Knock-Off, Counterfeit, Fake Bucks & The Americans Who Sell Them

[matthewtstock]

Both are fugazi. Blade stamp is a bit off. Rocker pin is in the wrong position (and possibly brass?). Kick is wrong. Junction of the lock bar and rear bolster is all wrong as well. I sent this information to the seller to see if they are aware of the fake.

 

[synthetique]

Both are fugazi. Blade stamp is a bit off. Rocker pin is in the wrong position (and possibly brass?). Kick is wrong. Junction of the lock bar and rear bolster is all wrong as well.

Yep, those differences are pretty obvious now that you've pointed them out
Thanks for the help, everyone! The ebay sellers in question are LRKNIVES and honed-handed. I checked out their feedback, and both have feedback (just one each) noting the buyer received a counterfeit knife (both Kershaws), so these aren't the only fakes they seem to be selling.

 

[TheFishman]

I think everyone knows Temu is a cesspool of counterfeit products. Several sellers are now offering a Buck 662 Alpha Scout Elite/Pro for around $25. The blade states it is S35VN which would make it a Pro, but the G10 handle and Kydex sheath make it the Elite model. At least I can be assured that it is made in the USA since USA is printed right on the blade.

 

[Culprit99]

Is this knife on eBay a counterfeit? The Mentor was introduced in 1995, so all of them should have a year mark, correct?

 

[Hickory n steel]

I have no clue why that knife wouldn't have a date code but it looks like an authentic Buck to me.
Hopefully somebody will have an answer for the lack of a date code.

 

[Buck Knives Inc.]

I have seen that before on the 470's. I am not 100% sure why but that does look legitimate.

 

[Culprit99]

I have seen that before on the 470's. I am not 100% sure why but that does look legitimate.

Thank you Buck Knives Inc. and Hickory n steel .

I also asked this question elsewhere and was told by a knowledgeable guy that not all knives from this era had year marks, for whatever reason. And Joe Houser remembers one year sometime after the move to Idaho that someone forgot to order new stamps, so they used the old stamp blocks with the date code ground off for a few months.

 

[DrMegabyte]

Two new eBay sellers of fakes:

User madeguy404 selling a fake Vanguard: https://www.ebay.com/itm/127210471706
User 937iwantit selling a Buck "DA130": https://www.ebay.com/itm/177238691606

 

[TheFishman]

This knife is currently up on eBay. At first glance, I thought it was a 497 ErgoHunter, but on closer inspection, it is just a knife with Buck printed on the blade. Not gonna lie, I kind of like the blade design.

 

[angelboy]

I've just picked this up at an auction and I'm pretty sure it's a fake.

What do you make of it?

 

[TheFishman]

I have seen plenty of 622 Endeavor counterfeits, but they have finally released a 104 counterfeit that copies the blade design of the April 2025 BOTM. These are currently up on the auction site. They are supposedly made out of 14C28N. I like the note included at the end of the auction, "The product is relatively sharp, please keep it away from children. For collection only."

 

[pjsjr]

they have finally released a 104 counterfeit that copies the blade design of the April 2025 BOTM

Those really, really look for counterfeits!

 

[Culprit99]

Wow - they even have the detail on the scale screws. The scales look really plasticy - I wonder if they're actually micarta or something else.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I've just picked this up at an auction and I'm pretty sure it's a fake.

What do you make of it?

It definitely looks fake to me.
And that sheath looks like the work of a meth head.
They riveted it together then covered the whole thing in epoxy ?

 

[Hickory n steel]

Those really, really look for counterfeits!

Are we sure they aren't using pictures of real ones ?
the scales do look like some plastic faux micarta, but otherwise I'm not sure I'd know the difference if I had bought one.

 

[pjsjr]

Are we sure they aren't using pictures of real ones ?

I don't think Buck ever made the 104 in 14C28 N steel, so they couldn't be using Buck's pictures.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I don't think Buck ever made the 104 in 14C28 N steel, so they couldn't be using Buck's pictures.

okay, then I guess they just must have gotten one in hand and done a relatively accurate job of copying it.
It's scary how much closer they get every year at ripping people off.

 

[TheFishman]

Here are a couple of new ones that I haven't seen. It looks like they copied the 635 PakLite caper and the 713 Rukus. The Rukus was just released earlier this year. Both are listed on Temu for less than $25 each.

I originally saw the 104 I posted about on July 7 on eBay. Two have sold so far for $88 each. It is now up on Temu also and sells for $21.

 

[rockymountainknife]

One I got taken on by an auctineer that let the rear holster peek out from the box only through plastic. Couldn't tell it was bad. These seem to be going around on eBay

https://ibb.co/G3nmLHRx

 

[TheFishman]

One I got taken on by an auctineer that let the rear holster peek out from the box only through plastic. Couldn't tell it was bad. These seem to be going around on eBay

https://ibb.co/G3nmLHRx

You stated auctioneer so I assume this was a live auction. They didn't allow you to handle the knife before the auction? Do you have any recourse for taking it back? You mention plastic so I assume the knife was wrapped in a plastic bag inside the box. I have noticed that a lot of the fakes seem to be wrapped in plastic. I don't recall Buck wrapping any knives in plastic inside their boxes. I have seen many eBay auctions where the photos show the knife wrapped in plastic and that should alert you to the fact that it might be counterfeit. The 2013 date code also shows up on many different counterfeit models.