Return Policy, FAQ's, Things You Should Know and Other Knife Stuff

We get many, many e-mails asking about everything from return policy to "Why can I get the same knife cheaper somewhere else?" We hope that you find the following information informative and trust that many questions that you may have will be answered.

Return & Guarantee Information:  At one time, we had a nice formal return and guarantee policy. We had all of the right words with a list of the things that a customer had to do to get a problem solved. Well, we tossed that one in the trash can when we discovered that it was more trouble than it was worth. When a customer receives a knife that does not work, (rarely because every knife is checked for function before it is shipped) it is a no brainer. WE REPLACE IT. The problem that we and that other retailers have is that many customers do not like some aspect of the knife other than the function. We have actually had MANY cases where a customer deliberately damaged a knife and returned it to us for replacement or for a refund. The thinking is that with a damaged knife, there is less hassle.  Better than just saying that they just do not like it. So, we have a much easier policy. If you purchase a knife from us and you have a problem with it, e-mail us within 48 hours after receiving the knife and we will work with you to make it right. DO NOT RETURN THE KNIFE UNTIL WE GIVE YOU THE OK.  Basically the following charges will apply. If you are returning a knife just because you don't like it, we will refund your money less $12.50 S&H and restocking fee. If you want the knife replaced with the same model (except if it is broken which we will replace at no additional charge) we will do so and charge an additional shipping and handling charge. If you want to exchange the knife for one of greater value, we will charge you the difference plus a shipping and handling fee.  In NO CASE, after (30) days from purchase will we be responsible by way of Guarantee or Warranty for any knife.

ATTN: If you are returning a knife by US Mail, please ship it with a delivery confirmation (45 cents at the Post Office). We can not be responsible for a knife until we actually receive it.

NOTE: The Knife Shop SlimeBall Policy: We really hate to say this but unfortunately me must. We know this does not pertain to you but there are those (you know who you are) who may wish to play dirty. If a knife has been obviously tampered with to make it appear broken or disassembled out of curiosity and is unable to be reassembled, please don't attempt to return it.  If you do, we will return the knife to you and ban you as a customer. You will then be forced to shop at one of our competitors (if you haven't already been banned there) and that is good for us because we believe in sharing the pain. Remember, internet knife retailers talk to each other. There are not that many of us.

99.9% of our customers are as decent and honest as we like to think that we are. We have hundreds of satisfied repeat customers and as such, we are one of the largest knife retailers on the internet. We value our customers and take care of them. PERIOD!!!

NOTE 2:  The knives that we sell are all production knives and production knife conversions. They are not hand made esoteric knives. Collectors please take note. Production knives often have tool marks left on the knife. The average person would not even notice but under very close examination they may be visible.  If a collector is looking for the perfect knife then we suggest that they pass on production knives. Collectors of particular brands of production knives already know what to expect in the production process of the manufacturer.

Auctions: We are often asked about which online auctions that we participate in. Because of the nature of our products, we keep strictly to the major gun auctions. We DO NOT sell on E-Bay or Yahoo. Both of these auctions have blade restrictions on automatic knives of 5 centimeters or 2 inches. You will see many items listed on these auctions in the switchblade category but beware, in order for them to have blade lengths of 2 inches or less, they are miniatures of regular knives or knives made expressly for the California market which only allows automatic knives with blade lengths of 2 inches or less. We sell only full size production knives.

Differences in the same knife:  Are all automatic knives of the same model the same? The answer to this is a resounding yes and no. The only difference is usually the quality of the spring installed.  Many if not most of the automatic knives from the Asian Rim are imported without a spring and later installed in the US. This may be done by the importer, distributor, wholesaler or the retailer. What this all boils down to is that any of the previous entities may use a different quality spring. What quality of spring used is totally based upon what the installers intent is when it finally ends up in the market place. There is a truism in the industry that the more snap that a knife has the more saleable it is at a higher price. Down and dirty retailers and high volume auction sellers are not so much concerned with this and purchase knives in quantity based upon price.  Premium retailers, such as ourselves, look for the most snap and try to find wholesalers who supply knives with higher quality springs. Some retailers find that they can't get what they desire at the wholesale level and install the springs themselves. When marketing a knife that has no brand recognition, the three things that sell it are the quality, design and the SNAP.  NOTE: Because of the design of a knife, it may not have the snap of some others even with a premium spring installed. This is particularly true if the knife was engineered to use a smaller spring or do to the size of the knife itself.

