I just checked eBay and most are fake. People are bidding and buying the fakes at full price. Leaving positive feedback and the cycle continues. Thousands of people are going to find out one day that they invested their hard earned money on cheap Chinese steel for the price of premium steel/materials.
Don't be a sucker and buy them on eBay, Buy them right out of China on Aliexpress or Wish as the eBay sellers do and pay only about 10% percent the price of the genuine articles.
@@vego0991 Didnt know that but it makes sense. When someone does enough research on most of these things, however, it lowers the risk significantly. Also, the real risk if for those who cannot identify the fakes once they receive the item. If its a replica send it back. If you cannot tell the difference then you are not ready to use ebay for a long list of items.
I work at a store that sells Benchmade and we had a young fella come in, took a look, and told our employee that some of our knives were fakes. Our employee blew him off, but we found out the next day (after some research) that in fact 4 of our display knives were fakes. We assume they were swapped out by a customer "pocket test fitting" the knife and then handing us the fake one back. Pretty slick move honestly.
truth is you have no clue how they got there. and you dont have the means or know how to audit your supply chain, because you're nothing selling anything worth a sht. just edc knives.
I bought a very well made fake. Had a couple people who sell Benchmade knives take a good look at it and said it most likely was a fake. Said it was a really well made one. It is Razor sharp and sure looks like Carbon Fiber on the inside of the scales also. I do know one thing, if I had a million dollars in the bank I would NOT pay $ 288.00 for this mini Bugout. To me that is absurd for a little ass knife. No matter who made it I carry it in my pocket for a "backup" for my RECON-1....which is one Baaadass knife.
I just bought a real 940-2 from Bass Pro Shop. Of the 3 crossbar-lock knives I own (940-2, SOG Terminus XR, Ganzo G7651) the $207 Benchmade was by far the worst in terms of execution: severe lock stick, blade off center - just ridiculous. There is an expectation of superior quality when you pay those higher American wages, but Benchmade isn’t delivering.
@Musashi-san ____ i mean, they are an anti american, anti gun, democrat company. They give absolutely zero fucks about paying realistic wages. They pay on average 16 dollars an hour. Poverty wages in usa. Stop pretending.
@@GarrettRockey I own two knives made by Benchmade. Neither have any problems the blades are fine and the locks are fine but I was also able to look at them in the store.
@@GarrettRockey I would send it in to B.M. Their warranty is good. It is possible that the knife you bought was a fake that someone switched out for the real item. Happens in retail stores. GRRRRR!!!!! KnifeMaker
I got the crooked River clone from Wish for $16.00. Amazing knife for the price. The real one is almost $250.00.😅 😊 I can’t justify paying Benchmades prices. At most, these knifes should be $100-150 tops.
@@6foot8jesuspilledpureblood82 Its not "american labor" that counts for the retail cost of those items. It's margin. Meaning they're marked up. cuz you dummies continue to buy them.
@@6foot8jesuspilledpureblood82 as the consumer, i could not care less about how much they pay for labour, if it doesnt add to the material quality of feature of the product then its not justified
I e been using one of these for a few months . The blade on my example must be 440 c or 8cr but I have to admit after making sure the screws would stay and it broke in and replacing the two springs it’s been great for 3 months .
It is not always cheaper..that is the part that is just wrong,on every level .if it said clone then ok but it doesnt..they have even worked really hard to copy the boxes
I've got that exact carbon fiber fake one, found it on Wish for about 20 bucks. It sharpens up nice and holds a decent edge, for the price it's an easy choice. I have one in my glove box, tackle box, and golf bag, if I were to lose one I wouldn't give it a second thought. They do the job they are intended to do for 1/10th the price.
It looks like the sharpening choil/plunge grind relationship is better on the fake! And you can get a fake for under $100, which is tempting. If the fakes are indistinguishable from originals, and the cost 25% as much, that’s hard on the genuine manufacturer.
I hate to say I grabbed some counterfeits out of curiosity to compare with my real one. I gave them away to family and ive watched them use them for years and they have been excellent minus the edge retention is not s30v quality but not bad
Just brings to question is $200 bucks really worth it if virtually the same knife can be produced for a quarter of the price, minus the higher end materials. If they could build them with the same materials it's likely they still would not cost that much. (I understand portions of the markup are to cover marketing, R&D and whatnot but too many people fall for the branding hype of American made products.)
I used a fake hammer the other day. Yeah it worked, but it wasn't made by 5th generation Pennsylvania blacksmiths and wasn't priced at the usual $680! I don't but tools unless they cost 10X what the Chinese *FAKES* at Lowes for $15! Not gonna fool _this_ guy!😂
I have two fake Benchmades, and I'm really happy with them. My latest one is the Full Immunity, it's a gem! I bought it for €15, it works very well, I can't stop having fun opening and closing it, it has no defects. I sharpened the blade and it cuts like a razor. I will never in my life spend €150 or €300 on a Benchmade. Cutlery stores are so bad at selling them that I've seen 30% off deals on knives that weren't released very long ago. Benchmade owners often complain that the price is too high compared to the quality. This also happens with some Spydercos, including one costing €600 ! An owner of this very expensive knife made a video of it, it's a shame for this price, it's bordering on a scam. These are just knives made on a chain by machines. I would spend €300 without worry on a knife from a craftsman blacksmith cutler who makes everything by hand, but never on a knife made by robots.
Different pocket clip. Amazon has one they call 535 axis lock with carbon fiber and 440C steel. It's unmarked. I have a fake 535 that the eBay seller said was marked S30V but was really D2. Got Chinese scales , black G-10 Crossfade and for the $40 I have in it - it's solid. It makes me want a real one.
I just bought the same one you’re talking about for 20 bucks. At that price, it’s a great deal. This particular one doesn’t have Benchmade branding on it from what I can tell
Man I was on eBay and saw a bid ending for a bugout with aluminum scales in 1 hour for 115 but after closer examination it turned out it to be a fake Not only that but it disgusting hard to find a real one
The fakes are probably made by the same company with just tiny differences and sold wholesale. There is no way a damn plastic folding pocket knife is worth $400-$800 bucks. No way. 200 is insane but above is highway robbery.
