Cold Steel's lawsuit against CRKT

[Bradsknives]

I'll leave this here for those who might be interested.

Cold Steel v CRKT

 

[rhino]

Hmmm.

A company whose front man is known for excessive hyperbole (to be kind) is suing a competitor for what amounts to hyperbole in their advertisements.

 

[SSGSAD]

Hmmm.

A company whose front man is known for excessive hyperbole (to be kind) is suing a competitor for what amounts to hyperbole in their advertisements.

Kommiefornia, what would you expect ?????

 

[KokomoDave]

Emerson should sue Cold Steel in the rip-off the Wave like opening feature that Cold Steal put on those AK47 knives.

...a fixed blade knife when it fails almost always breaks into 2 pieces. Huh? An attorney wrote that?? No such thing. It is: always, usually or might.
That is like saying almost criminal. Almost warm. Almost whatever. That is open for definition by the petitioner for definition. Jerks!

The irrepairable part of the loss of monetary sums is due to CRKT making better products than Cold Steal. PLain and simple.

 

[rhino]

Except for Cold Steel doesn't really make anything. Some of their branded items are crap. Some are really good, especially for the money (like the Voyagers).

 

[KokomoDave]

I have a couple of the Spike series of knives stashed strategically in the house. Not a bad little shiv for the cashish.

 

[Dean C.]

Like Kokomo Dave said I fully expect Cold Steel to sue themselves for ripping off the Emerson wave feature, Then to top the Cold Steel BS parade off they are touting their use of more "American Made Materials" what they don't mention is they just buy the American Steel and ship it overseas to be finished into a knife and not actually made in the USA like several people in the comments section believe. And don't even get me started on their stupid promotional videos of an out of breath Lynn Thompson chopping up pig carcases and whatnot.

Press Release - New Models : Cold Steel | Anytime | Anywhere

 

[Bradsknives]

I find the lawsuit to be very hypocritical of Cold Steel. Their track record over the years of shady business practices stands on it's own. They basically steal/use other peoples designs/concepts and then contract it out to another knife making company to produce them with their name on them. With companies that mass produce knives, originality in any design is apt to be limited at best. I do have to give credit to Cold Steel for licensing the Axis lock from Benchmade and I'm sure there are other examples of Cold Steel properly doing business with other companies, but in the custom knife world it is an entirely different mind set amongst those people. All you have to do is go to an actual custom knife show and and talk to the makers. There is hatred towards Lynn Thompson (Cold Steel owner) from a large percentage of makers that I have talked to over the last 30 years. Talk to Ron Lake (designer of the first inter frame), Mike Walker, Brian Tighe, Ernie Emerson, Michael Lovett, and Mick Strider about Lynn Thompson and you might get escorted out of the show. There is no love between most of the custom makers and Lynn Thompson because of Cold Steel's business practices.

 

[Gabriel]

**** Cold Steel in the ******* dry.

 

[tradertator]

Lynne Thompson and Cold Steel are about as slimy as they come, and this seems right up their alley.

 

[rhino]

Like Kokomo Dave said I fully expect Cold Steel to sue themselves for ripping off the Emerson wave feature, Then to top the Cold Steel BS parade off they are touting their use of more "American Made Materials" what they don't mention is they just buy the American Steel and ship it overseas to be finished into a knife and not actually made in the USA like several people in the comments section believe. And don't even get me started on their stupid promotional videos of an out of breath Lynn Thompson chopping up pig carcases and whatnot.

Press Release - New Models : Cold Steel | Anytime | Anywhere

Lynn Thompson just got CRAILED!

You are correct, young sir. The Voyager series now made with domestic Carpenter BD-1 steel are, in fact, manufactured in Taiwan. They are good knives (especially for the price point), but the advertising is misleading at best.

 

[dilligaf]

Emerson should sue Cold Steel in the rip-off the Wave like opening feature that Cold Steal put on those AK47 knives.

...a fixed blade knife when it fails almost always breaks into 2 pieces. Huh? An attorney wrote that?? No such thing. It is: always, usually or might.
That is like saying almost criminal. Almost warm. Almost whatever. That is open for definition by the petitioner for definition. Jerks!

The irrepairable part of the loss of monetary sums is due to CRKT making better products than Cold Steal. PLain and simple.

I agree the lawsuit is ludicrous . However as far as ripping of the "wave" feature, that is 100% incorrect. It was invented by Andrew Demko, which he holds the patent to, and he liscensed to Cold Steel along with the Triad-lock. . If in fact it was a rip off of the wave and not patented, I'm certain Mr. Emerson would have sued Cold Steel. It would not have recieved a patent if it was a rip off. Here is the link to the patent. United States Patent: 7036229

 

[Fargo]

I find the lawsuit to be very hypocritical of Cold Steel. Their track record over the years of shady business practices stands on it's own. They basically steal/use other peoples designs/concepts and then contract it out to another knife making company to produce them with their name on them. With companies that mass produce knives, originality in any design is apt to be limited at best. I do have to give credit to Cold Steel for licensing the Axis lock from Benchmade and I'm sure there are other examples of Cold Steel properly doing business with other companies, but in the custom knife world it is an entirely different mind set amongst those people. All you have to do is go to an actual custom knife show and and talk to the makers. There is hatred towards Lynn Thompson (Cold Steel owner) from a large percentage of makers that I have talked to over the last 30 years. Talk to Ron Lake (designer of the first inter frame), Mike Walker, Brian Tighe, Ernie Emerson, Michael Lovett, and Mick Strider about Lynn Thompson and you might get escorted out of the show. There is no love between most of the custom makers and Lynn Thompson because of Cold Steel's business practices.

