benchmade ethics

[fatherhudson]

so i'm hesitant to post this because it seems like there are a lot of rumors and false information already floating around in the knife community but i'm kinda curious. so full disclaimer: i have no information to back this up but i was told this by a knife industry insider who seems like he might know what he's talking about. so i hear that benchmade told the owner of lonewolf knives that he had 2 choices. 1: benchmade was going to copy their knife designs (specifically their automatic design i think but i'm not certain) or 2. he could sell his company to benchmade. the owner considered and realized that he would have been driven out of business by the time he could resolve any legal action and so he sold the company to benchmade. does anyone know if this has any truth to it? if benchmade really does practice predatory business practices like this i'm never going to buy another one.

p.s. please don't tell me about how benchmade copied the spyderhole. we already know how much you love spyderco.

 

[NOREAT]

That has the sound of falsity to me. I know there has been quite a bit of smearing directed at Benchmade. Please tell me about the stealing of the Spyderhole? If Spyderco had a case against Benchmade, they have the resources to win it, so I would be surprised if Benchmade stole it. I may be wrong, though.

 

[espnazi]

That has the sound of falsity to me. I know there has been quite a bit of smearing directed at Benchmade. Please tell me about the stealing of the Spyderhole? If Spyderco had a case against Benchmade, they have the resources to win it, so I would be surprised if Benchmade stole it. I may be wrong, though.

Benchmade settled out of court.

 

[NOREAT]

Wait, Benchmade settled, and they're still using the Spyderhole?

 

[res1cue]

They aren't using the Spyderhole. First of all, the spyderhole is not a patent, b/c you can't patent the lack of something. It is a trademark for a 14mm hole. Benchmade uses a different size hole

 

[Ramiel]

Ever think that Benchmade may have permission to use the Spyderco opening hole? Spyderco has knives with the Emerson wave and it is used with permission. I am only speaking as someone ignorant to any legal issues surrounding Benchmade's practices so I could very easily be wrong. Seems to be a pretty common practice to license out features for other knifemakers to use.

 

[NOREAT]

I thought it had to be something like that. I have very little understanding of legal concepts in this day and age (my legal concept is if it violates the Bible, it's wrong), but I didn't think the Spyderhole was patentable.

 

[Skimo]

21 posts and you know industry insiders... I don't think this applies to general knife discussion.

 

[res1cue]

Ever think that Benchmade may have permission to use the Spyderco opening hole? Spyderco has knives with the Emerson wave and it is used with permission. I am only speaking as someone ignorant to any legal issues surrounding Benchmade's practices so I could very easily be wrong. Seems to be a pretty common practice to license out features for other knifemakers to use.

In this case, no. If you look at spyderco folders with the emerson wave, they attribute the wave to Emerson.

There have definitely been legal conflicts between BM and spyderco over the hole, but that was quite a few years ago IIRC. I believe AFCK was the knife in question? If not, I'm sure somebody will correct me.

 

[RevDevil]

That has the sound of falsity to me. I know there has been quite a bit of smearing directed at Benchmade. Please tell me about the stealing of the Spyderhole? If Spyderco had a case against Benchmade, they have the resources to win it, so I would be surprised if Benchmade stole it. I may be wrong, though.

Wait, Benchmade settled, and they're still using the Spyderhole?

I thought it had to be something like that. I have very little understanding of legal concepts in this day and age (my legal concept is if it violates the Bible, it's wrong), but I didn't think the Spyderhole was patentable.

If you want to search this topic, use Google and search it out. This thread should not be used for that. Let's not start throwing logs on the fire shall we.

21 posts and you know industry insiders... I don't think this applies to general knife discussion.

Of course.

 

[HardTripper]

Troll post?

 

[fatherhudson]

The spyderhole is indeed trademarked (although i think that's ridiculous and wouldn't hold up in court) and benchmade did indeed reach an agreement with spyderco allowing them to use the hole without contest.


but damm! this was exactly the line i didn't want this thread to go down!

 

[Skimo]

Well 21 posts here, I'm wary of talking knife companies with guys who show up and start talking knife companies right off the bat...

Ask your insider for something more tangible.

 

[RevDevil]

The spyderhole is indeed trademarked (although i think that's ridiculous and wouldn't hold up in court) and benchmade did indeed reach an agreement with spyderco allowing them to use the hole without contest.


but damm! this was exactly the line i didn't want this thread to go down!

Yes, it is trademarked. Trademarks can and usually do hold up in court. Do some more research before generalizing. Carefully wording threads helps avoid derailment, just sayin'.

 

[knarfeng]

i have no information to back this up but i was told this by a knife industry insider who seems like he might know what he's talking about.

And you considered this a credible source of information?
And you considered this wild unsubstantiated rumor worth spreading?

Your post is pretty close to trolling.

 

[fatherhudson]

21 posts and you know industry insiders... I don't think this applies to general knife discussion.

so you think it's difficult for someone to have a conversation with a knife distributor because they don't have very many posts on an internet forum? is knowledge about knives somehow tied up in your post count on bladeforums.com?

ok, fine, i am kinda new to the whole knife game.

 

[fatherhudson]

i wasn't trying to troll. if i knew whether it was true or not i wouldn't have any reason to ask, right? remove the thread if it bothers you, i really don't have any interest in spreading false rumors. i just didn't think someones secondhand account would damage anyone or any company.

 

[Skimo]

so you think it's difficult for someone to have a conversation with a knife distributor because they don't have very many posts on an internet forum? is knowledge about knives somehow tied up in your post count on bladeforums.com?

ok, fine, i am kinda new to the whole knife game.

No, what I'm saying is that haven't built and credibility here. Anonymous name and all that. Spreading rumors hurts business because there might be someone newer and completely ignorant who makes a decision to not buy a product.

 

[JAB]

From an earlier infamous Benchmade vs. Spyderco thread:

*snip*

I can say that Spyderco and Benchmade have an agreement. Sorry, details are confidential.

The hole was not stolen by Benchmade and the heading should be removed or modified.

sal

 

[Tsujigiri]

This "knife industry insider" doesn't happen to be a Scottish knife dealer who keeps posting videos about Benchmade conspiracies and faulty construction, does he?