License to use spyderco round hole?

[hy]

Out of curiosity, does spyderco have a list of custom makers licensed to use the spyderco round hole?



Edited by - hy on 12/26/2001 10:19:12 PM

[Joyce Laituri]

Hy-

The person in-house here at Spyderco that has that information is our R&D guy Peter. His email address is spyrdl210@aol.com

Feel free to email him!

[hy]

Thanks Joyce.<img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>

[hy]

by the way, I read in the Spyderco Story that Sal used to commission knives by custom makers but specifies that all the knives must have a serrated edge, round hole and clip. Sal, do you still specify those requirements and what knives have you commissioned lately?

[sam the man..]

Well, Crawford had their KFF with a roundhole, so did emerson, benchmade, AT Barr as well as a couple of custom makers... The pocket clip for example, has been a charered standard among knife manufacturers, a great tribute to Spyderco IMHO... <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>

Sam

have spydies will travel

[hy]

Thanks samo, I was interested in getting a list of custom makers licensed to use the hole for future reference. If I ever start collecting customs, I would want to make sure they all had the spydie hole.

[butch]

found this and was wanting to get the updated list or email to get the list can anyone help thanks

[hrdwrguy]

I too would find that interesting. I suppose I really need to buy that spyderco book. With all the hub-bub around here lately revolving around other knives and brands and whether they can or can't use the hole it would be neat to find out from the horses mouth (so to speak) who has been allowed to use it in the past.
cheers
Mike

[The Deacon]

hrdwrguy, I'm not trying to discourage you from buying the book, it's a great reference and a great read. But, I don't think it lists "licensed users" for the round hole. I shows the early custom collaborations, but I am not at all sure if every maker who did a custom collaboration with Spyderco was also licensed to use the hole on custom knives. or at least on custom knives other than the collaboration piece. I know, for example that Bob Lum is licensed. He will gladly take and fill your order for full custom versions of the Chinese Folder. or he could make you an "All Rounder", another design of his that uses the hole, but which never was produced as a "collab" by Spyderco.

But, I am very unsure whether that applies to any of the other "custom collaborators". Can't say that I've ever seen, for example, any full customs by Bob Terzuola, Wayne Goddard, Michael Walker, Jess Horn, Howard Viele, or Frank Centofante which use "the hole".

I do wish Joyce would pop in with an update as to how to get both the list of current licensees and some clarifications on how the license works.

[greencobra]

Answer a question for the rookie if you would please. :) When a maker is licensed to use the Spyderco hole, is it only for use of the round hole? Or are you talking about any hole on the blade thats used to assist in blade opening regardless of hole shape?

[sal]

Peter is in Eugene and probably won't be able to respond until next week.

When the patent was still in force, the shape of the hole didn't matter. We patented "hole openers". We licensed any custom maker interested but they couldn't use the design in production.

After the patent ran out, we trademarked the round hole shape since we'd been using the same shape for almost 20 years. Now we license custom makers to use the round hole which has become the "Spyderco look".

sal

[4 s ter]

Deacon and hrdwrguy

The Spyderco Story includes (on page 163)a copy of an add Spyderco placed "in knife-industry magazines, thanking companies and custom makers who had voluntarily recognized Spyderco's patents and paid royalties" The list includes 8 manufacturers and 48 custom knifemakers (that's why I'm not going to include the list here :) ) However, Bob Terzuola, Wayne Goddard, Michael Walker, Jess Horn, Howard Viele, and Frank Centofante are listed.

Since the Spyderco Story was published in 200- (I think) the list isn't up-to-date). The ad does also state that "a few licensing agreements still in negotiation are not mentioned" It would be nice to see a new list of "licensees" but I'm sure it would be out-of-date as soon as it was posted.

David