A MUST READ in American Handgunner

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Gossman Knives

Edged Toolmaker
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Apr 9, 2004
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I just picked up the Sept.-Oct. issue of American Handgunner and saw a very good article that all of you that are serious and new to knives must read. It's on page 59 and is written by Roy Huntington. The article is about the cheap, rip-off bullsh...t knives that are out there being sold as something they are not. There are pics of these pieces of sh...t with bent, broken and twisted blades. Bent handles and sheared off pivot pins. They are ripping off companies like Benchmade, Strider, Tops, Spyderco and other reputable companies. These sorry bastards are nothing but common thieves, profiting off of the hard work of a good company. They need to be stopped! Man I'm pissed off seeing this sh...t being sold and peddled as something it's not. So if you are new to knives, do yourself a favor, read this article. Don't waste your money on this junk.
Scott
 
Although its obvious, I think it still needs stating here. It takes a gun magazine to point out rip-off knives. American Handgunner has always been known for straight talk, tell it like it is writing. You would never see the big 3 knife mags do this. If the knife magazines do day anything negative, its very general and they would never dare to name the offending companies. In fact, it has been shown that the knife rags will glorify these rip-off companies with flattering articles if they get enough advertising dollars.

Great job to AH, maybe the knife magazines could learn a lesson about how they should approach these rip-offs...doubtful they will though.
 
While I understand the outrage, I wonder if there is any real threat here. You can get a Spyderco Delica knockoff for $6 at Ace Hardware. But anyone who would by a cheap knockoff like that isn't likely to spend $50 on the real deal. And anyone who would buy a $50 Spyderco knows that the $6 knockoff is worthless crap and would never touch it. A teenage might buy a Strider knockoff for $20 because he thinks it looks badass. But he's not a real knife enthusiast like someone who would own a real Strider. He's not going to spend $400 on a real one. Strider didn't lose sales because of the knockoff.

Unless we're talking about eBay cheats or something...
 
There is a pic on page 61 at the bottom showing a knife (shouldn't even call it that) with a broken blade and etched on the blade it says TOPS TACTICAL-OPS. They are using a companies name without their permission and that is stealing. Not only that but the person buying the knife who is not knowledgable will think he's buying a real Tops brand knife only to find out he bought a piece of sh...t. :barf:
Scott
 
heading out to the bookstore right now - thanks, Scott. I wanna cut this out and post it somewhere.

everytime somebody asks me why I could possibly charge what I do for a knife (non-knife folks mostly) I show them that video of "Sean" - the nut on the Home Shopping Network that sent the sharp end of a broken katana into his belly.

Works for me. ;)
 
People have been doing this for years. Look at all the Rolex watch knock-offs. One customer actually took one to a Rolex dealer to get it fixed when it stopped running. Dealer referred him to Rolex who told him as to what he'd really purchased. It's nothing new. I remember a guy in Spain who bought a real Rolex in a local shop and did a too quick currency conversion and thought he was paying $1500 for a gold Rolex -- he was so proud of his shopping acumen. When I saw the watch and price-tag I did a quick conversion in my head and realized he'd paid $15,000 for the watch, a bit above MSRP. The Christmas lights when out of his eyes -- Greed. The guy ended up with a pretty big credit card bill -- but at least he got a nice watch.

People looking for a super too-good-to-be-true deal are easy; their greed makes them buy and then they're upset when the $2 knife they paid $6 for isn't a $200 Benchmade -- they blame Benchmade :rolleyes: There's one born every minute.
 
Daniel Koster said:
...everytime somebody asks me why I could possibly charge what I do for a knife (non-knife folks mostly) I show them that video of "Sean" - the nut on the Home Shopping Network that sent the sharp end of a broken katana into his belly.
Click to expand...

I was sent that clip and LMAO for about a day and a half. :D

BTW I've encountered individuals who own very inexpensive folders that were purchased at flea markets or other venues for the aforementioned $6.00 to $15.00 range and who believe that they are using something on par with a benchmade. :rolleyes: That is until it fails. :eek: Luckily I have not yet encountered anyone who has sustained an injury due to said failure.

