Please don't buy Benchmade

[E4 No More]

58 minutes ago, GlockSpock said:

A coworker was mentioning this to me the other day, about a week ago.

I do think this will very nearly if not completely cause Benchmade to go kaput.

However, I do have two thoughts that I'm trying to wrap my head around:

• As a private company, as local PD approaches you and offers you money to destroy firearms. If you don't accept, someone else will. Perhaps it is $5,000 to $10,000 pure net profit, minus electricity and wear and tear on equipment. In a way, wouldn't you be crazy not to? The mistake was the Social Media posting that alienated 90% or more of their customer base. (Sidenote: I have no idea if Benchmade was paid to do this "service", but I am assuming that they were).
• Regarding the political donations, could they be construed as attempting to buy support from politicians? You always hear about lobbyists and people trying to "buy politicians", is that what this could be construed as or have they (Benchmade) just been exposed at overall being a very left leaning company?

Companies seem to contribute to politicians who will advance their cause through favorable legislation. In most cases I doubt politics has anything to do with it. In fact, many companies contribute to both sides. What should be criminal is when the winning side persecutes a company that contributed to the losing side like they did with Gibson Guitars. If you weren't aware, Gibson contributed to Republican campaigns and Fender contributed to Democrat campaigns. Obama's administration went after Gibson for their "illegal" purchase of wood that was acquired through the exact same sources as Fender who was not charged. After millions of dollars spent fighting the government the charges were suddenly dropped without explanation. It contributed to Gibson's filing bankruptcy last year.

[Capbyrd]

Benchmade's political contributions likely line up with some government contracts, just like SureFire's.   

 

[mikegideon]

1 hour ago, Capbyrd said:

Benchmade's political contributions likely line up with some government contracts, just like SureFire's.   

 

I read Surefire's statement. They are fine in my book. Haven't read up on the Benchmade thing.

[gregintenn]

I don't understand the outrage. If my local sheriff asked me to cut up some guns for him, and the price was right, I'd fire up the torch. Don't buy anything from me either I guess.

[AuEagle]

45 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

I don't understand the outrage. If my local sheriff asked me to cut up some guns for him, and the price was right, I'd fire up the torch. Don't buy anything from me either I guess.

The guns were going to be destroyed regardless of who did it, do I like it, absolutely not. The contributions to the gun grabbing dem's are the thing that bothers me.

It would be interesting to see how many of the employees at Benchmade approved of this, probably not many but they probably need their jobs so they do what the boss says.

Do some research & see who contributes to the gun grabbers, bet there are some real surprises out there. Some might never be able to go to their favorite grocery store...

 

BTW: The Benchmade knife I have for sale was picked up prior to the outrage.

 

Edited February 25, 2019 by AuEagle

[Capbyrd]

I more take issue with the policy of destroying guns.   They were innocent.  What did they ever do to anyone?

[TGO David]

[AuEagle]

3 hours ago, Capbyrd said:

I more take issue with the policy of destroying guns.   They were innocent.  What did they ever do to anyone?

I've always found it stupid to hold an inanimate object responsible for anything. It's all about making a statement & making themselves(the gun grabbers) feel good about themselves.

[Alleycat72]

On 2/25/2019 at 12:47 PM, gregintenn said:

I don't understand the outrage. If my local sheriff asked me to cut up some guns for him, and the price was right, I'd fire up the torch. Don't buy anything from me either I guess.

Would you confiscate your neighbor's gun if asked? For the right price of course. 

[gregintenn]

48 minutes ago, alleycat72 said:

Would you confiscate your neighbor's gun if asked? For the right price of course. 

No. That's an entirely different issue.

[GlockSpock]

1 hour ago, alleycat72 said:

Would you confiscate your neighbor's gun if asked? For the right price of course. 

That is, for the most part, like asking a cremator (someone who cremates bodies) if they'd murder their neighbor for the right price.

Destroying these guns was legal. These guns were either confiscated or exchanged in one of the "buy-backs". Confiscating your neighbor's gun if asked, for the right price, encroaches upon their rights.

Cremating bodies is legal. Murdering your neighbor is not. It also encroaches upon their rights.

[Capbyrd]

30 minutes ago, GlockSpock said:

Destroying these guns was legal.

 

Just because something is legal does not make it right. 

 

[Ronald_55]

Posting this was a PR issue for Benchmade and not very thought out by the PD. 

Unfortunately guns do get destroyed that are not illegal in any way. The court and/or police department has the legal right to do that. Should they? Well obviously everyone has an opinion. I would prefer not. Ones that are illegal are a no brainer to destroy. Things like chopped up shotguns.