If it still works close if not almost as good as the original, and you buy it really cheap (generally it costs not more that 30% than the original), then we have a gross inflation issue. Test them both and tell us how they differ?
@@6foot8jesuspilledpureblood82Nit always. I recently saw I video where the Chinese seller responded to the steel tests by upgrading his steel not to quality of description on blade but to quality he claims on Ali and when messaged. There are really good fakes and sellers if you search.
I do have to say though that i own quite a few American made knives from benchmade, kershaw, microtech, cold steel, spyderco and so on that are pretty damn pricey some my wife complains about being almost as much as some of my guns lol only if she knew the truth. Haha... but sadly ill carry them for show but dont hardly ever use them because i dont want the wear on them. So buying some of these china made clones of the ones i own wouldn't be bad especially if there good quality, because then i wouldnt feel bad carrying and using as a beater and if it breaks i wont be sad over $20 to $50. I dont agree with the clones but from what ive looked up they all either use to or still do have there products made in china or have there products made there then shipped back to the the USA to be assembled for quality control.
I just recieved a $28, (shipped from China), fake that I obviously knew was a fake beforehand. I wanted to see if it was at least a good size and at all fidget-able for an edc knife. I dont live near any retailers that sell connesoir level knives, so I've had issues in the past where I go off reviews and recieve a $150+ knife that I dont like to carry for one reason or another. This way I get to buy it, try it, then really buy it if I like it. For what its worth, first impressions are that the release mechanism is too small for me, it also puts 2 of my fingers in a bad spot when closing. Saved me a couple hundred dollars getting this thing, and I still have a work knife that shaved my arm hair out of the box. I'm happy with my chinese junk so far.
The real knife blade is much harder. You can use the real one to scratch the fake one, but not the other way around. I ordered a fake, I just sharpen it more often. It costs only a 1/10 of the real one. You get what you pay for. Unless you are planning to use the real one for chopping down tree, a fake is good for EDC.
Thank you! I was able to confirm that my brand new Benchmade Bugout 535-3, I got off a BLADEBINGE seller for $195 shipped, is indeed, a REAL Benchmade Bugout 535-3! I was worried because the edge bevels are drastically uneven comparing each side. The butterfly(show) side’s edge bevel is almost TWICE! the size in height as the S90V(clip) side, which looks more appropriately sized. The blade is centered but I guess the sharpener was having an off day or something.. but I’m guessing that’s more common place for Benchmade because my REAL 533-3 is similar.. unevenly sized edge bevels when comparing each side.. come on Benchmade! Do Better! And people, please don’t knowingly buy clones.. and especially don’t knowingly pass them off as legitimate products to unsuspecting, trusting folks.. that’s just scummy. To everyone else, do your own research before buying! If it’s too good to be true, it usually is! Be safe out there!
I got one of these knives on a swindle. Sadly, for the crooked vendor I purchased with a VISA card, contested the charge and got my money back. I’ll send his knife back when He’ll freezes over. All that being said, I took it apart and found the carbon fiber scales were fake, too. The blade steel is not S90V either. Just some run of the mill stainless. The pivot washers are plastic and the screws of a different thread pitch/size, and the pivot is a T9 instead of a T10. There are possibly some fakes that are of better quality, but this one looks really good. Nevertheless, the manufacturer saved money on just about every component at the expense of quality. The box was much improved but a trained eye can find the differences. This one had the “foam” shroud around the knife, but the texture of it was not quite right. “Caveat Emptor”
I have a $30 knockoff autocrat that is INCREDIBLY well made, came in the box with a manual, bag, and everything. Great weight, nice finish, and I’m not out $450!
@@MikesMedia I know I can say that my China made Spyderco is much nicer build quality than my USA made Spyderco. And a fraction of the price. I also have china knock offs of other collectibles that are superior to the "official" product. It sucks, as I'd prefer to keep jobs here in America, but the sad reality is that some china KO's are done really well for really cheap.
@@LastBastian Do you have a video showing how the fake is better than the real version? I haven't seen anyone do that yet. Some are made really well, some are not. The fake in this video was made well but it is still made with cheaper materials. No fake is going to have real S90V steel. Also the locking mechanisms are usually weaker (even if you have a tight lockup). Some locks require very precise tolerances to have their full strength and the fakes are not doing this. They have huge gaps, especially with the Triad Lock and the compression lock.
I just recieved a fake, a few things that I noticed on mine are that the scales are "milled carbon fiber" on the tops, but the sides look like layered wood. The real benchmades are milled all around. The blue on the fakes all seem to be lighter than the real one too, even your video shows that. My pocket clip holes look more legit than yours do, plus my pocket clip is indistinguishable from the real ones, other than a rougher finish. The biggest give away is that the blade is just horrible. There are pits everywhere, the milling on one side is drastically worse than the milling on the other. I wish I could tag a picture to this comment, one is clean but very basic, the other looks like they got done then decided to run 2 lines lengthwise for some reason. The steel itself is also weird looking, like forged carbon fiber almost... Almost like irregularly sized patches of metal flakes pressed into a metal finish. It might be cool if it was done uniformly and on purpose. This is a $8.99 gas station knife that cost $28 because it looks like a $250 name brand knife.
In many cases, like the example you have, unless you had a real one to compare it side-by-side with you would never know. Unless you were an expert who dealt with these on a daily basis, and had all of the differences memorized. That’s truly sad that you can’t buy a used knife on eBay any longer and feel it all confident that it’s real.
The attention to detail is excellent. I would really like to know the actual steel quality of the fake. For example, are they made with real D2 and S90V. If they are made with actual quality steel, then U.S. manufacturers are in trouble until the imports are stopped.
they’re a little all over the place from what i know, there are some that are made from D2 and some that are made from (at least what they claim to be) M390, i believe i might’ve seen a few in 14C28N out there
Who the hell cares if there are tiny differences between the real and the counterfeit knives? What matters is how they perform and what they cost. The Chinese counterfeits cost only about 10% the price of a real Benchmade or Microtech. Are the genuine knives even twice as good as the fakes? Maybe that could be argued but not in my experience. Are they 10 times as good as the Chinese copies? No way in hell!