Conversions: Factory automatics are generally a known quantity (not withstanding the above). They are either good or bad. However, many of the automatic knives that we and others sell are actually conversions of manual models. The Boker line is a good example. Bokers are very popular knives and reflect the quality of German engineering and manufacturing. Because of this, there are a large number of people doing conversions on Boker knives. Everyone starts with the same manual model. That is where all similarity ends. Kids in basements, handymen in garages  or anyone with a Dremmel Tool and the desire to convert manual knives into automatics are doing so. Some of the conversions are ok but most are junk. At the very best, the quality is all over the lot. We just recently started carrying the Boker line again after having discontinued it over a year ago. We had so many problems with the varying quality of the knives that we were getting that we could no longer afford the risk to our reputation. We have now found someone who is actually in the business of conversion and who has the milling, drilling and other equipment necessary to turn out a quality product. Someone who uses the best springs. We pay a premium price for these conversions and as such, we charge a little more than others may. What holds true for the Bokers, holds true for the other converted knives that we sell. We always tell the buyer if a knife is converted from a manual model. So, you may find the same knife for a bit less. Or what started as the same knife. However,  when you purchase from us, you can be assured that you are getting the best conversion that we know of for your money.

Man VS Machine:  It has always been a belief that products that are handcrafted are better than products made by machinery. There was once a case to be made for this but today it is generally a myth.  Yes, custom knife makers who spend hours upon hours crafting a knife will produce a knife that represents his artistic talents.  Each knife that he produces is not only functional but a work of art. He can not make the exact identical knife again. He then must charge hundreds of dollars to recoup his labor and make a profit. If you are looking for a one of a kind knife then this is the way to go. But, quality production knives are a different thing entirely. Today, laser and microchip technology when applied to machines is able to consistently mill to tolerances that human beings are incapable of. Each knife that is turned out is virtually identical to the next. (Except when the machinery breaks down and the person in charge of quality control has the day off)  

Objectivity VS Subjectivity:  The objectivity in a knife is the known quantity. The size, shape, where it is made, the blade steel and of course, how well it functions. You either like it or you don't.  The subjectivity comes into play when you are dealing with materials that vary from knife to knife. The most notable example for knives is the handle material. Man made substances like acrylic and patented plastics are pretty much objective but in knives that use natural handle materials such as wood, bone, stag and horn, it is entirely a different matter. No two are alike. Different shades, coloration, grain and cut are some of the things that separate one handle (scale) appearance from another in the same model knife. What one person may think is the prettiest thing that he has ever seen is someone else's nightmare. This presents a real problem for the retailer. If he sends a customer a knife that he doesn't like in appearance he may alienate that customer forever even if he replaces it. The pictures on a web site are only representative of the knife that was used for the picture. Even though the retailer may have picked the best knife that he liked from the lot to feature, you can bet that someone will hate it. The one thing that all retailers learn over time is that their own personal preferences are often of no concern to the customer.

Buying From Europe: We have had many customers point out that they can get a knife cheaper if they buy from a retailer in Europe. This is true as far as it goes. What they do not consider is this. International shipping rates are very expensive. $30 for a single item is about normal for mail. More for express shipments. A certain percentage of shipments never get through. Returns are a hassle if you have to send it back. Often there are problems with customer service. The language barrier can be frustrating. All in all, it is usually much cheaper and less hassle to purchase from a retailer in the US.  Think about it. If purchasing a knife from over seas was all that easy and hassle free, there wouldn't be any of us selling them in the United States. (We and all of the other retailers have many customers who have tried it and won't do it again.)

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