mutual respect

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bedgoo said:
What if another maker truly believed that they did not know that a certain attribute of a knife was used by another maker?
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When the maker in question has known me for over 20 years and we have moved in the same circles throughout the world, and at numerous knife shows, that scenario is very unlikely.
Even if that were the case, the response should not have been the tirade of abuse contained in his reply to my email.
 
This is the folder which I made back in 1998 which incorporates my locking pivot screw design, I still make them this way.



 
This is the currant version of my folders today.



 
I also use the 'locking pivot screw design' on my latest folder K2.

 
As a knife maker one had to find inspiration from somehwere and have teachers of some sort as no one just poped out knowing it all having their own style. In my opinion credit should always be given where it is due. :)
 
san-mai-usa said:
I judge a maker not only by his work, but how I respect him as a person.
If I'm buying a custom knife, I like to think that what I'm getting is a product of the maker.
Anyway, it's just good manners.
I'm pretty sure anyone putting the Spydie hole in a blade would have the manners to discuss it with Sal first….. :D
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:thumbup::thumbup:

In my experience, it would be best to ask permission and give credit when it is due as Haze said. As far as custom knives my feelings can be summed up by what san-mai-usa said
san-mai-usa said:
I judge a maker not only by his work, but how I respect him as a person.
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Even I in my limited capacity recognise that as a trademark of your folders.
Who was it that started using it?
 
This is my email to Allan Elishewitz

Allen,
The reason I am writing to you is to let you know that I find it distasteful to see you copying the same concept as my Pivot Screw design and not having the decency of at least mentioning where you got the concept from. I came up with this system back in 1998 and have been making this pivot screw since then, the picture ‘fg’ is from 1998 of an old photo and the picture DSC05363 is recent, I still make them this way after all these years, they use the same screw system which is a ‘male screw + female screw + one grub screw to lock the whole thing down’ , this has been unique to all my folders since 1998 and now you have copied it without one ounce of credit to me.
I am sure you have convinced yourself that it would be ok to borrow this system from someone else without giving any credit, that I find greatly distasteful to say the least, not that you care I am sure.

Farid Mehr
Knife maker
 
This was his reply to me.

Farid,
Go fuck yourself! I didn't even know your goofy ass was still making knives and I sure had no clue you were using this pivot system.
So what's the deal? you just woke up because I have been using this for the past 6 years.
Allen
 
The sad fact is in this day and age you need to protect yourself to get that respect. Without valid legal protection it is pointless to call someone out on something. If you do not patent something then it is a free for all. Sad, that so many things give attorneys job security, but it is what it is.
 
Man, I really like his stuff too. The kicker for me is not what he did, but his response to your email. A simple apology, or even polite refusal, would have, in my eyes, preserved his reputation a bit more.

For what it's worth (which isn't much, given my budget) I will cheerfully avoid any folder that incorporates your design without proper attribution.
 
That is a pretty bad reply Farid. I've never met Allen, but everyone seems to think he oozes integrity and humility based on his experiences with customers and such. It really is sad to read that. Wow, i can't even think of what else to say.
 
RevDevil said:
That is a pretty bad reply Farid. I've never met Allen, but everyone seems to think he oozes integrity and humility based on his experiences with customers and such. It really is sad to read that. Wow, i can't even think of what else to say.
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Agreed. There is no reason for this type of behavior in a smaller community like custom knife making, quite childish and disrespectful.
 
So just to clarify, out of the blue you sent a confrontational email to a fellow maker accusing him of copying a non trademarked design and tell him he is "distasteful"? :dejection: Then you take the private correspondence between the two of you and make it public. This entire post is distaste. Are you trying to slander his name or get credit for the design? From an honest and unbiased point of view I see a lack of mutual respect by both of you, assuming this is exactly how it went down.

Sir, if this is your design perhaps you could have gone about it with a lil more tact. You clearly state its a concept of your design. Is it a copy of the exact design or a concept of the design?
 
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RecalcitrantAmerican said:
So just to clarify, out of the blue you sent a confrontational email to a fellow maker accusing him of copying a non trademarked design and tell him he is "distasteful"? :dejection: Then you take the private correspondence between the two of you and make it public. This entire post is distaste. Are you trying to slander his name or get credit for the design? From an honest and unbiased point of view I see a lack of mutual respect by both of you, assuming this is exactly how it went down.

Sir, if this is your design perhaps you could have gone about it with a lil more tact. You clearly state its a concept of your design. Is it a copy of the exact design or a concept of the design?
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Even if the question could have been posed with a little more tact, I don't see the reply as being warranted.
Something like, "I didn't know it was your design?" or even "is it your design?", may have been better.
 
Quote Originally Posted by san-mai-usa View Post
I judge a maker not only by his work, but how I respect him as a person.
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The connection to the maker is key to custom knives. Maybe he thinks he's big enough he can just blow you off and rely on his reputation?
 
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