honey badger knives cloned the spyderco tasman

[brownshoe]

The hawkbill is a spyderco riff since Glesser invented the concept with the Harpy ~30 years ago. I believe Glesser came up with that serration pattern too. Asian firms have been copying the Harpy design for almost as long as Spyderco has made them.

 

[Chronovore]

Maxace and Western Active both probably use the same OEM who either sold or modified design to/for both or one of the companies. Similar issues have happened with Boker budget knives.

This can happen. For instance, compare the Kershaw Volt II and the Harnds Knight. They were definitely made by the same factory, using the same handles. I remember noticing this a few years back but here is a slightly more recent video that shows it directly. I don't necessarily agree with the presenter's opinion though. For instance, we don't know the details of Kershaw's deal with their OEM, if they signed off on it, or what. If nothing else, it's a clue about Kershaw's mystery OEM.

Harnds is generally a reputably brand. All of their other stuff seems to be original and their steel checks out. Coincidentally, Harnds puts out manual knives with decent action in 14C28N for around the same price that Kershaw continues to put out assisted knives in 8Cr13Mov. If they are being made by the same factory, I see that as a knock against Kershaw...

 

[Chronovore]

The hawkbill is a spyderco riff since Glesser invented the concept with the Harpy ~30 years ago. I believe Glesser came up with that serration pattern too. Asian firms have been copying the Harpy design for almost as long as Spyderco has made them.

In a sense, the rise of quality manufacturers over there is a direct result of American outsourcing. Sal himself confirmed that not only has Sanrenmu made knives for Spyderco but that Spyderco effectively trained Sanrenmu in making better knives. Regardless of the company, the idea was that we could get better products cheaper by having them made over there. As if they wouldn't learn how to do it for themselves!

What's worse is that companies like Kershaw, CRKT, etc. got complacent. Even Spyderco, for all its innovation elsewhere, is still running 8Cr13Mov in knives over $50. (Sal confirmed that there is a plan to upgrade but it could be a while.) Meanwhile, brands like Harnds, Civivi, Kizer, etc. are offering much better steels, better materials overall, and great manual actions at very competitive prices. They are collaborating with popular designs. They have completely kicked brands like Kershaw and CRKT out of my pockets.

 

[DocJD]

There are oceans of direct counterfeits out there for sale with the actual brand and model name of the originals and fake boxes and paperwork to match .

But if y'all want to worry over these vaguely similar "copies" , be my guest .

 

[J85909266]

It's not a clone or a copy. It draws inspiration, at most. It's entirely inoffensive.

 

[DrRollinstein]

Alright yall are still reaching. There are very few similarities between the knives. Weirdest witchhunt I've seen.

 

[King of the Cheese]

So no one is allowed to make a thumb hole opening serrated hawk bill blade because Spyderco did one first? Sheesh.

There are similarities, but also many differences. To put this into perspective, it’s like complaining a company made a plain edge drop point knife with thumb studs after another company already did it.

Is that really the hill people want to die on?

 

[JeremiahWeaver09]

So no one is allowed to make a thumb hole opening serrated hawk bill blade because Spyderco did one first? Sheesh.

There are similarities, but also many differences. To put this into perspective, it’s like complaining a company made a plain edge drop point knife with thumb studs after another company already did it.

Is that really the hill people want to die on?

they are free to make whatever they want, just like I’m free to think of their product as a flea market level ripoff of the original every time I see it being advertised

 

[King of the Cheese]

they are free to make whatever they want, just like I’m free to think of their product as a flea market level ripoff of the original every time I see it being advertised

I mean you’re welcome to your opinion, I’m not telling you what to think… but I never heard of a “flea market” knife that had robust global distribution coupled with a strong warranty program that was also carried by nearly every major respected knife distributor known to mankind.

