Existing Patents for begginers?

Schleifstein

Schleifstein

Joined
May 19, 2013
Messages
185
Hi, new to this forum and knife making in general.
My name is Philipp.

Are there any guides to knife patents on this forum? I'm really afraid of treading on design elements that people typically get sued over- blade lock designs are a classic example.

Can you even be sued over blade shape and profile? What about the knife handles? I don't necessarily plan to copy-cat, but the odds of me producing a completely original design seem really small.

Much thanks.


Here is some of my prior work, for those interested.

900506_orig.jpg
 
Most everything has been made at some point in time or another. There are very few patented designs in knives; there are too many variables to patent. If you were to copy a specific knife such as the Rambo knives made by Gill Hibbben you would be treading on someones feet. Nothing you have pictured would draw anyones wrath.
Grind on, Fred
 
Thanks! That's how I felt about it, but wasn't sure.

I suppose it's the really complicated stuff- again, blade locks - that needs patenting.

Cheers.
 
Within the law, if you had no clue and violated a patent, copyright, or a trademark, in order to prove you are willfully in violation, they almost always notify you with a cease and desist letter prior to legal action.

I'm not saying it isn't possible to catch a trial, but it isn't so common unless you find a patent with a big wallet behind it.
 
I remember there were issues with people doing something similar to spyderco's holes, so I'd exercise caution around that.
 
I'm talking without searching, but unless you copy a maker's mark, your artistic interpretation of a design won't lead to any legal action, especially for those knives shown. While your knives look great, I don't believe they can be interpreted as violating any design patents. Also, the cost of litigation for such an action is tremendous. I would say don't worry about it. ...Teddy
 
Don Nguyen said:
I remember there were issues with people doing something similar to spyderco's holes, so I'd exercise caution around that.
Click to expand...

Randall has a patent for their full-tang handle design.
Spyderco has their "spyder-hole"
Busse has a "talon-hole" (which oddly enough, seems to get copied pretty easily)
Victorinox has their "can-opener" design
Emerson has their Wave Feature.

Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights are not the same thing, and they are pretty specific in their "owners" definition. Have you ever noticed how the Cold Steel Ti-Lite has a reversed hook, like the Emerson wave feature? It isn't a patent violation. A patent specifically details what it is, and that means the dirrection it hooks as well. The other way was that Cold Steel used the ambidextrious thumb-disk as a hook to allow the blade to open the saem way an emerson wave would, it is also not a violation to the letter of the law, because the Emerson patent was for a hook, made integral to the blade. So just using that as an example you can see how two similar functional features were not patent infringements.
 
Goldsmithy said:
I'm talking without searching, but unless you copy a maker's mark, your artistic interpretation of a design won't lead to any legal action, especially for those knives shown. While your knives look great, I don't believe they can be interpreted as violating any design patents. Also, the cost of litigation for such an action is tremendous. I would say don't worry about it. ...Teddy
Click to expand...

Thanks, man!
 
ron_m80 said:
Randall has a patent for their full-tang handle design.
Spyderco has their "spyder-hole"
Busse has a "talon-hole" (which oddly enough, seems to get copied pretty easily)
Victorinox has their "can-opener" design
Emerson has their Wave Feature.

Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights are not the same thing, and they are pretty specific in their "owners" definition. Have you ever noticed how the Cold Steel Ti-Lite has a reversed hook, like the Emerson wave feature? It isn't a patent violation. A patent specifically details what it is, and that means the dirrection it hooks as well. The other way was that Cold Steel used the ambidextrious thumb-disk as a hook to allow the blade to open the saem way an emerson wave would, it is also not a violation to the letter of the law, because the Emerson patent was for a hook, made integral to the blade. So just using that as an example you can see how two similar functional features were not patent infringements.
Click to expand...


Yeah, such things are certainly trademarks. Makes sense.
 
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