I’m sorry guys I have several bm knives and I guess are fakes . $50-$100 very very good knives I have used over and over and have a real one ( just one) $300. Honestly, from a honest review of not knowing. Could not tell the difference in everyday use. Sharpness . $200-$300 cheaper
Well, if you hold them side by side, knowing which one is real and which one not you might have a chance. But without that? Buy the fake and don't get fooled ;-)
Fender makes Telecasters in America, they also make them in China and Indonesia to save cost but still make sure to capture the most amount of the market for that product. The fact that American knife makers dont have a sub brand overseas it negligence on their part. This is a free GLOBAL market. Spyderco sort of does this but they mistakingly think that making their sub brand slightly different pushes people to choose the real flagship products over a fake, they are very incorrect.
I don't condone fakes but this kinda goes to show you just how the pricing of USA made knives is ridiculous and way over the top, there's no way the "materials" used in real ones even come close to making them worth $200+. If USA knife prices weren't so inflated, there would be no incentive from China to make counterfeits.
I would like to have both. The real for collection and fake to use and customize with all the cheap China made parts.🤣 I’m not going to spend $100 or more on real deal USA and put $40 worth of China parts on it. I’m the same way with my guns.
Unless you're a retailer or collector, why does it matter? A sharp piece of steel (knife) is a sharp piece of steel. If I needed a knife to survive the apocalypse, I'll consider it, otherwise, cant justify spending 10X on something so close to the "real" BM.
It matters because scammers are ripping people off with these fakes. It is good to be able to tell the difference between a real and a fake so you don't get ripped off.
@MikesCarInfo Oh, I didn't realize . Well, I totally agree with you then. If people know it's a clone is one thing, but passing off fakes as the real deal is definitely a shitty thing to do!
Entrusting the production of components to China and assembling them in the United States, claiming to be "Made in the USA," is not a secret, and I believe it's not uncommon in your industry. The knockoff butterfly, a carbon fiber 535, is priced at $10 with free shipping in China. The actual blade material is 8CR13MOV. Distinguishing between genuine and fake based on slight differences in comparison is not precise. Even the same model of knives from different production batches can have many variations. The most effective method is to test the blade material. However, cheaper clone knives using authentic steel like D2 or VG10 can be found, while higher-end steels like S35VN, M390, and 20CV are mostly used in 100% clone knives. Middlemen mixing genuine and fake products significantly increase profits, and there is no substantial evidence to prove the counterfeiting.
Obviously that is not the problem. The problem is when a person pays $250 for a $30 knife because the seller is scamming people into thinking it is a real one. Hence the purpose of this video.
@@MikesCarInfo it might be just my biased experience, but most eBay sell i saw that that has Benchmade name in the sell title and high price tag is US based sellers. It surely is easier to point finger at China but they are honest about the price at least, asking for 30$ a piece. We are ignoring who is the real problem.
Real vs fake. China sells benchmade allot of the parts used to make the knife. Benchmade picks out the parts they want to make the knife with. And the fakes aren’t fake they just aren’t assembled from the benchmade factory or office in Oregon. So blade handle pins color backbone is all made same place just what exact style they chose to make the knife is only difference.
@@benbutler7246 cpm m4 is just as cheap to make as s30v stainless steel. But in America they over price some things to make a sales value. Look at guns. Retarded prices for cheaper made guns. Same with knifes. Take the grip Tilian knife $150 on average with plastic handles and the same locking internals and steel as a gas station knife. The only difference is a little tighter machining and a name. I’ve had sog crkt gerber and a few others make better steel and better knife. 1/4 the price. It’s a money game bro. Knifes are a money game to USA. Cloths are a money game. A under armor shirt $50. Same exact shirt with no name same factory in Malaysia make it. $12 all day. It’s a name a brand to brag on a human flex Same with cars and trucks. $95k for a truck when 2 years ago the same exact thing was only $60k.
@@garrettcampbell5995 fake is still fake, you said it yourself, its a money game. BMs are $ cause they weren't made by child slaves with inferior metals. You can't send your fake back to China for lifetime maintenance and sharpening. I could personally find 15 differences between my real and fake 940. Even the blade was a tad shorter. yeah shits expensive, we all know. but you can't change the definition of "fake" because times are tough. If you want to send some evidence that the BM blades are made in china i'll check it out. China's knife market consists of inexpensive budget knives with structural steel. The manufacturers popping up there that want to do high end steel are actually getting it from the USA. But high end steel is nothing without good heat treatment which they also can't afford.
Own 3 fake Bugouts that were about $25 each. Very nice copies I only wish I knew the steel that was used. Says "S30V" on the blade but I don't trust that.
@@MikesMediaI saw a video recently where one of the better Chinese dealers responded by changing his steel after his knives were tested. Not to the level of originals as printed on blade but I think to D2 as he claimed on website.
@@hansamlah2756 agree . I have one and it’s nice a f . The carbin fiber one from dhgate is badass for $40 . The $15 ones are the crap ones . I saw a titanium one for cheap too but Arizona lifestyles has a channel covering them and those are the few clones he liked . Personally, I can live with the 440 C and be very happy with. I whacked that blade on a piece of hardwood oak flooring and made a point shaving wood and the blade still cut paper . I should have videod it but would get hate from the haters , lol. Honestly man, there isn’t much to the bug out knives or bench made knives
Nah, the BM Claymore I got has a D2 blade, just like the real one. Plus clone AD-15 I got also has the identical blade as what Cold Steel uses and think it's from the actual Taiwan manufacturer for them.
Yup. Maybe if they didn't cut up guns for the police and price gouge, people would buy their stuff ? Why would you pay $160.00 for a Bugout with s30v (which is not a new steel for it came out in 2001) and Grivory plastic, when you can get a clone for $25.00 shipped? Test it out and see if you like it before giving Benchmade liberals your money. Benchmade give money to politicians as well.
