Benchmade is in trouble

[340PD]

What was their behavior?

As long as you asked and in my opinion,

They helped an anti-second amendment local chief push his anti-gun message.

They gave tens of thousands of dollars to only gun grabbing politicians in multiple states, over the last 9 years, and lied about it, because their customers would be livid.

It wasn't just the local gun grabbers.

At worst they were giving money to anti-gunners who actively seek to remove the rights of law abiding citizens, and repeatedly lied about the situation.

At best they were engaging in pay-to-play with the elected Dems...and lied about it.

Actively did and still do push for a law that has the ability to negatively affect gun and knife owners. When confronted with the negatives in that bill the silence was deafening.

Zero donations to very visual and active pro-gun groups such as the second amendment foundation.

 

[Kaybee]

For me it's not the guns destruction itself. but rather that the video was released in a way that looked suspiciously like anti gun propaganda. Even if it was not intended that way, at that point I would prefer if Benchmade simply had the courage to make a statement on their stance about the 2a. If they want to stay out of the debate, that's their right but..

Check out Cold Steel, they aren't afraid they support the 2a. Of course Cold Steel did it in their over the top way that they do everything, but they aren't afraid to say what they believe. As a knife collector I prefer classic gentlemen's knives but I would feel really good about buying from cold steel and dirty buying anything from benchmade now.

 

[Hookeye]

I had a Benchmade. Liked it.
Broke it after 11 yrs and could have used their warranty.
But I misused the thing and that's not their fault, so I wouldn't screw 'em like that.

Appears they have no problem screwing gun owners (supporting anti 2 A politicians).

Oh well, won't be buying their stuff anymore, or recommending it. And no, I don't buy Levis either.
I am voting with my wallet.
The effect on the company, by single action, may not do anything.

But it still matters to me.

 

[Hookeye]

Listened to two Youtube deals on it.

I get that they live/work there..........but the way the BM guy spoke...........it's not just "getting along".
Genuinely clueless and just another west coast hippie brain IMHO.

Benchmade is dead to me.

 

[Whiterook808]

Levi also employees American workers and produces fine products ... But I will never buy another product from them.

It's a free country and I like voting with my wallet, I kinda see it as an extension of 1st Amendment.

And you won't destroy the company. The people who run Benchmade will destroy the company. If Benchmade doesn't like the sentiment from gun/knife owners, they can always make a business decision and start making kitchen and butter knives. If they choose to keep making knives they have been making, a wise business decision is for them to re-evaluate their approach to gun/knife owners' sentiment, which won't be changing.

I bet everything Levi sells is made overseas. There are a lot of really high quality Chinese knives coming in these days and they really pretty much own the under $50 market. I like to support US manufacturing whenever I can. I am about to retire, so I am pretty much set, but I worry about what you younger people are going to do for jobs in the future. Everyone I do business with does not have to agree with me. If they did I probably wouldn't have a job or be able to buy food because the supermarket is run by a liberal. Why not educate them and try and get them to see our side and that we need to stand together? What is it with people these days ...

 

[Speedo66]

There was mention here of not sticking with personal boycotts. I will have to admit to never having bought a Benchmade, never thought their products deserved such a premium. Dick's, well, aside from way back when they used to have good sale prices on ammo, not much there for me.

The one company that I absolutely positively will never buy from, or would even accept free merchandise from, is Treats You Like Dirt (AKA Cheaper Than Dirt). They not only rubbed me the wrong way some years back, they rubbed until they made my skin raw.

I know I'm not the only one that feels that way, they seem to have done a great job of alienating a large segment of the shooting sports population.

 

[LiveLife]

Listened to two Youtube deals on it.

Benchmade is dead to me.

Here are three more. While Benchmade claimed they donated millions to 2A causes but evidence to support that claim has not surfaced. And to me, actions speak louder than words (True words anyways). I understand Benchmade conducts business in Oregon and most law makers are Democrat (And there are pro 2A Democrats), BUT then how does Benchmade explain donating to anti 2A law makers in other states? If a company makes donations mostly to anti 2A law makers, perhaps company should not make claims they support 2A. And company should not be posting pictures of them violating Federal ATF/NFA laws. Like I previously posted, it won't be customers of Benchmade that will destroy the company, it will be the people running Benchmade who will destroy the company.

Not looking good for baby boomers, Generation X, Gen Y/millennials and Generation Z supporters of 2A watching them.

 

[CraigC]

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.....

I admit I've never owned a Benchmade knife. I've never spent a lot on a pocket knife but I've considered splurging and getting one. That is, until my wife got me a William Henry. I don't think I'll soil my collection with a Benchmade.

 

[vkeith]

Wow! That is a beautiful knife CraigC!

 

[hso]

Apparently we can't stay focused on the knife industry aspects any longer so we'll close this like the one in General.