Help identifying a Millie

[ThomC]

Hey folks, so I have my eye on a used Millie but cannot quite tell if it's legit or not. Seller says it has no box because it was part of a set from an auction. No biggie there, the rest of his stuff looks legit. I've already bought knives without their packaging even if it kinda messes with my OCD.
Here are some of the pics the seller sent me. My main point of concern is the blade shape and the markings.
It's cheap, but I'd rather not burn myself whatever the price tag.

[Peter1960]

Please do again a picture where I (we) can better see if the cutout on the handle (nearby the opening hole) is circular or noncircular.

[Sumdumguy]

I can't tell from the pictures, either. One thing is for certain, it has been sharpened a LOT.

[ThomC]

Here are some of the others he sent me. Since they came by text message, they're quite small.

[ThomC]

I can't tell from the pictures, either. One thing is for certain, it has been sharpened a LOT.

Yeah that's what I'd gathered too

[Accutron]

It's a fake. The print and screws are definitely wrong. The jimping doesn't look right either, and the chamfering on the scales looks too deep.

[Evil D]

Looks fake to me, even considering it may have been sharpened a LOT, the plunge line looks really wrong to me so unless he took a grinder to it for whatever reason I'm calling fake. The Golden logo engraving and size look bogus to me too. The bug looks way too big too.

[araneae]

Fake...

[JustinB]

The font doesn't look quite right, the plunge grind almost looks rounded off, and the chamfering looks off too. Could all be a trick of the light but I think it's a fake

[bearfacedkiller]

That is a terrible plunge line, the edge has a significant J hook at the heel and some of the font looks off. I think it is fake but even if that was real I wouldn’t buy it.

[JonLeBlanc]

Without saying whether it's legit or not (somethIng I just don't feel qualified to do,) I would not buy that knife.

[Evil D]

That is a terrible plunge line, the edge has a significant J hook at the heel and some of the font looks off. I think it is fake but even if that was real I wouldn’t buy it.

That pretty much sums it up for me. Real or fake, I'd pass either way.

[The Deacon]

It's a fake. The print and screws are definitely wrong. The jimping doesn't look right either, and the chamfering on the scales looks too deep.

Are you sure? My CC numbered CF BG-42 Military has the same print, with the bolder font on the presentation side. I can't say that was unique to the CF BG-42 version, but I can't say it wasn't. As for the other issues you and others have noted, there have been so many changes in the Military over the years that, without knowing when it was manufactured, it's darn near impossible to say what's "correct" and what isn't. Sad fact is that. regardless of make, the only way to be 100% sure pretty much any knife on the secondary market these days is legitimate is to send it to the manufacturer for evaluation. None of which means I would suggest the OP purchase the knife if he is not confident that it's real.

[Doc Dan]

It looks as though someone was a little exuberant with a belt sharpener. I’d pass.

Also, you said it is cheap. How cheap? That might indicate quite a lot.

[Accutron]

It's a fake. The print and screws are definitely wrong. The jimping doesn't look right either, and the chamfering on the scales looks too deep.

Are you sure? My CC numbered CF BG-42 Military has the same print, with the bolder font on the presentation side. I can't say that was unique to the CF BG-42 version, but I can't say it wasn't. As for the other issues you and others have noted, there have been so many changes in the Military over the years that, without knowing when it was manufactured, it's darn near impossible to say what's "correct" and what isn't. Sad fact is that. regardless of make, the only way to be 100% sure pretty much any knife on the secondary market these days is legitimate is to send it to the manufacturer for evaluation. None of which means I would suggest the OP purchase the knife if he is not confident that it's real.

The print on the presentation side appears smeared and distorted, with poor vertical alignment between characters.

The dead giveaway is the 'star of David' style scale screws, with no chamfering around the edges of the drive. Spyderco has never used screws like that on any Military, at least none that I have seen, all the way back to the earliest ATS-34 and 440V variants. This style of Torx screw is a hallmark of many Spyderco counterfeits.

[jdw]

It looks really wrong to me as well. I wouldn't buy it.

[ThomC]

After a little bit of research, this indeed looks like a fake. Bummed to see that but also happy that you forumites helped me avoid that mistake. Here's a last pic I think seals the deal : the lip looks tapered to one side only



It's sad because comparing the pics side by side with a shop's it's almost on point.

[Peter1960]

On the basis of your pictures it's hard to say but I for myself tend to say it is not a legit Military as long as I don't have it on the table for detailed inspection.

[TazKristi]

After a little bit of research, this indeed looks like a fake. Bummed to see that but also happy that you forumites helped me avoid that mistake. Here's a last pic I think seals the deal : the lip looks tapered to one side only

It's sad because comparing the pics side by side with a shop's it's almost on point.

Hi, ThomC:
I asked Charlynn in Warranty & Repair to take a quick look and she confirmed (very quickly) that it's a counterfeit. W&R probably sees more counterfeit knives than anyone, so it's usually a quick answer. I'm glad that you avoided the purchase.

Make it a good day!

Kristi

[Wartstein]

Now, thanks to Kristi and others, it´s clear that this is a counterfeit anyway... but still, just out of interest: Is it just the perspective or did they even not bother to give it the typical "curved" Millie clip? Looks rather straight to me on the pics...