Ok, ok, you can see the differences if you know what to look for. The real question is the difference in performance. Thijs is the real difference. Sadly, once again, the most important aspect is ignored! Oddly, there is one tell on all fakes and I have never seen one single vid producer even notice it. LOL! KnifeMaker
The purpose of this video it to help people avoid buying a fake from an online scammer. Online sellers are selling fakes for the full Benchmade retail price. If people know what to look for in pictures (online listings) they can avoid getting scammed.
definitely don't spend a bunch of money on one of these knives (benchmade) thats the best thing you said in this video. good idea. don't spend a bunch of money on a benchmade. Most of the stuff you're looking at in this video is silly and misunderstands manufacturing. oh this is printed a little bigger or smaller, you're chasing mice and imaginary dragons, thats not how this worse. You should get your hands on maybe 100 0r 1000 legitimate benchmades and see how much variation they have. Otherwise you have no clue what you're even talking about. You'd be surprised. cuz guess what man? Making knives ain't rocket science. Most of these companies are charging steep premiums and mark ups just for the name, they don't have anything special.
Have had mine for 6 months from dhgate with no issues of heavy use. Hands down the better deal then paying Benchmades rape prices. $15 VS $180??? Its not even a logical debate on what one should buy for everyday use. Not to mention I have never forgotten Benchmade cutting and destroying firearms in the past on the behalf of cops. If I spend money on a real piece I always go Spyderco. BUT its one thing if you know you are buying a clone as to thinking your buying the "real" one from Benchmades over priced factory and getting a clone instead.
When scammers lie and sell them as the real thing. I have seen these passed off as real ($250+) both online and in a knife store. People buy it and may never realize they paid full price for a fake. People are bidding and buying the fakes at full price. Leaving positive feedback and the cycle continues.
Only another knife guy would know or even care about your fake benchmade . If it looks exactly like what you are going for then who cares? There are plenty of people willing to pay their sometimes exorbitant prices.
I just checked eBay and most are fake. People are bidding and buying the fakes at full price. Leaving positive feedback and the cycle continues.
Thousands of people are going to find out one day that they invested their hard earned money on cheap Chinese steel for the price of premium steel/materials.
Don't be a sucker and buy them on eBay, Buy them right out of China on Aliexpress or Wish as the eBay sellers do and pay only about 10% percent the price of the genuine articles.
Its the same with lighters and pens
Auto parts also, I got burned on sum plugs
@@vego0991 Didnt know that but it makes sense. When someone does enough research on most of these things, however, it lowers the risk significantly. Also, the real risk if for those who cannot identify the fakes once they receive the item. If its a replica send it back. If you cannot tell the difference then you are not ready to use ebay for a long list of items.
@@ar007r thanks man ur dumb
After watching this video I cancelled my order of the real one, and bought a fake of AliExpress for $26 😂
If a benchmade comes out of the box sharp I just assume it’s a fake.
😂😂😂😂😂
I work at a store that sells Benchmade and we had a young fella come in, took a look, and told our employee that some of our knives were fakes. Our employee blew him off, but we found out the next day (after some research) that in fact 4 of our display knives were fakes. We assume they were swapped out by a customer "pocket test fitting" the knife and then handing us the fake one back. Pretty slick move honestly.
truth is you have no clue how they got there. and you dont have the means or know how to audit your supply chain, because you're nothing selling anything worth a sht. just edc knives.
@@user-xf4es7eh9yYou must be the thief.
@@user-xf4es7eh9y that wasn’t very nice 😂
@@jamesmorris-yh4zi I mean its also true. the high end clones are so good these days guys will often think the real one is the fake one.
100% this, exactly why I won't buy from an authorized benchmade dealer here locally. They can swap those so quick and no one would even know
Thx for the tip. I'm getting a fake asap
It happens when benchmade ask 250 dollars for a knife that is half plastic
Factamundo
I bought a very well made fake. Had a couple people who sell Benchmade knives take a good look at it and said it most likely was a fake. Said it was a really well made one. It is Razor sharp and sure looks like Carbon Fiber on the inside of the scales also. I do know one thing, if I had a million dollars in the bank I would NOT pay $ 288.00 for this mini Bugout. To me that is absurd for a little ass knife. No matter who made it I carry it in my pocket for a "backup" for my RECON-1....which is one Baaadass knife.
It would be best if Benchmade asked more realistic prices.
That's brilliant. I am sure paying their employees shit Chinese wages to compete will turn out wonderful.
I just bought a real 940-2 from Bass Pro Shop. Of the 3 crossbar-lock knives I own (940-2, SOG Terminus XR, Ganzo G7651) the $207 Benchmade was by far the worst in terms of execution: severe lock stick, blade off center - just ridiculous. There is an expectation of superior quality when you pay those higher American wages, but Benchmade isn’t delivering.
@Musashi-san ____ i mean, they are an anti american, anti gun, democrat company. They give absolutely zero fucks about paying realistic wages. They pay on average 16 dollars an hour. Poverty wages in usa. Stop pretending.
@@GarrettRockey I own two knives made by Benchmade. Neither have any problems the blades are fine and the locks are fine but I was also able to look at them in the store.
@@GarrettRockey I would send it in to B.M. Their warranty is good. It is possible that the knife you bought was a fake that someone switched out for the real item. Happens in retail stores. GRRRRR!!!!!
KnifeMaker
Can you test the steel or edge retention on fake one vs real?
This is what the people wanna see.
When I see benchmade's prices I can't blame people for buying fake ones...
I got the crooked River clone from Wish for $16.00. Amazing knife for the price. The real one is almost $250.00.😅 😊 I can’t justify paying Benchmades prices. At most, these knifes should be $100-150 tops.
100% same with Spyderco. I lost an $50 Official Spyderco cant imagine losing a higher end. Plus most only use it for basic everyday tasks.
I completely agree. Those clones are just the right price, especially the higher quality ones.
Disagree a lot of work goes into them and American labor is not cheap. The prices make sense
@@6foot8jesuspilledpureblood82 Its not "american labor" that counts for the retail cost of those items. It's margin. Meaning they're marked up. cuz you dummies continue to buy them.
@@6foot8jesuspilledpureblood82 as the consumer, i could not care less about how much they pay for labour, if it doesnt add to the material quality of feature of the product then its not justified
Not sure which crime is worse, Benchmade's pricing or China's counterfeiting. Either way, we get screwed.
