I think if anyone could duplicate the look, feel and quality of a Leatherman, they deserve a bit of credit for that, at least.
Quote from: Landrew on January 18, 2013, 06:19:23 PMI think if anyone could duplicate the look, feel and quality of a Leatherman, they deserve a bit of credit for that, at least.I'd have to say I agree with AL I don't think Leathermans are the benchmark at all - just cos they're popular doesn't mean they've set the standards in terms of quality.....nothing like. IMO the rise of Leatherman is more down to marketing than anything else.....and dare I say it - that they're still claiming to be built in the USA. Which I suspect accounts for a huge percentage of their sales.Just sayin'
Quote from: tosh on January 19, 2013, 04:40:59 AMQuote from: Landrew on January 18, 2013, 06:19:23 PMI think if anyone could duplicate the look, feel and quality of a Leatherman, they deserve a bit of credit for that, at least.I'd have to say I agree with AL I don't think Leathermans are the benchmark at all - just cos they're popular doesn't mean they've set the standards in terms of quality.....nothing like. IMO the rise of Leatherman is more down to marketing than anything else.....and dare I say it - that they're still claiming to be built in the USA. Which I suspect accounts for a huge percentage of their sales.Just sayin'Not sure I fully agree with the sentiments there. I know some were made in Japan for a time, but I believe they are now made in the US. Here is a press release to that effect: http://www.leatherman.com/about/release?id=20
Quote from: Landrew on January 19, 2013, 05:04:29 AMQuote from: tosh on January 19, 2013, 04:40:59 AMQuote from: Landrew on January 18, 2013, 06:19:23 PMI think if anyone could duplicate the look, feel and quality of a Leatherman, they deserve a bit of credit for that, at least.I'd have to say I agree with AL I don't think Leathermans are the benchmark at all - just cos they're popular doesn't mean they've set the standards in terms of quality.....nothing like. IMO the rise of Leatherman is more down to marketing than anything else.....and dare I say it - that they're still claiming to be built in the USA. Which I suspect accounts for a huge percentage of their sales.Just sayin'Not sure I fully agree with the sentiments there. I know some were made in Japan for a time, but I believe they are now made in the US. Here is a press release to that effect: http://www.leatherman.com/about/release?id=20I haven't checked your link as yet - but from what is bounced around here on the forum it's almost universally accepted that leatherman are now out-sourcing the manufacture of parts to over seas. They may well be assembled in the USA - just not made there.But I've no doubt some of the other members on here will come along shortly to correct me if I'm wrong.
Quote from: tosh on January 19, 2013, 06:07:25 AMQuote from: Landrew on January 19, 2013, 05:04:29 AMQuote from: tosh on January 19, 2013, 04:40:59 AMQuote from: Landrew on January 18, 2013, 06:19:23 PMI think if anyone could duplicate the look, feel and quality of a Leatherman, they deserve a bit of credit for that, at least.I'd have to say I agree with AL I don't think Leathermans are the benchmark at all - just cos they're popular doesn't mean they've set the standards in terms of quality.....nothing like. IMO the rise of Leatherman is more down to marketing than anything else.....and dare I say it - that they're still claiming to be built in the USA. Which I suspect accounts for a huge percentage of their sales.Just sayin'Not sure I fully agree with the sentiments there. I know some were made in Japan for a time, but I believe they are now made in the US. Here is a press release to that effect: http://www.leatherman.com/about/release?id=20I haven't checked your link as yet - but from what is bounced around here on the forum it's almost universally accepted that leatherman are now out-sourcing the manufacture of parts to over seas. They may well be assembled in the USA - just not made there.But I've no doubt some of the other members on here will come along shortly to correct me if I'm wrong.I think any one who ventures an opinion on this should read the press release first.
I've seen fake gerbers and SAKs but none from other companies. Have there been leatherman and SOG fakes? I cant imagine there has ever been a fake swisstool.
Quote from: Syph007 on January 19, 2013, 06:34:57 PMI've seen fake gerbers and SAKs but none from other companies. Have there been leatherman and SOG fakes? I cant imagine there has ever been a fake swisstool.Some might say the Swisstool itself is a knocked-off Leatherman PST.
A SwissTool is a highly refined Bear and Sons. The Swiss bought the company for the patents, designed their own thing, and then let Bear and Sons be sold.
Quote from: Steinar on January 19, 2013, 07:24:27 PMA SwissTool is a highly refined Bear and Sons. The Swiss bought the company for the patents, designed their own thing, and then let Bear and Sons be sold.Fixed
Has this topic gone off the rails slightly??I assumed the original post was regarding branding knock-offs. Not whether a company has copied a blade profile or used the concept of scissors!!Are we talking, for example the recent Gerber DET's that were to be found on ebay and even amazon. To me personally, I find that when they actually use a 'Brand' name in this instance Gerber, i.e copy not only the font used but also blatant lies to origin of manufacture - it's this that I find totally unacceptable.If they want to copy the Multitools specific tool layout - well thats bad enough, but to then list it as a genuine item is quite frankly deplorable and should be stamped out.
Ya counterfeits is what I thought this was about. I remember the Gerber DETs, and there are routinely fake SAKs that ebayers are trying to sell as real ones. I was just wondering if there are counterfeit leathermans or SOGs, as Ive never seen any.
Would be good to see the more common and not-so-common counterfeit examples in one spot, then stickied.
Quote from: Xelkos on January 20, 2013, 09:49:19 AMWould be good to see the more common and not-so-common counterfeit examples in one spot, then stickied. That kinda WAS the intent here, but...While I wield no authority, and I understand every thread wanders off topic, I was hoping this to be a 'I just saw X on ebay. How do I know I'm not buying a fake?' thread. Not a 'Leatherman Suxor/No Suxor!' thread. And yes, tools that don't look anything LIKE a product from a company's product line, but branded with a company's name I would still consider a counterfeit.