Heads up From Ernest Emerson

E

Ernest Emerson

Joined
Apr 5, 1999
Messages
460
Dear Members,

I just wanted to make you aware of a situation we are going through with Louis Krudo of Krudo Knives.

Since the publication of my books, we found the need to set up an "author page." The best name for that of course is ErnestEmerson.com. So I instructed I.T. to see if we had already registered that domain. One of the guys just typed in ErnestEmerson.com and lo and behold, up pops the front page of Krudo Knives website, WTF? Upon further investigation we found that he also registered ErnieEmerson.com along with over 150 "other" domain names.

Well, we knew that this was in fact, illegal and also, in my opinion, very unethical and we contacted our attorney. I have included the body of the letter for you so that you are aware of the violations that occurred. Also notice the date of the letter. At first they even refused delivery of the letter.

After approximately 1 1/2 months (A month later than stipulated by our request) we received back a letter "transferring" the names back to Ernest Emerson.

However the story isn't over. For GoDaddy to finalize and give us use of the domains, they need a letter of "authorization" from Krudo on their end. It is now May 5 and Krudo has been contacted more than once informing him/them that they need to finalize this agreement. It is nothing more than an email to GoDaddy stating, we give you the right to change ownership of the domains over to Ernest Emerson. Again, WTF?

Now we are prepared to bring in the guns to force the issue legally - once again. What is the problem with this guy? He was wrong. He knew it. He did it anyway. He got caught. And now he's dragging his feet? It is now May 5, over 2 1/2 months since this was brought to his attention.

The reason I bring this up here in a public forum is this. When someone does something wrong they should be called out for it and the public should be informed. Plus I would like to give a heads up to other knifemakers to check both the registration of their names, nicknames and variations of their company names to see if there are any of you who are also being hijacked in this manner.

Our business has succeeded by always doing the right thing and it is something we are very proud of. And, I know my family can always be proud of what their Mom and Dad did. It brings a quote to mind that Bob Terzuola once said, "Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching."

What ever happened to ethics and morals?

My Best Regards,

Ernest Emerson

1430846424-Krudo_Letter.jpg
 
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That is definitely unethical. To try and capitalize on your name and your hard work is definitely beyond the pale.
 
Just tried to check it out and it shows www.ernestemerson.com is no longer selling knives, it is "parked" on GoDaddy.

I'm no attorney and stayed at home last night, but have owned my name as my web site for over 10 years. Just because someone registered a domain before you want it doesn't necessary mean you have the right to take it away by force, no matter how famous you become. Over 10 years ago I had to settle for myname.net as someone else already owned myname.com when I tried to register it. They weren't using it, it too was "parked", and they wouldn't reply to multiple requests to sell it. To this day they still own it and after several years of sitting "parked", they are finally are using it. Ernestemerson.net is available ... who cares if it's .com or .net if it's intended purpose is for an author link?

You aren't the first, or the most famous. Check yesterday's news about presidential candidate Carla Fiorina failing to grab domains with her name ... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/04/carly-fiorina-website_n_7204826.html

I remember a story from years ago when www.harley.com went to this web site about a hamster named Harley ... When the internet boomed Harley Davidson fans were outraged and HD spent serious money trying to force the owner to give it up. Check out who still owns today ... it ain't Harley Davidson.

I wish you luck, love your knives.

emersonroadhousesub1.jpg
 
The amount of disrespect these days is mind blowing especially to do it to an American icon is disgusting in my book.
 
Chief,

Thanks for the comments. You and I both know there is a right and a wrong here. In reference to your own example, there is a big difference between two people perhaps having the same name and this situation where intent, forethought and action were all in place.

Back to your own example, if you sold "Chief Donuts" and you were a well known donut maker named John Johnson and then a competitor who also sold donuts purchased JohnJohnson.com and directed it to his donut shop site then I believe your take on this would be just a little different. Harley.com was not selling another brand of motorcycles. If Ernest Emerson from Fairbanks Alaska had purchased my name prior to me for his family website then there would be no issue as he has every right both legal and moral to do so.

According to the laws cited in the letter when it is done for the reasons as stated, then the law is being broken. Their attorney did not even argue that. I don't even give a damn about .com or .net. The issue is the illegal use of a known and Registered name in a product category being used by a competitor selling in the same product category redirecting traffic to their site using that name. The name wasn't "parked" until we threatened this action. You are damn right I will use force to prevent that from happening - especially when it is deemed illegal by thousands of case precedents over the last 16 years. You may have missed my point. This is not about an author page, that is just how we discovered this illegal activity. This is about right and wrong and I assumed that readers of this post would see it in the same light. With all due respect.

