. Kinda ends the year on a sour note knife-wise. Here to hoping it's return in 2011 will be better.
-- Nate
On the day after Christmas I ordered a S&M File & Wire Cotton Sampler as my birthday/Christmas gift for myself. Came in yesterday. Took it out, unwrapped it, looks great at first blush. This is a knife I've wanted to try ever since I saw it first come out, a knife I could never totally put out of my head, so I was really jazzed to finally be getting it.
I run my finger along the edge to gauge the edge and feel something odd. It's like there's a wave to the edge near the tip. The edge isn't really biting sharp so I keep my finger on it for a few more passes. Yup, there's definitely an irregularity there. I look over the blade more closely and find the main grinds on each side aren't even, the shoulders don't match up. One side is ground more deeply, like it was leaned on harder at the grinder. The edge bevel is also not even from one side to the other but it's opposite of the way the main grind is off. The side with the shallower main grind had a larger edge bevel and vice versa.
That spot where the edge bevel gets narrow is where I can feel the wave. The edge is not totally straight from end to end. There's a small curve in there. Rather defeats the purpose for a wharncliffe/sheepsfoot blade. At best it was just ground poorly. At worst the blade is a bit warped. You can also see the burr left at the tip.
This shows how far past center the edge bevel goes on one side compared to the other. I know it's blurry, but try to follow the line of the edge from the tip back toward the pivot. It's off pretty much the whole way.
Very much bothered by the blade I close the knife back up and look over the rest of it. Oh, what's that on the tang? Some left over polishing compound or gunk? No. It's actually a gouge out of the metal on the top and another on the bottom.
Almost looks like it was twisted off whatever it was cut out of and the bits that got left behind weren't noticed.
Also, the backspring is not as strong as I think it should be. Pulls pretty easy out of the handle but it's much too easy to push down from the open position. Maybe a 4 out of 10. Considering it's a big broad blade and has a half stop I think it should be 7 or 8. I want that added measure on the back end because with so much blade to pinch opening it up isn't a real issue.
I called Queen and will be sending the knife back to them come Monday. I hope they can make it right. Considering these are limited run models I don't know if that means they have to try to repair the knife rather than just replace it with a better example off the shelf. Truth be told, I don't want this particular blade repaired because of the large defects at the tang. I would want it replaced.
For the S&M brand, and the File & Wire series especially, this really is not the quality I've come to expect. Compared to my CB Morgan gunstock the blade on the sampler is pretty poor. Kinda ends the year on a sour note knife-wise. Here to hoping it's return in 2011 will be better.
-- Nate
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