Blatant Shameless Spyderco Ripoff

[Lapedog]

So I am doing my usual internet knife cruisin' and come across some suspicious photos on google image search. These knives are produced by a chinese company for an outfitter called Coast, which seems to be a US based company. While it doesn't bear Spyderco logos it is the exact silhouette of Delica.

They have a model that looks exactly like a Spyderco Delica. Except they call theirs the BX311.

There's also the DX340 which looks suspiciously similar to a Masters of Defense knife now produced by Blackhawk! and the DX350 which looks alot like a certain Benchmade. I am pretty sure they are copying the LAWKs device too.

I was just hoping Sal would see this and while I'm not sure there is anything he can do I can't stand to see such obvious theivery.

 

[Screwdriver]

This brand is sold all over the place here in LA at major brand stores....I always felt they were junk.

 

[W. Anderson]

Yeah, blatant ripoff for sure, but this design has been stolen since I was a kid. Remember the eagle motif on the handle, I'll find pics.

Eff Coast though, theres nothing lower than intellectual theft

 

[W. Anderson]

Not my photo, courtesy of Phil Elmore.

 

[Zombie411]

Coast sells knives from several makers, and many makers over the years.
Puma used to make knives for Coast.

I have one large Coast folder with a slide lock on the spine that locks out the liner lock.
I don't know the model but it's a decent knife.

Are the knives you are posting about labeled Coast?
I'm actually very surprised to hear they may be importing cheap copies...

Edit:
Followed your link. They're labeled alright.

 

[midnight flyer]

I was just hoping Sal would see this and while I'm not sure there is anything he can do I can't stand to see such obvious theivery.

The best thing you can do about the counterfeits is to not buy them or support the sites that sell them in anyway. It is a tsunami that can't be stopped, no matter how illegal, immoral, outrageous, foul and ugly it is.

Every few days another thread comes up where some denizen of the group has found more copies and has to express their outrage and feelings of indignation. There are several tens of thousands of posts on this very subject covering just about every value knife ever made. Some threads have hundreds of replies. To my knowledge, they accomplished nothing. Those here that are conscious (and outraged and indignant) don't buy these knives to begin with, so it is a bit like preaching to the choir.

Robert

 

[Lapedog]

The best thing you can do about the counterfeits is to not buy them or support the sites that sell them in anyway. It is a tsunami that can't be stopped, no matter how illegal, immoral, outrageous, foul and ugly it is.

Every few days another thread comes up where some denizen of the group has found more copies and has to express their outrage and feelings of indignation. There are several tens of thousands of posts on this very subject covering just about every value knife ever made. Some threads have hundreds of replies. To my knowledge, they accomplished nothing. Those here that are conscious (and outraged and indignant) don't buy these knives to begin with, so it is a bit like preaching to the choir.

Robert

Actually Spyderco has been alerted to Amerocan stores selling counterfeits by threads exactly like these who they then proceed to persue legally.

I believe this company thay is selling them to be American. Their site claims they are out of Portland Or. The only thing is since they don't have Spyderco logos I don't know if anything can be done.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Not my photo, courtesy of Phil Elmore.

Yep, that's the frost cutlery delicai. it's now currently available at the dollar tree among other places and is universally unbranded . The frost cutlery's we're first and either the eagle on the handle became known or the molds were distributed across the Chinese factories Because frost no longer has anything to do with them but it's still on the handles.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Coast sells knives from several makers, and many makers over the years.
Puma used to make knives for Coast.

I have one large Coast folder with a slide lock on the spine that locks out the liner lock.
I don't know the model but it's a decent knife.

Are the knives you are posting about labeled Coast?
I'm actually very surprised to hear they may be importing cheap copies...

Edit:
Followed your link. They're labeled alright.

I've had a coast knife or two and they were decent knives.
I noticed on their website that they have a lifetime warranty, but I don't know what their customer service would be like to see if they'd honor it.

Now the knife in question is mostly a spyderco copy, but they did change a few things and at least they have their own brand on it.
I'm not saying this is good or bad, but it's not hurting Spyderco any as far as I know.

 

[115Italian]

Its definitely similar to a delica but I would say its a counterfeit delica. I also saw something resembling a tenacious.

