Is the Becker handle style patented?

Good question, I'm guessing yes. Uncle Ethan doesn't seem to have any problem with folks making them, he seems to really like us screwing with his designs. Now if another company started making a bunch of them without paying him, well that may be a different story.
I've made a few from various woods and rubber mat, even have some orange Micarta on the back burner along with orange g10. This has all been on the hobby level.
 
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OP had something else in mind by asking the question.

We're talking bout a company ripping him off, not people modding Beckers.
 
RandomAyes said:
Trademarked or not, I expect more honorable behavior from big names such as Boker. IMNSHO the fact that they shanghai'd Ethan's idea is just another example of how out of touch Boker has become. Stuff like this makes me not want anything from them, not even the Solingen-made slipjoints.
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My opinion on stuff like this is to hold my judgement until I hear some facts. If Boker and Becker had an agreement about handle design usage I doubt they would worry about telling everyone about it. IMO too many times people see stuff like this and automatically assume the worst.
 
JTC said:
My opinion on stuff like this is to hold my judgement until I hear some facts. If Boker and Becker had an agreement about handle design usage I doubt they would worry about telling everyone about it. IMO too many times people see stuff like this and automatically assume the worst.
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Well said! There are a LOT of design collaborations out there, and most major companies (I would qualify Boker a major player) usually create knives on the level when it comes to trademarks and oher designs related to a particular design, lest they be branded in the industry as hacks. I'll b et there's more to the design than meets the eye.
 
That is some infuriating BS right there. That is a Becker handle, or I've never seen one.

Ethan, PLEASE tell us you have a deal with them. If not, Boker just made my short list of companies I will never buy from.
 
Sqoon,

Looks like no Boker for you.

Best Regards,


Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
 
Trademark? No.

Signature feature? Yes.

No thing exist that says one knife comany can't "borrow" another company's design, all they have to do is change one little feature, one thing, and even copyright protection is out the window.

Ethan's seen these, they are for sale from England only, as far as we can tell.

Don't blame Boker guys, imitation is the greatest form of flattery. And like I have heard Ethan say before, you're a nobody in this industry, until people start copying your work. Once that happens, your somebody worth copying.

Moose
 
RandomAyes said:
Moose, I understand your points and I do respect your opinion. But still...
Boker = buncha corporate drones who have outsourced their honor.
And I suspect they have poopy pants.
;););)
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No problem, I look at it like this, different opinions + good debate/conversations= AWESOMENESS!!!

different opinions + crappy attitudes/insults = SUCKS!!!

I also look at it like this, if they are copying the BKT handle, and they are, then, we must be doing something right. I highly doubt Kabar/BKT are missing many sales because of this, and they are not dragging Kabar/BKT through the mud, saying this or that. They are just simply trying to sell product to make money, and BKT handles are a damn good handle, worthy of copying. Now, if they start using the Kabar/BKT name, logo, or specs, its on. On hard and fast.

But American laws simply do not exceed the borders of the US to other countries.

Don't buy'em, thats what will hurt them the most. Hell, after this, I'm gonna go buy a couple of BKT's that I have no need for or use for, but I'm gonna buy them, just to stick it to the copycats. Take that ripoffers.:D

I'm thinking a BK5 and a BK3. What the hell, I'll go ahead and get a couple more BK14's while I'm at it. Maybe a BK7. Definetly not a BK2, I got those things laying around every where, you would think the breed or something.

Moose
 
moosez45 said:
But American laws simply do not exceed the borders of the US to other countries
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well, there ARE international trade agreements and stuff, but nailing them for this scale is hard and expensive...

also, iirc, the original handles on those knives were leftovers from some factory back in the day? i don't know if they went ahead and made more handles like that after, if/when they ran out... so, at least mostly kosher on the first batch.

i suppose if someone made a deal with KaBar right now for 100 handles for a limited run knife, that's okay. the big thing is: do the current right's holders get a slice of the pie or not? :)
 
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