My Best Regards,

Ernest Emerson
 
Mr. Emerson,

I completely understand your position and appreciate you bringing this unethical behavior to our attention. Knowing this, I will never purchase from Krudo Knives.

Was he selling your knives? It appears his illegal behavior has stopped, are you still intent on obtaining the domain name?
 
What a jerk--unfortunately, such deplorable behavior does not surprise me, especially when money is involved. Glad to see you making progress Mr. Emerson, however slow it may be. We know who you are, and very much appreciate you for it.

Anthony
 
I should of read all the way through that is my bad I agree it is about right and wrong and also disrespecting the hard work behind the brand
 
Dear Members,

What a freakin' coincidence.

Within the last hour we received two emails from GoDaddy releasing the domain sites to us.

Now, if any of you know me, have attended any of my classes, my lecturers or read my books - I don't believe in coincidence.

I'm just sayin...

It's all over now, I guess.

Best Regards,

Ernest Emerson
 
Allz well... I hope.
There is something much bigger than us and it sides on what is right.
rolf
 
Educate me please about domain names, as if I recall when this thing they call the internet first came about people in the know purchased domain names for pennies each. They gambled if the internet took off, some of what they owned could be flipped, for big profits.

Names like drugs, travel, dog, cat, and many other dot coms. If those same people bought the words emerson, emerson knive or knives hoping to profit off something they owned did they do anything wrong or just gamble some day someone would want to buy what they owned for a profit. Now there are dot nets, and they are different than dot com? More gamblers owning domain names?

Point is if I want to change my name to say the name of some famous person, and I do not use the new name to comit a crime, I think the change is possible.

I mention this as my father changed the spelling of his LAST NAME back in like 1944. Changed the last letter because he was told to do so by his new step mother. She want to pass his father as be of French ansistry, not Hispanic. So my father, and his younger brother did as the new step mother told them to do.

Things got sticky when I went to bury my father in a VA Cemetery, as he was know as something different than on his Military Discharge. Even collected Social Security & Merdicare under the new name.

But like I said this name thing was never used for a criminal reason. In the end the VA Cemetary took the remains burried them, with the name he collected Social Security under. on his marker. Last two lines on his grave marker says Born, followed by his Birth Name.

Back in 1944 apprently you could walk into a Social Security Office, ask for a New Social Security Card with your new chosen name, and your same old Social Security Number. Easy as 1, 2, 3.
 
Bludgeon said:
Glad all worked out, now lower knife prices to affordable.
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Ok I tried for hours to ignore this one but your a bit slow dude try to google Kershaw/Emerson and you will find a bunch of cool knives in the $30 range that kick ass and are all Emerson except they are made off shore for kids like you to be able to afford. Now carry on before your mom see your on the internet looking at boys again and talking smack to men. silly rabbit
 
"Domain squatting" has been a problem for some time, but this example is particularly outrageous.
 
Looks like mr. Krudo wants to ride the wave ...no pun intended....of Mr.Emersons name and great reputation. Out of pure curiosity i did check out what that guy was selling.......looks like crap to me, no wonder why he tried to pull a fast one, i wouldnt buy those things for 5 bucks at a 7-11. This in turn has inspired me to buy another mini cqc7...... Suck on that Krudo.......i also believe this entire account of Krudos tactics has earned a place in the good bad and ugly.....under ugly. Cheers to you Mr. Emerson.
 
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Loulasher said:
Looks like mr. Krudo wants to ride the wave ...no pun intended....of Mr.Emersons name and great reputation. Out of pure curiosity i did check out what that guy was selling.......looks like crap to me, no wonder why he tried to pull a fast one, i wouldnt buy those things for 5 bucks at a 7-11. This in turn has inspired me to buy another mini cqc7...... Suck on that Krudo.......i also believe this entire account of Krudos tactics has earned a place in the good bad and ugly.....under ugly. Cheers to you Mr. Emerson.
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Sad part of the story is the unsuspecting, or uneducated buyer are the other victiim of this deception. Just like the guy at the gun show that was selling counterfit Benchmades, Spydercos, and Microtech's.

The worst thing he had was some crap knives, with the Spyderco Name & Logo on his what ever they were. But noting like I ever saw from Spyderco.

But if this faux, or counterfit make it past customs officers as they enter the USA. They will show up at knife & gun shows, flea markets, were unsuspecting buyers could be the victim of these counterfiters.
 
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