Schrade and design theft

I remember a couple years ago when they did this:
SCHF40n.jpg
 
I see very very strong similarities in blade and handle shapes, but i feel like this delves into the grey area where we have to ask at what point "Similar" makes it a copy. For example, that blatant ZT 0450 copy..

The Schrade copy has an extra finger groove in the handle. The end of the handle comes to a more acute point, and the lanyard hole is positioned in a different spot. The blade grind is different in that the Schrade has a swedge, where the ZT does not. The flipper tab on the ZT is shorter than the Schrade.

Don't get me wrong, it looks like a rip-off because it's very close. But looking the same and being the same are two different things. *
So I guess it will come down to whether it is a copy, or a "design inspired by/homage." Are the differences enough that it's more than just a copy?




*I'm sure the second amendment adherents among us will appreciate the parallel here in that the AR-15 is not a "weapon of war" and not the same thing as an M16. Looking similar, does not make it the same.
 
19-3ben said:
I see very very strong similarities in blade and handle shapes, but i feel like this delves into the grey area where we have to ask at what point "Similar" makes it a copy. For example, that blatant ZT 0450 copy..

The Schrade copy has an extra finger groove in the handle. The end of the handle comes to a more acute point, and the lanyard hole is positioned in a different spot. The blade grind is different in that the Schrade has a swedge, where the ZT does not. The flipper tab on the ZT is shorter than the Schrade.

Don't get me wrong, it looks like a rip-off because it's very close. But looking the same and being the same are two different things. *
So I guess it will come down to whether it is a copy, or a "design inspired by/homage." Are the differences enough that it's more than just a copy?




*I'm sure the second amendment adherents among us will appreciate the parallel here in that the AR-15 is not a "weapon of war" and not the same thing as an M16. Looking similar, does not make it the same.
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I totally get what you are saying. It is most definitely a grey area. At the same time though, it is a grey area where we judged the some cases differently than another. Some were utterly destroyed, while others got a pass. Schrade and others have done it for years. You see similar knives all the time. Every company has a knife that looks like the CRKT m16. Yet, there were ones like the Factor Iconic that was utterly destroyed for it. Every US retailer took those down.
 
Dfunk1210 said:
I totally get what you are saying. It is most definitely a grey area. At the same time though, it is a grey area where we judged the some cases differently than another. Some were utterly destroyed, while others got a pass. Schrade and others have done it for years. You see similar knives all the time. Every company has a knife that looks like the CRKT m16. Yet, there were ones like the Factor Iconic that was utterly destroyed for it. Every US retailer took those down.
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100% agreed, and frankly, it's representative of life. There are very very few things in life that are black and white, and this is one of them.
That said, copying is a rat-bastard thing to do.
 
Some of those look like copies, and others are quite similar but to me enough different that I would say they are just similar. Regardless, I appreciate being made aware of it. I had not planned on buying any of their knives anyway, but this makes it a pretty sure thing.
 
All the hate for schrade and their version of a 110? how about case or the other hundreds of copies? Buck never put a patent on the 110 or the 110 lock the same way chris reeves never patented the frame lock. Most may be too young to know this but schrade made some of the best knives in the 20th century.


When they closed up shop it was a sad day. But it was almost made better with the news of schrades old knifemakersetc forming canal street cutlery in 2000's until they closed up in 2015. The new schrades are nothing like the old ones. The do not deserve to carry the name.

Heres a 1983 heritage green bone barlow. These were only made for 3 or 4 years.Resized_20180123_170150.jpeg
 
They've been pulling this crap for a long time. I'm sort of surprised more folks here didn't know. How about a $50 CRK:

SCHF3.jpg
 
Not defending any copyright infringements and some of those examples are downright shameful

But, my USA made LB7 from the early 80's is a heck of a knife.

N1qNO3H.jpg
 
uxo2 said:
Shrade. The new Ganzo.
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not really new. maybe the original. :)

under taylor they were doing it as well......now s&w has it.....there is a s&w labeled m9 copy of phrobis/buck and ontario...also cold steel spikes. sure there are more ive just seen those.

in fairness bokers magnum has done some blatant copies as well.
 
I think it is terrible that so many companies are copying Schrade's knives. :(
But, I guess it is nothing new. Look at how many make a copy of the Sharpfinger.
 
Schrade doesn't just ripoff other companies either. They also apparently steal designs from small time designers and even change them w/out their knowledge or approval. See Schradepocalypse video series by Chris of 'Prepared Mind' on Youtube.
 
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afishhunter said:
I think it is terrible that so many companies are copying Schrade's knives. :(
But, I guess it is nothing new. Look at how many make a copy of the Sharpfinger.
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I can't quite tell if you're being funny, or if you entirely missed the point of the thread...
 
That’s nothing. Have you seen how many Bowie knife clones seemingly respectable companies try to pass off as their own?
 
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