Quite a few tools have been recalled recently – a Gerber folding knife, a small axe, an avalanche shovel, and a lot of outdoor lawn & garden tools. Check out other recall notices that we posted about before.
If you own one of the recalled tools, discontinue use immediately and follow CPSC guidelines on how to minimize risk and seek a replacement or repair kit. Be sure to check those CPSC details carefully, especially model and serial numbers.
Did I miss a recall that you might be aware of? Please let me know! The CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has more recalls listed on their website.
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Gerber Cohort Knife Recall
Gerber’s Cohort folding knife has been recalled due to a locking mechanism that can fail. There are 160,000 of these knives out in the wild, and they were sold at Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Home Depot, and other nationwide retailers.
They were sold from Jan 2013 thru Mar 2015, and were priced at about $30.
Stop using the knife and contact Gerber for a replacement.
Details (via CPSC)
Great States Earthwise Cordless Mower Recall
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Great States is recalling their cordless 17″ electric lawn mower. The mower can start by itself, even when the key is not in the starting position.
1,200 mowers are affected. These were sold at Menards stores, Seventh Avenue, and PowerSales, from Jan 2014 thru May 2014, for $250.
Remove the battery immediately and contact Great States for a replacement mower.
Certain Homelite 20″ cordless mowers seek to be included in the same recall.
Details (via CPSC)
MSR Avalanche Snow Shovels Recall
MSR has recalled about 4,300 rescue snow shovels, due to a potential failure in the handle that can render the shovel unusable in emergency situations.
This affects Mountain Safety Research Operator shovels with T and D handles, and their Responder shovels. See more images here. They were sold at Bass Pro Shops, REI, and other retailers, from Oct 2014 thru Jan 2015, for between $60 and $70.
If you own one of these, return them to the place of purchase for a full refund, or to MSR for a free replacement handle.
Details (via CPSC)
Snow Peak Japanese Axe Recall
About 220 of these Japanese Axe M axes, model R-061, are being recalled. There have been reports of the handle cracking, allowing the axe head to come loose. A loose axe head poses a laceration or impact hazard to users or bystanders.
Stop using these axes and return them to Snow Peak’s Portland, Oregon store, or contact Snow Peak for a replacement. These were sold from Dec 2013 thru Aug 2014 for about $160.
Details (via CPSC)
Toro Recycler Mower Recall
Toro has recalled about 900 total Recycler walk behind mowers, due to an injury hazard. Some mowers were assembled with an incorrect blade driver and blade combination, which can cause the blade to break.
These mowers were sold nationwide in Feb and Mar 2015, for $450. If you have one, stop using it immediately and contact a Toro dealer for repair.
Details (via CPSC)
Homelite Electric Blower Vacuum Recall
Around 864,000 Homelite electric blower vacuums (models UT42120, UT42120A and UT42121) were recalled due to risk of fire and burn hazard. They can overheat and then spark and catch on fire.
These blower vacuums were sold at Home Depot and Direct Tools Factory Outlet stores, between Jan 2010 and Mar 2015, for $40.
There were 1,369 complaints of these blower vacuums sparking, arcing, smoking, or burning, and one report of a minor injury.
Stop using your blower vacuum and return them to any Home Depot or Direct Tools Factory Outlet store for a full refund. It doesn’t have to be where you bought it – just go to the nearest store location.
Details (via CPSC)
OWT Blower Vacuum Recall
Similar to the Homelite recall, OWT Industries blower vacuums are being recalled due to fire and burn hazards. These Expert Gardener blowers can overheat, leading to sparks and fire.
About 225,000 units are being recalled. They were sold exclusively at Walmart stores, from Jan 2012 thru Mar 2015, for $40. If you own one, take it to any Walmart for a full refund.
Details (via CPSC)
Cosco Hand Truck Recall
Cosco is recalling about 273,000 3-in-1 convertible hand trucks. During inflation of the wheels, the wheel hub can separate or break, ejecting pieces that posing an injury risk to users and bystanders.
If you have one of these Cosco hand trucks, stop using it and contact Cosco for a free repair kit.
These hand trucks were sold at Ace Hardware, Costco Wholesale Club, Price Mart, Lowes, United Stationers, and online at Home Depot, from Mar 2009 to Oct 2011, for between $100 and $150.
Details (via CPSC)
Black & Decker Mower Penalty
Black & Decker hasn’t issued a new recall, but they were slapped with a nearly $1.6 million civil penalty fine. They’re also being tasked with maintaining an internal compliance program.
Unrelated, they voluntarily issued a recall last year for certain Porter Cable routers, even though no injuries were reported. Sounds like they’re really trying to adhere to CPSC guidelines.
Details(via CPSC)
Jimmie
Thanks, Stuart. Though I’m not affected this time around, I was just just looking at a pair of Toro recycler mowers at Home Depot this morning.
What caught my eye was that both had B&S engines and both were rated at 7.25 lb-ft torque but they had different displacements (159cc vs 190cc).
mike aka Fazzman
Thanks for the ehads up Stu,thankful im not affected.
Get a Honda mower Jimmie,well worth the price for their longevity.
mike aka Fazzman
Heads up**
ktash
I have the Costco handtruck (and love it) but mine is a later model and not affected. Their website makes it easy to find this out.
Mike
I’m an avid camper and backpacker, and have admittedly spent far too much on some of my equipment, but I absolutely cannot fathom spending $160 for a hatchet or hand axe. No matter what special manufacturing process, materials, etc. might have been used.
It might just be me, but I can’t see myself filing a complaint about a broken handle either. It’s inevitable. Inspect before use, replace if necessary, use in a manner where a failure won’t endanger anyone. It’s not that hard. Or maybe someone was just upset that their $160 axe actually broke.
steve
Yeah… I thought the $90 I spent on my chopper1 was a bit expensive for an axe, but the ease of splitting makes it worth every penny. I would never spend $160 for a glorified hatchet.
James C
I would never spend $160k on a car when one much cheaper gets me from point A to point B just as well, but there’s a market out there for just about anything at just about any price.
fred
While I don’t have any of these items – I think that the picture of the Hatchet (hand-axe) handle is interesting for 2 reasons:
1) the eye of the axe head seems to provide very little clearance between the handle top side of the axe cheek. I can’t help wonder if when the axe is used – some handle flexing allows top of the cheek to strike and split the handle
2) The orientation of the grain of the handle appears to be at 90 degrees to the plane of the axe face. This makes for a weaker handle. 50 years ago when wood handle hammers were the norm – I was taught to look at the eye of the hammer connection and to select hammers where the grain of the wood (usually hickory – or possibly ash) were parallel to the cheeks of the hammer (90 degrees to the struck face) as this orientation was stronger.
Jimmie
Good eye, Fred! I was taught the same. The grain on that particular hatchet handle looks to be about 90 degrees from what it “should” be. Maybe it’s not such a big deal for hatchets but if it were a full-blown axe, that handle will break pretty quickly.
BikerDad
Well color me surprised! A locking folder that doesn’t always lock? From Gerber no less? A company that used to produce good quality products but decided to go downmarket.
dick deckert
Americans are so stupid!—if it costs lots—it must be good. Advertizers rejoice!