Review Hinderer XM18 3.5 - Real or Clone?

DennisM

DennisM

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OK ... so being a tight ass ... I finally "splurged" for a Hinderer ... I think. 🧐

Guess where I got it? e-Bay!

I actually ended up getting it for free. I won an auction for $110. I know I know ... if it's too good to be true - it's probably not. It was worth a shot to me so I rolled the dice. Paid for the auction with CC through e-Bay with money back guarantee. After payment - I got crickets. I finally was sent a tracking # and it remained USPS waiting receipt for a week. I reported to e-Bay and they said to wait a week and then recontact them for their assistance. A week goes by and crickets were still singing. I contact e-Bay and they refund my money. The seller was banded. A week later ... I get a shipment. I have no way to contact the seller.

I will post the pics of the knife I received in a follow-up. It looks pretty nice and so is the action. I am a novice to Hinderer so I am unsure if I got lucky or if it's a clone. It's a little different than pictures I've seen but not sure if it's just any older version. Please advise.

Thanks!
 
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Rip away experts. No harm no foul either way since it cost me nada. Hopefully this can be a learning post for other novices like me.
 
The Hinderer imprinting font is different than I've ever seen. The "D" is too curved. Most of mine are older though so maybe it changed over time.

My guess is a clone
 
I think there are a lot of things wrong with the knife. The pivot screw depth of slot and mating pice on other side of knife. All the hardware looks odd to me. The two piece box with foam. They normally come in a plastic bag and tactical peanuts with a folded box. The font on the scales does not look right. The opening on the clip and how the edge seems to be overly rounded. Normally you also get a card with who tuned the knife (Sean LeMasters, etc), not a thank you note. The USA on the blade and horse head on the other side does not look like a real Hinderer. Look at any post in the for sale folder section with a Hinderer with pictures and it will help you out comparing.

What did it cost? That should be a dead giveaway.
 
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The pivot is wrong. And the steel type CPM20CV I don't think was offered until the Gen 6 knives and the lockbar not having the steel insert (you can see there isnt a screw on the lockbar) would make the body an older Generation ... at least Gen 4 or older and the blade Gen 6. The pictures aren't the best lighting, but the finish looks off to my eye.

I don't have access to more detailed pictures right now, but here are some of my XM-18s you can see what I mean about the pivot being wrong and lockbar insert on Gen 6s. And I'm not 100% sure with the steel type on the knife in question, but I think the Gen 4s were S35VN with some of the later Gen 4s being M390, but I don't think the CPM20CV marking was used until the Gen 6 (Someone may correct my if I'm wrong about this?) and the flipper tab isn't marked with the triway for a Gen 6.

It looks like they used a mix of Gen 6 and older Gen 4 or older style parts and didn't even match components for one or the other versions.

20220506_125355.jpg
 
In comparison to my Hinderers, I say it's a fake. The pocket clip, screws, and fit of parts just look all wrong. The flipper tab is the wrong shape, the finish looks wrong, and the box is WAY off.
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
The pivot is wrong. And the steel type CPM20CV I don't think was offered until the Gen 6 knives and the lockbar not having the steel insert (you can see there isnt a screw on the lockbar) would make the body an older Generation ... at least Gen 4 or older and the blade Gen 6. The pictures aren't the best lighting, but the finish looks off to my eye.

I don't have access to more detailed pictures right now, but here are some of my XM-18s you can see what I mean about the pivot being wrong and lockbar insert on Gen 6s. And I'm not 100% sure with the steel type on the knife in question, but I think the Gen 4s were S35VN with some of the later Gen 4s being M390, but I don't think the CPM20CV marking was used until the Gen 6 (Someone may correct my if I'm wrong about this?) and the flipper tab isn't marked with the triway for a Gen 6.
Click to expand...

Have them all packed away now, so I can’t check, but I do think I have a 20CV Gen 4 and a couple of 20CV Gen 5 (with insert).

Note that M390 was only used for DLT exclusives, AFAIK, I might be wrong.
 
Not sure why there is even any discussion. That Thank You card makes it clear to all concerned that this is a knock-off, and please tell all your friends to buy more knock-offs.
 
ferider said:
Have them all packed away now, so I can’t check, but I do think I have a 20CV Gen 4 and a couple of 20CV Gen 5 (with insert).

Note that M390 was only used for DLT exclusives, AFAIK, I might be wrong.
Click to expand...
Yes the steel type and lockbar insert do not go hand-in-hand. I’ve seen real ones (Eklipse gen 2) with 20CV, no Tri-way, and no insert,

And on the other hand I’ve seen XMs with a steel insert, tri-way and S35VN… early gen 5 maybe? Metal Complex had one.

I am almost positive the tri-way and lockbar insert were introduced at the same time tho, someone correct me if I’m wrong
 
tony281sc2 said:
Yes the steel type and lockbar insert do not go hand-in-hand. I’ve seen real ones (Eklipse gen 2) with 20CV, no Tri-way, and no insert,

And on the other hand I’ve seen XMs with a steel insert, tri-way and S35VN… early gen 5 maybe? Metal Complex had one.

I am almost positive the tri-way and lockbar insert were introduced at the same time tho, someone correct me if I’m wrong
Click to expand...

Well, I have a couple of (reground) Gen4 S35vn blades in tri-way frames - they didn’t come like this though.

The insert came with Gen5, before triway.
 
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