What do you guys think? Have I been copied?

RDT, I personally think that you are handling this well. Talking with the maker is a good step for you both. I think that it would be better if a maker talked with "the maker that is inspiring" him prior to making the knife. It is just better business all the way around. We have had several makers ask if they could make knives that were similar to some we are making. We had no problem at all. I had one very talented young maker ask if he could try to make a double guard like I had used on a Bowie knife. I told him that he was welcome to use it, that I had seen the design on a dagger in a museum in England and liked it myself. My opinion of those that ask, whether it is to copy or just take a picture, is much higher than it is of those that don't.

The girl, that walked up to the table with the photographer and snapped the picture, did it so quickly that they were gone before we realized what had happened. The other maker and his customer deserve each other and life is too short to worry about what happens to them.
 
Hmathews said:
RDT, I personally think that you are handling this well. Talking with the maker is a good step for you both. I think that it would be better if a maker talked with "the maker that is inspiring" him prior to making the knife. It is just better business all the way around. We have had several makers ask if they could make knives that were similar to some we are making. We had no problem at all. I had one very talented young maker ask if he could try to make a double guard like I had used on a Bowie knife. I told him that he was welcome to use it, that I had seen the design on a dagger in a museum in England and liked it myself. My opinion of those that ask, whether it is to copy or just take a picture, is much higher than it is of those that don't.

The girl, that walked up to the table with the photographer and snapped the picture, did it so quickly that they were gone before we realized what had happened. The other maker and his customer deserve each other and life is too short to worry about what happens to them.[/QUOTE

Thanks! Yeah I agree on the "asking first", I have made a couple of knives for customers who wanted exact duplicates of other well known makers knives. These makers no longer made them. So instead of copying them outright, I offered the customers these options:

1. I will do the general blade shape subtracting one major feature and replacing it with my own.
2. I will do my own handle design period!
3. This will only be done if the customer asks the Maker for permission and forwards it to me. In one instance I asked the maker myself and altered the design ALOT.
4. Once I do this on any knife, I will NEVER make that knife again!

I had a guy come to me several times asking for a a duplicate of a Strider blade style but with a Karambit handle. The handle looked a little like a Coogler handle if memory serves me.

I said it sound slike a good combo but I will do my handle and you will have to ask the Strider boys if they will give their blessing.

Never heard back from him... guess not eh?

It is a pretty radical blade profile so there would be NO mistake where it came from and I can't afford to be known as copying other people's designs. As well, I wouldn't feel good about myself creatively.
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Thanks Keith!

Well spoke with the maker via email and he admitted the designer sent him my website(as inspiration I suppose?) and that he was familiar with my stuff, ect. While he didn't agree it looked the same, he did say he was no longer going to make them.

He even sent over a customer who wanted the same knife. But alas, my knife was beyond his price range.

Anyway, looks as though it ended smoothly. The maker though was very humble and pleasant!

He was also very understanding.

:thumbup:
 
I wouldn't worry about it. Instead I would be flattered if someone liked my stuff enough to copy it. Unless you have a desgin patent on it (which is rather expensive), unfortunately there is nothing you can really do about it in the legal world. If you have also not trademarked your logo in the legal world, another maker could make the exact identical blade with the EXACT mark and there would technically be nothing legally wrong with what they were doing. They could actually trademark your logo and file it and then you'd be the one in trouble using the mark. You'd be upset, but legally would be up a creek. If you value something enough, protect it.

There are a gogillian knives that look pretty much identical to whomever came up with the design first.
 
People don't go to the mall to buy fake Nike's, People will want the real thing and if they don't...there not the customers you want anyway.
 
Funny thing is I have seen a couple of these knives on ebay for sale. At first I thought it was one of your karambit's and was going to bid. Upon closer inspection of the picture it was clearly not. The stuff looks like garbage and isn't even close to being in the same league. I wouldn't sweat it.
 
sem23tex said:
Funny thing is I have seen a couple of these knives on ebay for sale. At first I thought it was one of your karambit's and was going to bid. Upon closer inspection of the picture it was clearly not. The stuff looks like garbage and isn't even close to being in the same league. I wouldn't sweat it.
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Thanks for all the input everyone! Indeed it's the same maker on ebay.

Take care
Rich
 
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