Definitive ways to spot a fake paramilitary 2?

ChaoticLuck · #1

Any tips, would be greatly appreciated. I'd like to avoid it if possible.

Freman · #2

Your best insurance is buying from a reputable seller.

If the seller is in China then you're probably not looking at an authentic knife.

Parhelion · #3

Fake has single drilled hole (to reduce weight) in each liner.

Real has single in the left liner and two holes in the right liner.

Parhelion · #4

https://youtu.be/Nys5lBn4GY0

Actually it is easy to find in google. You can try next time by yourself

ChaoticLuck · #5

Parhelion wrote:https://youtu.be/Nys5lBn4GY0

Actually it is easy to find in google. You can try next time by yourself

What is this thing called Google? Never heard of it. Thanks.

Parhelion wrote:Fake has single drilled hole (to reduce weight) in each liner.

Real has single in the left liner and two holes in the right liner.

Thanks, I was more worried of buying one second hand on other websites with B/S/T, so that if a deal came up that was too good to pass up I would to be a bit more self aware.

The Deacon · #6

Problem is, a lot of the "red flags" are hard to spot in photos, especially the low quality ones some folks use in their B/S/T posts. Then too, Spyderco's policy of "constant quality improvement" pretty much insures there will be small visual differences between the oldest PM2's and the ones being produced today. As for the presence or absence of a small unsharpened spot at the tang end of the blade, genuine Spydercos are ground by hand, so that can vary from knife to knife within a model. Your safest bet is to realize that any deal that sounds "too good to pass up" probably should be passed up, especially when the knife in question is in high demand, short supply, and fairly accurate fakes of it are known to exist. With the PM2 and a couple other models, the only time I might go against that advice would be if the knife had a Spyderco Collectors Club number on the blade, since I've yet to see a CC#'ed fake.

Blerv · #7

Even if you made a list so people could diagnose it themselves who's to say its comprehensive or that the faker can't adapt?

Every fake people buy encourages the people who make them. Shop from TRUSTED markets and you won't get burned. Simple.

spike g · #8

the new fakes have fully skeltonized liners just a heads up. also that was my vid haha

ChaoticLuck · #9

I ended up buying one from Knifeworks.com, so I think I'm good. Thanks for the advice all!

spike g wrote:the new fakes have fully skeltonized liners just a heads up. also that was my vid haha

That's disheartening.

Fresh Eddie Fresh · #10

The Deacon wrote:Problem is, a lot of the "red flags" are hard to spot in photos, especially the low quality ones some folks use in their B/S/T posts. Then too, Spyderco's policy of "constant quality improvement" pretty much insures there will be small visual differences between the oldest PM2's and the ones being produced today. As for the presence or absence of a small unsharpened spot at the tang end of the blade, genuine Spydercos are ground by hand, so that can vary from knife to knife within a model. Your safest bet is to realize that any deal that sounds "too good to pass up" probably should be passed up, especially when the knife in question is in high demand, short supply, and fairly accurate fakes of it are known to exist. With the PM2 and a couple other models, the only time I might go against that advice would be if the knife had a Spyderco Collectors Club number on the blade, since I've yet to see a CC#'ed fake.

+1 Especially on the pics. Some sellers might take pics of a real one and send you the fake, too.