Carbon Sage 1 Clone?

[ChefMacari92]

I've compared it to videos online and the one in my possession seems to be 'off'. Screws seem right. It's the etching of the logo, steel type, and place of manufacturing that throws me off. Other carbon sages have "Taichung" printed above "Taiwan" on the back of the blade. This one clearly does not. Got it in a trade, it was dirty, washed it up, now I'm curious. Images in the link. http://imgur.com/a/ZSvI2fw

Found this thread (viewtopic.php?t=77961) regarding the same topic but there didn't seem to be any conclusion. Please help

[awa54]

The "bug" on yours has the correct engraved/machined texture to be a genuine Taichung made Spydie... a fake would almost certainly have an etched logo. Another tell that it's genuine is that the scales appear to be the Taichung laminate, which has a thin, slightly 3D layer of CF veave bonded on to a thick G10 base layer, this detail would require the counterfeiter to have access to, or to replicate a scale material that is only used by that one maker (to the best of my knowledge).

The Sage 1 has been in the lineup since mid 2008, maybe early producton knives ommited the Taichung part of the blade markings?

[Sharp Guy]

As The Deacon (Paul) says in that other thread...."Only way to be absolutely certain is to send it in to Spyderco for evaluation, but the early Sage 1's and 2's just say Taiwan, rather than Taichung Taiwan, so it could very well be legit". Based on that I'd be pretty confident the OP's Sage 1 is real