I e been using one of these for a few months . The blade on my example must be 440 c or 8cr but I have to admit after making sure the screws would stay and it broke in and replacing the two springs it’s been great for 3 months .
If the Chinese knife was selling at the same price as the original that would be a problem, but as the copy is cheaper then you get what you pay for.
It is not always cheaper..that is the part that is just wrong,on every level .if it said clone then ok but it doesnt..they have even worked really hard to copy the boxes
The point of the video is to prevent people from getting scammed, not that there isn't a use for the fakey.
I've got that exact carbon fiber fake one, found it on Wish for about 20 bucks. It sharpens up nice and holds a decent edge, for the price it's an easy choice. I have one in my glove box, tackle box, and golf bag, if I were to lose one I wouldn't give it a second thought. They do the job they are intended to do for 1/10th the price.
I wouldn't wanna find out that I paid for a real one.
Solution: buy the counterfeit and replace the blade with the real thing.
Fk that! Just get the real one! 👎
It looks like the sharpening choil/plunge grind relationship is better on the fake! And you can get a fake for under $100, which is tempting. If the fakes are indistinguishable from originals, and the cost 25% as much, that’s hard on the genuine manufacturer.
I hate to say I grabbed some counterfeits out of curiosity to compare with my real one. I gave them away to family and ive watched them use them for years and they have been excellent minus the edge retention is not s30v quality but not bad
it did help! the dimples in the blue spacer are easily recognizable even from one small picture; logos and fonts are also very telling. Thanks!
Look at the torx screw on the pivot the fakes are very round and the real has flat spot on top
You saved my ass, literally was just looking to buy one on Craigslist. Thank you
Just brings to question is $200 bucks really worth it if virtually the same knife can be produced for a quarter of the price, minus the higher end materials. If they could build them with the same materials it's likely they still would not cost that much. (I understand portions of the markup are to cover marketing, R&D and whatnot but too many people fall for the branding hype of American made products.)
the steel is different. s30v vs 440c
what kind of blade material is the fake one? ss304 ?
Thank you so much for this video! You just helped me avoid purchasing a fake knife!
I used a fake hammer the other day. Yeah it worked, but it wasn't made by 5th generation Pennsylvania blacksmiths and wasn't priced at the usual $680!
I don't but tools unless they cost 10X what the Chinese *FAKES* at Lowes for $15! Not gonna fool _this_ guy!😂
Thank my friend is review 👌👌👌🤜🤛
Does the fake one have metal screws please?
I have two fake Benchmades, and I'm really happy with them.
My latest one is the Full Immunity, it's a gem! I bought it for €15, it works very well, I can't stop having fun opening and closing it, it has no defects. I sharpened the blade and it cuts like a razor.
I will never in my life spend €150 or €300 on a Benchmade.
Cutlery stores are so bad at selling them that I've seen 30% off deals on knives that weren't released very long ago.
Benchmade owners often complain that the price is too high compared to the quality.
This also happens with some Spydercos, including one costing €600 !
An owner of this very expensive knife made a video of it, it's a shame for this price, it's bordering on a scam.
These are just knives made on a chain by machines.
I would spend €300 without worry on a knife from a craftsman blacksmith cutler who makes everything by hand, but never on a knife made by robots.
What's the quality difference?
Different pocket clip. Amazon has one they call 535 axis lock with carbon fiber and 440C steel. It's unmarked.
I have a fake 535 that the eBay seller said was marked S30V but was really D2. Got Chinese scales , black G-10 Crossfade and for the $40 I have in it - it's solid. It makes me want a real one.
I just bought the same one you’re talking about for 20 bucks. At that price, it’s a great deal. This particular one doesn’t have Benchmade branding on it from what I can tell
@@joshj7012 I bought a real one from their custom shop. $325 so my wife thinks I'm nuts. S90v w/Black G10 and satin hardware.
Man I was on eBay and saw a bid ending for a bugout with aluminum scales in 1 hour for 115 but after closer examination it turned out it to be a fake
Not only that but it disgusting hard to find a real one
I knew one of these for 150 was too good of a deal god damn it. Returned!!!
The fakes are probably made by the same company with just tiny differences and sold wholesale. There is no way a damn plastic folding pocket knife is worth $400-$800 bucks. No way. 200 is insane but above is highway robbery.
I have a few Benchmade folders in my casual collection. Yes, a bit pricey for upscale models I bought but I have not had any quality issues.
Aside from price this is the biggest reason I won't buy a benchmade. There's a million other brands just as good and cheaper anyways.
I agree.
If it still works close if not almost as good as the original, and you buy it really cheap (generally it costs not more that 30% than the original), then we have a gross inflation issue. Test them both and tell us how they differ?
The steel is definitely junk
@@6foot8jesuspilledpureblood82Nit always. I recently saw I video where the Chinese seller responded to the steel tests by upgrading his steel not to quality of description on blade but to quality he claims on Ali and when messaged. There are really good fakes and sellers if you search.
I'm actually in love with a $50 fake, but o truly love my real 490 arcane
I do have to say though that i own quite a few American made knives from benchmade, kershaw, microtech, cold steel, spyderco and so on that are pretty damn pricey some my wife complains about being almost as much as some of my guns lol only if she knew the truth. Haha... but sadly ill carry them for show but dont hardly ever use them because i dont want the wear on them. So buying some of these china made clones of the ones i own wouldn't be bad especially if there good quality, because then i wouldnt feel bad carrying and using as a beater and if it breaks i wont be sad over $20 to $50. I dont agree with the clones but from what ive looked up they all either use to or still do have there products made in china or have there products made there then shipped back to the the USA to be assembled for quality control.
You sir are doing the lord's work
I was getting ready to buy a 940 on ebay, but after watching so many videos about counterfeits, I ordered directly from Benchmade in Oregon.
