www.tribalknifeusa.com - Intellectual Property Theft & More

He's even selling this "one of a kind knife with real Mother of Pearl handle" for the low, low price of $225.

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http://www.tribalknifeusa.com/StoreFront.bok



Look familiar? Only $19.95!

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http://www.premiumknifesupply.com/-strse-265/S18-%22Black-Widow%22-Custom/Detail.bok
 
I guess this is how he rationalizes his behavior.

http://www.blademag.com/forum/topics/made-in-china-1

"I'm amazed at the scapegoating and prejudice of the Knife community or is it ignorance? Marketing a product with all or some of it's components made overseas or out of the US is not new and calling it or implying it's US just look to, Ford, Chrysler and GM. Toyota and Hyundai have been more American made than the big three in parts and labor. Like the Japanese before, China is now new scapegoat for our problems. In both cases, Japan and China, we provided the technology to produce what they produce and they are now beating us. Both have had deserved reputation problems but their quality has dramatically improved and products as well. Is it now just prejudice or ignorance in the knife community? Is it just sour grapes? The knife industry will never return to the US. They are beating us and we educated them and they are doing it better than we are. The fact that many US companies are buying and fabricating in China is simply following the money. The US consumer will never pay the prices for a knife made in the US, they are voting with their wallets. Demand for union wages, regulations in the steel industry, has driven out business in the US. The consumer will not sustain the inflated prices of products made in the US. Ironically labor problems are also driving up product prices in China. China's biggest problem is labor prices shooting up. Manufacturers can't keep their labor force because of competition. Now countries like Vietnam are beating out China for cheap labor. As long as someone is hungry enough, and I mean hungry, they will work for less to feed their family. There is an answer. I'm in the knife industry and have sold hundreds of thousands of knives, I'm not ignorant of the problem, I take business away from China as well as I'm experensed in doing business with China but complaining about their manufacturing is fruitless and counterproductive. Adapt, change and be smarter."
 
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Can't Allen get ahold of this guy and see what's up? Anyone call this guy and speak to him about any of this? I most likely won't be calling, not to good at articulating arguments and such.
 
Myker said:
Can't Allen get ahold of this guy and see what's up? Anyone call this guy and speak to him about any of this? I most likely won't be calling, not to good at articulating arguments and such.
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I'm pretty sure he will be hearing from CRKT soon enough.

CRKT is sponsoring the Blade show and Metzger & Co will be there.
 
http://www.tribalknifeusa.com/-strse-38/Big-Dog/Detail.bok

http://www.premiumknifesupply.com/-strse-136/Skinner-S60/Detail.bok

LOL, he didn't even bother to change the name of the knife.



"Tribal Knife & Tactical is the brainchild of our founder Doug Metzger. While providing the essentials to knife makers worldwide for the past few years Doug assembled a group of craftsman to make custom knives under our own boutique brand. We also provide knives to major companies like NRA of which we are a licensed affiliate. We are growing daily and 2012 will be our best year yet. We have bids in to manufacture knives for foreign governments along with our own. Some of these designs will be available to our customers. What started out as a boutique custom knife making company will become your source for necessary survival, tactical and self-defense items along with specialty items. Be sure to become part of our Tribe! Go to the Customer Service tab and register so we may send you our newsletter, new product announcements and insider sales!"
 
After reading this thread again last night I sent an email to Tribal Knife about the Sunfish folders asking are they 100% handmade by Mr. Farren or do they just have the mammoth handles put on as a custom modification?

I received a courteous reply this morning from a Jim Kumas and he said the mammoth was crafted and fit to the knife. He also mentioned this is why they categorize them as being from craftsmen rather than knifemakers, because they "are shaping handles and modifying existing blades not forging the steel."

To my mind that would confirm what Mr. Mitchell pointed out above - you're just paying for handles and a buff job to one of the kit knives. Just how much any of these knives could be considered one of a kind is a matter of semantics. Could you get another piece of mammoth that looked exactly like the one already on their Sunfish? Perhaps not since it's natural, variable material. But does a unique piece of mammoth or pearl on a generic mass produced kit frame really strike anyone as having the kind of value to justify what they charge?
 
There is nothing wrong with someone making a kit knife, so long as they are honest about it.

The website is deceptive as they use the terms "custom" and "crafted by".

A more accurate description would be "assembled by" or "handle added by".

The knives were likely made by Chinese children, not "H. Farren".

Attempting to pass off a cheap, imported kit knife as a custom or handmade knife is almost as bad as stealing designs from actual knifemakers.

When individuals do this sort of thing, it creates confusion in the marketplace.
 
Mitchell Knives said:
The website is deceptive as they use the terms "custom" and "crafted by".

Attempting to pass off a cheap, imported kit knife as a custom or handmade knife is almost as bad as stealing designs from actual knifemakers.

When individuals do this sort of thing, it creates confusion in the marketplace.
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Couldn't agree more
 
Please don't infer from what I posted that I feel in any way what they're doing is kosher. Quite the opposite, especially in light of the Folts clones.

I was curious as to how they'd answer the direct question so that's why I contacted them.
 
No worries; I knew what you meant. ;)

I'm actually suprised that they bothered to reply to your email.

I'm willing to be that they will not put that information on their website.


jujigatame said:
Please don't infer from what I posted that I feel in any way what they're doing is kosher. Quite the opposite, especially in light of the Folts clones.

I was curious as to how they'd answer the direct question so that's why I contacted them.
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For years I was a moderator on the Kit Knife forum on Knife Network. We'd go over these improprieties often.

My verbage which I thought should be universal was 'Handfinished' knives for finishing premade kit knives. Not handmade, not custom. That's what these are.

Because it creates confusion and, with a name like 'H. Farren' is attached to them, it create the illusion of singular handmade. This is an endemic Ebay tactic.

And, like you guys, there is nothing WRONG with a finished kit knife. Just set the record straight from the getgo.

The neophyte will be pissed off when he shows off his 'craftsman-made' knife to knowledgable people, and gets slammed corrected. Right.

I'm reminded of PT Barnum....

Coop
 
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