Spyderco Forums

Chris_H wrote:Does anyone believe that Spyderco would license their trademark round hole to Benchmade after the Blackwood Skirmish incident?

Exactly!

I can't imagine that :spyder: would go into business with someone who has already stolen from them.

David Lowry wrote:Django, it's bad Internet etiquette to cross forum post and quote like that. Just letting you know.

David, I believe you are mistaken - cross posting is when someone posts the same thing in two different sections of a forum. I would be cross posting if I posted the same thing in General Discussion and Off Topic.

If I had not pointed out the link (which you consider bad etiquette), how would people have found the right topic on the Benchmade forum (not the Spyderco forum)?

I was simply directing Spyderco forum members to the topic where it was being discussed Benchmade's forum, which is not cross posting.

Well there are a number of threads on this topic here. We know, by the fact they were moved from GD to OT that at least two them have been read enough by a moderator to cause that. At this point I thin it's a pretty safe assumption that if BM's use of the hole was authorized, someone from Spyderco would have put this issue to rest, as they are certainly aware that the question has been raised.

The Deacon wrote:Well there are a number of threads on this topic here. We know, by the fact they were moved from GD to OT that at least two them have been read enough by a moderator to cause that. At this point I thin it's a pretty safe assumption that if BM's use of the hole was authorized, someone from Spyderco would have put this issue to rest, as they are certainly aware that the question has been raised.

Since they've read this, as The Deacon has pointed out, and haven't commented, I see two scenarios:

a) hasn't been authorised
b) aren't saying anything yet on the advice of their lawyers/higher-up
c) there's been some secret deal about using the hole, which they for some reason can't tell us about
d) are thinking of a way to tell the irate mob that they have licensed it, and that they should extinguish their torches, stick their pitchforks in hay, and go home

It's reasonable to assume out of the above scenarios (and hopefully not go through the whole joke of making an *** out of u and me) which ones are more likely.

Thus, since they're aware of this, they have several options:
a) Trying to contact Sal (if this is his department)
b) do nothing about it :mad:
c) having a chat to their lawyers or Benchmade

I'm hoping it's either a or c.

P.S. Paul, love your sig and avatar on BF. So, we have your "no butterfly" sign, para-force's sign (see below) what else? Also see it's on your site. Oh, which knife is your 318th?

It seems to be that, from my understanding, Benchmade has used the spyderhole unauthorized before and that the round opening hole is specifically a trademark not just a feature, a trademark that Spyderco doesn't even use on it's own Byrd line, that this is in all likely hood an unauthorized usage.

They could have just made the hole ovoid like they have in the past. I can't see any reason to specifically use a round hole other than to get under Spyderco's (Sal's) skin or to try and sell a product as something it's not.

I am no business major though and I probably (hopefully) am wrong. Despite what it looks like to me I find it hard to believe a major american manufacturer would do this sort of thing.

It's just rank speculation, but the more I think about this, the more the only explanation that makes sense to me is that Benchmade feels Spyderco's trademark isn't valid and they are going to use the Vex to challenge it in court (if Spyderco takes action).

Unfortunately, I guess this is the beginning of the end of the round hole's exclusivity
However, we all here know it takes more than a round hole in the blade to make a Spyderco. At least we won't be tricked to buy a knife just because it has a hole. And maybe we can help educate the others to know about the difference themselves.

Joe Talmadge wrote:It's just rank speculation, but the more I think about this, the more the only explanation that makes sense to me is that Benchmade feels Spyderco's trademark isn't valid and they are going to use the Vex to challenge it in court (if Spyderco takes action).

Assuming Sal has not given them permission, your speculation is the same as mine. Personally, I'd love to see Spyderco take 'em to the mat and clean the floor with them. I'm perfectly fine with Benchmade using Spyderco's hole with permission, I love seeing companies working together like that to bring features that everyone wants. However, I do not like seeing companies stealing ideas from other companies for the sake of being malicious. If that is the case, I hope Spyderco uses one of their loopholes to patent a their own axis lock and allows all companies access to it. I see no other reason to use the round Spyderhole (without permission) for any reason other then to be malicious, they could have used just about any other shape.

I too like seeing collaborations...just glad I've never purchased a single BM product. I got to handle the "knife" in question at a show this weekend, and guess what? It's MADE IN CHINA!!! It doesn't seem like a bad knife, but looks too much like so many :spyder: 's that it just irritates me!!

Make mine Spyderco!!!



Tim