I just recieved a $28, (shipped from China), fake that I obviously knew was a fake beforehand. I wanted to see if it was at least a good size and at all fidget-able for an edc knife. I dont live near any retailers that sell connesoir level knives, so I've had issues in the past where I go off reviews and recieve a $150+ knife that I dont like to carry for one reason or another. This way I get to buy it, try it, then really buy it if I like it. For what its worth, first impressions are that the release mechanism is too small for me, it also puts 2 of my fingers in a bad spot when closing. Saved me a couple hundred dollars getting this thing, and I still have a work knife that shaved my arm hair out of the box. I'm happy with my chinese junk so far.
Pocket clip is also angled differently
We have a craftsman in Russia who changes blades in Chinese knockoffs to m398. It turns out better than the original! 64HRC!
Please give a link to it or something
@@CannotStopClipping ua-cam.com/video/8S-f-n_qD6Q/v-deo.html
I think I’ve seen him, I really enjoy the videos, shame auto translate can’t handle Russian that well.
Bohler m390?
@@danielfinger6223 m398.
The real knife blade is much harder. You can use the real one to scratch the fake one, but not the other way around. I ordered a fake, I just sharpen it more often. It costs only a 1/10 of the real one. You get what you pay for. Unless you are planning to use the real one for chopping down tree, a fake is good for EDC.
The fake is 100% the better buy👍🏽
I know I lost a Gaurdian Tactical 035 and cried a little. I wouldn't care if I had lost a fake one.
Send the link for the fake one
You missed telling us about the copper washers.
Thank you! I was able to confirm that my brand new Benchmade Bugout 535-3, I got off a BLADEBINGE seller for $195 shipped, is indeed, a REAL Benchmade Bugout 535-3! I was worried because the edge bevels are drastically uneven comparing each side. The butterfly(show) side’s edge bevel is almost TWICE! the size in height as the S90V(clip) side, which looks more appropriately sized. The blade is centered but I guess the sharpener was having an off day or something.. but I’m guessing that’s more common place for Benchmade because my REAL 533-3 is similar.. unevenly sized edge bevels when comparing each side.. come on Benchmade! Do Better! And people, please don’t knowingly buy clones.. and especially don’t knowingly pass them off as legitimate products to unsuspecting, trusting folks.. that’s just scummy. To everyone else, do your own research before buying! If it’s too good to be true, it usually is! Be safe out there!
You can count the indentions on the anodized back piece. A real one has 7.
The pocket clip was different and also he need to squeeze the inside shows how the fake one you can squeeze more than the real one
I got one of these knives on a swindle. Sadly, for the crooked vendor I purchased with a VISA card, contested the charge and got my money back. I’ll send his knife back when He’ll freezes over. All that being said, I took it apart and found the carbon fiber
scales were fake, too. The blade steel is not S90V either. Just some run of the mill stainless.
The pivot washers are plastic and the screws of a different thread pitch/size, and the pivot is a T9 instead of a T10. There are possibly some fakes that are of better quality, but this one looks really good. Nevertheless, the manufacturer saved money on just about every component at the expense of quality. The box was much improved but a trained eye can find the differences. This one had the “foam” shroud around the knife, but the texture of it was not quite right. “Caveat Emptor”
Is the blade steel on the fake the same as the real one? That’s the most important question.
no
Where did you get that fake one so I do not make that mistake?
The fakes are better for the price
Carbon fiber scales and backspacer fit the original 👍
100%. They are really good now.
What kind of steel do they use .oh wait it says s30v..
@@ronniegreene1274 Only youtube idiots care what steel it is cause all they do is keep them in a drawer lol
I have a $30 knockoff autocrat that is INCREDIBLY well made, came in the box with a manual, bag, and everything. Great weight, nice finish, and I’m not out $450!
The clips are noticeable different as well.
Question is. The knife steel is it really s90v
No. The $20 'gold' chain the guy is trying to sell you on the street is not real 14k gold either :)
The counterfeit are sometimes better then the real ones.
Please provide an example.
yeah real benchmades are often shitty
Got a couple grade a dumb asses here 😑
@@MikesMedia I know I can say that my China made Spyderco is much nicer build quality than my USA made Spyderco. And a fraction of the price.
I also have china knock offs of other collectibles that are superior to the "official" product.
It sucks, as I'd prefer to keep jobs here in America, but the sad reality is that some china KO's are done really well for really cheap.
@@LastBastian Do you have a video showing how the fake is better than the real version? I haven't seen anyone do that yet.
Some are made really well, some are not. The fake in this video was made well but it is still made with cheaper materials. No fake is going to have real S90V steel. Also the locking mechanisms are usually weaker (even if you have a tight lockup). Some locks require very precise tolerances to have their full strength and the fakes are not doing this. They have huge gaps, especially with the Triad Lock and the compression lock.
What is the real blade metal, in the chinese knife? What is the knife quality?
8Cr13MoV is the steel. The fakes vary in quality but the one in this video felt good.
@@MikesCarInfo Thank you...
really hard to tell. Someone will buy a real one and returned to fake one to retailer.
It happens a lot on Amazon.
Bench made is over priced af. The knife should cost 100 bucks tops.
I just recieved a fake, a few things that I noticed on mine are that the scales are "milled carbon fiber" on the tops, but the sides look like layered wood. The real benchmades are milled all around. The blue on the fakes all seem to be lighter than the real one too, even your video shows that. My pocket clip holes look more legit than yours do, plus my pocket clip is indistinguishable from the real ones, other than a rougher finish. The biggest give away is that the blade is just horrible. There are pits everywhere, the milling on one side is drastically worse than the milling on the other. I wish I could tag a picture to this comment, one is clean but very basic, the other looks like they got done then decided to run 2 lines lengthwise for some reason. The steel itself is also weird looking, like forged carbon fiber almost... Almost like irregularly sized patches of metal flakes pressed into a metal finish. It might be cool if it was done uniformly and on purpose. This is a $8.99 gas station knife that cost $28 because it looks like a $250 name brand knife.
Ill just take my $60 case knife and itll still be in use when the "benchmade" is in pieces
In many cases, like the example you have, unless you had a real one to compare it side-by-side with you would never know. Unless you were an expert who dealt with these on a daily basis, and had all of the differences memorized. That’s truly sad that you can’t buy a used knife on eBay any longer and feel it all confident that it’s real.
