custom build remain exclusive?

Z

zignal_zero

Joined
Apr 16, 2008
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if you have an idea for a knife and you want to have someone build two of them for you, is there anything (in the absence of a patent) that keeps them from making 40 more of them and selling the knife that you thought up? it seems no one with ethics would do this, but i'm still leery. i really don't want to go through the trouble of patenting a design because i have no interest in selling these or catching any royalties, etc. i just want one for a friend and myself and i would like them to remain exclusively ours.
 
Do you think your design is so unique that it, or something similar, hasn't been done before?

If it's truly a unique design, with something that really separates it from the pack, you could have the knifemaker name it after you and perhaps sign an agreement preventing him from making any more. The problem you have is that design "theft" is rather common in the knifemaking world, and even if that maker doesn't make any more, there is no guarantee that another won't.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as really, very little is new under sun when it comes to knife design. But IMO, if I had a knife made by a knifemaker, and I was happy with the design and the workmanship that went into the knife, I would be satisfied.

Andy
 
If you come up with something be sure and share it. Most manufacturers looking at China would like to know...
 
zignal_zero said:
if you have an idea for a knife and you want to have someone build two of them for you, is there anything (in the absence of a patent) that keeps them from making 40 more of them and selling the knife that you thought up? it seems no one with ethics would do this, but i'm still leery. i really don't want to go through the trouble of patenting a design because i have no interest in selling these or catching any royalties, etc. i just want one for a friend and myself and i would like them to remain exclusively ours.
Click to expand...

Unless your design is pure genius and completely ground-breaking you probably aren't going to have an issue. Most makers would much rather knock out your knives and get back to working on their own stuff... Occasionally there is a great design (evidence: Fiddleback KPH or Tom Krein's Jack Turner Special) that gets made in some numbers.... but, those knives were named after the guys that had input into the design.... what you need to realize, as a non-knife maker, is that outside of general shape and handle material selection the man that puts steel to fire or steel to grinder still has way more in the design than you ever did. :o
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
Do you think your design is so unique that it, or something similar, hasn't been done before?

If it's truly a unique design, with something that really separates it from the pack, you could have the knifemaker name it after you and perhaps sign an agreement preventing him from making any more. The problem you have is that design "theft" is rather common in the knifemaking world, and even if that maker doesn't make any more, there is no guarantee that another won't.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as really, very little is new under sun when it comes to knife design. But IMO, if I had a knife made by a knifemaker, and I was happy with the design and the workmanship that went into the knife, I would be satisfied.

Andy
Click to expand...

i haven't been able to find anything like it. if i could, i'd buy it. it probably won't be liked by enough people to reproduce, it's gonna be butt ugly :D

as for the other makers, good point :( even if it's made by someone who respects me enough to not capitalize on my idea, that doesn't mean they're not gonna start showing up in flea markets for 8bux.
 
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