"that are expressly prepared or constructed by Vendor pursuant to the terms of the Agreement will be the property of ***** "

Were your drawings, patterns, etc. in question prepared pursuant the terms of this particular contract or is it a product you came up with on your own prior to this agreement? I'm not questioning that the customer is sneaky, I know I have come across many. I am just trying to understand the contract verbiage. the entire agreement will have to be read in order to understand. Don't post it of course because there is likely a copyright statement at the bottom of that contract and then you'd be guilty of stealing their contract of stealing haha.

Over the years I have also had many large, seemingly "cast in stone" commandments pushed aside to do business with me. I always wondered if it was because they want my stuff or if they want my price. Nowadays, around here, it's my contract only, no purchase orders with added conditions, deposits on big stuff, COD for anyone I don't have history with, and many other customer-chasing policies.

I would like a referral to a $300 lawyer though. I have spent many thousands on lawyers.