I use to buy / horde a lot of what I thought were good "hard use" knives. This mostly included Beckers (original Camillus), Bucks, Gerbers, and KaBars. (I also had tons of others, but these were the "commonly recommended" knives most people heard of at that time).

After breaking one from each company I started researching knives more, and that lead me here.

I had equipped our survival gear with LMF2's after relegating my original LMF (different design) to the "collector only" pile. The LMF2 seemed like a good design, but I never cared for the balance. The giant weight at the pummel and handle shape (think a wood 1 x 2) was awful. Anyway, I had set about "testing" my gear and ended up breaking the blade on a LMF2. I also broke more AR15's than I care to remember.

The net result was learning (the hard way) the following lesson:

"As good as" never is.
or
Buy right and cry once. Buy wrong and cry twice.

I haven't bought a single piece of "hobby grade" kit since.

I'm curious how those AR-15's broke on you, did you move to the AK after all that?

I didn't move away from AR's. In fact, I've had at least one AR in my collection for the past 29 years. I did move away from "hobby grade" guns though. I have a BCM and a two Colts. I also have two Arsenal AK's.

The problems I've had with AR's is a long list, and I've been on here too much today so suffice to say:

broken bolt (lost a lug - DPMS)

short stroking (S&W M&P15)

castle nut loosening (not staked - Olympic Arms)

gas key coming off (not staked - Bushmaster)

screwed on gas block working loose (ArmaLite)

trigger guard falling off (the pin worked out of the lower - Rock River Arms)

broken hammer (broke clean off - DPMS)

sheared off buffer retainer pin (bound up gun - SGW)

broken extractor (high round count gun I bought used from a Police Officer - Bushmaster)

frozen selector (this was on a Colt, but I caused the problem when I changed out the Pistol Grip)

sticky chamber (S&W M&P15 - Smith deburred the chamber at the factory after I sent it in the second time)

That's a short list. Remember, I've owned AR's since 1984 and use to shoot about 500 rounds a week through them.

Oh yeah...

upper lower play so excessive the gun wouldn't cycle (parts gun with an EA lower...not to be confused with Eagle Arms)

dust cover spring broke (Eagle Arms - Coal Valley not the later company owned by ArmaLite)

I've owned the followign brands (from memory):

ArmaLite
BCM
Colt
Colt Defense
Core 15
DPMS
EA
Eagle Arms - Coal Valley
Eagle Arms - Div of Armalite
Olympic Arms
Rock River Arms
SGW
Smith & Wesson
Stag Arms

I'm probably forgetting a few.

I remember some other issues:

Barrel over-torqued at the factory (sheared off index pin and couldn't get it sighted in - Bushmaster)

Gas tube crimped at the factory (DPMS)

I got a gerber lmf before kin. I agree its a strange knife to handle

Arc,

None of that surprises me in the least coming from those makers, but if any of that was coming from a Tier One company I would be a little concerned.

Ever own Daniel defense?

Daniel Defense are well made, they are a solid value. Wouldn't be my first choice though, I'd probably grab a Lancer or Knight's.

Knights armerment are pricy!! I thought lancer made mags?

They do, but they also make a fine AR-15!

LMT's, BCM's, and Colt's here. I drink the Tier 1 Koolaid. Seems like Vicker's no longer endorses DD, but talks up BCM all the time.

Sorry OP, I didn't read the whole thread. Way off topic it seems am I.