Phil Hartsfield is a wonderful maker. He has made Chisel Ground Tanto for quite some time. Cordwrapped, Turk's Head Knots, you name it. He started putting leather over aluminum sheaths a long, long time ago.
I don't know everything in the history of the "Americanized Tanto," but I do know that Hartsfield and Bob Lum had alot to do with it. That is an oversimplification of course. But my post is not to be taken as a "book" either, or even a Chapter in the Book of the History of the Tanto in America, Modern Day.
Bob Lum, I do believe, had made the first Cold Steel Tantos.
I don't know how anyone can rip off these designs as they are very old and done with a modern "twist," if you will.
What James Piorek pioneered was not this type of knife, and various others that had some of the fine add-ons...diamond cord wrapping, menukis, rayskin...etc., he pioneered the use of leather over Kydex and other carry-related things.
He did, however, have his own designs that were unique to JSP...knife-wise.
As far as I know.
It is not necessarily the knives that are the concerns, it is the use of his NAMES that he uses...like, "Static Cord." Etc.
When someone starts using the names, a line gets crossed. I don't think you can trademark "Kwaiken, Aikuchi, Tanto," etc. That is not the point.
It is the use of terms that are associated with his systems.
He makes a "Checkbook Blade," and someone steps up who has done this before, and they blatantly copy it. They are a Xerox Machine. Some of the people involved are incredibly talented Knifemakers. But as far as an original idea, they have few if any.
James never became "upset" or "concerned" with the Japanese Style of Knives or those traditional Japanese terms used for them, nor the menuki used, nothing of that sort.
He became concerned that someone would blatantly copy Carry Systems. And I think it is despicable when someone has little creativity and they simply click on a Website, namely James', and they say, "OK, that's neat, I can do that..."
What they then begin to copy is a System, and at times, use the actual name of the System. Then when you call them on it, they get their nose out of joint and counter-claim you are trying to "control" who makes a diamond cord wrapped grip on a Japanese styled knife. Nothing could be further from the truth.
So far, quite a few things have been ripped off. Even the pivoting action of the Associate Shoulder Harness...it becomes nearly impossible to stop, you see, it takes money to make someone stop what they are doing legally.
In the case of BladeWiz and his wares, anyone can click on that link and see that what is being sold is similar at times.
This is brutally simple.
When you go to a Flea Market or a Gas Station, and you see the Chinese rip-offs of Spyderco Delicas and Enduras, as well as many other knives, and you see that instead of the SpyderHole, you see a crappy little plastic thumbstud, then what you are seeing is a knife version of what we are talking about here.
There are some people that will never pay $35.00 to 50.00 for a Spyderco Delica or upwards of $40.00 to $60.00 for an Endura. Instead, they purchase a crappy little rip off knife that has no thought put into it, the metal is trash and everything is simply ripped off. They will purchase this knife for anywhere from $5.00 to as high as $24.95 from Gall's Police Supply!!! You could buy a dozen of them in some places for the cost of ONE of them from Gall's!
Likewise, some will never buy a Titanium Stick of any type from Piorek, they will bitch, whine, piss, moan and complain about the price without thinking themselves of the thought and time and attention to detail that has been put into the product. No, they will buy a G10 stick that if they hit someone with it in Self-defense, it will piss the other person off that is attacking them.
There is an application for G10 and Carbon Fiber Knives and whatnot, ask Warren Thomas. You see, he is a cool guy indeed. I do believe he likes the V-Gar. He does his thing and he can appreciate something like that.
As far as a G10 stick, it better be used as a Kubotan and it better be six inches longer or longer and be substantial...some of the things I have seen that are being advertised as somehow suitable for Self-defense would only work on the most passive of individuals, and in the most passive of individuals, you are going to be able to handle them empty handed or not at all.
So, let them do as they wish.
You know what lurks in this Forum and you know how good it is. If other people want to put their life on the line with a smallish piece of G10 that I could make at home with zero talent and a Dremel Tool...so be it.
------------------
"You are no more armed because you are wearing a pistol than you are a musician because you own a guitar." ~Jeff Cooper
And the same goes for a knife...
And, I'm a Usual Suspect.
[This message has been edited by Don Rearic (edited 02-08-2001).]
