Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
In all fairness, many of us have real filter cutters that do a pretty precise job of opening the filters with no shavings or damage to the element, but i see what your saying.
I do not doubt that many do a good if not better job on their own of opening a filter. That is just not the process.
I deal with aircraft parts all day long and in this industry, there is what we call "Root Cause, Corrective Action". With most ISO rated companies, it is a defined process of identifying a problem at it's core and correcting for future mistakes. I cannot take apart a hydraulic cylinder or open up a an avionics component and say to vendor, "fix it" and expect the vendor to accept the charge back. That is not how it works.
A vendor/manufacturer has a defined process to receive back the suspect part unmolested a perform testing either destructive and/or non-destructive to figure out the defect if it so exist or determine it is external to the component and component meets spec. Usually a detailed report ensues showing what testing is done and whether charge is taken with the customer or the vendor/manufacturer.
In the case of oil filters and the average consumer facing an expensive repair or engine replace, their is always a suspect that negative news not finding in the consumers favor means the filter maker is rigging the results. That is speculative at best and besides internet smack talk, has no real foundation of truth.
Many things can cause a filter to fail that is external of the filter itself. Can range from incorrect weight application, installation error and failure of bypass and check valves internal to the engine causing a pressure spike that backs up to the filter. All the average consumer knows is has either a screwed up filter that may or may not be the cause or internal engine problem that requires significant diagnosis and cost the consumer can not afford. So the consumers hopes and prayer hinges the filter is bad but when it is not, the filter make must be fraudulent with no proof themselves to back it up other than their opinion.