My brother-in-law was in the army in Kuwait and had to cut up the guns from the amnesty box. He had no choice in his case. He said he cut up lots of nice stuff while a 2 star general observed. Apparently the previous guy that oversaw the box was reselling the contents for personal profit. I am sure some of that happens in the evidence lockers too.

Edited February 27, 2019 by Ronald_55

[Moped]

Cutting up guns is legal.  So is not buying another Benchmade knife.

Edited February 27, 2019 by Moped

[Capbyrd]

1 hour ago, Ronald_55 said:

Ones that are illegal are a no brainer to destroy. Things like chopped up shotguns.

 

 

There is no such thing as an illegal gun.  There are illegally possessed guns but the simple existence is not illegal. 

 

[gregintenn]

3 hours ago, Capbyrd said:

 

Just because something is legal does not make it right. 

 

How do you feel about crushing cars? I agree that it would be a more prudent use of taxpayer funds to sell the confiscated guns at auction, but there is no virtue in a firearm.

[Capbyrd]

53 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

How do you feel about crushing cars? I agree that it would be a more prudent use of taxpayer funds to sell the confiscated guns at auction, but there is no virtue in a firearm.

Crushing cars in general or after they stolen by the cops?  

[gregintenn]

8 minutes ago, Capbyrd said:

Crushing cars in general or after they stolen by the cops?  

Now I see where you are going with this.

I am not a legal scholar, but I believe it is common practice for law enforcement to confiscate items used in the commission of a crime. I know they destroy confiscated drugs. I think my local sheriff auctions confiscated vehicles. I'm not sure where the confiscated money goes, but have an idea. They used to auction guns, but don't do that anymore that I am aware of.

[Raoul]

.

[Capbyrd]

1 hour ago, gregintenn said:

Now I see where you are going with this.

I am not a legal scholar, but I believe it is common practice for law enforcement to confiscate items used in the commission of a crime. I know they destroy confiscated drugs. I think my local sheriff auctions confiscated vehicles. I'm not sure where the confiscated money goes, but have an idea. They used to auction guns, but don't do that anymore that I am aware of.

They destroy drugs because their very existence is illegal, although again, that shouldn't be.  

They sell off everything else.  They don't destroy anything because its a source of revenue for them.   Seized property auctions are common and I've attended a few. 

As for cars, I would prefer that cars never be crushed for any reason.  I'd prefer for people to bring them back to life and give them the love they deserve.  But that doesnt happen for myriad reasons.  So then the cars pile up in junkyards.   No-one is going to bring them back.   So they are crushed.   

The big difference between guns and cars is that while people aren't clamoring for that Chrysler K-car, they would line up to buy even the cheapest piece of junk gun to throw in their safe.   There is no shortage of buyers.   So there is NO reason to destroy a gun, policy or not. 

 

[DJTC45]

On 2/23/2019 at 2:38 PM, Magiccarpetrides said:

hahahaha pm sent!  why do I have the feeling im about to get a brick.

Hey "you're melted brick" went out today by USPS.

[Magiccarpetrides]

23 hours ago, Ronald_55 said:

Posting this was a PR issue for Benchmade and not very thought out by the PD. 

Unfortunately guns do get destroyed that are not illegal in any way. The court and/or police department has the legal right to do that. Should they? Well obviously everyone has an opinion. I would prefer not. Ones that are illegal are a no brainer to destroy. Things like chopped up shotguns.

My brother-in-law was in the army in Kuwait and had to cut up the guns from the amnesty box. He had no choice in his case. He said he cut up lots of nice stuff while a 2 star general observed. Apparently the previous guy that oversaw the box was reselling the contents for personal profit. I am sure some of that happens in the evidence lockers too.

one of our members here said they had to destroy AK's because they started being booby trapped (that was in Iraq).

Edited February 28, 2019 by Magiccarpetrides
PLACE

[AuEagle]

The funny thing about this latest outrage (to me at least) is that I picked up in a trade the one & only Benchmade knife I've ever owned before this fiasco happened.

Call me Lucky...LOL

 

[Omega]

8 hours ago, Magiccarpetrides said:

one of our members here said they had to destroy AK's because they started being booby trapped (that was in Iraq).

We destroyed a bunch that were in caches, but that was to keep them out of the hands of the enemy. Here, there are only a couple of reasons where it would be justified, illegal ones, and possibly ones with bodies on them.

[Magiccarpetrides]

On 2/27/2019 at 7:43 PM, DJTC45 said:

Hey "you're melted brick" went out today by USPS.

Todd you are definitely a man of your word!  Thank you sir!!