The attention to detail is excellent. I would really like to know the actual steel quality of the fake. For example, are they made with real D2 and S90V. If they are made with actual quality steel, then U.S. manufacturers are in trouble until the imports are stopped.
The blade steel is similar to AUS8. Good heat treat. Easy to sharpen.
D-2 isn't that bad of a steel. It ALL depends on the Heat Treat. If S90V has a bad heat treat it's shit also.
pocket clips were different dimensions as well
if you dont have one to compare then it would be hard
Where can you get one of these fakes. Just you know, so I can avoid them. Not at full price. The like $30 fakes. ... ........
Definitely asking for a friend here it's seems
@@CodyFreemanOutdoors 🤣🤣
Is the fake actually s30 v steel?
Are they ever what they say the steel is?
Is there a way to find out?
Fakes are 8Cr13MoV. The Chinese sellers have it in their listings.
Or D2
Some are D2
Way easier to sharpen than S30V@@MikesCarInfo
they’re a little all over the place from what i know, there are some that are made from D2 and some that are made from (at least what they claim to be) M390, i believe i might’ve seen a few in 14C28N out there
"Benchmade are worth the $300 because you get blah blah blah"
Meanwhile, China can make the exact same knife for $20. I know, "the steel", but still.
Be even harder to tell if they weren't side by side.
Everyone wants Made in USA until they see the price.
What about blade steel on fake one ?
The steel is almost always 8cr13mov. The fake sellers will sometimes claim it is D2 but that is rarely the case.
@@MikesCarInfo 👍
Tooo similar, in my opinion all are the same beauty, question is on the steel
Who the hell cares if there are tiny differences between the real and the counterfeit knives? What matters is how they perform and what they cost. The Chinese counterfeits cost only about 10% the price of a real Benchmade or Microtech. Are the genuine knives even twice as good as the fakes? Maybe that could be argued but not in my experience. Are they 10 times as good as the Chinese copies? No way in hell!
You're broke 😢
You know you have a genuine if the grinds are uneven 😅
Ive got both real and fake and tbh cant tell the diff in the way it performs
try cutting something more than 3 times
Looks the same too me lol I just got the bushcrafter for 30 bucks can't beat that the cheap ones are prob better anyways lmao
I’m sorry guys I have several bm knives and I guess are fakes . $50-$100 very very good knives I have used over and over and have a real one ( just one) $300. Honestly, from a honest review of not knowing. Could not tell the difference in everyday use. Sharpness . $200-$300 cheaper
Well, if you hold them side by side, knowing which one is real and which one not you might have a chance. But without that? Buy the fake and don't get fooled ;-)
So now do you finally realize that China Bad, Orange Man Good?
Fender makes Telecasters in America, they also make them in China and Indonesia to save cost but still make sure to capture the most amount of the market for that product. The fact that American knife makers dont have a sub brand overseas it negligence on their part. This is a free GLOBAL market. Spyderco sort of does this but they mistakingly think that making their sub brand slightly different pushes people to choose the real flagship products over a fake, they are very incorrect.
Fake one looks better imo.
Bias vs non bias ?
You seriously think that Aliexpress sellers have an intention to undermine US Knife brands? wow
Sounds like there is a lot you don't know about.
@@MikesMedia can say the same generic nonsense about you. Got any proof Mr. 6.9k subscribers?
I don't condone fakes but this kinda goes to show you just how the pricing of USA made knives is ridiculous and way over the top, there's no way the "materials" used in real ones even come close to making them worth $200+. If USA knife prices weren't so inflated, there would be no incentive from China to make counterfeits.
I would like to have both. The real for collection and fake to use and customize with all the cheap China made parts.🤣 I’m not going to spend $100 or more on real deal USA and put $40 worth of China parts on it. I’m the same way with my guns.
I bought an aftermarket hardware swap kit for a fake griptilian and all the new blue screws were different thread size so it wouldn’t work.
Unless you're a retailer or collector, why does it matter? A sharp piece of steel (knife) is a sharp piece of steel. If I needed a knife to survive the apocalypse, I'll consider it, otherwise, cant justify spending 10X on something so close to the "real" BM.
It matters because scammers are ripping people off with these fakes. It is good to be able to tell the difference between a real and a fake so you don't get ripped off.
@MikesCarInfo Oh, I didn't realize . Well, I totally agree with you then. If people know it's a clone is one thing, but passing off fakes as the real deal is definitely a shitty thing to do!
Go to Arizona lifestyle on UA-cam. He compares all the fake knives to the original.
Entrusting the production of components to China and assembling them in the United States, claiming to be "Made in the USA," is not a secret, and I believe it's not uncommon in your industry. The knockoff butterfly, a carbon fiber 535, is priced at $10 with free shipping in China. The actual blade material is 8CR13MOV. Distinguishing between genuine and fake based on slight differences in comparison is not precise. Even the same model of knives from different production batches can have many variations. The most effective method is to test the blade material. However, cheaper clone knives using authentic steel like D2 or VG10 can be found, while higher-end steels like S35VN, M390, and 20CV are mostly used in 100% clone knives. Middlemen mixing genuine and fake products significantly increase profits, and there is no substantial evidence to prove the counterfeiting.
If someone get a benchmade with carbon fiber handle for 30 to 40$, and thinks it’s real…. They might actually be a fool…
Obviously that is not the problem. The problem is when a person pays $250 for a $30 knife because the seller is scamming people into thinking it is a real one. Hence the purpose of this video.
@@MikesCarInfo it might be just my biased experience, but most eBay sell i saw that that has Benchmade name in the sell title and high price tag is US based sellers. It surely is easier to point finger at China but they are honest about the price at least, asking for 30$ a piece. We are ignoring who is the real problem.
@@MrTian1212 I agree. But China is doing everything they can to facilitate that behavior.
@@MikesCarInfo I’m here as a knife buyer. Looking for and found good knife buying tips. thanks for that. Not here for political debate.
Real vs fake. China sells benchmade allot of the parts used to make the knife. Benchmade picks out the parts they want to make the knife with. And the fakes aren’t fake they just aren’t assembled from the benchmade factory or office in Oregon. So blade handle pins color backbone is all made same place just what exact style they chose to make the knife is only difference.
blade steel is straight garbage though. No edge retention and will rust just sitting in the open air.
