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AndyC wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 4:07 pm

The Annoyed Man wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 3:43 pmI’m just pointing out the emptiness of those statements when someone says, “I don’t own “X”, but if I did, I would destroy it.” I call bull on that, because (A) talk is cheap, and (B) it hurts nobody but the person who is destroying their own property.

I've never urged - nor am I expecting - anyone to destroy things they currently own; that's simply foolish. MY form of protesting takes the form of NOT buying things after I know the politics of the manufacturer thereof.

Understood. I was referring to the OP’s statement when he said:

I can thankfully say I do not own any of their products. If I did own any I would most certainly destroy them.

He SHOULD be thankful that he doesn’t own a Benchmade so that he doesn’t have to, IN REALITY, put his money where his mouth is and destroy it.

AndyC wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 1:01 pm

And Kershaw makes good knives too, of which I own a couple. I also own knives by Spyderco, Gerber and CRKT. I already have all the knives I was ever likely to buy from Benchmade. Each fills a niche. I’m not going to throw away/destroy any of them because of this particular kerfuffle, as the cheapest one I own cost me in the vicinity of $120.00 in a one-time bargain sale. Whether this situation would affect future knife purchases? Maybe. Probably. But I’m not going to throw out what I’ve already paid good money for - particularly when it is a GREAT product, regardless of the company owners’ politics.

There’s nothing wrong with letting your conscience be your guide in making purchases. I’m just pointing out the emptiness of those statements when someone says, “I don’t own “X”, but if I did, I would destroy it.” I call bull on that, because (A) talk is cheap, and (B) it hurts nobody but the person who is destroying their own property. I’m drinking coffee from my Yeti mug as I type this - which was given to me as a gift, before the whole NRA/Yeti dispute. It would not only be dumb to get rid of a great product, but it would be insulting to the person who gave it to me.

Yes, there are alternatives for that kind of travel mug; but it hurts nobody but me, and maybe the person who gave it to me, if I burn my Yeti mug. Then I have to go spend whatever the price for an alternative is, just so I can have WHAT I ALREADY HAD. It makes no sense. And that’s how I feel about my Benchmade knives. I feel the same way about my S&W and Ruger firearms. I drive a Toyota, but if I drove a GM, I’d feel the same way.

BTW, my Toyota was manufactured in Japan. But you’d be hard pressed to find a vehicle built in the US, that wasn’t build by UAW Union labor. Would anyone care to examine the politicians and causes supported by the UAW? Like I said, give me a minute to go get my lawn chair before y’all burn your vehicles to the ground.

I believe strongly in the right of protest and its value as political expression, but empty protests have no value. That’s all I’m saying.

Bitter Clinger wrote: ↑Fri Feb 22, 2019 12:46 pm

strogg wrote: ↑Fri Feb 22, 2019 12:29 pm

TexasJohnBoy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 22, 2019 11:25 am

WildBill wrote: ↑Fri Feb 22, 2019 11:24 am

TexasJohnBoy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 22, 2019 11:18 am
This by itself isn't anti 2a, but it brings other things about the company to light. See my previous post.

edit to add: And regardless of any of this discussion, it was a stupid PR move to have yourself photographed destroying guns as requested by the police (lawfully or otherwise) and posted to Facebook. Here conspiracy theorists -- have some material!

I understand your position. I have never owned a benchmark product. I just don't care for them, but I don't agree with calls for a boycotts such as this.

Full boycott is probably premature, yes. But it does shine a light on them for sure. Maybe the light will encourage them to solidify their support for the 2A a bit more.
to you too, sir

I agree with the sentiment. I am not going to put them on my naughty list. They're doing as their asked, and to be fair, if their stuff is high enough quality to decimate firearms, that's showing something for their quality. Just because some of them donate to the Democratic party doesn't mean anything to me. Anti-2A is not the party's only stance. Until someone with authority or clout in Benchmade come out with a truly anti-2A statement, I'm not going to think of them any differently.

Wonder how many of our "boycott Benchmade" advocates also carry an Apple iphone?

Touché, sir!

There are SOME things I will boycott, and other things that just aren’t worth the effort to me to boycott. And some protests just make no financial sense at all. I’m not buying anything from Dicks Sporting Goods anymore, since they’re too politically correct for modern sporting rifles...PLUS, they completely shafted bulk ammo makers who manufactured large batches of “Dick’s” head-stamped ammo for them, and then didn’t take delivery on it or pay them for it....which to me is a MUCH bigger issue than their decision not to sell MSRs. I won’t buy anything at Whole Foods for obvious reasons. I don’t own any UnderArmor wear, and won’t be buying any. It’s not that I think all boycotts are ridiculous....it’s just that I think some boycotts are ridiculous tiltings at windmills.

