Quote:
Originally Posted by Jfreeman
Good points all. I completely understand how a bad experience can "foul the water" when it comes to consumer products.
I do know for a fact that the guys on the tool side of the house have been working hard over the past years to correct the problem that you noticed regarding the strength of the jaws and other implements.
Sorry for the fact that you got "blown off" by someone in customer service. That is not SOP and I would doubt if that person is still with the company. If you still have the tool, return it to the address noted earlier for a repair or replacement.
JF
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Jeff:
Thanks for manning up and listening. Donda seems like a great asset. I have a number of older Gerber knives, both fixed and folding, as well as the multi-tools.
Not to pile on here, but my experience parallels Dan's. I have the Gerber tool at the house, but I no longer take it anywhere because its predecessor let me down once. My Leatherman tools have not failed me yet, unless I abused them well beyond the uses they were designed for. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
Our profession sends us to remote and austere areas for extended periods of time. It could be as long as six months to a year before you get back to civilization and contact with the manufacturer. As my friend John Carver at Eagle said, what good is a warranty when you are 6,000 miles from home, and the item fails? No matter how good the customer service, or or the warranty, or the product improvements, it does not matter when you are in the middle of BFE and you have to borrow a tool from a team member three times per day because yours is broken. Not to be dwelling on a negative, but we are pretty unforgiving when it comes to our gear. Most of us are willing to pay more to get a quality item that we can bet our lives on. Your average consumer may not. That is the difference between a professional, and a casual user/consumer. There is a reason that the Snap-On trucks sell so many tools for what seem like outrageous prices.
Unfortunately, there appears to be a corporate culture to make the cheapest product possible, and to sell it for a few cents less. I understand that Wal-Mart demands the lowest prices. Most companies appear to be focused on the bottom line, and a penny saved is a penny earned. However, not all of us are willing to sacrifice quality for price in our gear. How much more does a CPM S-30V blade cost in steel and abrasives? Not enough to keep me from buying them when I can. Because it just might be my life, a family member's, or a teammate's ass hanging from the end of a piece of nylon that absolutely, positively, has to be cut right then, at night, in the dark, in the heat or cold, at 10,000', with the inevitable rain or snow coming down in buckets. Or a wire that has to be severed, an ammo can that has to be pried open, or a blasting cap that has to be crimped. Then we have to be able to count on our gear to last longer, cut better, be more durable, etc. I applaud those who continue to push the envelope with regards to new and improved materials, innovative technologies, revolutionary (as well as the safer evolutionary) design, etc., rather than seeking to make the same product for less money. I would have to say that Harsey and Reeve, along with many of the smaller designers and makers, have been on the edge of that new wave of innovation, combining it with old fashioned craftsmanship. I have no antipathy toward Gerber, I understand that the corporate leadership sets the tone, regardless of what the marketing hype says. Not directed specifically at your company, but at what price quality, and how many chances should a user give before looking to alternative products?
TR