What does a Knife Maker own in regards to the design of their knives?

[Golden Gate Bridge]

Can a knife manufacturer (in China, or elsewhere) take a specific knife, (let's use the Chris Reeve Sebenza for example since it's a popular premium grade knife known to many) purchase an authentic, take it apart, have a computer scan it to get its exact measurements, leave off the Chris Reeve name, logo, copyright stamp, and then copy and sell them legally in the United States?

They would have to have a very unique feature to them, but usually they only own the trade mark of the knife. It is much easier for folding blades to "own" the knife since they seem to be infinitely more intricate than fixed blades.
Most reputable fixed blade makers tend to cater more to the survival/bushcraft community which the users are usually well entrenched in design characteristics/function and less concerned with cosmetics and especially blade steels than folding knife enthusiasts.

 

[benchwarmer380]

Can a knife manufacturer (in China, or elsewhere) take a specific knife, (let's use the Chris Reeve Sebenza for example since it's a popular premium grade knife known to many) purchase an authentic, take it apart, have a computer scan it to get its exact measurements, leave off the Chris Reeve name, logo, copyright stamp, and then copy and sell them legally in the United States?

What would happen if you did that with a Corvette?

 

[Golden Gate Bridge]

I would speculate and say Chevrolet would try to stop the manufacturing by lawsuits, but I don't know. What would happen? What does Chevrolet own regarding the Corvette? How much would you have to change it to legally produce it? The US is a lawsuit society compared to other countries.

What would happen if you did that with a Corvette?

 

[rustyrazor]

don't want to wade into this but i've read it and it's getting on my nerves like most i assume... as far as china goes, it doesn't matter. they will and can copy anything they want and there's nothing louis vuitton, ray-ban, oakley, gucci, CRKT, or BMW can do about it.... and they are all trying, i guarantee it! you mention corvette, and I don't know exactly, but I do know that China produces more cars now than ever and a lot of them are exact replicas of other "high end" vehicles such as BMWs and the like with nothing more than the emblem changed and they sell more of those than GM does corvettes. BMW for example is a MASSIVE name in cars with in the neighbourhood of a million dollars PER DAY spent on research and development of their product, so you can bet that they are trying to stop this obvious rip off. I know some car companies have tried to get legal action against the counterfits, but they get nowhere with it because their laws don't apply in China and the chinese companies don't give two squirts of what our laws entail... because they don't have to. If BMW Gucci and Ray Ban can't get them to stop with all their high priced legal teams, there's not a chance that a company with profit margins 1/60th of them are going to have at trying to get anywhere with it. That being the case... why Do we care? Don't buy knock offs and inform others of just what an obvious rip off they are and what it does to the reputation and quality of a legitimate maker or company.

just my 2c

 

[chiral.grolim]

rustyrazor is on target. It seems that GGB is looking for ways to skirt the US legal system, but that is not what he should worry about, it's the integrity of the consumers and the health of the industry.
China doesn't care about our laws, the conscientious consumer therefore eschews Chinese products whenever possible.
If your rip-offs put the inventors/designers out of business (either from lost revenue or simple discontent), you'll run out of designs to steal! The copies are non-creative garbage, cheap imitations of another's genius, they lose their luster quickly. And if new designs become scarce, the industry tanks.
To maintain the health of the industry and win the trust of American consumers, produce a knife that looks as different as possible from the knife you are basing it on. HONOR IP-rights in spirit, even if the letter isn't there.
If you like a knife design, want to produce something similar, pick a couple of features to maintain and alter the rest, especially the overall shape. Otherwise, publicly admit the inspiration or even seek permission/approval from the designer. Is that really so bad? Honesty will get you far with knife-knuts.

Two knives that show similar inspiration but no obvious IP theft: GSO-5.1 & KR Enki

Two knives that show similar inspiration and possible IP-theft: Strider SJ-75 & Kershaw Eschelon

Obvious Rip-Off: Microtech Matrix and ZT-0777

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Rules For The Exchange & Discussion Forums - (All Rules Apply Site-Wide)
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/announcement.php?f=699&a=98

SECTION 5 - Miscellaneous -
Fakes/Homages-
As fakes and homage items are a legal gray area and obviously hurt the hobby, no fake or homage items may be sold on the Exchange. Members may not knowingly sell unlicensed knockoffs or counterfeit versions of knives (or any other goods) based upon the designs of their legitimate owner, manufacturer or custom maker. Additionally, members may not sell any knife or item known or suspected to be other than as described in terms of its lineage and authenticity.

See also The Counterfeit Rule
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ives-Chris-Reeve-Sebenza-Kevin-John-etc/page2

And Counterfeits- The Truth of the matter
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1080398-Counterfeits-The-Truth-of-the-matter