This Look Odd to Anyone?

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motts said:
I'm not seeing it...and if Jason is calling out anyone on design stealing...that's the pot calling the kettle black.
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Exactly what I was thinking.

I don't want to accuse anyone of anything, but I know of 2 Brous designs that are almost identical to poltergeist blade works. Poltergeist isn't well known in the states, so it makes you think. Also before anyone asks, poltergeist way predates the Brous stuff. He was even confronted with it and subsequently asked to leave the USN over it.
 
I can understand why he would get clingy/defensive about it just because it's sort of a signature embellishment on his Silent Soldier models...but it's just decorative jimping and it's not like it takes a genius to come up with the idea for it, so it's unreasonable to presume either that it was outright copied or that he has some sort of exclusivity over that styling detail. I would consider that fair game for KAI even if they were outright drawing inspiration from him, which I don't think they were.
 
CrimsonTideShooter said:
Exactly what I was thinking.

I don't want to accuse anyone of anything, but I know of 2 Brous designs that are almost identical to poltergeist blade works. Poltergeist isn't well known in the states, so it makes you think. Also before anyone asks, poltergeist way predates the Brous stuff. He was even confronted with it and subsequently asked to leave the USN over it.
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Now that's some interesting information that I'd not heard before now. Taking a look at Brous' stuff and that of Poltergeist Blade Works, I think I know one of the ones you mean. But as you said, I'm not interested in accusing anyone of stealing designs etc, least of all reputable knife makers.
 
I can see the similarities but they are also quite different, from what I can tell. To start with Kershaw's jimping is more rounded in the grooves, whereas Brous' is much more square and angular. Compounded with them being on entirely different parts of the knife, with Brous' being for the thumb, and Kershaw's for the palm, it is highly unlikely that any legal action would come about. Most likely just Brous' stirring the pot to get some free publicity.
 
The jimpings are slightly similar, but not at all identical. Sounds like Jason Brous is trying to stir up controversy.
 
Invective said:
I can see the similarities but they are also quite different, from what I can tell. To start with Kershaw's jimping is more rounded in the grooves, whereas Brous' is much more square and angular. Compounded with them being on entirely different parts of the knife, with Brous' being for the thumb, and Kershaw's for the palm, it is highly unlikely that any legal action would come about. Most likely just Brous' stirring the pot to get some free publicity.
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Which just seems counter intuitive to me. I went by his booth at blade and was pretty impressed with the little flipper prototype that he didn't name yet. After this stunt, I have no desire to ever own something from him.
 
Invective said:
I can see the similarities but they are also quite different, from what I can tell. To start with Kershaw's jimping is more rounded in the grooves, whereas Brous' is much more square and angular. Compounded with them being on entirely different parts of the knife, with Brous' being for the thumb, and Kershaw's for the palm, it is highly unlikely that any legal action would come about. Most likely just Brous' stirring the pot to get some free publicity.
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Exactly. It's sad some people feel the need to do this. Even more sad when they actually do it.
 
Specificity of jimping would be a trademark, not a copyright. In the realm of knives, you need something pretty significant to procure a patent. To get around this, trademarks run the show, and often outnumber patents 4:1.

Benchmade's "Axis Lock": Patented
Busse's hole in the front guard: Trademarked

-Your friendly IP Law practitioner

Talk amongst yourselves :)
 
This is interesting to me, as a professional maker, custom collector, and a production knife enthusiast as well.

First of all, as others have already stated.....the jimping is certainly not identical and in my opinion not even similar enough to warrant any discussion of the theft of intellectual property.

Secondly, I have never once in many years of collecting heard of Kershaw being accused of stealing any idea from anyone, until now. They are a class act through and through, and I know that from personal experience. I think the posts on the Brous fb page were out of line.
 
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Warning: I sell knives made by Brous Blades and I am also a fan of KAI (I EDC a Leek). My opinion may be biased though I am trying not to be.

Since I try to personally avoid Facebook, this thread is the first I've heard of this issue.
Jason Brous is still a newcomer to making knives, I think this post was his way to draw attention to his knives and give credibility to his work. After all, if someone thinks highly enough of your work to incorporate it in their own, that can be very flattering. And for a large company such as KAI to be inspired by a design, which makes millions of blades a year, that can be very satisfying.

I am not aware of how many knife designers KAI employs (probably a lot), but it is possible that ONE of those designers decided that the jimping pattern on the silent soldier was nice and decided to refine it for their own knives. I don't see a problem with that. However, this is just speculation. It is also possible that the design was entirely created in house without outside influence.

I can see a distinct similarity between one of the Poltergeist knives and Brous Blades new folder coming out. They are extremely similar. However, it looks like one is a folder and the other is a fixed blade. There are also differences (though small) in the handle sculpting, screw pattern/placement, and grinds.

I do not agree with stealing designs. However, to illustrate how easy it is to come up with a design that has already been done, I will tell you a quick story.
My best friend and business partner is not an artist and does not know how to design knives. He carries a Kershaw Chive and the limit of knives he has seen consists of Microtech, Brous, Kershaw, and Spyderco. He is a software engineer and is damn good at it. On the road to Blade Show 2013, we were thinking it would be cool to make and design a knife. I told him to get some paper out and sketch out a blade.
In his first attempt, he sketched out a blade that is identical to the TOPS Tom Brown Tracker (http://www.bladehq.com/item--TOPS-Knives-Tom-Brown--2447).

I suppose my point is that I am hopeful that design similarities are coincidental and were not done with malicious intent or as a way to be lazy.
I am also hopeful that being inspired by others' designs continues because that will result in more and better knives for the community.
 
I don't really see it, sorry.

I also have strong doubts that Kai is trying to jack Brous' design.
 
Doesnt look very alike to me especially not enough to accuse someone of stealing a design and especially when its over some simple jimping
 
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