Meanwhile at the Benchmade Knife Co

[lee n. field]

My understanding is that firearm destruction like this (for guns used in crimes) is mandated by law, so it has to be done by somebody. However any company even remotely related to the firearms community would probably better served by stepping off. I'm sure there are plenty of anti-gun businesses with the proper equipment.

The Dem political contributions likely explain much. They might be a "friend to law enforcement", but that doesn't mean they're a friend to freedom.

Any old machine shop could cut a receiver in half.

[brimic]

The PD could go to any hardware store, Lowe's, Home Depot, or Harbor Freight Tools and buy a chop saw for under $100. They didn't "need" Benchmade to do this. Which means Benchmade was a willing participant, although I'm sure they (Benchmade) wish the PD hadn't publicized it.

I’m pretty sure this was blatant virtue signaling for free publicity on Benchmade’s part, but it didn’t go quite as their marketing geniuses predicted.

[DittoHead]

Search 'ganzo' knives. They are benchmade knockoffs, albeit without exotic steels (usually 440C), with surprisingly high quality... at about 1/10th the price.

I carry one of their push button automatics every day.:

Good knives at a great value but as a company they obviously have their own issues with intellectual property.

[brimic]

Noice!

I keep one of these in my car.. its a little too squarish for my liking for pocket carry...

https://outdoorplayer.com/collections/automatic-knives/products/ganzo-g7212-gr-folding-knife-firebird-messer-taschenmesser-outdoormesser-surviva-440c-g10-handel

[MillCreek]

I have posted before about my pleasant surprise with Ganzo knives and multi-tools. I have several by now. No automatics, since those are illegal in Washington for civilians.

[brimic]

I have posted before about my pleasant surprise with Ganzo knives and multi-tools. I have several by now. No automatics, since those are illegal in Washington for civilians.

Quite honestly, I bought several automatics of different designs because of the novelty of them after my state legalized them.
Consequently, I found a fantastic knife in the Kershaw Launch 6, which would be a great knife even if it weren't an auto. Even that one was an impulse buy when I saw it at a gun shop.
https://www.bladehq.com/item--Kershaw-Launch-6-Automatic-Knife-3--34418

[DittoHead]

I found a fantastic knife in the Kershaw Launch 6

Wow, we apparently have very similar taste in knives. I have a Launch 2 waiting in the cupboard for when the Ganzo is worn out. 

[Hawkmoon]

Interestingly enough, I have a friend in Europe who likes guns and loves knives. I sent him a link to this and within ten minutes he responded with a message that was 100 percent defensive of Benchmade. He hasn't replied to my rebuttal.

I guess my friend likes Benchmade knives. I've always regarded them as "okay" (at best) in quality, and vastly over-priced.

[cordex]

I have no Benchmades and a couple of Ganzo autos.  I doubt Ganzo is a particularly freedom-oriented company themselves, and I doubt their steel is actually 440C.  Meh blades but decent mechanisms.

[Perd Hapley]

I like Ganzo quite a bit. Better than the RAT 1 knives I used to be so fond of.

https://www.powercutlery.com/products/ganzo-g740-gr-440c-blade-green-g10-folding-knife

https://www.gearbest.com/pocket-knives-folding-knives/pp_218991.html?wid=1433363#goodsDetail

[MillCreek]

I have noted that Ganzo seems to be moving toward the brand name 'Firebird', and I am having better luck on Amazon searching under that name.

[p12]

I own one Benchmade. Love it. It’s my everyday carry knife.

Damn that pisses me off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hawkmoon]

I heard back from my European friend. He admits that he owns multiple Benchmade knives.

I guessed that from the defensive tone of his first reply.

[Doggy Daddy]

Looking forward to chuckling at the Benchmade ads on Facebook, right below the Gillette ads.

[dogmush]

Speaking of virtue signaling.....

https://twitter.com/kershawknives/status/1098623388153573380?fbclid=IwAR2UZR-DJ6KE9ptWxBEKgLyT4k_9B1i93GGTt5i8O7e2yhD0jR4LLzAE7t8


Benchmade seems to be having a pretty bad week on social media.

[MechAg94]

Does Amazon not allow automatic knives on their site?  I searched there for the Ganzo and Kershaw knives linked above and couldn't find them.  Lots of folding knives, but those.

[DittoHead]

Does Amazon not allow automatic knives on their site?  I searched there for the Ganzo and Kershaw knives linked above and couldn't find them.  Lots of folding knives, but those.

No, they don't seem to. I've seen a few slip through from third party sellers or something, but that's been pretty rare. A lot of places just don't seem to want to deal with it. Other places like OpticsPlanet list & sell them but make you jump through extra hoops.

