Identifying Fakes

A

ASBOB

Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
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I'm just starting to get into customs. Just for fun, I posted "Terzuola" on the auction site and besides the production lines (e.g. Spyderco Slipits), they had a few custom items--or so labelled--for sale.

Now I assume the best way to be safe is to buy from the knifemaker himself, or from an established dealer (e.g. I've been looking at a few things from Arizona Custom Knives).

But just out of curiosity, how do you tell the real mccoy? Even at a show, when you can finger the knife?

My thanks, from a newbie.
 
Hard question to answer but all I can say is just keep up with checking all the knife websites and visually taking in as much as you can. After a while you will just know.. Just follow the learning curve.
 
When buying from an auction site you might even make a copy of the photo and contact the maker to ensure provenance. I would not mind at all someone contacting me to find out about a knife they were looking at buying. I could tell them a but about it and might be more accurate than the description provided.

I do not feel most makers would be offended by such contact but start with a quick email and hopefully they respond in time.
 
The best defense against forgery is learning all you can and about the knives and makers. A good start is by attending all the shows you can allowing you to handle as many knives from as many makers as possible. Learn their styles, how they perform certain procedures, what marks they use and how/where they apply them.
We have been much more fortunate than many collectable communities in that counterfeiting/forgeries have been more isolated incidents than commonplace.

I don't believe we are at much risk of counterfeiting becoming much of a problem as we are a pretty knife/knifemaker savvy and tight-knit community resulting in the reward vs. risk factor being less than beneficial to the low-lifes who would try.
And if a knifemaker is talented enough to make a good enough copy of a "handmade" custom knife maker's knife, then he's most likely talented enough to do pretty well making his own knives.

There's probably more risk of counterfeiting in the mid-tech style knives than in custom hand-made knives.
 
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I keep trying to buy fakes, but I keep ending up with the real deal:confused:
Oh well, that's what I get for dealing with honest people.
 
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