Tim Britton copying Shane Sibert. Be Aware

Met him at the Chesapeake show, seemed like a nice guy and made some very nice slipjoints. I guess he should have stuck with them.
 
ooitzoo said:
Talented or not this kind of stuff greatly attenuates the number of people who would be willing to buy his product. I am a strong believer that your conduct outside the literal tasks of performing your job are important.

For example, how many people want to have their car fixed by a known thief (even if they are perfectly honest as a mechanic)? I would guess very few.
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I couldn't agree more, but I am going to guess that this stuff is selling.......

Even after the whole Kizer debacle, when Kizer presented the contract they had with Mr. Britton to build the 'Tango' and also showed that the original, the Kizer 401B made it's debut at blade exactly one year prior to the 'Tango's' debut, people on this very forum where still paying over $500 for a $150 Kizer with Mr. Britton's name on it.

I am not sure if people didn't know, or they just don't care.

I could be wrong on this, because I don't know what one of Mr. Britton's Sibert copies are going for, but by guess is less then Shane charges, and they are much easier to get your hands on.

This reminds me of the decent quality Kevin John Clones of a Seb. or a Strider. People buy them. They are cheaper, and much easier to get your hands on.

While the analogy is not perfect, I can't imagine any other scenario then Mr. Britton knowing that there is a group of people that will always buy $hit like this.
It then becomes more about money then integrity on both sides, Mr. Britton, and the people who buy his copies....
 
treeshaker said:
There is a big difference, Britton's knives are facing left in the photo ! LOL, if it were not a rip off. And from NC he was kinda a state hero in knife making. I have spoken with him about 2 years ago when a member here, suggested I had to have a Tango.
He was all pro USA, and stressed the money he charged was for his Personal time and skills. Glad I did not listen to my west coast friend on this one. WOW.... EVEN HIS COPIES ARE PRICED TOO HIGH !!! I bet no one will confront him at any show, certainly not Blade, these type guys do it because they are allowed to without recourse. I hope Sibert will seek legal action.
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One minor correction, they do it because they're sociopaths.
 
So how is this any different than Tim Tang (Maxpadition) ripping off Kevin McClung (Mad Dog) design? Answer...It's not. I wish Sibert all the best.
 
There are quite a few "knife makers" with serious integrity issues.

Design theft and selling factory knives as customs is a legitimate business model to some.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Met him at the Chesapeake show, seemed like a nice guy and made some very nice slipjoints. I guess he should have stuck with them.
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I believe he was tied to a company that was making slipjoint knife kits for people to buy and there was a notion that his 'custom' slipjoints were just production kits he built himself.
 
JR88FAN said:
This is a very valid question.
Tim Britton is a very talented knife maker.

My person theory was always that Tim's 'usual' work is not modern folders/flippers like the Tango or this obvious copy of Shane's work.
It's no secret that these are the types of knives that are popular right now.
So I put that together and added in 'short cut' and 'money'....

Only Mr. Britton can actually answer this question however.
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The problem is many dont believe mr britton is really a good knife maker. At least not tactical knives made from modern materials. Even in the days when he was making traditional folders exclusively he was caugh simply assembling kit knives. Claiming bg42 blades and one guy found out he got an aus8 blade and proved it was a knifekits knife. Many actually believe Mr britton owning at least in part a knifekit and parts business developed a relationship with factories in asia and when the recent quality boom in china hit he got a few samples of chinese knives from those parts sources and felt they were so good that he would just engrave his name on the blade and say that his chinese knives are actually made by him. He may be a knife pimper by todays standards and probably fashions new scales and gives the knives a hand satin finish to give the appearance that each is a one off custom. And to sleep at nite he probably tells himself that many makers have their parts cnc or waterjet for them so how is it different?

I would guess the reason this keeps happening with Mr Britton is he is probably choosing designs for them to build him out of a catalog of unused designs by counterfeiters. Knives that they made cad files for but for some reason or another didnt produce in quantity. Mr britton seeing the designs probably just pics ones he feels are unique and that arnt popular probably never even knowing he chose a design that is a rip off. Then after his box of chinese parts show up he pimps a few out at show and those in the know notice its a copy of shanes. By this time tim has money and time invested in the product and is probably sitting on 25 - 50 knives to complete in kit form. Even if he gets them at $20 a pop he has a considerable investment. So that whole kizer bs was probably him putting his name on early kizers. And i would wager his relationship with kizer got its start with his parts business. Many feel most high end chinese knife companies got their start in counterfeiting at some point whether or not it continues is anyones guess.
 
Not to open old wounds, but our relationship with Tim started and ended with one model. Kizer has never engaged in the kits part business, we always made whole knives.

Thanks.

