Copying other makers designs

dobervol said:
Only one example is Lynn Thompson and Cold Steel. Recently, he was accused here of ripping off Ernie Emerson's flipper and putting it on the Ti-Lite. ...... Considering the same facts, what is the motive for CS to both ripoff the "wave" and not credit EE?
Click to expand...

Its not a rip off in the eyes of the law. the bump isn't a hook on the Ti-Lite. Patents are very specific in enforcement i hear.

The patent specifically says a WAVE is a hook that points toward the tip of the blade, the Ti-Lite points the other way.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=qk8ZAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4#v=onepage&q&f=false
 
I agree with you entirely Dobervol! The attacks on Cold Steel have always struck me as bordering on the hysterical. I'm also sure that you're absolutely correct when you say that Emerson has not lost a single sale to CS because of some -so called- copying.
Actually I find Emerson's xenophobic blogs as irritating as any of the over-the-top antics Lynn Thompson pulls.
 
As mentioned before we have a number of copies of Loveless designs, Bowie design and many others.
There are also traditional folder designs... trapper, toothpick, barlow, etc.

Companies using Pocket clips
Companies using Spydieholes
Companies using Axis lock
Companies using Liner Lock
Companies using RIL
Companies using Wave opening

How about
GI Tanto design (Cold Steel/Strider disagreement)
S1, A1, Trailmaster etc designs (Fallkniven, Cold steel)
Bradley Alias inspiration (Benchmade, CRK)
and others ...
 
I wrote the article referred to in this thread. The Hibben Bowie knive used in "The Expendables" is based on Gil's Alamo Bowie. Gil has been making this model for over 45 years. Here is a photo of it from his 1964 catalog:

scan0086.jpg


Stallone saw the Alamo Bowie on Gil's website and called Gil saying that was what he wanted for the movie. Originally they were going to use Gil's traditional model with the wooden handle. Later, they decided to change to a white micarta handle so they could scrimshaw the Expendables logo on it.

Nobody knows the origin of the Musso Bowie. Various stories have been put forth over the years about how Joe Musso got it. Most experts seem to agree that is a realtively modern knife (1950s) and not the relic that it is claimed to be.
 
There aren't many truly innovative ideas in the knife industry any longer. Most everything has been done one way or another. I think you could make a case for every new knife being a ripoff. How many 3" drop point bladed, Zytel handled knives with locking liners are there? How many drop point hunter fixed blades are there. I lost count 10 years ago.

If an innovation has a patent then that innovation is protected for a number of years (except in China, of course.) A concept might be copied (A/O for instance) but not the patentable design. The great arbiter of product copying is the market place. Innovators tend to do better than copycats where the rubber meets the road. So it is you, the consumer, who ultimately applies the justice to the whole thing.
 
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