BladeHQ is usually pretty good for domestic autos. For Ganzo and other Chinese makers I like gearbest or aliexpress (which is hit or miss so I generally only buy based off reviews from http://steelreviews.blogspot.com/)

[Perd Hapley]

Does Amazon not allow automatic knives on their site?  I searched there for the Ganzo and Kershaw knives linked above and couldn't find them.  Lots of folding knives, but those.

I don't know about automatics, but the Chinese knives are hit or miss on Amazon. To echo the Dittohead, Gearbest, Aliexpress, Fasttech are all places you can get the Chinese brands.

[HankB]

More commentary on Benchmade at Ammoland . . .

https://www.ammoland.com/2019/02/the-tactical-industry-and-the-erosion-of-constitutional-rights/?utm_source=Ammoland+Subscribers&utm_campaign=35153640a4-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6f6fac3eaa-35153640a4-20740593

[WLJ]

Maybe Brenchmade can hire Brie Larson as their spokesperson  

[dogmush]

The PD could go to any hardware store, Lowe's, Home Depot, or Harbor Freight Tools and buy a chop saw for under $100. They didn't "need" Benchmade to do this. Which means Benchmade was a willing participant, although I'm sure they (Benchmade) wish the PD hadn't publicized it.

New twist:  I'm not sure Benchmade actually destroyed those guns. 

Hawkmoon's post (quoted above) triggered a memory of idiots chop sawing AR'sand made me think it's more involved than just cutting it up.   So I googled "Federal Law on destruction of firearms" and was helpfully linked to the ATF page which states:

How to Properly Destroy Firearms
 

What are ATF’s Acceptable Destruction Procedures?

Use an oxy/acetylene torch (not band sawed)
Must remove at least ¼ inch of metal per cut
Must be made at angles and completely sever the receiver in at least 3 critical locations (specified by model)
 

Acceptable method of destruction is to completely melt (smelt), shred or crush the firearm receiver.  These torch cuts are acceptable alternatives to shredding.

Must pass through the forward wall or barrel mounting area
Must pass through the rear wall
Must pass through an area having a critical fire-control-component mounting pin and/or the slot in which the operating handle reciprocates
 

An unserviceable firearm is not destroyed and is still regulated as a “firearm” under Federal law. Any method of destruction must render the firearm so that it is not restorable to firing condition and is otherwise reduced to scrap

(Red mine, bolding original)

Those pics show a worker using a plasma cutter on the firearms. Now, I've used a bunch of different plasma cutters, but I've never seen one with a handheld torch that had a 1/4" kerf width.  That's why you use a torch, so you can put a big nozzle on it.  I suspect that Benchmade ran a ~50 amp plasma cutter across the guns a couple times, which took out 1/16"-3/32" of metal per cut.  Maybe they got the front and back walls like they were supposed to, maybe they didn't.  Then the PD took the [not actually destroyed] firearms and dropped them off.....somewhere?  It's be pretty interesting to FOIA request the records of where those receivers went exactly.

Typical leftists, then.  Sure they are doing the "right" thing, don't bother to actually comply with the laws.

[T.O.M.]

Tim over at the Military Arms Channel and some of his supporters have started looking into gear companies and are discovering that a whole bunch of them donate to Democrats.   Example: EOTech was found to have donated $40K to Diane Feinstein.  Looking at the lengthening list, I'd dare to estimate half of the big gear companies have donated to candidates who have run on a platform including some call for gun control.  At this rate, we will have darn few companies to actually buy from if we boycott all of the "offenders".  Though, it will make shopping easier.

[Ron]

If they are paying off both sides it is understandable, cost of doing business in a corrupt world.

If all contributions go to Democrats and leftists, that’s another story.

[Ben]

If they are paying off both sides it is understandable, cost of doing business in a corrupt world.

If all contributions go to Democrats and leftists, that’s another story.

Yup. I don't like it, but I understand when a business may need to "buy off" some congresscritter or state rep that runs their district. I think most companies give to both sides of the aisle in some proportion or another.

Even if they give to all dems, I still do business with some companies (Costco, for instance) as long as they're not in my face about hating me or my way of life.

[Hawkmoon]

If they are paying off both sides it is understandable, cost of doing business in a corrupt world.

If all contributions go to Democrats and leftists, that’s another story.

Exactly. Many companies (and executives) routinely contribute to both parties just to have an "in" with whoever wins. Pushing all your donations to one side, especially if it's the side that's out to hamstring your customer base, is a different animal.