Spotting FAKE Microtechs

H

horizonod

Guest
Most of us here have seen, owned or handled enough Microtechs to be able to tell a fake MT from a real one. The probelem is getting worse though. Many internet sales are made with only a picture to go by so the weight, feel, sound etc. can't be judged. Some of these CPOS companies are copying everything from logos, serial numbers, dates, boxes, sheaths and even the screws in some cases.

Most of us can look at these pictures and see enough to tell us that these aren't legitimate Microtechs. One thing I notice is that since the handles are cast instead of machined the edges aren't as crisp and they look to be painted rather than anodized.

I'm supplying some pictures taken from the internet of some of the better, more incidious fakes. Anybody here can copy these pictures if they like to pass on to others.

Some of the more experienced knifenutz might want to check these out and chime in on some of the giveaways so that our less experienced MT fans can more esily spot the fakes.

We all need to join together in squelching these blatent rip offs and educating others in our knife community about the unethical perpetrators.

Again. Feel free to spread these examples around on other knife related sites.

The going rate for most of these is around $50.00.

combattrodonfake.jpg
ultratechfake.jpg


curaheefake.jpg
scarababalonefake.jpg


scarabdefake.jpg
scarabfake.jpg


ut-6-scarabclip.jpg
 
Good post. You handled this well with out bashing or making accusations against any specific entity.
 
Thanks Boss. You musta missed the referance to the CPOS.

These are blatant forgeries. I look at these as being stolen property using stolen design, engeneering, trademarks, patents and so on. It's theft pure and simple (IMHO). The Chinese are stealing from Americans and there isn't too much we can do about it but inform and hope Americans will see it for what it is and simply not buy from these manufacturers based on ethics rather than greed. They are also lying to the end user. The manufacturer claims these knives are S30V and D2. China would stamp 24K on a cowpie. If these forgeries are D2 and S30V I'll eat one for breakfast.

Microtech isn't alone. Spyderco, Benchmade, Buck, Cold Steel, Extrema Ration, Tops and a slew of other companies are being knocked off by the same folks..

If any of you guys see a high end knife that looks too cheap to be true, it's probably a fake. A good tell are the boxes and the sheaths. They just have that Made in China look to them.
 
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That is education that many need! You know, I've seen so many handmade blades, that productions in general look a little cheesier to me! :p

Untrained eye, some of those pictures looked o.k.
Do you have a picture of a REAL MT and a duplicate knockoff, side by side?

Either way, I appreciate the info. Thanks!
 
Sorry Lora.

I have hundreds of pictures of the Microtechs we have in stock but we don't have any of these fakes in hand to do a comparison photo.

http://nicnac.net/en-us/dept_14.html

I won't even buy them as examples. I did have a Microtech Scarab that a regular customer sent back for repair. When he found it was fake he didn't want it back so I fixed it and gavve it away. To a non knife nut a Scarab clone was the high point of his week and , for free, it was fairly priced.
 
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Ok I can see the pictures, and I'll have to take your word that they are fakes, but without some side by side illustration as to how you KNOW they are knockoffs how is someone new to knives to know besides the obvious heres an MT for 50.00...??? I appreciate your efforts but with the number of clones for sale on websites... as a newbie you are ripe for the plucking.
 
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Thanks for this post. What other knives are being copied as fakes? I know many of the import cheap knives copy design but not name etc. We buy our automatics & knives from suppliers, we are required to have a Form 18 on file with them to buy autos. We did shows for years but now we are pretty much not doing any selling. But I still buy.
 
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Greed is what sells these. Buying from a reputable dealer and paying a fair price will get you authentic goods. Buying on auctions, at flea markets, knife shows etc is a gamble some take. Some win and some loose.

Just about every high end production knife brand is having models copied. Tops, Strider, Extrema Ratio, Benchmade and dozens of others. I could post the URLs to a few of the sites where these originate but frankly I'd rather they wither and die.

Usually a person even somewhat familiar with a good knife can look closely at the leather the sheath is made of, the labeling, even the packaging looks "graphicly"authentic but the materials usually look sub standard. It's hard to explain but their leather looks cheap and grainy, their boxes look cheap and they chince of other things.

These are called knockoffs for a reason and they are getting better. It's just like anything else. Buy from a reputable dealer that knows their stuff and you won't get schmagaygied, hoodooed, ripped off, cornholed or whatever you want to call it.
 
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