Hey TW! Let's see your knives!

I love mine. Use it all the time at work.

 

i dont know the legalities but cant you still make/sell the scales just dont attatch them?

 

The claim is that the patent protects tha design/decoration of the scales. So any scale that fits is in violation without licensing.

 

Hey TW,
In search of a Microtech Currahee. If anyone has a lead on one, I would be very interested.
Greyman Darfur Defender:

 

I understand wanting to protect their IP, but I don't think this is going to work out for them the way they think. I doubt they can prove their sales are being harmed by these companies, and in fact are probably being bolstered by them considering customizable scales are one of the big appeals of BM. I don't see any difference between this and a gun manufacturer going after people that make aftermarket parts. All it does is create a void in the market that the manufacturer obviously can't fill themselves, but customers still want.

 

Whether or not it hurts sales is irrelevant. They hold the patent and will defend it. But to your question, it's very possible they would lose sales from their custom operations.

 

I understand the legal side of it perfectly well. I'm just saying I don't think it's going to work in their favor, or gain them any profits. If anything I think it would drive customers away, myself included.

 

Of course it will drive others away.

 

Which is why it makes no sense to me. It's a symbiotic relationship that everyone benefits from. If I was BM, I'd consider bringing some of the more popular scale makers under their umbrella, maybe do custom runs. They'd sell like crazy.

 

I guess I don't understand either but they do have a custom shop.

I own several Benchmade knives but have mostly moved on from their mass production quality.

 

Yeah I've got a collection of BM autos and folders, but they're older/discontinued models, and haven't seen much from their newer lines that I really care for. My EDC is a Mini Reflex.

 

I'm in the same boat. I have a couple bugouts and a mini crooked river in the rotation and a full size crooked river for camping, but otherwise nothing in Benchmade's lineup really stands out to me.

 

I'm not a patent lawyer, but I think there is this issue where if they know about something in the marketplace that infringes on a patent or trade-mark and they don't make a claim to a violation, then someone else could say that they've abandoned their right to the patent and start pumping out clones with no legal risk. It's like when Toyota sends cease-and-desist letters to MESO because of his badge overlays. It's not that Toyota wants to get in the badge overlay business, its that they don't want to give anyone the chance to argue that they've abandoned their rights to the Toyota trademark.

I still think it sucks. I'm currently looking for a good set of carbon fiber scales for my Manix.

 

This is another part of the problem. But if it were the case, and as Toyota has done for the horns, you'd think BM would grant a license for a small fee.

 

Reason 1,564 not to own a BM. Too many other knife manufacturers out there, incuding some custom makers for a few $$'s more. Curious if wheel mfg's like Fuel and others pay a license to Toyota just because their aftermarket wheels fit a Tacoma.

 

On the left, Spartan Harsey Folder with carbon scales. On the right, Spartan Akirbis for comparison. The SHF is a special edition for Knife Art.

I should add the Akirbis is a much smother knife in hand. Both the carbon scales and rounded curves contribute to that. It’s a bit smaller as well. Not much. Not quite as bulky to carry. I still prefer the Spartan Harsey Folder for its size in hand.

Both are excellent knives and it’s difficult to prefer one over the other.

 

My EDC knife!

First batch of 5 are going to sport desert iron wood scales. Planning to have them done at the end of August

 

Malibu.

 

Here is another folder I’m working on. Hope to get a prototype or two worked up in the next two months.

 

Nice! Those might be too nice for users for me. Wow!