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C156 Southard Authenticity

P

PharmGuy85

Joined
Sep 6, 2025
Messages
5
New Member (Long time listener first time caller). I feel like I’m pretty good at spotting fakes most of the time. I have several other Spydercos in my small collection including another Southard. I’ve review the stick thread on fakes. I’ve also sent in knives to Spyderco for sharpening and authentication verification before. I’ve looked up Southards a lot, but now some pictures from the older threads do not show up. So hoping someone with more knowledge on the matter will chime in.

Purchased this one the ‘Bay a couple days ago. Went to remove the scale to put on my other Southard and there was not a hole in frame like mine, only other anomaly is missing the bearing washers. Most other things seem correct, the weight, titanium frame, stonewash finish. Was there a mid production change in frame or is this a clone?

Obviously top is knife in question. Bottom is my very well used comparison.

https://flic.kr/p/2rt8d6E
https://flic.kr/p/2rt9rC4
https://flic.kr/p/2rtbYm4
https://flic.kr/p/2rtbUN3
 
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I'm not familiar with the Southard, but since the top one is missing the Taichung mark, at least from what I can see in the pictures, I 'd have to go with counterfeit.
 
Ten or so years ago there were lots of fake Southards. Something about being a flipper was catnip. It was pretty well always the black ones.

And something about the proportions of the black one sure seems askew. The 2 versions were identical other than the black/black vs. brown/stonewash.

C156GPBBK__36406.1511391491.jpg
 
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I tried to add additional pictures to my original post and may have deleted. So I have an older black Southard, blade looks more silver now as finish has worn off. Blade has been whittled away over the years from sharpening. It’s seen better days.

I purchased a Tan Southard the other day that came with an additional/bonus scale. The knife looked phenomenal at first, but I am questioning the authenticity due to the tan scales missing metal studs, and the frame missing a hole that I have heard the authentic Southards have. This one is also missing the washer that goes between bearing and frame. Everything else looks so good on it just trying to gather and opinions of other Southard owners in case there was variances mid-production.
-I am aware of the vast number of clones that existed.
-I’ve consulted the ‘sticky’ thread about fakes

https://flic.kr/p/2rtbYm4
https://flic.kr/p/2rtbUN3
https://flic.kr/p/2rtc91a
 
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