Design Copyrights? What is infringement?

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I am looking into going into knifemaking full time and could use some newcomer advice from the old pro's (Or new pro's for that matter). With so many great designs out there how do I keep from infringing on the design patents or coprights? How much of a change from say a Randall design needs to be made to avoid any problems? Your help is appreciated!
 
Basically fixed blade knives will be free of patent protection because the design elements are in the public domain. After all in the last 1.5 million years since the first stone knives were made all of the possible design elements have been used.

Mechanical folder designs could be covered so check first.

It is considered bad faith to directly copy a competitor's model unless it is done faithfully and attributed. If the competitor is not dead asking permission is a must.

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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
Some manufacturers have features unique to them and those features may be patented. A quick search at the USPTO will give you a lot of answers.
www.uspto.gov

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Mike Turber
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[This message has been edited by Mike Turber (edited 30 November 1999).]
 
Those posting above are right, it's tough getting a patent on a knife design. You can't patent a shape and most everything else that has already been produced and sold at least once is "prior art" which is the indication you ain't the first! Patents on folder mechanisms do exist so either get a license from the patent holder (he will want money), wait till 17 years have passed before you sell the knives you make using the patented design (patents expire in 17 years from issue), or just never "sell" them at all. You can make whatever you want for your use, and other's, as long as you don't sell it. Patents are issued to protect the inventor from someone stealing his idea and profiting from it. Randall Made Knives has a patent on a handle/tang design (see their catalog for the patent #) and it must have issued over 17 years ago since I seen AlMar Knives has copied it. Also, Cold Steel and the late Blackjack Knives copied Randall's Model #1 design without identifying the source of the design. I seem to remember marketing speak like "Classic fighting knife design" or something. They wanted you to know it was a tried and tested design but not where they got it.

Bruce Woodbury
 
Is there such a thing as a Design patent for a fixed blade knife? Maybe a stupid question but Thats how you learn.
 
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