Not trying to start a war but...

New! Introducing another ultimate in functional synergy • Single-hand ambidextrous, Manual AXIS open function • It’s an unbeatable duplicate of the Benchmade automatic Model 5000 Auto AXIS™, but in a Manual version! • Secure grip is had with a unique two-directional tread machined into the aluminum handle scales • Movable steel carry-clip clips in for action when you need it • Your world demands performance at a moment’s notice, and the 520 continues to deliver full on!


This is word for word what comes from the BM site, the 5000 is virtually identical now can someone show me where they claim to be the first to use two-directional tread for the grip. Unique in not new and new is the knife and grip to the BM lineup.

God guys give it up and if BM was afraid of copy right or patent infringement they surely would have talked to your Spyderco people.
 
It is probably best that we let Spyderco and BM work this out between themselves. Nothing whatsoever useful is coming to light in this thread.
 
Originally posted by Knife11
There is no aurguement I just think it's funny to see Sal kind of whining about Benchmade.
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Sal is not whining. He is simply correcting the facts. It is very important for a manufacturer to stand firm on their innovations, even if there is no patent involved. There is a big difference between "whining" and "correcting the facts."
 
Originally posted by Knife11
Ok ok sorry I posted this! :rolleyes: I guess Ihave a differnet perspective cause I've been reading sal's posts about BM for months... He never says anything bad about BM, but he often seems irritated that they beat him to the punch ( the new BM dive knife) or that he had that idea first (the 520) etc.

Just nevermind I should no better than to have an un-popular opinion, might get called a troll!!! :p
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Well that's what you GET for drinking and posting! ( :footinmou )
;) :D
 
Interesting thread. I would like to thank those that came to my defense. It is much appreciated.

Hi Knife11, It seems that your perspective may have been a little bit off from where I was coming. Faulty commmunication on my part. Perhaps I owe you a better explanation lest you harbor ill thoughts. Not a problem.

Spyderco tries to maitain a good rapport with our customers. We feel that if someone likes our knives enough to get on a public forum and actually talk about them, it is noteworthy. We are honored by their presence.

We noticed that Benchmade was promoting their bi-directional texture in their ads and it was mentioned in articles written about their new model.

Now mnd you, Spyderco has great respect for Benchmade. We consider them a worthy competitor. We all try to come to the market first with the latest; new, different or better. That's competition. Sometimes Spyderco comes out with something first, sometimes it's Benchmade, or SOG, Cold Steel or ??.

I believe I gave Benchmade credit for beating us to the market with H-1 and commended their research dept. I think that the Axis lock is a brilliant innovation and the Auto axis exceptional as well. I believe that Mel Pardue is among the great designers and Lester deAsis has the kind of passion that keeps this industry humming. I don't say anything bad about Benchmade because they are one of the "good guys". I don't have a problem with giving credit where credit is do. I appreciate and respect your brand loyalty. Brand loyalty is a good thing and Benchmade is a brand worthy of loyalty.

I would guess that Benchmade had no idea there was prior art (patents) on bi-directional texture. Spyderco tries to be fair. Benchmade tries to be fair. Spyderco has licensed Benchmade intellectual property in the past. I am confident that we will work out a comfortable agreement.

I don't think I was whining, that's really not my style. I was, IMO, letting our customers know that it was a Spyderco innovation and there was prior art.

One of the ways that we build brand loyalty is by sharing information with our customers.

I hope that helps your persepective.

sal
 
I guess I saw your need to communicate with your customers as an attempt to toot your own horn in the wake of another BM knife doing well.

I'm glade we had this talk, make my feel better about spyderco in general to know that your not busy trying to out do benchmade or vise versa I think you both make good products and they fill very differnt niches.

Well I think this is a fun thread even if other think it's fruitless!
 
Originally posted by Knife11
I'm glade we had this talk, make my feel better about spyderco in general to know that your not busy trying to out do benchmade or vise versa I think you both make good products and they fill very differnt niches.
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My guess would be that Sal and Les are very busy trying to out do each other. They are after all, going after the same customers. If companies like Spyderco and Benchmade weren't trying to out do each other then we wouldn't see all the innovations that the knife industry has had over the last few years.
 
Knife11,

I think you may get a better appreciation of Spyderco if you get some info about their history and their involvement with companies such as Benchmade. There's a lot of creative synergy in cutlery world.

Of course, the downside is that there's some uncreative synergy as well. A search in the Bladeforums archives will reveal that, just recently, Mike Turber has been doing all he can to help protect knife designers from getting their work copied without compensation. So there's a lot going on that we don't always hear or see, but it's safe to say that Les and Sal are some of the good guys in the story of all things knife.
 
Hi Knife. I wouldn't say fruitless. This is a forum for communication to improve unerstanding. All's well that ends well. We all need competition. Being the only car on the racetrack is boring.

"The competition never ends. Even if you prepare and win today, you must still prepare and win tomorrow".

sal
 
Right on Sal. I think that Spyderco has every right to bring up the facts of the matter even if some consider them miniscule. Otherwise, it would only be a matter of time before some forumite brought it up and it could have escalated even further.
Matt
 
Watch out for threads that start with, "I don't want to start a war, but ...."
 
Originally posted by OwenM
Glock was using bi-directional texturing similar in concept to what is on the Calypso Jr. on their backstraps over twelve years ago.

Next...:rolleyes:
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Alright Sal, You got some explaining to do:D :p
 
Hi Bad Guy. Just checked both of my Glocks and they both have a bi (actually a tri) directional texturing on the backstrap. As far as 'splainin', Frankly,I never noticed it on the Glock and I'm pretty sure Benchmade never "noticed" it on the Spyderco's (as mentioned).

I can tell you that when we applied for patents, there were no prior arts in the hand tool or knife categories. Glock may or may not have patented the feature for guns? We were awarded patents for the concept.

As an aside, I can "see" the directional change in the Glock, but I can't "feel" it. Surprizing that Glock didn't pay more attention to that detail if the goal of "grip" was the same.

We were very specific in our concept (for patents) of avoiding loss of grip by sliding forward or backward, both to be avoided for safety reasons.

We, at Spyderco, extend our best effort to conduct business in an honest, fair and proper manner". It is part of our "Mission". We try to be transparent. Also, I am not of the opinion that what I say or think is absolute in any way, just part of the "building block concepts" that help us form knowledge. This IS a forum, isn't it?

sal
 
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