Mantis ripoff

[J Smith]

Just saw this email that Mantis sent out to members of some club they have posted on BF.

Date: June 19, 2008

Type: Confidential

Importance: High



Mantis Militia Mission BRAVO one;



Gentlemen and ladies,



This is Jared West, founder of your Mantis Knife Company. First, let me thank you for your support of the MANTIS KNIFE COMPANY. Mantis will officially turn 2 years old in August of this year, and it has been a wild ride so far. I continue to strive to have a personal relationship with each and every one of you, a relationship that provides confidence in our brand, as well as a sense of camaraderie among the militia members.



I write to you today to present to you, your second mission:



<<<Here is the background>>>

Many of you know that there are countless online forums where one can go to discuss their love of knives. From time to time, I read what is said about MANTIS KNIVES on these forums. Sometimes I like what is said, other times…I DON’T.



<<<Here is the mission>>>

This mission is going to take some time, perhaps a little more legwork than MISSION: ALPHA one where you helped me to name the MT-5 “KUNITZA.” Go to one of the following forums: www.bladeforums.com, www.usualsuspects.net or www.jerzeedevil.com/forums and start a buzz. You may have to register your name to do so…but it’s free, so don’t worry about it. Go onto the forums and speak your about your Mantis Knife and your experience dealing with me and my company.



<<<Here is your reward>>>

In this mission, three rewards will be given. Over the next 2 weeks, we will be monitoring these websites. Your loyalty to the MANTIS brand will be rewarded in the form of the knife of your choice from our line. On July 4th (Independence Day)

I will declare the three winners of Mission BRAVO one, based on a two items.



1. The positive affect that your words might have on sales for MANTIS KNIVES.

2. How loudly was that positive opinion heard by the other individuals reading that forum?



Basically, just get out there and talk about what I’m trying to do to the knife industry…no risk, big reward!



Remember, THIS MISSION STARTS NOW and finishes on JULY 4th. Three prize knives will be given to the three most opinionated Militia Members on that date.



Good luck and thank you for your attention.



Your Militia General,



Jared West
Look out for stuff to be popping up here.
BTW I sent them an email asking if they had Spydercos OK to use the round hole,no reply.

[A.P.F.]

I don't like anybody named 'Jared'! :mad:;):D

[amen74]

Something smells fishy.

[mrappraisit]

Something smells fishy.

+1
I should ask is that really from the Founder of Mantis Knives?
If it is, what does it say about the knives if you have to ask people to mark out? Sal never asked any of us and all of us mark out on a daily basis (because :spyder:'s are that good).

[yablanowitz]

I will tell you this much, all those Mantis knife threads on BF got moved to Whine & Cheese where we can express out true opinions in no uncertain terms, and Jared West now appears on a certain (rather uncomplimentary) list.

Mall Ninjas of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but the last tiny fragments of dignity and respect you may have had.

[Dr. Snubnose]

Jared is an OK guy....He makes a good knife...can't say the same for his sheaths but he told me they are under warranty for life...I had some custom sheaths made for the knives they make that I really liked...Mantis Knives always has the option to send out knives to those enthusiasts who write reviews about knives be they individuals who frequent various forums or people who review knives in magazines as a way of getting some press for their current line of knives. In the past as well as the present Boker sends me their knives to test and review, writing an honest review of a knife by someone who has nothing to gain by stating his opinions and experience I think is greatly appreciated by the knife buying public...To send out a letter to your customer base offering an award for the best or most frequent positive postings on various forums is a bit tacky..that is to say if the letter is from Jared and is authentic. Spyderco has never sent me a knife to test or review for them but as an active member of this forum I have done just that on various occasions...I always give my honest take on things, if I see merit I give credit, if something is not right, I tell it like it is. No one from the Spyderco crew has ever contacted me and said hey Doc...Don't do that or say that about our knives. Even if negative comments or feedback is given about any knife it still could benefit the manufacturer by taking into consideration, changes that they might make in the designs, materials, steel use etc. etc....When I first did a review and test for Boker on Chad Los Banos's Subcom (a review which I might add has been published in more than 8 countries and posted on more than a dozen knife forums around the world) I did not give the steel quality on the original model great marks and issued a statement calling for an upgrade of steel quality....Boker listened, and the upgrade was made...and I think this was a good thing for not only Boker but all Subcom users....The Subcom got plenty of press from the review, positive changes were made to the knife, sales were better for Boker, and the general public benefited as well...It's was a win win situation for everyone. If the letter is authentic and sent out by Jared I think it will hurt future sales for his company, as no one will believe what anyone has to say about his product line and the damage that impression will make will last in the minds of serious buyers for a long time....There are plenty of ways to market a product... I mentioned two, but If you are creative there is probably a whole lot more that one can do to increase the awareness about your product to the buying public without having to resort to this type of behavior and marketing strategy...Doc:D

[The Deacon]

I will honor Sal's request for shiny footprints, in spite of the fact that, for some companies, I am far more inclined to agree with the sentiments voiced here by Flanders and Swann (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN0WPwFD9is). ;) :D

[TheKnifeCollector]

yeah, nothing like SPAM!!
I wouldn't buy a Mantis knife is they were the ONLY knife company on earth!! :mad::mad:

[JBE]

Kinda hard to have much respect for a company that is basically encouraging trolling among the major knife forums for the sake of a few bucks.:mad:

Seems like a stunt like this would harm sales more than help them. :rolleyes:

[J Smith]

Well it is getting their name seen for anyone low enough to go buy one after this stunt.

[The Mastiff]

Seems like a stunt like this would harm sales more than help them.

In more ways than one. This makes it apparent he thinks of his own customers as childish idiots or "mall ninjas".

I wonder how many of them will understand that? Joe

[J Smith]

Got a reply about the round hole.IMO if the hole is there to open the blade then it is Spydercos trade mark.The BM thing may be different,we will never know,this is not different.
Going by this reply anyone could bore a tiny pin hole in the blade beside the opening hole and use it,I don't think so.
The reply
Hi there! Thanks for the inquiry. When we first came out with our Karambit, we were brand new in the industry and when our design finished, it only had one hole in it, Sal came to our booth at THE BLADE SHOW in Atlanta and explained the use of the round hole. Sal was gracious and very cool about it. So we stopped making the knife with one hole in it, so that no one would be confused about the company making the knife. Now our karambits have either two or three holes, depeding on whether it's fixed or folding. We didn't want to ruffle anyone's feathers, especially such an industry icon as Mr. Glesser. I hope that answers your question.

SO...you may find one of the rare pieces that has one hole in it, but those were only made for a very short amount of time, and though in some FILE PHOTOS online and such, you may see one hole, what you'll most likely receive from one of these online retailers is a two hole version.

THanks again for your inquiry.

Jared

[SoCal Operator]

I'll only be a shill if they pay me directly. Oh, and three holes in the blade is one of Howard Viele's trademarks. Good going, there Jared.

[jujigatame]

I think I would have found that mission briefing letter to be cool and interesting in the third grade. For adults to be doing this, well, I guess disappointing is the term that comes to mind. You don't want this to be someone's first distinct impression of your company.

[cyberspyder]

I've read this over at USN, and it got moved to the Troll Hole immediately, Jared and Mantis aren't well liked there, not because of the knives, but their marketing strategies.

[SoCal Operator]

Jared and Mantis aren't well liked there, not because of the knives, but their marketing strategies.

Why ever would that be?

[cyberspyder]

Why ever would that be?

Was that supposed to be sarcastic or a genuine question? :confused:

[jujigatame]

I'd wager it was sarcastic.