Natrix vs matrix the 0777 quagmire

So microtech went easy on Everyday commentary blogger Anthony Sculimbrene in that they didnt go after him for $10k but its still wrong that he went after him.

http://knifenews.com/microtech-everyday-commentary/

Today, Anthony Marfione and Microtech’s lawsuit against blogger Anthony Sculimbrene of EverydayCommentary.com has been resolved. A release and settlement agreement has been signed by both parties.


The settlement brings an end to the legal action that was filed on January 31st following Sculimbrene’s blog post entitled “The Story Behind the Greatest Knife of All Time.” According to the original complaint, the story was a “purposeful attack” that had a lasting impact on Microtech’s commercial reputation. Microtech subsequently filed a suit against KAI USA Ltd and Kale Beyer for sharing the blog post through their social media channels. Tensions between Microtech and KAI USA appear to trace back at least to 2011.

Sculimbrene has agreed to perform 700 hours of service for the knife community over 4 years, the majority of which will be donated by Microtech to the American Knife and Tool Institute (AKTI). Microtech General Counsel Daniel Lawson tells us Sculimbrene will be utilizing his background as a public defender to help AKTI. “I was contributing legal counsel for the AKTI for 15 years. But I don’t have a criminal law background. Hopefully, the entire industry can benefit from Sculimbrene’s legal experience and love of knives.”

Sculimbrene has also agreed to issue a retraction as part of the agreement. “I think Mr. Sculimbrene sincerely recognizes that what he said was untrue,” Lawson tells us. Sculimbrene will be meeting with Marfione to discuss how and when the retraction will go out. Lawson is clear that Sculimbrene will maintain full control of the content of the retraction. “It’s expected that he will make a retraction, but he’ll have to come up with that wording. We’re not putting words in his mouth.”

> > Keep your folders awesome. Grab a Pack of 5 Microfiber Blade Sleeves for $8.99 < <

As part of the settlement Sculimbrene has also agreed to hand over documents to Microtech related to his communications with Thomas Welk, Director of Sales and Marketing at KAI USA. Microtech say these communications will be helpful in their ongoing lawsuit against KAI and the company’s social media manager Kale Beyer.
Click to expand...

and ... today microtech did a GAW on instagram (i dont see any of there other social media)... A get back followers that left GAW (all the followers that left because they sued ZT and Anthony). lol at least that's the reason i think they are doing it for based on the timing of this.

Im just glad that they were not too hard on Sculimbrene. But... im thinking they are out for blood with ZT / KAi tho.... even tho microtech clearly stole the 0777 design and even stated so in the press release they sent knife news (posted somewhere in this thread). someone made the comment to me that if they won the GAW they would make a copy of the knife and sue microtech. but i get it... they are mad at ZT for giving everday commentary dirt on the situation, or so thats what it seems from the knife news story.

personally the article was not bad at all. Anthony Marifphon's own personal responses and trolling etc proves a lot about himself. the article didnt do that, he did. point in case his response to the natrix as posted in the very first post in this thread... and i quote "blow me".
 
Last edited:
Mo2 said:
So microtech went easy on Everyday commentary blogger Anthony Sculimbrene
http://knifenews.com/microtech-everyday-commentary/



and ... today microtech did a GAW on instagram (i dont see any of there other social media)... A get back followers that left GAW (all the followers that left because they sued ZT and Anthony). lol at least that's the reason i think they are doing it for based on the timing of this.

Im just glad that they were not too hard on Sculimbrene. But... im thinking they are out for blood with ZT / KAi tho.... even tho microtech clearly stole the 0777 design and even stated so in the press release they sent knife news (posted somewhere in this thread). someone made the comment to me that if they won the GAW they would make a copy of the knife and sue microtech. but i get it... they are mad at ZT for giving everday commentary dirt on the situation, or so thats what it seems from the knife news story.

personally the article was not bad at all. Anthony Marifphon's own personal responses and trolling etc proves a lot about himself. the article didnt do that, he did. point in case his response to the natrix as posted in the very first post in this thread... and i quote "blow me".
Click to expand...

I'm really disappointed in how this turned out - essentially Microtech and Marfione has won. Tony has to do 700 hours over 4 years of free legal counsel for the AKTI, and issue an apology statement, which I think is totally undeserved. But now that we've seen that you can say bad things about a knifemaker and successfully be sued for it, looks like I won't be posting much more about this topic :oops:
 
I'm disappointed as well, but I can see why Sculimbrene went for a settlement. Microtech introduced 3 more attorney's to represent them after the initial filings. It would have been expensive and drawn out to fight it. However, I am surprised that Sculimbrene will be handing over documents to help Microtech's case against KAI. I hope KAI fights this and sticks it to them with a rusty baseball bat.
It may look like Microtech won on paper, but this whole PR nightmare and his handling of this is going to do him far more harm than if he "lost" the case.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mo2
TacticoolDB said:
I'm disappointed as well, but I can see why Sculimbrene went for a settlement. Microtech introduced 3 more attorney's to represent them after the initial filings. It would have been expensive and drawn out to fight it. However, I am surprised that Sculimbrene will be handing over documents to help Microtech's case against KAI. I hope KAI fights this and sticks it to them with a rusty baseball bat.
It may look like Microtech won on paper, but this whole PR nightmare and his handling of this is going to do him far more harm than if he "lost" the case.
Click to expand...

