Used to categorize products and services that may be registered as trademarks, trademark classes in India belong to a universally recognised system known as the Nice Classification. They encompass 45 total categories: products are represented by Classes 1–34; services are represented by Classes 35–45. Every group corresponds with a specific area, such as clothing, machinery, cuisine, education, and legal services. By helping to properly categorize the kinds of goods or services covered by a trademark, this system of classification prevents confusion and duplication among companies working in various sectors. Choosing the right category of a trademark is a crucial first step in the TM registration process since protection is only granted for the products or services indicated in the chosen class.
What is Trademark Class 8?
Essentially, all hand tools and equipment, like cutlery, razors, and other manual devices, fall under Trademark Class 8. It is all about the equipment employed in carpentry, agriculture, construction, beauty treatment, and housekeeping tasks. Among a few examples are knives, scissors, hammers, spanners, screwdrivers, saws, gardening tools, and manual cutters. For goods to be handled manually and not requiring electrical or mechanical power, this class is meant. Common items include nail cutters, tweezers, pruning scissors, and kitchen knives. It specifically forbids power tools, electrical appliances, firearms, and medical devices under other classes. Generally, Class 8 is specifically designed for companies that deal in non-electric hand tools and instruments, providing distinctive trademark protection to conventional, manually-controlled machines.
Comprehensive List of Trademark Class 8
Trademark Class 8 is generally applicable to handheld tools and devices that are utilised in domestic, professional, commercial, and personal grooming contexts. All hand-operated instruments, including kitchen blades, nail clippers, carpenter’s chisels, and garden shears, are included in this class. The manufacturers and sellers of non-electric handheld devices should apply for a trademark under this class to safeguard their brand image and preempt infringement on such a broad product group.
1. Hand Tools and Equipment (Manual Operation)
- They are operated with human efforts alone, without engines or electricity.
- Screwdrivers, wrenches, hammers, spanners, pliers, pincers, chisels, files, saws, shears, and hand drills are some examples.
- Hoes, rakes, trowels, sickles, scythes, pruning shears, spades, and shovels are some examples of manually operated agricultural and garden tools.
- Planes, adzes, mallets, carving knives, and hand saws are some examples of manually operated carpentry tools. • Masonry tools include trowels, scrapers, and spatulas.
- Hand-cutting & shaping tools include knives, scissors, scalpels, blades, and cutters.
- Hand tools include nail pullers, crowbars, and screw extractors.
2. Cutlery & Kitchen Tools
- This group consists of hand-held food preparation and eating utensils. These include knives of various kinds, e.g., table, carving, kitchen, chef’s, pocket, butcher, and utility knives.
- Cooking, sewing, and household scissors, shears, and snips.
- Dinner forks and spoons, dinner sets.
- Hand tools consist of can openers, vegetable peelers, graters, zesters, nutcrackers, garlic presses, and apple cores.
- Sharpeners are hand, e.g., knife sharpeners.
3. Razors and Shaving Implements
- Personal care grooming tools and razors are these instruments. Among these are straight razors, safety razors, disposable razors, and blades.
- Beard trimmers, hair clippers and hand-held clippers (non-electric, manual).
- Razor casings, strops, and shaving knives. nail scissors, nail clippers, tweezers, and cuticle removers.
4. Equipment for a barber, tailor, and beautician
- These include fabric industry hand tools employed in professional grooming. Examples include barber equipment like shears, razors, and scissors.
- Manicure and pedicure tools include nail files, cuticle pushers, nippers, tweezers, and pumice stones (hand shears for dressmakers, pattern-cutting blades, and tailor’s scissors are tools.
5. Tools for repairing, crafts, and artisans
- Artists, craftsmen, and repair experts use these kinds of hand tools. Sculpting, engraving, and chiselling instruments in both metal and wood are examples.
- Manual screw extractors, awls, and punches should be used.
- Hand drills, vices, and manual clamps.
- Cutting, punching, awls, and needles make up leatherwork hand tools.
- Files and rasps comprise metalworking hand tools.
6. Tooling for Agricultural Gardens
- Small-scale agricultural tools and gardening tools fall under these categories.
- Examples of these are hand rakes, hedge shears, sickles, pruning shears, and cultivators.
- Weed pullers, planting trowels, soil tampers, bulb planters, and edging tools: scything instruments, grafting tools, and vine-pruning implements.
7. Sport and Outside Hand Tools
- Sports, camping, and other outdoor events call for hand tools.
- Used for camping, multi-tools, penknives, and pocket utility knives are examples.
- Favours hunting knives, hand-held spear guns, and fishing knives.
- Ice axes, picks, and other mountaineering tools.
8. Non-electric manual devices for medical or dental use
- Some minor medical non-electric manual devices can be included.
- Examples include hand-held surgical instruments like knives, scalpels, tweezers, and scissors.
(Keep in mind that complex medical devices fall under other classifications, i.e., Class 10.)