@@benbutler7246 it’s all in what type metal is used in the blade. There are allot of different mixes for blade steel
@@garrettcampbell5995 yeah, you think they are selling a CPM4 blade for 18.99 shipped? marking s30V on an inferior steel will always be fakery to me.
@@benbutler7246 cpm m4 is just as cheap to make as s30v stainless steel. But in America they over price some things to make a sales value. Look at guns. Retarded prices for cheaper made guns. Same with knifes. Take the grip Tilian knife $150 on average with plastic handles and the same locking internals and steel as a gas station knife. The only difference is a little tighter machining and a name. I’ve had sog crkt gerber and a few others make better steel and better knife. 1/4 the price. It’s a money game bro. Knifes are a money game to USA. Cloths are a money game. A under armor shirt $50. Same exact shirt with no name same factory in Malaysia make it. $12 all day. It’s a name a brand to brag on a human flex Same with cars and trucks. $95k for a truck when 2 years ago the same exact thing was only $60k.
@@garrettcampbell5995 fake is still fake, you said it yourself, its a money game. BMs are $ cause they weren't made by child slaves with inferior metals. You can't send your fake back to China for lifetime maintenance and sharpening. I could personally find 15 differences between my real and fake 940. Even the blade was a tad shorter. yeah shits expensive, we all know. but you can't change the definition of "fake" because times are tough. If you want to send some evidence that the BM blades are made in china i'll check it out. China's knife market consists of inexpensive budget knives with structural steel. The manufacturers popping up there that want to do high end steel are actually getting it from the USA. But high end steel is nothing without good heat treatment which they also can't afford.
Own 3 fake Bugouts that were about $25 each. Very nice copies I only wish I knew the steel that was used. Says "S30V" on the blade but I don't trust that.
Even if it was just D2, for the price it would be worth it. The real Benchmade is not worth the price.
Most of them are D2.
The steel is almost always 8cr13mov. The fake sellers will sometimes claim it is D2 but that is rarely the case.
@@MikesMediaI saw a video recently where one of the better Chinese dealers responded by changing his steel after his knives were tested. Not to the level of originals as printed on blade but I think to D2 as he claimed on website.
It’s defintely a cheaper blade steel
yeah, cheaper blade steel would still do the job on opening packages and still looking cool doing it with a benchmade even if it's only a knock off 😁
@@hansamlah2756 agree . I have one and it’s nice a f . The carbin fiber one from dhgate is badass for $40 . The $15 ones are the crap ones . I saw a titanium one for cheap too but Arizona lifestyles has a channel covering them and those are the few clones he liked . Personally, I can live with the 440 C and be very happy with. I whacked that blade on a piece of hardwood oak flooring and made a point shaving wood and the blade still cut paper . I should have videod it but would get hate from the haters , lol. Honestly man, there isn’t much to the bug out knives or bench made knives
China pays less for raw materials. So their cost of steel wouldn't be that much.
How do you know it's cheap Chinese steel if it can't be compared to the original?
Nah, the BM Claymore I got has a D2 blade, just like the real one. Plus clone AD-15 I got also has the identical blade as what Cold Steel uses and think it's from the actual Taiwan manufacturer for them.
Bm lower your price.. and keep your 2a opinion to yourselves.
Yup. Maybe if they didn't cut up guns for the police and price gouge, people would buy their stuff ? Why would you pay $160.00 for a Bugout with s30v (which is not a new steel for it came out in 2001) and Grivory plastic, when you can get a clone for $25.00 shipped? Test it out and see if you like it before giving Benchmade liberals your money. Benchmade give money to politicians as well.
I purchase a knock off with a Damascus blade. I lapped all the brass washers. It's a very nice knife for the $40 I spent. Also sharp as HELL.
@@codyconrad7333 I have the real deal and the fakes.. they're making good fakes
Ok, ok, you can see the differences if you know what to look for. The real question is the difference in performance. Thijs is the real difference. Sadly, once again, the most important aspect is ignored!
Oddly, there is one tell on all fakes and I have never seen one single vid producer even notice it. LOL!
KnifeMaker
The purpose of this video it to help people avoid buying a fake from an online scammer. Online sellers are selling fakes for the full Benchmade retail price. If people know what to look for in pictures (online listings) they can avoid getting scammed.
definitely don't spend a bunch of money on one of these knives (benchmade) thats the best thing you said in this video. good idea. don't spend a bunch of money on a benchmade. Most of the stuff you're looking at in this video is silly and misunderstands manufacturing. oh this is printed a little bigger or smaller, you're chasing mice and imaginary dragons, thats not how this worse. You should get your hands on maybe 100 0r 1000 legitimate benchmades and see how much variation they have. Otherwise you have no clue what you're even talking about. You'd be surprised. cuz guess what man? Making knives ain't rocket science. Most of these companies are charging steep premiums and mark ups just for the name, they don't have anything special.
I report them all the time but eBay does nothing about it
Have had mine for 6 months from dhgate with no issues of heavy use. Hands down the better deal then paying Benchmades rape prices. $15 VS $180??? Its not even a logical debate on what one should buy for everyday use. Not to mention I have never forgotten Benchmade cutting and destroying firearms in the past on the behalf of cops. If I spend money on a real piece I always go Spyderco. BUT its one thing if you know you are buying a clone as to thinking your buying the "real" one from Benchmades over priced factory and getting a clone instead.
How is the fake still expensive? I bought a fake one that only cost Php 1,100 ( 19.85 USD) and it's good quality for a fake.
When scammers lie and sell them as the real thing. I have seen these passed off as real ($250+) both online and in a knife store. People buy it and may never realize they paid full price for a fake. People are bidding and buying the fakes at full price. Leaving positive feedback and the cycle continues.
Only another knife guy would know or even care about your fake benchmade . If it looks exactly like what you are going for then who cares? There are plenty of people willing to pay their sometimes exorbitant prices.
And not only that, if someone asks to borrow your knife, and you hand it to them and say be careful that’s a 300$ knife, they look at you like WTF?!?