I ordered a Monochrome during KW's Thanksgiving sale and asked that that they inspect it for blade centering and ease of opening and closing.

The knife arrived with the blade hitting the side of the liner and VERY hard to open and close.

I can adjust the pivot to loosen it but then the blade wobbles. Clearly, no inspection was done. KW acknowledges its failure but even so, says I have to return at my cost.

Here's my question: The BM site lists the Monochrome as having N690 steel.

My model arrived listing 440C on the blade. (The KW site also lists it having 440C.)

I have no experience with N690 and in my research, sometimes find it compared to 440C.

But is it the same?

Did BM change steels and not list the change?

Or could I have a fake of some sort?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

I have catalogs going back five years and N690 seems to have been used throughout. Not to say that 440C wasn't used, there are lots of small changes in production that are impossible to keep track of.

Sorry to read what you asked for wasn't done to your satisfaction. KW is a good place to do business usually. We (us knife nuts) have had good dealings with them. Somehow it doesn't sound right about having you pay to send the knife back. Last time I had an issue, I sent the knife to Benchmade instead and was covered under full warranty.

You might give Benchmade a call tomorrow and ask them for their advice. Here's that number: 800-800-7427.

Lastly, I don't think it's a fake, not from KW, and I haven't seen this one copied in my travels on the net.

Did you get a clam shell packed knife? Some of the Red Class knives were packaged this way, and if you did it would have been impossible to inspect.

It was not unheard of, for the Red Class knives to switch around steels like this.

Given you are buying the knife from a Benchmade Premium Dealer, I would not be concerned it was a fake.

As for the condition of the knife, I think they will take care of you one way or another.

Thanks, folks.

No, not clam shell packed.

Came in an H&K box marked, "14320BK HK Monochrome" and includes literature.

And, yes, my previous dealings with KW have all been very good. They are clearly good folks.

I'll let you know what I learn from BM.

Ordered the monochrome from kw on saturday.It should be here today.This is the second one i ordered from them.The first time they sent me a hk mini ascender instead.I think they got the model numbers mixed up .(14302 ascender 14320 monochrome)Anyway i kept the assender.Pretty solid little knife.I will let you no tonight my thoughts on the monochrome.Im not expecting much for what i paid for it but i hope its as good as the ascender.i just wanted a beater blade i can edc and lone to others when asked.

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your BM purchase!

The Mini Ascender is a great knife -- not surprised you kept it. I almost ordered another at KW's price. Enjoy!

Follow-up report:

A CS rep at BM says he thinks he remembers some Monochromes being made with another steel, possibly 440C.

Unfortunately, the dealer still maintains that I should pay for returning the Monochrome. But BM says it will email a free return label and will either repair or replace the Monochrome.

With service like that, it's good to be a BM customer.

Thanks again for your help here.

Good news, thanks for the update!

Thanks thirty900. Its nice to be here.Im glad bm is taking care of you.I really think kw should though.Anyway the one they sent me seems fine.The blade is centered,it flies open,a little hard to close.Can still do it with one hand though.Could be sharper.No play side to side or up and down.Its the black plain edge model.Knife feels solid when opened.I cant see how this frame lock could fail me.Worth the 23 bucks for sure.I hope things work out for you.Let us no what happens.

Update: KW finally agreed to refund the shipping on my NEXT purchase.

But what if I hadn't volunteered to spend another $130?

In that case, they still were unwilling to make any amends on the Monochrome purchase, other than taking it back at my shipping expense. This, despite their admitted failure to inspect the Monochrome as requested.

Inspecting a purchase for centering, ease of opening and closing and f&f is increasingly important to me since virtually all my purchases are of knives I've never seen.

It took three days of negotiations and an offer to buy a much more expensive knife to get this dealer to agree to actually inspect a $130 purchase.

Until then, their position was that they "try" to inspect purchases when asked but can't promise.

For whatever reason, they apparently didn't try hard enough with my Monochrome.