Stuart
 
Planterz said:
While I understand the outrage, I wonder if there is any real threat here.
Click to expand...
Please tell me that you had a momentary lapse of rational thinking when you made this statement. ;)

What these knock-off companies are doing is nothing less than theft. They steal the design and tout it as the real thing to unsuspecting buyers. Integrity and safety are compromised. I have seen on more than one occasion where a knock-off broke and caused serious injury to the person using it. I have been asked why I use such "expensive" knives (Spyderco, CRKT) when a simple cheapy will do. I then send them the HSN "I'm-a-big-dumbass" mpeg. They change their tune afterwards.
 
Could you post a link to that mpeg or send to me? I would love to have it to show to customers (I'm a part time knife dealer)


Kevin
 
It's really bad with slip-joints. Just look at all those stockmans and trappers that everybody has ripped off. :rolleyes: I wonder who ripped off whom first though?

Outright lying like putting another company's name on it is of course bad. Making another version similar to another or even the same isn't a big deal AFAIC unless Patents are infringed. It's done in the 'traditional' knife market all the time.

Any reasonable person would know that a $100 Benchmade is probably better built than a $5 Taiwan copy. And that the cheapo will fail easier to abuse than the expensive one.
 
What is even worse is people spend insane amounts on other things (I saw a little leather armchair for $750! :eek: ), but they won't spend $50 on a Spyderco Delica!
 
It was a good article. I learned a lot.

I will look very suspiciously at any knife that says "Made in Germany."
 
Steven Roos said:
What is even worse is people spend insane amounts on other things (I saw a little leather armchair for $750! :eek: ), but they won't spend $50 on a Spyderco Delica!
Click to expand...
This is so true. When I set up at a gunshow, I have people come up to me asking me what would be a good hunting knife to go along with their $1200.00 rifle scope combination. And when I show them a 75.00 to 200.00 factory piece or on of my handmades, they look at me like I've got two heads :rolleyes: On a hunt the real work comes when the animal is down. That what I tell them and most will say "Man that's too much to spend on a knife" Then they ask do have any of those $5.00 or $10.00 knives, and being the nice guy I am, point them in the direction of the junk knife dealer and shake my head as they walk away.
Scott
 
Leaving aside the blatant "knockoffs" you see around it is interesting to see mention of the Stockman eg. Many of these type of knives originated from Sheffield and were "knocked off" by the US companies and now the Chinese eg are knocking off US designed Stockman and similar knives. I have just imported a few of the Rough Rider series of knives. Their Stockman and Trapper knives are well made with the use of "bone" for the scales. Whilst I don't believe they are up to standard of US knives such as Schrade they are of a standard equal of those companies such as Winchester and Smith & Wesson who have their knives made in China (maybe in the same plant).
 
JDBLADE said:
Leaving aside the blatant "knockoffs" you see around it is interesting to see mention of the Stockman eg. Many of these type of knives originated from Sheffield and were "knocked off" by the US companies and now the Chinese eg are knocking off US designed Stockman and similar knives. I have just imported a few of the Rough Rider series of knives. Their Stockman and Trapper knives are well made with the use of "bone" for the scales. Whilst I don't believe they are up to standard of US knives such as Schrade they are of a standard equal of those companies such as Winchester and Smith & Wesson who have their knives made in China (maybe in the same plant).
Click to expand...
While this is true, the stockman really isn't a pattern that a particular company has a patent on. Some of the tactical designs may or may not have a patent, but the point here is more of a ethical stand point in that Strider Benchmade, Tops and the others work hard at designing their knives only to be copied by assho...es looking to profit from their hard work. These knives demean the true workmanship and brain power that goes into the designs. Strider and Tops in particular design their products by individuals that have been in real life or death situations where a knife could mean the difference between life or death. They make knives you can stake your life on.

Joe, there is a pic of a folder made by rip-off artists Master Knives :barf: on page 61. On page 60 there is a knife I think made by a rip-off company named Combat Ready :barf:
Scott
 
Joe Talmadge said:
Did the article name names on which companies and manufacturers were putting the ripoffs out?
Click to expand...

I don't recall companies being named but the article stated that some of the knives tested were purchased from Cheaper Than Dirt. China was generally given as the county of origin of the knives tested.

Tom
 
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