Which brand is better? Spyderco Byrd vs. Ganzo

Chinese steel and cloned (stolen) designs. Ganzo is not a brand that should be supported, though I suspect that opinion is in the minority on this forum. But only this forum.

Ganzo is better bang for the buck.

Spyderco Byrd is higher quality, for a premium.

Kershaw is best overall, especially is you love assisted-openers.

I don’t think this is true. They are both about $20 each. The axis lock is nice, however, for me, I think the back lock on the Byrds are fine.

I’ll give you a pass on this, but only because you are a fellow Hoosier.

Do you have a favorite Kershaw? I am going to get my 4 boys a new knife. They already have a few, but I want to get them something new. My thoughts right now are Byrd line, Cryo II G-10, Rat-II. But I am all ears.

A pass on what?

Your stance on Ganzo knives. I respect it, just disagree with it.

The question is rather vague. Both brands make their knives in China. Ganzo caters the sub-20$ budget segment, Byrd has a wider range pricewise and quality-wise (eg. knives with CTS-BD1 steel)

What about ‘stolen designs/intellectual property’ and Chinese steel, don’t you agree about?

Are you able to articulate your feelings?

Chris

I had not had a chance to reply, but I am interested to hear your opinion as well.

Well, I’m one of these guys who never got into the whole torrent/illegal downloading of music because I believe that the ‘artists’ own that property and people ripping those songs to a generic download site are stealing to a degree. I’m a sinner, so I’m not rounding up a lynch mob for Ganzo buyers, FWIW.

A little sister of mine is a corporate patent attorney and another sister and I both attended law school, so we have an understanding of the concept of I.P…

Once the patents expire, for things like knives, all bets are off, but you’re ripping off somebody else, for sure, if you copy a patented feature, like the AXIS lock, or round hole, without paying a licensing fee to the patent owner.

I have a couple of Ganzo knives on my Ebay watch list and thought I’d order one just to beat the crap out of it and see what’s what, but I haven’t.

I have some decent factory knives, some with boutique steels, but much like flashlight ‘tints’, I’m more agnostic on them. I do, however, have an understanding of what makes them different from one another, at least concerning knife blades.

The Chinese can make good stuff, but they also make a lot of crap today and the key is being able to tell the difference and buy accordingly.

As far as the Byrd vs. a Ganzo, I don’t know? I have three Spydercos: a PM II in CPM S110v, a Delica in ZDP-189 and an Endura in VG10.

Chris

I think much of the IP issue gets as many people angry as it does because the designs are from one man shops, not large conglomerates. The axis lock for example was designed by two knife makers who later sold it Benchmade. Notorious thieves like Kevin John Knives simply troll the internet for popular designs and flat out steal them. Add in poor manufacturing techniques and sub par materials and not only has the original knife maker/designer lost a sale but his reputation can also suffer.

The argument that “I would have never spent $XX on knife in the first place” is no excuse. There are knives available for any budget and use case. Rather, the customer wanted the design and features of a high blade without actually having to pay market price.

Steel is another issue altogether, but is generally one of personal preference. I enjoy quality tool steels that can hold up to daily use. I hate stropping and sharpening so I don’t mind paying a premium for good blade steel. If you don’t mind an edge that rolls when cutting packing tape, Ganzo is a reasonable choice!

So there are no misunderstandings:

1. I am not hostile to anyone that disagrees with my opinion on this. I was serious when I said that I respect the opinion of anyone that hates Chinese knives. I get it. I just disagree.
2. I always try to buy American. Sometimes I don’t, but when the price is justified, I do.
3. This topic got me banned from BladeForums. I don’t want to get banned from here. People on here are extremely helpful. I like it here.
4. I do not believe in the concept of intellectual property. IP and patent laws stifle innovation. I would encourage anyone to read Stephan Kinsella on this issue. (By the way, I am not a libertarian)
5. To be clear, I would never buy nor condone anyone buying a clone knife. By clone, I mean a knife that someone is trying to pass off as, say a Medford Praetorian when it was not, in fact, made by Greg Medford. That is fraud.
6. I do not believe that Ganzo, Sanrenmu, Enlan, etc., fall into the category of clone knives.
7. I have no problem with someone copying the design of something and presenting it as their own version of it. For instance, how many versions of the Buck 110 are there? 1911 pistol? C8 flashlight? I wouldn’t say that anybody stole the Buck 110 clip point design. I would say that they copied it, to varying degrees of quality.

