Just how long is a lifetime?

HOW long is a lifetime guarantee? Is it your life? Or a more difficult-todefine lifetime you should be able to reasonably expect from a bought item?

Paul Lennard, of Hartlepool, bought a high-quality Global Knives 20cm cook’s knife five years ago.

It cost £80. Recently, while chopping a neep, the blade snapped at the handle.

It had a lifetime guarantee, though, so Paul returned it to shop in Newcastle, who in turn sent it to Global in Sheffield.

Global wrote to Paul saying that if the knife had been flawed it wouldn’t have lasted for five years before breaking. And if it had been used all day, every day by a professional cook, and been sharpened multiple times, then five years was quite reasonable.

But Paul isn’t a professional chef. The knife was only used in normal household conditions and washed and dried properly after use.

Raw Deal didn’t think “a lifetime” could really be described as five years. We looked sharp and cut through this knife problem.

Global Knives contacted Paul to say it would replace his knife as a gesture of good will.

Paul said: “Thank you Raw Deal for your prompt action.”