 

[goldie]

that frost rip off is a sardine can from the word go.I see fishtank bowls full of them at hardware stores...

 

[craytab]

So I am doing my usual internet knife cruisin' and come across some suspicious photos on google image search. These knives are produced by a chinese company for an outfitter called Coast, which seems to be a US based company. While it doesn't bear Spyderco logos it is the exact silhouette of Delica.

Just scroll down a few knives until you get to BX311.
link removed

There's also the DX340 which looks suspiciously similar to a Masters of Defense knife now produced by Blackhawk! and the DX350 which looks alot like a certain Benchmade. I am pretty sure they are copying the LAWKs device too.

I was just hoping Sal would see this and while I'm not sure there is anything he can do I can't stand to see such obvious theivery.

Might want to remove that link as it is to the company's website that sells the rip off. Best to copy the photo and paste it rather than show people exactly where to buy it.

Now the knife in question is mostly a spyderco copy, but they did change a few things and at least they have their own brand on it. I'm not saying this is good or bad, but it's not hurting Spyderco any as far as I know.

I believe @Sal would disagree. He actually knows what he is talking about on these matters. At that price this knock off competes directly with the Spyderco Byrd line.

 

[marcinek]

I've had a coast knife or two and they were decent knives.
I noticed on their website that they have a lifetime warranty, but I don't know what their customer service would be like to see if they'd honor it.

Now the knife in question is mostly a spyderco copy, but they did change a few things and at least they have their own brand on it.
I'm not saying this is good or bad, but it's not hurting Spyderco any as far as I know.

These are now the "standards" if a deliberate ripoff is bad?!? Whether or not the original maker loses money on it? Whether or not its customer service is bad?

smh

That knife is deliberately meant to look like a Delica and make a quick buck off Sal's efforts. So it is bad. The company producing it is bad. The people selling it are bad.

The excuses and apologies for these things around here lately, I just don't get.

Maybe that's how things are going...this "at least the trains ran on time" acceptance of the the entire clone/counterfeit/tribute industry...but I didn't see it going that way here...

 

[Hickory n steel]

Might want to remove that link as it is to the company's website that sells the rip off. Best to copy the photo and paste it rather than show people exactly where to buy it.



I believe @Sal would disagree. He actually knows what he is talking about on these matters. At that price this knock off competes directly with the Spyderco Byrd line.

I didn't even notice the prices on them, I guess it technically could take some business from Spyderco.

 

[James Y]

I remember those from back in the late '90s. Oddly enough, I had thought they were mostly a thing of the past. Clearly, I was wrong...

Jim

 

[marcinek]

I didn't even notice the prices on them, I guess it technically could take some business from Spyderco.

So. Just out of curiosity...so, for you, someone who claims to be passionate about knives, bout knives as a hobby, and about the people who make knives...as long as a clone/counterfeit/tribute isn't taking money out of somebody's pocket, it's OK?

 

[Lapedog]

This company is clearly selling many designs that are ripped off from other companies. The Delica ripoff is the most obvious but if you scroll through their list you'll see many designs that were stolen.

 

[craytab]

And I'm not sure if the rip off designs are sold in my local stores but I know for sure some models are. Think big box hardware store.

 

[Icehawk]

I bought two Coast "flippers" for $10 from the Depot a while back just to have something I can toss in my car and leave on my desk at work. They are as cheap as you would expect, neither really flip and one of them the liner lock jams if you flip the knife open too hard.

All that said for $5 it's not bad, neither ones I have feel unsafe or like they are going to fall apart. The one I am fiddling with now has no blade play although centering is off but not rubbing. Moderately sharp with relatively soft steel.

 

[Zombie411]

The images posted above look like cheap junk compared to the Coast I have.
It's one of my daily "work" knives.

Judging from the images alone (above) I would not even consider purchasing one. I know the one I own is several years old. Perhaps 10 or so years.
That is why I am surprised.
I also have a Puma prototype made for Coast in the 80's that was never produced in a retail line.
I'm wondering now if this is a different "Coast" company?

I found thru research that the company importing Ganzo is Ace Tool Co.. Not the Ace Hardware Co.
Perhaps we are talking about a different Coast Co.?

This is perhaps how/why this happens... Mis-direction... ???