Intellectual Property forum - interest?

Sal Glesser

Sal Glesser

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It seems that there are a number of knife aficianados that have expressed interest in discussion of Intellectual property in the knife industry.

I was wondering if there was enough interest to have an IP forum? I'm sure Spark would host it, and if he couldn't, we could host it at the Spyderco forum.

I just don't know if the interest is there. I could assist in moderating if others could help. I travel.

The "mission" would be educational and discussion based to: help a better understanding of Knife IP, and try to foster industry cooperation in knife IP. Plus anything anyone wanted to add.

I guess "rules" would have to include; 1) being civil and 2) not discussing current "disagreements".

Opinions?

sal

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"We are all teachers and we are all students"
 
I would be interested in an IP forum.

Sal Glesser said:
I guess "rules" would have to include; 1) being civil and 2) not discussing current "disagreements".
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Rule 2 would be the tough rule. Some of the biggest biggest flame threads I've read started with someone discussing a company using another companies IP.

As long as everyone knows the rules up front there should not be any problems. ;)
 
It's certainly a subject of great interest, but I don't foresee steady enough discussion to make a separate forum for it viable. When a forum doesn't get any new posts for days or weeks at a time everybody stops reading it....
 
While I see a trademark/copyright infringement, regarding counterfeiting, being a big issue; how would IP work?
IP is kind of like a patent....., on an idea (intellectual), by comparison isn't it?
If so, thinking about it in it's most simplistic view: a knife is a blade with a handle stuck to it. I don't think the first neanderthal that made a knife is going to come back and say - "Hey, that's my idea!" No intent on being malicious, maybe a bit sarcastic, but because I have to admit not knowing the whole issue/clarification of IP.
I understand Trademark/Logo, what a copyright is (on literary, photographic works), and a patent (on an invention/machine/process). However, the issue of IP seems a bit fuzzy, because it sounds like one is trying to claim rights to an idea, wouldn't that really be realized on a copyright or patent?
 
I agree with twisted bits. This could be a very interesting topic but lets define the term as it applies to the knife industry.
 
This problem has been knocking on my door the last month or two...just who "owns" a particular knife pattern. I have seen a lot of complaining when a company produces a clone of anothers knife, but wonder if changing the manufacturer and trademark on the tang is enough? My attorney says this can get very sticky. At any rate, I would like to see informed discussion on this matter.
 
how would IP work? IP is kind of like a patent....., on an idea (intellectual), by comparison isn't it?
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Intellectual property, IP for short, is the general field of law that includes copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets.
 
I like the idea, but I don't like Rule #2 because I think it would be a great place for people to run to when someone sees something fishy and wants to cry foul. There's also a lot of Wolf Crying on the subject of IP rights, and it would be nice to be able to shut down rumors before they grow legs. It could also be a place for people to learn about shady makers who steal IP and dealers who sell a lot of knockoffs and support IP bandits.

While we're at it maybe we could put up a sticky that would be kind of a history lesson/FAQ covering the following:

1. History of the tactical knife and it's development including:
a.) Where/when the thumb stud started.
b.) Where/when the pocket clip started.
c.) Where/when the liner lock and frame lock started.

2. Why it's not patent infringement to grind a "Wave" or "Spydiehole", etc. into your own personal knife.

3. What kinds of things you can't patent.

4. History and development of the assisted opener.

5. How custom/factory collaborations work.

I know there's books out there, but the common things like that that people might ask about could float at the top on a sticky. I can't count the number of times I've seen someone accuse someone else of patent infringement just because they ground a Spyderco so it would "Wave".

Let's do it. It'll be a place to learn and help keep the knife community honest at the same time.
 
Sal, I found this synopsis in Slate:

New York Times Magazine, Jan. 9
An article documents the ways that widespread pirating and counterfeiting in China will change the world's intellectual property market in the coming decades. Untroubled by intermittent and ineffective patent enforcement, Chinese "reverse engineers" dissect imported products—drugs, electronics, even heavy industrial equipment—to find a way to produce identical, and more cheaply produced, Chinese equivalents. Such "entrepreneurs"' may ultimately render international copyright protection functionally obsolete. …

you have to register with NYT to read the story, it is six pages long and too long for me to copy in:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/09/magazine/09COUNTERFEIT.html?oref=login
 
I'm not sure how active a contributor I would be, but I am defiinitely interested.

It may affect some of us more directly than others, but it does affect us all.

--Bob Q
 
To me it would be more interesting to see posts listing designs that apparently steal IP from others. As an example, I see some clones in the marketplace that look like designs that were discontinued by the original manufacturer a long time ago. I see others that clone current designs. I see others that remind me of the designs of others but don't strictly copy them. It's a complicated subject. Hope you get some good threads going.
 
Gollnick said:
We could convene in the existing Knife Law forum.
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Good idea. A name change of that forum to something like "Knife Laws and Intellectual Property" might steer people in the right direction.
 
I would be interested in reading and learning. As long as we have enough knowledgeable people in there it should be very enlightening.
 
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