So the title says it all, are there any SRM/BEE/Enlan/Tekut/Ganzo knives that actually have their own original design and not being a copy of some non-budget knives or mashup of couple of knives?
Whats your take on this?
I have some on my mind, but Ill let you guys comment on this since I wont only two SRM knives(763&4730 tanto with black blade and silver scales) and they both are copies/mashups/”inspired” by other brands.
Please do add PICTURES together with your proposals!
All Chinese, all unique and all original : 
That’s hilarious Lab!
I don’t know my knives well enough to answer that question for sure but maybe the Enlan El-01 and the SRM F1-723?
The SRM 723 is extremly similar to the Buck 327 Nobleman
Here is a picture of both (I do not made the picture, thats’s why I post a link and not the picture directly).
The EL-01 could be the first (but please take attention, that Sanrenmu and Enlan make a lot of OEM products - it could be possible, that both companies design knives and other company buy knives with this design from SRM or Enlan). For example Böker Magnum do this often and I know 3 knives, which have the design of the EL01, because they are made by ENLAN and lasered with other brands:
Böker Magnum A-Stan
Linderner Spark
Rui-Knives
I you take a look ath the Böker homepage, you find “new” knives of the Magnum series, which I have since 1-2 years with Enlan/Bee or Sanrenmu logo.
Which knives should be the role model for the 763&4730 tanto?
I think, this could be own designs of Sanrenmu and Enlan/Bee (and a lot more - I know only a few, which have a famous big brother like the 723, 710, T11 and some of the LAND line):
SRM 913P, SRM T08, Enlan EL02, Bee L04, Bee L05-01
How about hte Tekut LK5070?
Meyerco Blackie Collins Small Sovereign Ceramic Folding Knife (3” White Plain)
How far away from a copy is original? All knifes are surely copies, they all have a handle and a blade, ergonomics kinda dictate a limit to how different they can be. I have no Chinese knives that are exact copies of a western one.
I would say that the SRM 763 and Enlan EL-01 are excellent examples of Chinese knives that didn’t copy or take “inspiration” from other knives (at least to my knowledge, although there has been some internet rage by benchmade fans over the 763’s use of the axis lock). I would go so far as to say that their original design and value goes beyond most of the inspired/homage designs
Sanrenmu and Enlan have many knives that are original designs as far as I know, it’s just people tend to stereotype China and write off otherwise decent products as copies, garbage, fakes etc.
I agree. People tend to greatly over exaggerate the originality of the brands that they are already familiar with. A knife is a knife more or less.
All the talk about copying the R&D of another knife company is just that…talk. 
How different are the small 2 and 4 dr sedans of Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Ford, etc?
If I made a knife people would be potentially supporting me as a “custom” builder however my knives would look like everyone else’s with the exception of a “curve” thrown in somewhere to try to make it look a little different.
VERY different
Benchmade, the brand which copy and use the Spyderco trademark round hole ? 
I don’t think SRM 605/604 are copies. If they are I would love to know what they are copying.
Just ordered black EL01, hope its in stock and arrives soonish 
I wish I could buy similar knife made in Europe or at least USA for approximately the same price, but thats pretty unrealistic at the moment, isnt it? I would like to support local economic zone/market as much as possible
Ive been debating about it with myself quite a few times :D!
Yet it wont hold me from buying Ganzo multi tools and Leatherman’s either, even tho Victorinox is on my to-buy list too :D!
Its a shame that often there is no alternative both more friendly for your local economy and more friendly for the environment, ouch!
So, now Im looking for some other big folder and wanted something original, I had this feeling that Ive seen somewhere original knife from which EL01 MIGHT borrowed design cues.
And I found it:
Hinderer XM18
BUT when you take a look at side by side comparison pictures, the differences start to seem much bigger than when looking only at XM18:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/829865-Enlan-EL01
Good to see that EL-01 does not appear to be XM18 copy or ripoff :D!
EDIT:
Oh, oh, I found it, the one that I saw first:
Gerber EVO
Just look at that blade, now what?!
I see very little similarity outside of being flippers. Inron makes Hinderer clones though.
I have slightly revised my post above and added another similar knife, blade, to be exact.
LOL I see what you are getting at, but that is not close to an EL-01. To small and narrow. Have you heard of the M16 by CRKT?? Pretty similar I’d say. 
So basically you’re saying that despite the handle being different, the blade being different, the flipper being different, and the blade stop mechanism being different they’re the same knife?
shakes my head
The Gerber is quite similar to the spearpoint CRKT M16
Enlan EL 01
Gerber EVO Jr
CRKT M16Z
Someone has been copying, but it’s not Enlan.
were you responding to me? cant tell if you were disagreeing or agreeing with me lol.