I'm rather disappointed

stick · Post by **stick** » Fri May 14, 2004 9:58 pm

Just bought my second knife from AB in Italy. It's a 8" brass and stag lever lock. I haven't seen such a rough peice of junk since the last time I went to a Florida flea market... in fact some of those $10 Mexican knives looked better than this. The brass is deeply tarnished and dented. The steel babckstrap is rusted so deeply it can't be cleaned up. The handles must have been fit by a drunk. The pins in the handle are terrible... some are flush and some stick up so much that they snag the inside of your pocket. The pin on which the lever rotates looks like a peice of bent paper clip.

Is this par for the course with switchblades? I own a lot of different folders and belt knives and every one of them are of a much higher quality than either switchblade I bought. This leverlock was $122 with shipping. I just tossed it in the trash.

yavcon · Post by **yavcon** » Fri May 14, 2004 10:35 pm

A few years back I placed an order from AB. The back strip of metal is rusty on all of them now, but I didnt really keep up with the mateneince. One of the knives didnt close all the way and was slow to open. I emailed a mention and they sent me a new one. As far as I am concerned, it's alright to screw up if you make good in the end. They were tops to deal with. As for the quality....if it operates fine, but the overall workmanship seems poor in comparison to other brass/stag levers in the $79 price range, perhaps a refund?
Overseas shipping for one item is hard to factor in as overall value.
Sorry about your misfortune.

Pushbutton · Post by **Pushbutton** » Fri May 14, 2004 10:37 pm

Stick
To bad you tossed it. AB/SKM have great customer service and all it would have taken was an email to them and this whole matter would have been straightened out in your favor I'm sure.Check your rubbish.
PB

Pushbutton · Post by **Pushbutton** » Fri May 14, 2004 10:42 pm

Yavcon
The spring and back spring assembly is different steel because of heat treating which when done properly keeps your ckicker clacking.In other words it's not stainless but Carbon which must be taken care of or you will get that rust and darkness.
PB

yavcon · Post by **yavcon** » Fri May 14, 2004 10:47 pm

Pushbutton wrote:Yavcon
The spring and back spring assembly is different steel because of heat treating which when done properly keeps your ckicker clacking.In other words it's not stainless but Carbon which must be taken care of or you will get that rust and darkness.
PB

What can I use to remove the rust and prevent future rust?
Thanks in advance.

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Fri May 14, 2004 11:07 pm

0000 steel wool, then oil. Simichrome, or a similar metal polish (don't use Brasso) will remove the tarnish on the brass.
Bill

stick · Post by **stick** » Fri May 14, 2004 11:13 pm

What I don't understand is why anything could be shipping from AB in that condition in the first place. Customer service begins with quality control. They got my last dollar. I sure wish Case made a swtichblade.... or Randal.

Post by **jim d,** » Fri May 14, 2004 11:50 pm

Perhaps I'm showing my ignorance here (I seem to be good at that), but are the backsprings of modern Italian switchblades made of carbon steel?

Jim

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Sat May 15, 2004 12:06 am

Yes.
Bill

mrbigg · Post by **mrbigg** » Sat May 15, 2004 3:02 am

i don't have rust on any of my blades

even one that's 50 years old!?!?

no maintenance - no problem

Post by **tr4252** » Sat May 15, 2004 3:16 pm

Bill,

You said a few posts back not to use Brasso. I'm curious as to why.

Thanks,
TR

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Sat May 15, 2004 5:36 pm

Brasso is too gritty to use on knives. The residue from Brasso gets into the mechanicals and gums them up, plus you can always tell when a knife has been Brassoed. There are white lines in all the crevices.
Bill

Pushbutton · Post by **Pushbutton** » Sat May 15, 2004 5:39 pm

Plus Isn't that stuff old? Wasn't it what the 3 stooges were selling in the hospitail? No that was Brighto is Brighto ok to use on your knives?
PB

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Sat May 15, 2004 5:44 pm

And what's wrong with old???
Bill

stick · Post by **stick** » Sat May 15, 2004 10:32 pm

It would have taken more than Brasso or steel wool to get that thing cleaned up. It was more than surface rust on the backspring. It was deep and pitted. I know I could build a better knife than that thing and I have absolutely no idea of what I'm doing. I'm sending an email to AB about this POS. I'll let you know "if" they respond.

Hey guys... one last thing... thanks for letting me vent without jumping all over me. That tells me ya'll are a class act!