Independent meaning not a full-time employee of knife company. For example Spyderco has employees who design their knives - they do not have ownership over their designs, it is just work they do as part of a 9-5. However they also work with independent designers. They license designs, pay royalties, put the guys name on the knife. They respect patents and pay a fee to use external patents (eg Emerson opener).
An independent designer should take a dim view of companies who do not respect intellectual property. Because Ganzo rip off someone elses work today…. maybe tomorrow they will rip off his work. That’s what they do; everybody knows this.
So it’s better to work for Spyderco or any other “white hat” knife producer as an in-house designer and just get your monthly check than to work for a Chinese “black hat” manufacturer as an independent designer to maybe get yourself a name and maybe a nice second income?
Well, maybe for you this business has something noble to it but in the end it’s about making money.
For the designer, for the companies, for the IP lawyers especially, and for the buyers.
Now there’s this dude who likes to sketch and/or make knives in his free time working in a hard and/or boring job with a low income.
Now he has some options, work for a “white hat” as an in-house designer and still earn next to nothing, continue his job and hobby and dream on or try with the “black hat” Co to get a better income (and life) and maybe someday getting ripped off by another BlackHatCo or making a good income with his “hobby”.
Tough choice that is.
For someone thinking this way BladeForums is a much better place I’d say.
Someone should also tell Ganzo to add the Skull Crusher to their G-712
Custom/named blades and other things. are soo much more expensive,
to pay for the name.
Ganzo. SRM. Y’Light etc. all make GOOD quality versions of those designs.
Just remember, a lot of us can NOT afford the coins to pay for them after all other bills are paid.
Plus having other hobbies for feed.
I have a caravan. 2 x boats. plus lotsa fishing/boating gear.
Knives and torches are a looong way down the spending list.
THESE are the people that buy Ganzo etc. Knowing extra sharpening is involved.
It gives us the chance to buy a cheaper lower quality (which we know) version of an item to appreciate.
Which otherwise we would be just drooling over.
I just will never see vague shapes of knives (that are already so similar) as being “intellectual property”. Its like patenting a pen that has a clip on the side and a rubber grip near the head IMO.
Could someone convince Ganzo to make more compact axis-lock models like the FB753m1 please ?
I love mines, but I’d like to see new shapes in that compact format !
Thinking what way ? Common sense ? I said that it is not a good idea for a budding designer - someone whose livelihood derives from design work - to associate with a company infamous for rip-offs. This is common sense.
To say that it is a good opportunity to “make a name” is naive. It is like telling a struggling actor he should do porn movies to help gain experience and pad his resume. Bad advice.
I wonder if maybe these designers maybe know something you don’t, and have experience beyond making sweeping generalizations and things that haven’t yet happened to base their decision on.
Do you think the people designing the current and previous Ganzo models were not paid? Sure, some elements of the design were lifted from other brands, but somebody still needs to convert those elements into a format that a factory can actually use to build the knife.
Another knife in the Ganzo 753 size.
Is the HARNDS “Knight”.Frame lock.
Sturdier. Slightly Heavier frame, shallower depth blade.
Looks/feels, Real nice in light tan. Copy of a Kershaw popular blade.
They my fav folders in size and quality.
Have a coupla larger ones. But really,
I use a fixed blade for any work requiring a bigger blade.
I like my little pinky’s. ALL 10 of them.
The Y-START –02 is a nice 3 1\2 in blade D2. B.Bearings.
FEELS. Really nice and “clicky”. Holds niiiice edge.
But. Seriously. after 60+ yrs of using VERY sharp knives
Commercially and otherwise.
I’d never use above that size for any serious blade work.
I usually go from the 753/Harnds. straight to my Martiini 4 in fixed.
Outside work.
Then axe/Chainsaw, or kitchen blades from there. Depending.
3 1\2’s ok for spud peeling and the like. But I find those open frames catch a lot,
and are a bitch to clean out. Fixed, again wins out.
There is no such thing as a common sense, that’s just a phase for something that you and your peer group think is good and right, others might have another sense common to them.
Anyways, about your analogy. How about One Night in Paris, anyone heard about it? Of course never seen, how dare you.
Or “hacked” phone pics and videos of some starlets that no one knew before?
In Germany there’s an actress called Sibel Kikelli, started as a porn actress, won many German and European movie awards.
Do you really want me to search how many Hollywood stars acted in adult movies before their carreer? Italian Stallion anyone?
Whatever you or I might think or feel about it, someone will produce his/her design with Ganzo.
They will get paid, once or as long as the knife is produced, just as they agree on. Period.
Now tell me how many budding actors did pornography and did not make it to Hollywood…
Plucking some rare exceptions is irrelevant. It is an analogy. The point is that it is not a good idea to compromise your morals, even to “get a start” in an industry. Because these associations will damage your integrity & damage your reputation.