9. Miscellaneous hand-operated tools
- This category has a miscellaneous collection of other hand tools that cannot be classified under a certain profession.
- Examples include hand-cutting wheels, scrapers, and metal scrubbing brushes.
- Manually operated ice picks, oyster openers, and peelers for fruits.
- Devices for key cutting, such as tongs and pliers.
- Hand tools are used for riveting, punching, and nailing.
10. Sharpening and Maintenance Tools
- Tools to maintain or sharpen other tools.
- Examples include hand-grindstones, sharpening stones, and whetstones.
- Manually operated sharpeners, honing rods, and sharpening steels.
- Blade holders and cases.
What Goods are Not Covered in Trademark Class 8?
Proper identification of exclusions ensures correct classification, avoids denial of applications, and improves the legal protection of the trademark.
1. Mechanically powered or power-operated tools (Class 7)
- Class 8 consists only of hand tools that require human effort.
- Excludes instruments and machines driven by gasoline, batteries, and electricity.
- Instances include electric drills, power saws, chainsaws, screwdrivers, and power wrenches.
Class 7 includes the tools—machines and mechanical instruments requiring power.
2. Class 13 Firearms and Ammunition
- Class 8 consists of knives for practical uses, yet not weapons or guns.
- Examples: firearms, revolvers, ammo, bayonets, bombs, and pistols.
- Reason: The goods are under Class 13, dealing with firearms and related goods, because they have combat or defence purposes.
3. Class 10: Surgical, Dental, and Veterinary Equipment
- Though Class 8 includes hand instruments such as tweezers and scissors, it does not include those used in medical, dental, or veterinary facilities.
- Surgical scalpels, clamps, forceps, dental drills, bone cutters, and other equipment
- Under Class 10, which covers healthcare-related instruments, medical and surgical tools are highly specialized and separately regulated.
4. Stationery and Office Cutting Equipment Class 16
- Stationery and office supplies are not manually operated implements.
- Among the examples are paper cutters, staplers, pencil sharpeners, office scissors, and hole punchers.
- Under Class 16—which encompasses paper goods and stationery—not conventional hand tools, these office supplies fall.
5. Class 11 or 7 Electric Grooming and Cosmetic Devices
- While electric grooming equipment is not found in Class 8, hand grooming supplies, including razors and nail clippers, are included.
- They consist of epilators, trimmers, and electric shavers.
- Being electric devices, they should be Class 7 (electrically operated equipment) or Class 11 (appliance for personal care).
6. Industrial Machines and Big Equipment (Class 7)
- Such heavy industrial machines used in industries and manufacturing are not included in Class 8.
- Examples include CNC machines, lathes, industrial drills, and injection moulding machines.
- These mechanical items, which are not manual tools, are categorised under Class 7.
7. Class 9 Measurement and Scientific Instruments
- Excludes tools used in testing, measuring, or analysis as opposed to cutting and shaping.
- Barometers, callipers, thermometers, magnifying glasses, and micrometres are some examples.
- Such measuring and precision devices belong to Class 9.
8. Luxurious Tableware or Precious Metal Cutlery (Class 14)
Exemptions include coated, gold, or silver knives, forks, or spoons.
Examples: Luxury dinner sets and silver or gold-plated utensils.
- Reason: These decorative or luxury items fall under Class 14, which covers jewellery and precious metals.
9. Digital or Electronic Tools (Class 9 or 7)
- Modern implements with electronic components or digital screens are excluded.
- Examples: Multitools powered by batteries, laser-guided screwdrivers, or intelligent cutting tools.
- Reason: The inclusion of electronic functionality classifies them as Class 9 (electronic instruments) or Class 7 (mechanical devices).
10. Household Appliances and Electrical Kitchen Devices (Class 11)
- Exempt under Class 11 are electric kitchen devices and household equipment.
- Class 8 excludes mechanical or electric kitchen devices; it is solely for hand-operated tools.
- Instances comprise food processors, mixers, blenders, and electric coffee makers.
- Reason: Come under Class 11, which comprises electrical domestic appliances and cooking tools; these are electric.
Conclusion
Hand tools, utensil makers, cutlery manufacturers, and razor producers are all shielded under Trademark Class 8. It guarantees sole ownership of their brand name for companies producing or distributing manual tools such as hammers, screwdrivers, scissors, knives, gardening equipment, etc.
Since Class 8 is exclusively for non-electric hand tools, it distinguishes hand tools from power or electronic devices kept in other classes. Trademark registration in this category helps establish market legitimacy and legal protection, in addition to preventing trademark infringement or imitation.
Correct classification under Class 8 is necessary for tool manufacturers, cooking utensil makers, barbershop equipment manufacturers, and other businesses seeking secure and effective brand identification.
In conclusion, this class protects innovation, genuineness, and the business interests of persons involved in the manual tool and implementation of business.
