I recently picked up, online, a Beretta folder. Only markings on blade are BERETTA on one side and JAPAN on the other. However, the box says Beretta U.S.A. I have a Beretta KB-403 that looks the same with very minor variations. On its blade it says Beretta on one side and SEKI JAPAN on the other. I'm wondering if the K-401 is a knockoff. Is anyone familiar with this knife?
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Beretta K-401 folder
- Thread starter mexbilly
- Start date
Sorry, I am unable to post a pic right now but it looks like the KB-403 if you are familiar with that one. What concerns me is the blade says JAPAN (not Seki like the KB 403) but the box says BERETTA U.S.A..
Beretta has sourced their knives from a variety of places over the years and they change up models pretty often. They often discount knives when they go out of regular production. From what I've seen, one knife shouldn't really be used to judge another and they probably are not collectible enough to be counterfeited. Sometimes a Japanese company that makes the knife for a particular brand name also sells the same knife out the back door, usually to an Asian market, with variations so it's not the "same" product. I think this can be true of some SOG, Gerber and AlMar.
Thank you brownshoe. I feel a little better after your reply. You are probably right about it not being collectible enough to be coun terfitted. Of course I don't know how collectible they were when produced in the nineties. What do you make of JAPAN on the blade and BERETTA U.S.A. on the box? And should I assume it was not made in SEKI since it wasn't on the blade?
It could have been marketed by Baretta USA, but made in Japan. Baretta sells clothes, jackets, accessories as well as guns, I've seen knives marketed with clothes etc. but clothes etc. may not be marketed with guns.
I don't think it makes much difference what city it was made in. I believe there are good and great makers in other Japanese cities. It's either a well made knife or not
I don't think it makes much difference what city it was made in. I believe there are good and great makers in other Japanese cities. It's either a well made knife or not
Thank you brownshoe!It could have been marketed by Baretta USA, but made in Japan. Baretta sells clothes, jackets, accessories as well as guns, I've seen knives marketed with clothes etc. but clothes etc. may not be marketed with guns.
I don't think it makes much difference what city it was made in. I believe there are good and great makers in other Japanese cities. It's either a well made knife or not
eisman
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In the late 1980's Beretta teamed up with Bob Loveless to make knives to his patterns. Those knives were made with his approval and supervision in Seki, which was the center of Japanese knife manufacturing. Parker and Al Mar made knives at the same time in Seki. After that Beretta made other knives using the same connections. The quince handled Loveless knives were fantastic. A real bargain at about 1/15th the cost of a "real" Loveless back then. They're pretty good working knives too. I have one of the cheaper plastic handled knives and it's been used regularly since then and hardly looks used at all.
That Rigid box is not the correct one for that knife. It should be in a white box with a navy blue rectangular Beretta logo.
That Rigid box is not the correct one for that knife. It should be in a white box with a navy blue rectangular Beretta logo.
