What we check,
at what sample rate,
and why.
The actual inspection protocol we run on every shipment. AQL 2.5 General Inspection Level II per ISO 2859-1.
| Stage | Sample Rate | Check | Reject Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming Steel | 1 per batch | Material certificate, hardness range, surface defects | HRC out of ±0.5 of spec, surface pitting, mill-cert mismatch |
| Heat Treatment | 5 per batch | Rockwell hardness, magnetism, color | HRC ±0.5 from target, soft spots, decarburization |
| Grinding | 100% | Blade thickness, edge bevel angle, symmetry | Thickness ±0.05 mm, angle ±0.5°, visible asymmetry |
| Polishing | 10% | Surface finish (Ra), scratches, mirror grade | Visible scratches under standardized light, polish grade off-spec |
| Assembly | 100% | Blade-handle alignment, rivet flush, lock function (folders) | Misalignment > 0.3 mm, protruding rivet, lock failure |
| Edge Sharpness | 5% | BESS score, paper cut test | BESS > 250 (or product-specific spec), failed paper cut |
| Engraving | 100% | Depth, contrast, placement, text accuracy | Off-center, shallow, typo, font mismatch |
| Cosmetic Final | AQL 2.5 | Visual under standardized lighting | Surface defects, color variation, packaging damage |
| Packaging | 100% | Correct insert, correct box, correct labeling, drop test | Wrong SKU in box, label mismatch, packaging fails 1m drop test |
| Carton Pack | 2% | Carton weight, count, label, master carton integrity | Short-pack, label mismatch, damaged carton |
Common buyer questions
Yes — we welcome SGS, TÜV, Intertek, Bureau Veritas, AsiaInspection, or your in-house team. We provide access to production data and SKU samples on request. We've passed every third-party audit since 2013.
PDF report includes: SKU summary, sample size, defects found by category, photo evidence, hardness test results, sharpness test results, and pass/fail per Lot. Sent with every shipment.
Document with photo and lot number; we run a root cause analysis within 5 business days. If our QC missed it, we credit, replace, or rework per the agreement. Track record: under 0.4% post-delivery defect rate over the last 3 years.
Yes — stricter sampling adds inspection labor cost (~USD 0.20-0.40 per unit at typical MOQ). Worth it for premium-tier SKUs where unboxing review matters.