 

[8-Fingers]

The hawkbill is a spyderco riff since Glesser invented the concept with the Harpy ~30 years ago. I believe Glesser came up with that serration pattern too. Asian firms have been copying the Harpy design for almost as long as Spyderco has made them.

Seriously? The hawkbill design has been around for centuries before Mr. Glasser came along and “invented the concept”. A history lesson based on the hawkbill design that was used and refined mainly in agriculture circles. The Harpy is just a baby in the hawkbill evolutionary chain…

 

[shane45-1911]

Asian firms have been copying the Harpy design for almost as long as Spyderco has made them.

Yup, you definitely got this one backwards.

The hawkbill is as old as the hills and widely used in Asia (and world-wide) well before Sal was even born.

 

[jmh33]

So after reading all the posts here. I see a HB in my future some time. Never paid attention to them but after checking them out!!
John

 

[JeremiahWeaver09]

the hawkbill may have been around forever, but not every hawkbill looks just like the spyderco Tasman/Merlin with pretty much the exact same blade and serration design, the masters of defense hawkbills don’t look like like a spyderco Tasman and neither do the blades on the cold steel tiger claw

 

[JeremiahWeaver09]

I mean you’re welcome to your opinion, I’m not telling you what to think… but I never heard of a “flea market” knife that had robust global distribution coupled with a strong warranty program that was also carried by nearly every major respected knife distributor known to mankind.

they could have the greatest warranty and distribution ever, all I see is a cheap copy of a spyderco design that I used to see at flea markets for $5 dollars in the 90s

 

[DrRollinstein]

the hawkbill may have been around forever, but not every hawkbill looks just like the spyderco Tasman/Merlin with pretty much the exact same blade and serration design, the masters of defense hawkbills don’t look like like a spyderco Tasman and neither do the blades on the cold steel tiger claw

And no matter what, the handle of the Honey Badger doesnt look like the other knives mentioned here. Its not a clone by any stretch of the word. Any serrated hawkbill is going to look like any other serrated hawkbill.

 

[King of the Cheese]

they could have the greatest warranty and distribution ever, all I see is a cheap copy of a spyderco design that I used to see at flea markets for $5 dollars in the 90s

If you saw this exact knife at a flea market in the 90s for $5, fire up the DeLorean.. I’m bringing a few Benjamins.

 

[8-Fingers]

the hawkbill may have been around forever, but not every hawkbill looks just like the spyderco Tasman/Merlin with pretty much the exact same blade and serration design, the masters of defense hawkbills don’t look like like a spyderco Tasman and neither do the blades on the cold steel tiger claw

Sal did perfect the SpydieEdge in his hawkbill design but it is specifically marketed to the fishing industry needs for cutting rope, cords and nets. The CS and MofD knives are weak attempts to market the design as self-defense knives or knives to be used in hand-to-hand warfare…

 

[brownshoe]

Yup, you definitely got this one backwards.

The hawkbill is as old as the hills and widely used in Asia (and world-wide) well before Sal was even born.

Yes generic hawkbills are an old design but as pruners and then as linoleum knives. The blades were shaped differently, did not lock and did not have serrations...that’s all a Glesser invention.

 

[JeremiahWeaver09]

And no matter what, the handle of the Honey Badger doesnt look like the other knives mentioned here. Its not a clone by any stretch of the word. Any serrated hawkbill is going to look like any other serrated hawkbill.

clone may have not been the right word, but the blade itself is almost a clone other than they changed the thumbhole shape and added flipper, and no not all serrated hawbills look the same as the serrated blade on the cs tiger claw looks completely different than the blade on the tasman with a completely different serration pattern

 

[JeremiahWeaver09]

Sal did perfect the SpydieEdge in his hawkbill design but it is specifically marketed to the fishing industry needs for cutting rope, cords and nets. The CS and MofD knives are weak attempts to market the design as self-defense knives or knives to be used in hand-to-hand warfare…

im pretty sure sal and his company spent many years and lots of money perfecting their serration designs