Patent Attorney and Founder
This year, be the one everyone talks about at the holiday dinner. Make memories, laugh, and carve like a boss with the Mighty Carver.
“Want to give it a shot?”
“Sure, why not… Whoa! Look at this thing. What a beast. Man with a chainsaw, watch out!”
It even comes with extra attachments if you want to get creative.
“Oh my God, now we’re talking.”
“This is actually awesome. Super easy to use. The handle gives you good control when you’re cutting.”
“Yeah, until you mess it up like I did.”
So… where did this come from?
“Well, we were having Thanksgiving, and growing up, my grandpa always carved the turkey. He’s gone now, and someone had to take over. But who? My dad? My husband? My brother?”
All the guys in her life love power tools.
She joked, “If I made this a power tool, they’d all be fighting over who got to carve.”
And that’s when it hit her, make an electric carving knife that looks and feels like a chainsaw.
So yes, it was her idea. Start to finish.
One audience member asked, “Is there a safety lock? I’ve got an 11-year-old who would go full Jason Voorhees on the house.”
She laughed, but added:
“Good question. It’s still a knife, right? Like anything sharp, you keep it locked up or put away, high up, out of sight. Same rules apply.”
Where can you buy it?
She said they hit the International Housewares Show in March and landed deals right away. Sharper Image, The Grommet, Ace Hardware.
“We just got our first purchase orders from retailers while we were here.”
They’re also selling directly to customers online.
“Right now, about 90% of our sales are through resellers. But I want to shift that, get more people buying from our website. That way we keep more of the revenue instead of splitting it.”
Sales so far?
- 8,500 units in the first 12 months
- 41,000 sold this year alone
- $163,000 last year
- Product costs $20 to manufacture and ship
- Sells for $69 to $89 retail
And how does that compare to other knives?
Well, your average electric knife might go for $20. Branded ones, like chef-endorsed, can hit $169.
Do they have patent protection?
Yes. They hold a U.S. design patent and a Chinese patent.
The design patent protects how it looks, not how it works. So anyone trying to make an electric knife that looks like a chainsaw? Not happening.
Of course, design patents are a bit limited.
Change the look just enough, say, remove the handle, and it might not infringe.
“Design patents only protect what’s shown in the drawings. No more, no less.”
So yeah, it’s a cool look. But it’s not bulletproof.
What about a utility patent?
That’s where things get tricky. Since this is basically a standard electric knife with a decorative shell, it might not qualify. Utility patents need a new functional element, not just a new look.
Did they register the trademark?
Yep. “Mighty Carver” is registered. The word “Carver” is considered descriptive, so it’s disclaimed, but they own the full brand name and the logo.
One suggestion?
They should also file a second trademark application, this time for their online retail store. That would stop others from using “Mighty Carver” or anything too close when selling similar products.
Final update: Shark Tank.
They did close a deal with Daymond John. His team helped with marketing and vendor relationships. But right after airing, things took a hit, they placed a big overseas manufacturing order and lost the money.
Daymond didn’t walk away. He stuck with them.
As of October 2023, they’re in talks with Lowe’s for retail shelf space.
They’re selling on Amazon, and their website is up and running. They didn’t quit, they kept pushing.
And now?
The Mighty Carver is still carving up turkeys and winning over families one holiday at a time.