Did I Get Hosed?

I am very new to spyderco knives, but I did just buy two PM2's. Everything looks just like mine. But, it does look like someone took a saw, file, or dremel to the jimping to widen them. I think that is what the scuff is below the jimping. Just a thought. You can see the marks from some type of abrasives.
 
My Grey Para2 has the same weird look.

Never noticed it before.

I'd say it's real.
 
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If it is indeed real I don't think it's that big of a deal if it will be a user. Unless it bothers you. On the other hand QC really should know about this. I'd have it replaced. A little too gnarly. It wouldn't be the first or the last.
 
This version has known issues with jimping, I believe the steel caused Spyderco some issues. Mine has the same jimping and some deeper grind marks.
 
The 3rd round of photos look better (more Spyderco indicators).

The box coding is a bit interesting though ...

The SKU ( C81GPGR2 ) is for a Green Scales CTS-204P steel (a Blue Ridge Knives Exclusive). The box date code DM (April/2013) is for a Green 204P knife that supposedly was a June/2013 release (interesting that the box is dated b4 the release date of the model, except that the model released later than planned).

The Gray Scales CTS-20P (knife in pic's) was a different SKU (C81GGY20CP2) , and was released in 2011.

That box is mismatched with that particular knife.

Regards,

Edit:
Just read Jimbo75 comments above.
Issues machining 20P back in 2011 makes sense. The grind lines look pretty good. Are there issues with the knife that have you concerned about using it?
 
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I don't really look at boxes at all when evaluating knives. its like sizing up a car at a red light by the paint job.
 
Sosa said:
I don't really look at boxes at all when evaluating knives. its like sizing up a car at a red light by the paint job.
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Agreed, and many of us just throw them away.

I just thought it interesting to see a date-code that pre-dates the release date of a particular model. However, in this case the model (Green CTS-204P) is known to have released about a year late (so maybe makes sense).

Previous owner probably just miss-boxed the knife (Green vs Gray).

Regards,
 
Yeah I got boxes of boxes. Need to get rid of them. Only keep them for resale with the knife if I let them go. The box is like icing on the cake.
 
You can make anything look like it was made by Martians if you magnify it enough, angle it slightly, dim the light. Just take it to Spyderco ...

... I am so glad I don't live where you do. I would be starving, dressed in rags, no furniture except cases and cases of knives !!!

Spyderco knives !!! !!! !!!
 
Joe Manco said:
Bottom box is a known authentic
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I was told one way to tell when looking at the box is to look at the little A shape on the spider's head. Fake ones are known to be bigger and wider like the box on top.
 
Joe Manco said:
This bad? And the scrape under them?
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Look at anything under high enough magnification and it can look terrible. When viewed under high magnification, areas like this are common in non-critical areas of Spyderco blade tangs. If that were a contact surface it would be an issue, where it's located it's not.

However, some of the other issues on this knife cross the line between what I'd consider an acceptable cosmetic imperfection and what I'd consider a defect in workmanship that would qualify a knife for a "seconds" notch. That said, if I were selling or trading a knife with thumb ramp jimping as crooked as that, or a blade that was as asymmetrically ground as your knife's appears to be, I would make sure the buyer was aware of those facts. For that reason, IMHO, you either have an issue that should be resolved by the seller if he failed to disclose or this is something you were aware of and accepted at time of purchase.

Given that this knife was part of a limited run from several years ago, Spyderco would not be able to replace it, best they'd be able to do for you is store credit at SFO for the MSRP of the knife.
 
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Well, it took 3 of them to decide that...it's a real bad example of a real spyderco. None of them had ever seen one in person before. One guy remembered that they had trouble with that steel, a lot were like this and mentioned that they never chose it again except for maybe a Mule set? If this is the equivalent of s90v why would it be harder to work with? I traded a new Jade m4 for this strait up. I was going to try to collect all of the sprint run para 2's. What would you do.
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Joe Manco said:
Well, it took 3 of them to decide that...it's a real bad example of a real spyderco. None of them had ever seen one in person before. One guy remembered that they had trouble with that steel, a lot were like this and mentioned that they never chose it again except for maybe a Mule set? If this is the equivalent of s90v why would it be harder to work with? I traded a new Jade m4 for this strait up. I was going to try to collect all of the sprint run para 2's. What would you do.
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Can you buy it back at a discount? Even though many or even most of them have this same issue it's still a great knife but has a back story and will still make a great addition to a Para collection, they seem to be quite rare too. The jimping is still functional, just a little funky to look at...
 
