Baladeo

This item came out of nowhere. Interesting appearance to the knife. I've never seen it, though it sure looks like the svelte handle would be difficult to grasp with my big monkey hands. I do like the shape of the blade.

Ken,

I apologize you're not pleased with our choices in broadening our product spectrum. I've said it countless times and I wish it weren't the case but many of our suppliers simply can't keep up with our demand and therefore we regularly have items out of stock. I've updated the spelling error as well.

Eugene,

This blade recently appeared on the market and has had a bit of press. Since it is distributed by a company local to us it was an easy choice to bring to market as it required little extra work allowing me to focus on delivering the products Ken is requesting.

Cheers,
Sam

When so many people complain about the constant lack of stock, perhaps somebody should lean on the suppliers to step it up. Maybe they need to hire some help, or the contacts to produce these items should go to people that will hire the help needed to meet demand.

Sam,
The product description says 1.9 oz/33.8 grams but 33.8 grams is 1.19 oz. I think there is a typo in the description or if it does weigh 1.9 oz maybe 1.19 oz was mistakenly used to calculate the grams.

The weight of the Baladeo 34g as weighed on our scale is 1.10 oz (33.8 g), sorry for the typo.

Sam. I appreciate the predicament. The thing that gets me is that this situation has been going on for years and years now. With over 40k registered users here maybe it is time to put some serious pressure on the suppliers. I can also appreciate that some of the suppliers are a one person operation. But with some venture capital or a regular order at regular intervals for them to depend on maybe that could change. I (we) just want the best for all those involved so don't take my nagging as an attack. It's just frustration that been building as this community is growing. We were told that things would change with the warehouse move back to Montana, hasn't happened. Here it is two thirds through June and I feel like you have missed another chance at outfitting a lot of people for another season. Just not a good business model. Hopefully more will be available for the holiday season when people are looking at gifts at least. All the best wishes. Ken

Constructive criticism is definitely appreciated.

Hi guys,

I am on the stock alert list but am wondering if you think you will have them soon, or be able to approximate a time (three days ? eight weeks ? more ? less ?).

Thanks.

Hoping to receive the 22g's this week.

Great Sam, thanks.

My 22g Baladeo just arrived. It is the perfect size for fish, which is what I want it for. Just to be nit-picky, it weighs 25 grams on my scale (which, per the USPS, is accurate). The Baladeo website confirms this weight. You might want to add the dimensions of the knife to your product description; they are on the Baladeo website. http://www.baladeo.com/produits.php?langue=en&tri=univers&id_rubrique=2&id_sous=3&identifiant=ECO098#titre

My problem is that I opened the knife and set the lock/safety catch. Now I can't get the lock undone! Of course there are no instructions, either with the knife or on the Baladeo website or in the BPL product description. I've googled several pages with no luck.

How do I get the lock/safety catch undone so I can close the knife? Or do I have to send it back to you with the knife open?

HELP!!!

While I don't have this model, a close look at a photo indicates that you would push the lower portion of the handle either to the right or left (looking down from the top or spine of the knife) until it clears the blade. Then rotate the blade back into the handle.

With a bit of practice, I bet you'll soon be able to do it one-handed!

No, the locking pin is too long to clear the blade even if you could bend the handle (I can't). I suspect that the pin is supposed to be pushed back in (to the right when looking from the top and the blade tip is pointing away from you), but it's stuck! I suppose I could try a hammer, but I want to be able to get my money back if it's stuck permanently!

Sam, if you see this tomorrow, would you please talk to your Baladeo contact about this? If I'm just doing something wrong and I end up being able to open and close it, I'll keep it; it's the perfect size for working with fish. But if the knife is defective or if my fingers are just too weak to work it (they have never been strong), I'll have to return it.

Mary, Steve is right. Here's how it works: Hold the knife with the point away from you and the cutting edge facing upward. Push the bottom of the handle toward the belt clip. This frees up the blade, allowing you to fold it closed. There isn't really a 'locking pin'. The locking element is the bottom of the handle.

Edit: The "pin" that you are trying to push is fixed. It functions purely to keep the blade from swinging upward when open (and to keep the blade secure when it's folded).

Mary, if it still doesn't seem to work, take the knife to your nearest fishing/hunting/backpacking store (you apparently live in Oregon – there must be plenty!), and ask one of the folks there to show you how it works.

I've heard a couple people mention the weights on their respective Baladeo blades were slightly higher and when I get the next batch in I'll weigh four or five of them and take an average. Also, my apologies for not having the other dimensions listed on the site yet.

In terms of the opening and closing procedure I can't describe it any better than Gary did. It takes only a gentle bit of pressure so if you're having that much trouble, Mary, I suspect you have a faulty model in which case I would happily exchange it for you. Please respond to me via our Customer Support Issue channel in that case.

– Sam

Your "gentle pressure" is probably equivalent to me using pliers for leverage. I tried that and no joy. Now I just have to figure out how to package it so neither you folks nor the USPS will get cut on the open blade!

Mary,

A response to your situation has been sent to you via our customer support issues area.

Thanks,
Sam

Thanks, Sam! You may get complaints (I gripe about the inventory too!), but so far I've found that you folks have outstanding customer service!

I hope the replacement will work for me, because this is a nice light knife for cleaning and filleting fish and (unlike my tiny Leatherman Squirt) it will be really easy to keep clean!

FWIW, My Baladeo 22g tips the scales at 24.3g….not a concern for me but mildly surprising since they specifically call this knife the 22g.

Mary, did you receive your replacement from Sam yet? I'm hoping that your problem has been solved.

I have not yet received the returned item so have not yet mailed out a replacement.

I've been laid up with a nasty cold for the past 10 days. I have the knife packaged up with the return authorization and will take it to the PO as soon as it opens tomorrow. Actually, I went this afternoon, but the line was out the door!