Lefty Para2 and suspicious box

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Received this after purchasing an advertised S45VN lefty Para2 on Amazon. Disappointing to see New Graham, my preferred dealer, out of stock on them for so long.

I haven't gotten a new Spyderco since the blue Lil Matriarch, but was suspicious of the apparent changes to the box, and a couple of notes on the knife itself. Didn't include any Edge-U-Cation paperwork and the plastic bag felt very thin. Typeface on the box was different than anything else I've ever received, and "Made in USA" was stated on the label. Lack of some punctuation, a trademark symbol on Reliable High Performance and a Registered symbol on the bottom black field just to the left of the swoop. Anyone gotten a box recently like this?

Noticed the laser engraving wasn't as sharp as my old Lefty Military and the Bug looks to be outlined, then filled in unlike all of my others. Grinds aren't bad, bug stamp on the clip is slightly larger than my Manixes, and the G10 doesn't feel as dense as I remember from my old Para2s. Appears like the tang has a ground lead in for the ball detent, a feature I don't remember but could be CQI I guess. Blade's marked S30V still.

[metaphoricalsimile]

If this is a fake it's the best I've ever seen. The model label does look a bit different than the para 2 exclusive I recently received, but the printing on the box itself is identical. Both of my Para 2s have the detent ball cutout in the tang as well, which is a detail I think counterfeits wouldn't bother with since it's hardly visible and requires extra machining.

[Josh Crutchley]

I have both versions of the box from the SFO w/ and w/o TM after Reliable High Performance. Also have both versions of the label so I wouldn't worry about that. The knife looks legit to me.

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I spent a LOT of time looking it over. The knife feels great. Even has the familiar laser start/stop points on the liners I remember from my old ones. Grind is perfect on the blade.

Thanks for commenting, it's been a long time since I had a Para2 in my hands. Last one I can remember was the laminated S90V/154 combo. Suppose the boxes go to the lowest bidder, but the random TM/R symbols and lack of punctuation on the USA had me scratching my head.

[Manixguy@1994]

The Lefty was bought at DLT last week . Steel is CPM S30V , date codes are same ? Odd , MG2

[Manixguy@1994]

The Lefty was bought at DLT last week . Steel is CPM S30V , date code shows built before yours .

[Manixguy@1994]

Deleted

[Manixguy@1994]

My bad . MG2

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Thanks! What's your bug engraving look like on the blade? Have the outline?

[Manixguy@1994]

Thanks! What's your bug engraving look like on the blade? Have the outline?

I hade to txt buddy who has the lefty . I will contact later when he is available. Since his was built before yours just a big guess possibly they still had some older blades to finish run out before your steel . I have an older lefty in the older steel but not sure if it would help . DLT does state the lefty is in CPM S30V and from my experience usually their info is spot on . The Spyderco catalog lists the steel used on your knife . MG2

[Manixguy@1994]

Counterfeit boxes are not the same thickness feel thinner than the real knife boxes , sorta flimsy .

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I intended to buy one when they first released the lefty in S30V. Thought it was a sprint of S45VN but saw several of the well-known sites listing the right-handed versions with 45, no mention of the sprint. Think it would've been the first lefty sprint I ever saw if that was the case.

Truthfully I was happy to see S30V on unboxing so it matches my old Military.

[Manixguy@1994]

I intended to buy one when they first released the lefty in S30V. Thought it was a sprint of S45VN but saw several of the well-known sites listing the right-handed versions with 45, no mention of the sprint. Think it would've been the first lefty sprint I ever saw if that was the case.

Truthfully I was happy to see S30V on unboxing so it matches my old Military.

I have both myself , happy to have them . MG2

[fanglekai]

The knife looks just like my lefty PM2 that I bought from Knifeworks in 2017. When I shine a light on the logo it has the similar "cutout" look. Mine does not have the detent ball cutout, however. Here are pics of the box from mine.

[Josh Crutchley]

Thanks! What's your bug engraving look like on the blade? Have the outline?

Here's the bugs on 3 Spydies that came straight from the SFO. It really stands out on the S35vn vs S45vn. I didn't see it on the Manix until I took the picture, I guess the camera makes it stand out more.