How to tell when your knife was made

hairball253 · #1

Hey new to the forum. Just wanted to know how to tell when my paramilitary 2 was made. Can some one please help? Thx

Enduraguy96 · #2

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oLr7Y1BBUJI" target="_blank

This will show you.

The Deacon · #3

Did it come in a Spyderco box? If so there's a two letter code on the label. First letter is the month A= 1 = January thru L = 12 = December. Second letter is the last two digits of the year A = 2001 thru N = 2014. So, for example GN would mean it was made (or at least packaged for sale) in July of 2014.

hairball253 · #4

And if there isnt two letters?

OldSarSwmr · #5

Hey Hairball, the letters should be on the label on the box. I circled it. If it doesn't have letters, it could possibly be a forgery?

Hope this helps.

Dan

hairball253 · #6

Ok thx guys will dig abit more and see what comes up.

Able Dog · #7

Doesn't Spyderco also mark the date code somewhere near the pivot area of the blade (at least on Golden knives)? You would need to take the knife apart to actually see it, but if there isn't any indication on the box this would be your only option.

The Deacon · #8

Able Dog wrote:Doesn't Spyderco also mark the date code somewhere near the pivot area of the blade (at least on Golden knives)? You would need to take the knife apart to actually see it, but if there isn't any indication on the box this would be your only option.

Yes, they mark month and year there. However, if he has the box and there's no date code on it, then I doubt there will be one on the blade either. I can't say it's impossible for the label on a genuine Spyderco not to have a date code on it. However, I would strongly suspect any box without one to be a fake and to contain a fake, given that out of the several hundred such boxes I have for knives made since Spyderco started using the two letter code over a decade ago, every single one has it.

hairball253 · #9

Ok thanks guys I check the knife over and I'm 99% sure the knife is real.I looked through the forums and youtube videas and the knife looks good. Just not sure of the box. I sent in a pic of the box to spyderco will wait to see what they say.thanks

Doc Dan · #10

Ok, then is it an older model, perhaps? I do not remember when they started with the date code, but older ones did not have the date code.

Doc Dan · #11

I have read on the forums that boxes with no date happen, sometimes, but rarely.

Doc Dan · #12

double post

The Deacon · #13

Doc Dan wrote:Ok, then is it an older model, perhaps? I do not remember when they started with the date code, but older ones did not have the date code.

The original Paramilitary came out in 2003 and the 2 letter date coding didn't start until late 2003/early 2004, so that would be possible if the knife is the older version and the box is the grey one with the spiderweb on it. However, most of the grey boxes I have from that pre-date the 2 letter date code era have actual dates on the label. In addition, the OP did refer to his knife as a PM 2, which didn't come out until a few years ago and is well within both the red/black box and 2 letter date code eras.

Anything can happen, so a legitimate label without a date code is not impossible. Still, given the number of fake Paramilitary 2's out there, a PM2 in a box with a label without a date code would be a deal breaker for me if I was in the market for one. Same would be true with at least a half a dozen or so other models where counterfeiting is rampant.

Doc Dan · #14

Paul, I am sure you are right. I was just trying to be a little hopeful. It is possible, but...I think it unlikely.

However, http://paulberetta.com/spy101_date_codes.htm" target="_blank

Plus, remember there was a thread in October where a guy had a Gayle Bradley with a box that had no date code. I wonder whatever became of that?

hairball253 · #15

Spyderco customer service emailed me back and told me it is a replacement box.I guess my box was damaged during shipping. But thanks for all the help guys

tvenuto · #16

hairball253 wrote:Spyderco customer service emailed me back and told me it is a replacement box.I guess my box was damaged during shipping. But thanks for all the help guys

And thank you for taking the time to post the actual resolution! So many of these threads fizzle out without closure.

Doc Dan · #17

Well, Duh! I should have thought of that. This would also explain other legitimate knives with no dates on the box that pop up from time to time.

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