Did I just pay for a counterfeit?

Kaizen1

Kaizen1

Gold Member
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Jan 4, 2006
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EDITED FOR UPDATE: Response from CRK CS is that they're pretty confident it's legit. In retrospect, asking them should've been the first thing to try. But I haven't had great experience with customer service from most companies up to this point. So top notch first experience with CS.

It's also worth noting that the seller has been patient with me and understanding as I second guessed the authenticity of his knife.

Thanks to everyone for your help!

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I'm watching a video
that compares a fake from a real 21 and one of the first things the guy covers is the card with the model description and many of the key differences in the fake card are shown in the photos in the sale thread (https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/small-21-cgg-gold-leaf-damascus.1632511/).

When searching for the Gold Leaf CGG knives, I can't find any that have Damascus and all of the sales I can see on BF that show the description cards for the gold leaf cgg models look different from the card on the sale thread. I'm kinda freaking out here because my money just went through on PayPal and the knife is supposed to be in the mail to me now. Any help from more experienced CRK owners is greatly appreciated
 
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Well I can say it definately looks wrong to me ... your pictures are a bit fuzzy but from what I can see the BDay card is all wrong ... so you may want to file a claim with PayPal or your credit card company to recoop ...

Because I could be mistaken ... but the look of the BDay card and the leather slip definately do not look authentic.
 
There is a CRK Dealer ( warriors and wonders ) out of Canada that had a few CGG with Damascus. It must have been a special request by them. They had the gold leaf and the crop circles. So there is at least 1 large and small of each design out there. I saw the gold leaf for sale not long ago, so it must have been bought then resold.
 
nyefmaker said:
There is a CRK Dealer ( warriors and wonders ) out of Canada that had a few CGG with Damascus. It must have been a special request by them. They had the gold leaf and the crop circles. So there is at least 1 large and small of each design out there. I saw the gold leaf for sale not long ago, so it must have been bought then resold.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this context. I do see a ladder damascus gold leaf cgg model on their site

https://www.warriorsandwonders.com/...mall_Sebenza_21_Ladder_Damascus_CGG_Gold_Leaf

I am still a little worried about the birthday card. It has the markings of a fake based on that video above. I wonder how I can verify if the card indicates it's fake or not
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
Well I can say it definately looks wrong to me ... your pictures are a bit fuzzy but from what I can see the BDay card is all wrong ... so you may want to file a claim with PayPal or your credit card company to recoop ...

Because I could be mistaken ... but the look of the BDay card and the leather slip definately do not look authentic.
Click to expand...

How confident are you about the Bday card? Is it possible it's real? The leather sheath in the video shows a faint stamp of their tag line. In the sale thread, the stamp is much clearer at least
 
That dealer out of Canada is “suspect” in my book. They are not an authorized dealer. I pointed that dealer out to CRK and they think those dammy CGG models are blade swaps (which could explain a forged bd card).

With that said, I am only assuming that it originated from that store at some point
 
From the pictures on the Exchange posting, things look mostly okay. The birth date card in the sale posting photos looks okay and the leather slip case looks real also. The YouTube video definitely had a counterfeit, but I don't see that in this case. Here are two birth cards from some of my (genuine) CRKs that look a lot like the one in the sale posting. In particular, note the vertical texture pattern in the card stock. I see that same pattern in the Exchange posting photos. And the photos of the knife itself look like a real Sebenza with all the details that can be seen.

Bottom line is I do not think you purchased a counterfeit.

30357442726_1e2bfb8ab3_b.jpg


30357446266_ac86701b12_b.jpg
 
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Wavicle said:
From the pictures on the Exchange posting, things look mostly okay. The birth date card in the sale posting photos looks okay and the leather slip case looks real also. The YouTube video definitely had a counterfeit, but I don't see that in this case. Here are two birth cards from some of my (genuine) CRKs that look a lot like the one in the sale posting. In particular, note the vertical texture pattern in the card stock. I see that same pattern in the Exchange posting photos. And the photos of the knife itself look like a real Sebenza with all the details that can be seen.

Bottom line is I do not think you purchased a counterfeit.

30357442726_1e2bfb8ab3_b.jpg


30357446266_ac86701b12_b.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for this. This is the sort of assurance I was looking for. I couldn't find examples of cards that looked like this other than the one in the video. I can even match the hand writing between the cards. This would be my first CRK and all the talk online about counterfeits started freaking me out
 
NCHunter78 said:
That dealer out of Canada is “suspect” in my book. They are not an authorized dealer. I pointed that dealer out to CRK and they think those dammy CGG models are blade swaps (which could explain a forged bd card).

With that said, I am only assuming that it originated from that store at some point
Click to expand...

I've bought from this store before because they did an exclusive run with Cold Steel and I know that was legit. So the fact that they once sold a ladder damascus version counts as a plus to me.
 
Thanks everyone for your input. Based on available evidence presented here and the experienced folks' feedback, it seems legit to me. After joining Bladeforums in 2006, I just might have my first CRK on the way to me
 
Like I said the pictures are pretty fuzzy to see well ... and I can't say it is a fake or it isn't positively ... but others checked out the otiginal thread pictures and seem to think it's legit ...

if those pictures show better for them then they are probably right ...

if you have any doubts when you get it contact CRK they will be able to give you the definitive answer.
 
Yes, my only hesitation about that store was CRKs response to my inquiry AND the fact that rarely see CGGs with damascus blades for sale. I would love to know if they are legit. It very well may have been some kind of special order. It has been done before.
 
NCHunter78 said:
Yes, my only hesitation about that store was CRKs response to my inquiry AND the fact that rarely see CGGs with damascus blades for sale. I would love to know if they are legit. It very well may have been some kind of special order. It has been done before.
Click to expand...

What did CRK have to say about that store?
 
NCHunter78 said:
That dealer out of Canada is “suspect” in my book. They are not an authorized dealer. I pointed that dealer out to CRK and they think those dammy CGG models are blade swaps (which could explain a forged bd card).

With that said, I am only assuming that it originated from that store at some point
Click to expand...

Warriors and Wonders is an authorized CRK Dealer. They are on the CRK website and I have ordered from them. I got my best Bocote Damascus from them. I wanted the large Damascus crop circles from them, but my girlfriend had trouble with her cc for an international purchase. They are the only dealer that I have seen with Damascus on these CGG models. Perhaps they were special order as I have seen that from CRK several times over the years. But W&W is good to go from an authorized dealer standpoint.
 
I do not see anything wrong with that sales post or your knife... but also would like to point out that in BladeForums, there are hundreds, possibly thousands of eyeballs all looking over those sales posts. A fake would have been spotted very quickly.
 
nyefmaker said:
Warriors and Wonders is an authorized CRK Dealer. They are on the CRK website and I have ordered from them. I got my best Bocote Damascus from them. I wanted the large Damascus crop circles from them, but my girlfriend had trouble with her cc for an international purchase. They are the only dealer that I have seen with Damascus on these CGG models. Perhaps they were special order as I have seen that from CRK several times over the years. But W&W is good to go from an authorized dealer standpoint.
Click to expand...

Yes, that store is an authorized dealer. But that is not the store I am talking about.
 
Kaizen1 said:
For visibility, the seller in the thread offered a refund if I'm not happy. But again given all this info, I'm much less concerned at this point.
Click to expand...

Good to know the seller is standing behind the deal ... and I hope you are happy with your first CRK ... they are exceptional knives. :thumbsup:
 
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