Bowie Identification/Warranty ?

M

Mr.Bojangles

Joined
Nov 11, 2008
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Hey guys. I have a knife that I'm thinking is probably a counterfeit but I just want to make sure. I don't have a picture so hopefully this description will suffice. It looks very much like a Government Agent, but has a TiNi finish. Was this knife ever offered in this finish? Also, the finish has the unique, glossy, iridescent look that SOG's TiNi does. However, the blade has no SOG markings that I can find. It is made in Taiwan (I believe...don't have it on hand at the moment...will double check this), and has a nylon sheath, not kydex. It does have the "screw" looking butt cap. I know there are some pretty convincing fakes out there, and the lack of markings certainly suggests that is the case. Doesn't really feel cheap, but it is a fixed blade--not as easy to tell. Haven't tried to sharpen it yet. Oh and BTW, I probably should've mentioned this...I didn't purchase it new...it was a yard sale find, so don't feel too bad for me ;). I took a chance. Even a fake prob isn't too bad for the price I paid. Any help is appreciated though.

Oh, and while I'm at it...what do you guys think would be the cheaper route, customer service wise: simply buying a new AO spring for my Twitch II, or sending it in for warranty? It's $6.00 and some change to buy a new one...don't think that includes shipping. Does SOG cover return shipping for warranty work? Is it worth the risk of shipping it to save a couple bucks? Probably not, but I thought I'd ask anyway. Thanks!:thumbup:
 
Hard to give a status on your knife in question with out seeing a photo. But is sounds like it might be a Gov-Tac, check out this page and see if it matches - http://sogknives.com/store/S21T.html.

As for the Twitch II spring. My personal suggestion would be to send it in. We can put the spring in easier and will also clean sharpen the knife. But if you feel comfortable changing the spring it is not too hard. The hard part is getting it to stay in place as you are tightening the pivot screw. Yes, we do cover return shipping to you.
 
Mr.Bojangles said:
However, the blade has no SOG markings that I can find
Click to expand...

Definitely a fake.

ALL SOG knives have the SOG logo on it and on the reverse side of the blade the word "Taiwan". I guess maybe Chris missed out mentioning this.

If it was the knife you believed to be (the Recon Government made in Seki Japan) then I guess you will be disappointed. When you see gun-blue, you can see the blue. It's real dark blue, but still BLUE. Won't be iridescent or funny colored.
 
I dunno...you might be right...but the blade pictured in the link I posted does not appear to have any SOG markings on it? Many of the other older blades don't appear to either? And why would they all be marked Taiwan if some are made in Japan and the U.S.? The finish on the knife looks like any gun-blueing I've ever seen...a shiny, blue-black look. Have there been blued fakes in the past? And you're certain all SOGs ever made were marked as such?
 
Ok let me clarify again... Some facts:

  • ALL SOG knives have the SOG logo on it, be it the old 'square SOG logo' or the newer 'split bullet logo'.
  • Knives made in Japan have 'Seki Japan' on the reverse side of the knife, while those made in Taiwan are marked 'Taiwan'.
  • Whether a SOG is a fake a not, it is pretty obvious. The SOG logo will most likely be printed on (instead of engraved) and the materials look kinda cheap. Not to mention cheap packaging. If in doubt, look at the sheath - that's the best bet. The sheath is the one that gives it away.


I can always buy a fake carbon-steel SOG knife and gun-blue it and market it as a rare old model. :D

We are still waiting for some pictures. All talk without anything posted to determine anything is all pure paper talk. Nobody will reply to this thread anymore if we don't have any pictures to help you out. Including me.
 
Update: I was going to post pictures, but after retrieving the knife from my parents' house and further inspecting it, I don't think there's any need. I'm fairly certain it is, indeed, a fake. As mentioned, it has the exact same form factor as a Recon Government/Government Agent, but has the shiny blue-black blade of a Recon Government. I had remembered correctly--the blade is manufactured in Taiwan, which is stamped on the cross-guard, the only marking on the knife. Unless SOG ever produced a version of the Recon Government in Taiwan and didn't put their name on it, or SOG produced the Government Agent without "SOG" markings, and someone had theirs refinished (blued or TiNi?) then I don't think this one is real.

It is, however, a pretty convincing fake except for its lack of markings...the blade even takes a decent edge. The finish is odd...sorta like a blueing, but it looks kind of iridescent in places, has little swirls in it when you look up close, thumbprints make it appear darker where you touched it, very shiny. Maybe it's just a crappy blueing job? The handle is a little rubbery too, probably isn't even real Kraton...but Kraton does vary in texture. The sheath doesn't seem too cheap, but nothing special. Cordura w/ snaps and a "Rambo-style" leg tie.

For the couple bucks I paid, it might not be too bad either way. Seems to have a full-length tang, but I can't tell for sure without cutting the handle off. Who knows what the heat treat is like. Guess it's not a SOG though, unless there was some Taiwanese Recon Government variation I don't know about?
 
aitor of spain, had a model very similar to the government in stainless steel with a (strangely enough) blued disc pommel. always did wonder if they had 'em made "else where".
i do know that it's pretty hard to photograph the markings on the sog knives seki blued blades, chiefly because the correct lighting or positioning of light source was paramount for a clear shot...
"sog specialty knives" marking
http://img413.imageshack.us/i/sogrecongovltmk.jpg/
"seki-japan" marking
http://img402.imageshack.us/i/sogrecongovrtmk.jpg/
 
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Sorry for taking so long to respond--kinda forgot to check back here. Thanks for the clear pictures bud. It is indeed hard to see the logo in most of the pictures I found of this knife online. At this point I'm positive mine's not real. As for the Aitor, unless it looks just like the Recon Government, I think mines just a Taiwanese knock-off. Hard to say without seeing the Aitor though. Thanks again.

As for the Twitch II replacement spring--I guess I'll do whatever's the cheapest. The spring broke pretty quick...prob. only a month or so after buying the knife? So the blade isn't really in need of sharpening. Hoping the replacement will last longer. Hopefully it's not too much of a chore to put in the knife. I've tried using it without, but being a back-lock and not having washers, it's a little sluggish to open without the A.O.
 
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