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My thoughts EXACTLY!!
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Any rivalries between knife companies ?
- Thread starter Hickory n steel
- Start date
No, that's a fair point. If competition for the same objective or for superiority in the same niche is "rivalry." I suppose "rivalry" connotes something more negative/bitter to me, and I have never seen that in the knife industry (except for Cold Steel).
So, I guess, Spyderco and Benchmade have a "rivalry."
Hickory n steel
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I was thinking about companies calling out others as inferior like you see every day with wireless providers or coke vs pepsi, so rivalrie may not be the best word as rivalries are often friendly ones. I'm not sure if they ever did this, but the closest thing I could think of is leatherman vs Gerber multitools.
Spyderco once held the patent on the round opening hole. Benchmade infringed on that patent by using the round hole without Spyderco's permission and against their objections. Spyderco took Benchmade to court, and they settled the matter. Benchmade then stopped using the round opening hole for awhile.
Eventually Spyderco's patent on the round hole expired. Spyderco does have a trademark on the hole, but my understanding is that trademark laws are very complicated and have a lot of loopholes. I'm not a trademark lawyer, nor do I pretend to be.
Of course, Spyderco can give other knife companies permission to use a round opening hole if they so choose.
Eventually Benchmade started using the round opening hole again. I don't know if Benchmade is paying Spyderco for using the round hole, or just using it with their permission, or taking advantage of a loophole in trademark law. But since the patent ran out, Benchmade is no longer infringing on Spyderco's patent by using a round hole.
The Spyderco lawsuit against Benchmade was a big story in the knife community for awhile, and a source of much discussion on this and other knife forums. A little online searching will give you plenty of reading material.
OK...That's exactly what I thought you were saying.
In that case, like I said before, other than Cold Steel vs just about everybody, I would say "No."
Well. Shoot. There may be another I have seen, but I wouldn't easily be able to back it up with any public "rivalry." Kinda private stuff. So I'll zip it on that one.
No point in even further stirring the pot than it already has been by this question.
Peter Hartwig
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This is the way I have viewed it
Cold Steel vs near everyone (especially in the 80's and 90's) was probably the most venomous the knife World has gotten.
Most of the others rivalries have been grimace and shrug level by comparison. For instance most of the big NE cutlery companies have long been on good terms for decades, because most of the original owners had familial connections that sort of forced them to work together.
Similarly, most of the larger NW companies have or had friendly connections that caused them to be rather decent to each other.
Most of the others rivalries have been grimace and shrug level by comparison. For instance most of the big NE cutlery companies have long been on good terms for decades, because most of the original owners had familial connections that sort of forced them to work together.
Similarly, most of the larger NW companies have or had friendly connections that caused them to be rather decent to each other.
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Yep...
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/429134-Benchmade-steals-the-spyderhole/page6
There is a difference between Patent Design and Trademark. I'm thinking if the hole is not the exact same size then there's no legal issue. But I might be wrong on that.
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Good observation...
Yes....Except its not what the op is asking about, which are "negative/bitter" rivalries between companies.
Hickory n steel
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I guess the reason I've never see heard of any rivalries is because there really aren't any ,but a little but of friendly rivalrie never hurt anyone so maybe someone should start something 😁
No....many people in this thread have said CS has done precisely what you are asking about.
JuJu-
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It's kind of funny that lots of people don't realize this. I've heard it from some of the biggest names in the industry so I wholeheartedly agree with you Whitty. There are of course a few small things here and there but for the most part the knife world is a very small community that works well with each other.
Actually, many years back (either late '90s or early 2000s), Cold Steel and Busse had a bit of a 'feud'. I think it was about which was the better knife: Battle Mistress or Trailmaster.
Cold Steel also briefly offered SAK knockoffs, touting them as affordable alternatives to real SAKs, claiming they were just as good but at a lower price. I *think* the SAK knockoffs were of Chinese origin, like dollar store SAKs, as opposed to German-made SAK knockoffs. Meanwhile, I heard that Victorinox contacted Cold Steel out of respect, for permission to call one of their large locking SAK models the 'Trailmaster', knowing that was already the name of a CS knife.
Jim
Spill it.
What is the story behind CS vs. the World? Ive been living in a cave.
Trademarks cover use of the brand name, mark and (trade dress, a particular design that is used at represent the brand), while patents cover design. Copyright covers words and pictures.
The test for patent infringement is whether the new design, or portion thereof, is novel, or would have been a non-obious derivative, which would still be covered for patents designs. Improvements to patented designs that arent obvious which are deemed novel can be patented.
An identical version of an iphone produced, except being made miniature a la Zoolander or giant would still be held as copying.
What is the story behind CS vs. the World? Ive been living in a cave.
Trademarks cover use of the brand name, mark and (trade dress, a particular design that is used at represent the brand), while patents cover design. Copyright covers words and pictures.
The test for patent infringement is whether the new design, or portion thereof, is novel, or would have been a non-obious derivative, which would still be covered for patents designs. Improvements to patented designs that arent obvious which are deemed novel can be patented.
An identical version of an iphone produced, except being made miniature a la Zoolander or giant would still be held as copying.
trevitrace
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This is from a 1990 AG Russell catalog. 
Some big cajones there. Haha.
See thats guys knife? Yeah, we can make it better for you. Our version of his knife is better. Oh, dont mind him.
Thats pretty funny.
I dont think you understood the content of that ad, if that is what you are referring to.
How about "GI Tanto" for a start?