Esav Benyamin said:
You can make anything look like it was made by Martians if you magnify it enough, angle it slightly, dim the light. Just take it to Spyderco ...

... I am so glad I don't live where you do. I would be starving, dressed in rags, no furniture except cases and cases of knives !!!

Spyderco knives !!! !!! !!!
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Trust me on this Esav, it is HARD!!! :o I can't go to the SFO without dropping at least $100, and I'm only about 15 minutes away. :foot: To make it even worse, my in-laws live less than 5 minutes from there.

Joe Manco said:
Well, it took 3 of them to decide that...it's a real bad example of a real spyderco. None of them had ever seen one in person before. One guy remembered that they had trouble with that steel, a lot were like this and mentioned that they never chose it again except for maybe a Mule set? If this is the equivalent of s90v why would it be harder to work with? I traded a new Jade m4 for this strait up. I was going to try to collect all of the sprint run para 2's. What would you do.
d8e51459f98536a4c01cc7764d71b305.jpg

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I would have made it a USER!!! I wonder if they would sell it now? Are you saying that they traded you a Jade M4 there at the store?

Jimbo75 said:
Can you buy it back at a discount? Even though many or even most of them have this same issue it's still a great knife but has a back story and will still make a great addition to a Para collection, they seem to be quite rare too. The jimping is still functional, just a little funky to look at...
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Agreed, see above. I need to make a phone call...
 
I traded this knife to Joe Manco... I was completely unaware of the defects... when he pointed them out I was afraid I had purchased a fake... I bought two of these from a reputable dealer a few years ago... I guess I don't examine my knives too closely... btw I have over five hundred (unexamined) Spyderco knives - and I have never really worried (until now) about buying a forgery-type knife...

I will certainly do whatever is needed to satisfy Joe on this trade... I have not even put his knife in my collection cabinet yet... I respect the members here... and I want very much to stay in good standing with the Spyderco fans in specific and the Blade Forums crowd in general... I do have the correct box... I checked after the mistake was pointed out in this thread... I have 2 of the green G-10 Para IIs and that must be the box for one of them...

all will be hunky-dunky at the end of this ordeal, I swear!
 
You say you're interested in collecting all the sprint PM2's and you traded a unused 2011 20CP for a 2016 M4 because it had some cosmetic issues that others mentioned are somewhat typical of that particular model, and ask what would I do. I would have kept the 20CP, and thanked Spyderco for stepping up with such gracious offer !

How many 20CP models are available for sale today, next week, next year vs. M4's ...?

Trading such drastically differing knives indicates this was probably more about collectables than performance (as you mentioned). Chances are that 20CP will go into an employee's collection, or get notched and resold as a second forever decreasing it's collectivity value factor :-(

From a collectables perspective, I would plead a second thoughts attempt for a trade-back before it's too late. Those character marks that pop out under magnification could be moderated (massaged and smoothed if they really bother you) or simply left as character marks related to the history of the time & model.

What's important is how you feel about your new Jade M4, NOT what any of us feel ;-)

Appreciate your follow-up here, and once again a great example of Spyderco taking care of a customer (well ... not really even a Spyderco customer as relates to that specific knife, remember we are taking about a second-hand or more previous owners knife from a product run 5 years ago).

Thanks Spyderco ;-)

Regards,
 
Esav Benyamin said:
You can make anything look like it was made by Martians if you magnify it enough, angle it slightly, dim the light. Just take it to Spyderco ...

... I am so glad I don't live where you do. I would be starving, dressed in rags, no furniture except cases and cases of knives !!!

Spyderco knives !!! !!! !!!
Click to expand...

I know how you feel. I fight the occasional urge to drive the 6 hours to titusville every so often to see the shiny new GEC knives.
 
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