Kizer
 
Go to YouTube and watch a video for "how to tell your *insert knife here* is fake". Then go down to the comments and look at all the idiots saying things like " If I can get a *knife x* for $40, then I say that's awesome!" Even worse is someone trying to point out the error of their ways and a ton of other users jumping all over them saying its their right to buy fake junk from China. Add to that the perception they are buying a fake knife made by an actual legitimate american maker, and you'll see why Britton (I won't call him Mr.) continues to sell these copies; especially at shows where it isn't widely disseminated - or so he hopes.
 
Its sad that this type of thing goes on. Its also unfortunate that to your average Joe this is an original design. There are so few pocket rockets out there that most have never seen or even heard of one outside of the benchmade collaboration.
 
Can we get some consistency? I agree, this dude needs to be punished and he needs to be revealed as the fraud he is. But there are other makers on this forum and being celebrated elsewhere that have done similar acts with little to no impact. He too was banned from the USN for similar issues.
 
Murdamook said:
Can we get some consistency? I agree, this dude needs to be punished and he needs to be revealed as the fraud he is. But there are other makers on this forum and being celebrated elsewhere that have done similar acts with little to no impact. He too was banned from the USN for similar issues.
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I'm confused on what impact these other maker have on this situation? This thread is not about other makers but the situation of what Tim Britton is doing. I suggest if you feel strong enough about the other situation that you start a thread to discuss those issues.
 
waldizal said:
I'm confused on what impact these other maker have on this situation? This thread is not about other makers but the situation of what Tim Britton is doing. I suggest if you feel strong enough about the other situation that you start a thread to discuss those issues.
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I said what I said to make a point. If you guys are going to make threads demonizing one person for something(which I agree with, by the way; I too hate rip-off artists) then at least
waldizal said:
I'm confused on what impact these other maker have on this situation? This thread is not about other makers but the situation of what Tim Britton is doing. I suggest if you feel strong enough about the other situation that you start a thread to discuss those issues.
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I said what I said to make a point. If you guys are going to make threads demonizing one person for something(which I agree with, by the way; I too hate rip-off artists) then at least be consistent. Brous has done things that could be compared to what Britton has done, yet his business has boomed. How can you guys rage at Britton but the majority of you still excuse Brous?
 
Murdamook, I would be surprised if there is a Counterfeit/clone knife Maker that has gone unscathed here on BFC.

I am pretty certain we are equal opportunity counterfeit/clone haters who have hated them all right here on BFC.

Who here is awaiting the heat?
 
PURPLEDC said:
The problem is many dont believe mr britton is really a good knife maker. At least not tactical knives made from modern materials. Even in the days when he was making traditional folders exclusively he was caugh simply assembling kit knives. Claiming bg42 blades and one guy found out he got an aus8 blade and proved it was a knifekits knife. Many actually believe Mr britton owning at least in part a knifekit and parts business developed a relationship with factories in asia and when the recent quality boom in china hit he got a few samples of chinese knives from those parts sources and felt they were so good that he would just engrave his name on the blade and say that his chinese knives are actually made by him. He may be a knife pimper by todays standards and probably fashions new scales and gives the knives a hand satin finish to give the appearance that each is a one off custom. And to sleep at nite he probably tells himself that many makers have their parts cnc or waterjet for them so how is it different?

I would guess the reason this keeps happening with Mr Britton is he is probably choosing designs for them to build him out of a catalog of unused designs by counterfeiters. Knives that they made cad files for but for some reason or another didnt produce in quantity. Mr britton seeing the designs probably just pics ones he feels are unique and that arnt popular probably never even knowing he chose a design that is a rip off. Then after his box of chinese parts show up he pimps a few out at show and those in the know notice its a copy of shanes. By this time tim has money and time invested in the product and is probably sitting on 25 - 50 knives to complete in kit form. Even if he gets them at $20 a pop he has a considerable investment. So that whole kizer bs was probably him putting his name on early kizers. And i would wager his relationship with kizer got its start with his parts business. Many feel most high end chinese knife companies got their start in counterfeiting at some point whether or not it continues is anyones guess.
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There is a lot of conjecture in your accusations. Be careful, Karma can be a harsh mistress.

Britton knives I have seen were well made and some were very unique.
 
brownshoe said:
There is a lot of conjecture in your accusations. Be careful, Karma can be a harsh mistress.

Britton knives I have seen were well made and some were very unique.
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If we're worrying about karma here, I think Tim Britton is the one who should be concerned. He may "make" (I used that term lightly) some nice knives, but his counterfeiting is undeniable.
 
brownshoe said:
There is a lot of conjecture in your accusations. Be careful, Karma can be a harsh mistress.

Britton knives I have seen were well made and some were very unique.
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Because you see a well made knife doesn't stop the fact the man is a design thief. Also are you 100% that these well made knives and unique designs where all made by him in his shop? It seems that he has a history of stealing designs and not making the knives himself. If you want to support him that is your choice. But I want everyone to know that the man is a design thief and was given the opportunity to stop.


If the man has the ability then he can design and produce knives that are his own. Not designed by others or produced by others either.
 
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