I am more than happy to further explain, expand on or argue any of this. I don’t expect to change anyone’s mind on the matter, but I’m always up for good debate.

I bought 1 ganzo just to try out, my other knives are benchmade ,spyderco just to name a few. I had to take material off the back of the ganzo so the axis lock would engage properly and i have to constantly sharpen it. The old addage you get what you pay for. I agree Ganzo stole Benchmade design and used subpar materials.

I forgot to address the steel issue. Chinese steels are indeed inferior, in general. However, they are getting much better and I would rate as adequate to good on the Ganzos that I own.

Bingo

In your Pt. 4, you seem to be conflating a few issues and these issues are ideas, concepts and design features that go through the patent process and by doing so, the ‘inventor/originator’ owns that design for a term of years, which varies within product categories.

Another issue you seem to be conflating is the ‘copying of a patented design’ and the copying of something that’s never been patented (protected) before. Big difference there.

You feel that ‘patents’ “stifle innovation” and I’d disagree and if anything, they force somebody to come up with a better mousetrap, because the mousetrap you’re intending to copy, through no genuine creativity of your own, is already spoken for.

I have no problem with clones, as long as they’re not protected. Just because a person slap GANZO on a knife that is for all intents and purposes, a significant copy of a protected BenchMade design, with all of its patented features, hardly absolves them of blame.

Me copying 97% of a Luis Vuitton handbag and me calling it the ‘Chris Bag’ doesn’t cut it.

Most people aren’t experts in the manufacturing of the products that they end up purchasing, but they do lock in on the looks of X, Y or Z widget. Copying the features that define an item, or helps to build the manufacturer’s reputation for quality, especially if it’s protected, is theft, plain and simple.

Your Pt. 7, conflates copying something that has had its patent protections expire, with copying something that’s freshly protected.

Big difference there.

I’m a gun guy and I have a few Harris bi-pods. I remember when the patents expired on their BRM-S 6”–9” type bi-pod and the floodgates opened. I got a nice Outers/Shooter’s Ridge ‘clone’ and didn’t lose a wink of sleep over the I.P. aspect, but that’s just me.

No harm, no foul as they say.

Anyhow…

Chris

As usual, this comes down to an IP debate, but I am not conflating. I understand the issue. I just don’t see any validity in IP. Or patents. Granted, this is a moral question, not a legal question. Is copying the axis lock legal? I don’t care. Is copying the axis lock immoral? I say no; but I can see that an argument can be made.

Just for the record, I read the Wiki on your Libertarian, Anachro-Capitalist and I can see why you might take the positions that you’re taking in this thread.

Most of us live in ‘societies’ and societies function more smoothly when there are minimal rules, regulations and laws. Morality aside, we don’t generally get to pick and choose what R/R/Ls we follow and what we don’t, without certain consequences—fines, imprisonment, et. al.

Anarchists are all for anarchy until the real anarchists show up with guns, shovels and pitchforks doing anarchist crap, at their expense.

If a feature is patented under US patent law (or any other country’s patent office), then it’s illegal to utilize that feature without permission, which might include a licensing fee, as I mentioned above.

I’m guessing that most companies would love to license their I.P., even to competitors, because it generates revenue for future ideas.

Whether you “care”, or not, is a moot point. And it’s not a ‘moral’ issue, it’s a legal one.

Try copying Gucci, or Fendi handbags, or wallets and selling them at your local flea market.

Chris

This is a moral question. I am not an anarchist nor a libertarian. I understand that there are consequences for not following laws. Legal =/= moral. An immoral law is not a law that I feel obligated to follow.

The handbag argument has already been addressed. I would never condone fraud.