On the other hand, I am NOT going to throw out or destroy perfectly good material possessions I already paid for and use, because of outrage about something that a company or its employees did or didn’t do.....AFTER I bought said item. That’s just dumb. Like I said in my previous post: I’m not going to trash my S&W revolvers because S&W caved on gun locks way back when; I’m not going to chop up my Ruger pistol or rifle because Bill Ruger wrote an asinine letter about magazine capacities to Congress in 1989. I’m not going to trash my Wife’s Jeep Cherokee, because Fiat decided to have a line of jeeps manufactured in China.

Will you burn or crush your Ford or Chevy pickup truck because they were manufactured by UAW labor, whose union dues support the very worst antigun politicians of the democrat party? If you will destroy your Benchmade knife (or Igloo cooler, or UnderArmor shirts), but you won’t destroy your Ford or Chevy pickup truck in protest, then you’re a hypocrite - plain and simple. How many of you went out and had your GMC trucks put in the crusher when GM became “Government Motors” in 2009 under Obama? Please put your money where your mouths are, OR.... calm down and get some perspective.

It’s EASY to say “I’ll never buy [insert widget here] because [yada yada]”, if you never owned any of those widgets in the first place, and probably weren’t ever going to anyway. That’s not really a sacrifice, and without the sacrifice, the protest is pretty empty. And it is equally empty to say, “I’d probably destroy my [widget] if I had one”. You don’t have one, so that’s just blowing smoke. You can EASILY spend upwards of $200-$300 on a Benchmade knife. Anyone who says they’d destroy that $200-$300 knife because it was made by Benchmade? I’d say, “go ahead, but give me a minute to get a lawn chair; I want to watch this.” Time for some truth. You know you wouldn’t, so just admit it and don’t pound your chest about it. It’s not a good look.

Here’s a much simpler way to manage these things - and easier to LIVE WITH too - if you’re that upset about it......don’t buy any more of the hated company’s [widgets] going forward. I buy Wrangler jeans these days, but I still own a couple favorite pairs of Levi’s - a pretty liberal company. I’m not going to burn my Levi’s just to satisfy the outrage of the day.

Easily HALF of the country right now disagrees to one extent or another with my right to keep and bear arms. If I had to preface every purchasing decision with an investigation into the political practices of a given manufacturer’s or retail outlet’s executives, I’d never buy anything at all. I don’t know for sure exactly how many knives I actually own, but it’s probably into the teens if you include the El-Cheapos. Six of my knives are what I would call “higher quality” knives. (By “higher quality”, I mean any knife which is well crafted out of good tool steel or SV30 or better stainless, and costs in excess of $100.) FIVE of those are Benchmades, and one is a Spyderco. I love the watchmaker’s quality of the Benchmade folders. I love Benchmade’s “AXIS®” system. I like the quality of their steel. I like how they open and close like they were on ball bearings, and how they make all those little clicks, like a Colt Single Action Army being cocked. I really like Benchmade knives. I’m not going to junk the ones I have over this issue.

Funny thing is, as much as I like my Benchmades, my EDC is my left-handed Spyderco Paramilitary 2 with black G-10 scales. LOL. Not because I think it’s a better knife than the Benchmades, but because it’s a really good working knife that I don’t care too much if it gets scuffed up in my pocket, being carried every day. The Benchmades are just too pretty for scuffing. But dress me up and send me to a wedding or a funeral, and I’m carrying my Benchmade 940-2, a proper gentleman’s knife.

Now, hold up while I get ready to watch all you guys burn all your stuff....

Flightmare wrote: ↑Thu Feb 21, 2019 1:59 am City of Oregon City's Mayor and police chief updated with their point of view.

https://www.facebook.com/ocpolice/posts ... 8148740328

From what I have read, I don't see this as anti-2a. These firearms were either requested by their owners to be destroyed, or ordered destroyed by court order.

If a person wishes to destroy their own personal property, I am not going to blame the company requested to perform the destruction. I would no more blame a demolition company being contracted to destroy a building.

As for the court order requesting firearms be destroyed; it was not Benchmade who requested firearms to destroy.

I’m unaware of Benchmade’s political activities, but I’m also not going to throw out about $800 worth of Benchmade knives I already have. And, if Benchmade is smart, they’ll try and retain custody of the steel for knife-making.

PS: I still have my Yeti coffee mug. I own S&W revolvers, despite their caving on gun locks 19 years ago. I own a Ruger .22 pistol and a .308 rifle, despite Bill Ruger’s 1989 letter to Congress, supporting a ban on larger capacity magazines.

Perspective is a wonderful thing.