KAI has substantially more resources available to them than Microtech so this will be an interesting battle, as KAI can actually afford to keep fighting it. I don't blame Tony Sculimbrene because I'm sure this was a huge burden on him, but I'm disappointed with the precedent it sets because you can now officially sue bloggers or YouTubers or anyone you can characterize as a "public figure" when they say something you don't like.
 
Misanthropia said:
KAI has substantially more resources available to them than Microtech so this will be an interesting battle, as KAI can actually afford to keep fighting it. I don't blame Tony Sculimbrene because I'm sure this was a huge burden on him, but I'm disappointed with the precedent it sets because you can now officially sue bloggers or YouTubers or anyone you can characterize as a "public figure" when they say something you don't like.
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm sure it will be harder for them to take on KAI than some lone blogger. However, this puts me in the uncomfortable position of having to root for a company that employs Thomas Welk, so at best it's a "lesser of two d-bags" sort of thing. I was already conflicted, feeling guilty when I bought ZT products knowing that in some small way I was helping fund that tool's paycheck. In this case the enemy of my enemy is my friend, I guess.
 
Misanthropia said:
KAI has substantially more resources available to them than Microtech so this will be an interesting battle, as KAI can actually afford to keep fighting it. I don't blame Tony Sculimbrene because I'm sure this was a huge burden on him, but I'm disappointed with the precedent it sets because I bet any single one of us would do the same thing if Microtech brought a bonafide lawsuit against us.
Click to expand...

It is absolute garbage that Marfione's ego is so tiny and fragile that he has to resort to strong-arming bloggers/reviewers in to silence. (oops, sue me.) Although it doesn't set legal precedence, it does show Marfione's character. I guess you shouldn't expect much from someone who wants to destroy their own child..
NO media outlet/person should fear legal retribution for giving a review and stating opinion. In a time where he should be relying on media coverage (debuting a suppressor) My hope is that people refuse to give his products the time of day...good or bad. Maybe then he will just fade away and be flushed down the toilet like the turd he is.

Hopefully people decide with their money and avoid Microtech like the plague.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mo2
evilgreg said:
Where do I sign up for the "I'll never buy anything from Microtech, screw those blogger-suing scumbags" club? Are there regular meetings, or is it just something we all do on our own?
Click to expand...

Maybe we could order a batch of grass snake t-shirts if we're not worried about getting sued.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mo2
I hope those documents that Tony is forced to turn over give Microtech nothing to go on. It sucks that correspondence between EDC and KAI are going to the opposition. We probably haven't seen the last on this action.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mo2
Damn, this is disappointing news.

If it was not clear from previous posts, I'm also in the "never buy from Marfione" boat. I've only moved into that knife price point bracket in the last few years so I've never actually owned one to say for sure but I can't imagine I'll be missing much.
 
Tasmaniac said:
Maybe we could order a batch of grass snake t-shirts if we're not worried about getting sued.
Click to expand...

Uh oh, I hope you don't get sued for saying grass snake in this thread. ;)

SpySmasher said:
Damn, this is disappointing news.

If it was not clear from previous posts, I'm also in the "never buy from Marfione" boat. I've only moved into that knife price point bracket in the last few years so I've never actually owned one to say for sure but I can't imagine I'll be missing much.
Click to expand...

You're not missing that much. They make some nice knives, but there is a world full of other knives that are just as nice or better and that don't have brain-damaged proprietary screws either.
 
evilgreg said:
Uh oh, I hope you don't get sued for saying grass snake in this thread. ;)
Click to expand...

I retract my suggestion. Never did I intend to suggest that Mr. Marfione or his products are in any way whatsoever associated with a grass snake. Any such implication was purely unintentional and should not be construed as slanderous in any way. If I were to consider a reptile that represents the character of Mr. Marfione, the grass snake is not the one that comes immediately to mind. There are other candidate reptiles and even a few fine amphibians.
 
Well basically what we knew for long time was actually proven I guess. Ohh well no big loss for me since I was never ever gonna buy anything of his anyways.

Very interesting outcome and read though.
 
if interested in MT knives, but don't want to send money to a mutt, check out Guardian Tactical.
The owners used to work for MT and hung out their own shingle.
The designs are cool and the quality is excellent!
Joe
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mo2
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top