NEW 2009 RELEASE Cripple Creek by GEC (Potential Controversy)

knifeswapper said:
No inside scoop, just paying attention to the chatter I see in places / people I talk with. The stockman was currently available from sources that I know purchase wholesale from Smokey and Blue Ridge; thus checked out BRK's catalog and found it. They and Smokey partner on almost all of the private label products these days; don't know the full extent of the relationship. SMKW has shown a sincere interest in resurrecting any brand out of use but with a strong following. Seems smart on their part as long as it is all legal; but there is still a concern over protecting any trademark of our hobby.

I'm sure there is still more information to gleen from this story; but no sense guessing. It is almost never a good idea for a dealer to step into conversations like this one; but I just didn't want the GEC bash to continue unless we had real reasons (and I am not smart enough to listen to that little voice most of the time). These GEC folks are doing the best job they can to provide income for 15-20 families while producing a quality product right here in the U.S.A.

In the BRK catalog they list some upcoming Cripple Creek models, that suprisingly have either GEC or Queen model numbers embedded in them that match the pattern described. That is why I am guessing that there will be more from these two makers.

Mike Latham
CollectorKnives.Net
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Much obliged for the information here. It looks like you were on the right track all along..

Bobby Branton said:
I guess part of this mystery is solved.

Word Mark CRIPPLE CREEK U.S.A.
Goods and Services IC 008. US 023 028 044. G & S: knives
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 77493216
Filing Date June 6, 2008
Current Filing Basis 1B
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition January 27, 2009
Owner (APPLICANT) Martin, Phillip S. DBA Blue Ridge Knives INDIVIDUAL UNITED STATES 166 Adwolfe Road Marion VIRGINIA 24354
Attorney of Record Susan B. Flohr
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "U.S.A." APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
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Thanks to you also, Bobby,

Anthony
 
Keith Montgomery said:
It doesn't appear that GEC is doing anything wrong.

I wonder if Bob Cargill ever stopped using his trademarks long enough that he lost the right of their sole use?
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That's exactly what I was wondering.
I know the name of a business can "die" and be reused, and patents do expire, but I think the trademark/logo doesn't ever really expire. Kind of like intellectual property, like a book or a song, as long as it can be established that you used it first and don't knowingly let anybody use it for free. I know you don't have to register trademarks (in the USA) to have the rights to them.

If Bob Cargill's rights have been ignored he needs to step up, or the imposter Cripple Creek may:confused: be able to get some sort of "squatters" claim to the logos. That would really be a shame :thumbdn:.
 
Does anyone here know for a fact the actual law on trademark protection? I am asking because I have no idea.

However, my impression was that a company had to legally re-register a trademark for a specific use every so many years or it was expired and up for grabs to any other entity that would spend the time and legal fees to register it.

I could be wrong, but that was my impression.
 
You actually don't have to register a trademark, as long as you can prove that you were the first to use the mark. There are advantages to registering a trademark, but it is not required. Also, once you have established a trademark it is yours from then on as long as you continue to use it.
 
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