Is Mick Strider really in a position to be opining on anyone else's honesty or business practices?

 

[Bradsknives]

I agree the lawsuit is ludicrous . However as far as ripping of the "wave" feature, that is 100% incorrect. It was invented by Andrew Demko, which he holds the patent to, and he liscensed to Cold Steel along with the Triad-lock. . If in fact it was a rip off of the wave and not patented, I'm certain Mr. Emerson would have sued Cold Steel. It would not have been patentable if it was a rip off. Here is the link to the patent. United States Patent: 7036229

I hate to inform you, but you are wrong. Emerson has the "original" patent on the Wave design using his hook design. Emerson filed for his patent in 1997. Patent US5878500 - Self-opening folding knife - Google Patents

Demko took Emerson's concept of using the pocket to open a blade, and designed a thumb plate (disk) that screws into the spine of the blade (this is the design that Cold Steel uses) that catches the pocket corner to open the blade. Demko filed for his patent in 2004. https://www.google.co.za/patents/US...&sa=X&ei=3cNdVbO1LrKQ7AbugYMo&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAg

Bottom Line....Ernie Emerson was the first to come up with the idea, and a design that would allow the blade to catch on the pocket, thus allowing the blade to be deployed as you are pulling the knife out of the pocket all in one motion. Emerson even called it the "Wave Feature". Demko used Emerson's concept/idea, and came up with a design that was just different enough to get a patent. Emerson's design is the standard in the knife world, that is why companies like Spyderco, Fox Knives out of Italy, Southern Grind, and others pay Mr. Emerson royalties to use his Wave design. The only money Demko gets for his design comes from Cold Steel.

Here is a couple of pics that show the differences between the two designs.

Emerson

Demko

 

[Bradsknives]

Is Mick Strider really in a position to be opining on anyone else's honesty or business practices?

Old news......... Yes, he screwed up. He apologized, and he paid for his mistake, but he is still well respected in the knife world.

I'm amazed that there are still a few people that waste energy chasing an old trail that leads nowhere but to whip up a frenzy of hate.

 

[dilligaf]

Old news......... Yes, he screwed up. He apologized, and he paid for his mistake, but he is still well respected in the knife world.

I'm amazed that there are still a few people that waste energy chasing an old trail that leads nowhere but to whip up a frenzy of hate.

Yet here we are with you starting your own frenzy of hate..... I never stated that Demko's patent was first, only that if it was a direct rip off it would not have received a patent. If I invented the worlds first locking folding knife ( a liner lock ) would all others ( frame lock, lock back, compression lock, etc..) be a rip off of my original locking folding knife ? Of course not.

 

[Bradsknives]

Yet here we are with you starting your own frenzy of hate..... I never stated that Demko's patent was first, only that if it was a direct rip off it would not have received a patent. If I invented the worlds first locking folding knife ( a liner lock ) would all others ( frame lock, lock back, compression lock, etc..) be a rip off of my original locking folding knife ? Of course not.

There is no starting a "frenzy of hate".....clearly some people can't let things go that are way in the past, and it gets tiresome listen to their hate.....haters will continue to hate.

No you didn't state that Demko was the first, but you clearly stated that Demko invented the Wave and made it sound like Emerson didn't....it was very misleading.

For the record....the lock back design was around long before Walker invented and designed the liner lock design in the 80's. Locking blade knives have been dated as far back as the 15th century...... the Navaja design from Spain dates back to that time frame.

 

[Fargo]

Old news......... Yes, he screwed up. He apologized, and he paid for his mistake, but he is still well respected in the knife world.

I'm amazed that there are still a few people that waste energy chasing an old trail that leads nowhere but to whip up a frenzy of hate.

So, were you going to answer my question?

Is Mick Strider really in a position to be opining on other peoples honesty and business practices?

 

[Bradsknives]

So, were you going to answer my question?

Is Mick Strider really in a position to be opining on other peoples honesty and business practices?

IMO, yes.....personally I didn't like what he did, and he paid his dues for his mistakes. I believe in forgiveness and 2nd chances. He has contributed to the knife world in a positive way since his mistakes, and his opinion is respected by most, and then there are others that that believe he should pay for his mistakes for the rest of his life....people are entitled to believe this way if they wish.

 

[Fargo]

IMO, yes.....personally I didn't like what he did, and he paid his dues for his mistakes. I believe in forgiveness and 2nd chances. He has contributed to the knife world in a positive way since his mistakes, and his opinion is respected by most, and then there are others that that believe he should pay for his mistakes for the rest of his life....people are entitled to believe this way if they wish.

What are you referring to as "what he did"?