Quick question regarding Chinese clones.

[Nrthfce]

I will admit that I am guilty of this when I purchased fauxkley's in Mexico in high school. I never hid they were fakes, bragged to my friends even that they were great and I got them for a tenth the price. Well, two months later when I couldn't see through my scratched lenses anymore and the wouldn't stay on my head I stopped bragging about em. And to the belief that it will cause you to buy the "real thing"... I have yet to buy a pair of real oakleys. It soured the whole company and look for me. There were so many fakes out they became cliche'... Now I just spend three times as much for Costa's and Ray Bans....

 

[kaotikross]

hey pal. here's some advice you need. seriously.
1. do what you're gonna do.
2. don't go to places where they'll likely rip you a new ass for it and tell on yourself.
3. you're young, obviously with the internet. CRK has people on this forum. do you torrent new movies and then call Universal pictures?
4. discretion. also, discretion. loose lips sink ships. in this case, yours. if nothing else, you're setting yourself up to be trolled, or take all day justifying yourself to people you will never meet, when you could have spent the day playing with whatever knife you get. if the finish rubs off,oh well, it's not the real deal and you knew that ordering it.
5. if folks on here expect ME to believe for one second they don't knowingly own a couple clones, just to play with, whatever. they can all say that smugly, nod holier-than -thou-ly and pretend we all believe it. some probably don't, but some do, and I'd bet there's a fake watch or two in some folks drawers somewhere as well. Difference is:
They're not gonna tell ya that.
Stay cool, watch yer back, before long Mom and Dad aren't gonna be.

 

[timdgsr]

I'll just be a drop in a bucket. 1000s of people like me have already bought one knowingly.

So you know it's wrong, and justify it with thinking like this.

It's precisely that kind of attitude that is ruining the world. What's one piece of trash thrown into the ocean? 7 billion people with that attitude = a pretty crappy place to live.

Hold yourself to higher standards man.

 

[Quiet]

I agree. My dad's fake isn't nearly as nice as his real one. The fact is that it doesn't bother him, though. He gets just as much enjoyment out of the fake as he does with the real one. This is all that it boils down to for me. If I get a fake, and get enjoyment out of it, to me that's all that matters. The same goes for your wife and her collection. If she enjoys her designer purses, good for her, she's getting enjoyment out of them. I wouldn't judge your wife in the slightest if all of her purses were fakes, I'd just be happy that she was happy with them. Honestly, its whatever makes you happy. If the $1 knife at Walmart made me happy, I don't see how that would be a problem. As long as I was happy. Isn't that the whole point of a luxury item? Something that you don't necessarily need that makes you happy?

This is going to be my last post, because it's clear that you aren't getting it and most likely won't get it anytime soon. The point I am making is that I do not buy knockoffs because they are an insult and outright theft from a person or company who actually took the time to design something, took the financial risk to start a company to sell that something, and it became a product that people would pay for.

Thieves make knockoffs and sidestep all of that, and I just don't agree with that, and neither does my wife (or a great many folks here). That's the point. Rolexes and Chris Reeve knives cost what they cost for a hell of a lot more of a reason than the name that's on it. I've never stolen anything in my life.

Anyway, you got your answer. Get you that cheap knock-off, man. Enjoy it. I'm a stranger on the internet, and my opinion is worth what you paid for it. If buying a product made by shady thieves who are too pathetic and stupid to design, market, and sell their own products makes you happy, DO IT. You have your answer. Good luck to you.

I think one day, when you make the money to afford luxury items, you're going to go somewhere and handle the real thing and the light's going to come on. But as I said, don't worry, we all said stupid stuff and held poorly rationalized opinions when we were kids. Then we got older and came to realize a much higher level of complexity to various topics in the world. Have a good one.

 

[Schakalicious]

This astounds me... You want something close to a CRK, and already paid 2/3 the cost of one for something you don't want as much.
Arguably, the CRK would have been as good, if not better, of a user over a basic, run of the mill (non sprint steel) pm2. There will be fans on both sides of the fence that will argue this, but that is not my point.

You already spent MOST of what a small CRK costs on something else that won't resell for as much and possibly not last as long.

You aren't going to get a CRK like product from many people under $300 and for good reason, they are WORTH IT to those who can recognize what makes them so. Here's a hint, it isn't the shape of the handle or the pretty colored thumb stud...
If you are willing to spend your money and not get something worth the paper it is printed on, send me $20 and I will get a good laugh out of it. That way at least someone who works hard and honestly for their income (in the U.S.) will enjoy the fruits of YOUR labor.

By the real thing or don't buy anything. Save your money and understand what the people here are trying to tell you. Don't just look for us to validate what you think is "just a drop in the bucket".

I got the pm2 because I like it. Not because I wanted something else and compromised. To me there are working knives (pm2) and there are art knives. I was going to get a clone sebenza because I don't want to spend $350 on something and just look at it. I can do the same thing with a $40 knockoff. I just like the design and want to test it out before I jump into getting a real one. I probably won't do more with it than cut up apples and open boxes/letters, but that's all I need it to do. I got the pm2, on the other hand, to use at work, because I know that it will make the job easier/faster if I have good equipment. I just wanted the clone to do easy chores and make them a little more enjoyable.

 

[Corytr]

After a bit of searching around I found a knife shop near me that carries Chris Reeve knives. I think that I'll take a trip out there to see if I even like it, and if I do I'll end up getting a used sebenza. That way I get to test one out without getting a knockoff, and I don't support any illegitimate businesses.

That is the best post you've made this far. I believe that you need to own one to fully appreciate it. There are countless stories on here of people who weren't blown away when they first saw or handled their Sebenza. The "wow factor" wasnt there. After owning, understanding, and using it for a short time is when the appreciation for the knife hit them. After all, the beauty of the Sebenza is its simplicity.

Like I said earlier, if you buy a used one at a fair price; you should be able to recoup most, if not all of your funds.

 

[Schakalicious]

hey pal. here's some advice you need. seriously.
1. do what you're gonna do.
2. don't go to places where they'll likely rip you a new ass for it and tell on yourself.
3. you're young, obviously with the internet. CRK has people on this forum. do you torrent new movies and then call Universal pictures?
4. discretion. also, discretion. loose lips sink ships. in this case, yours. if nothing else, you're setting yourself up to be trolled, or take all day justifying yourself to people you will never meet, when you could have spent the day playing with whatever knife you get. if the finish rubs off,oh well, it's not the real deal and you knew that ordering it.
5. if folks on here expect ME to believe for one second they don't knowingly own a couple clones, just to play with, whatever. they can all say that smugly, nod holier-than -thou-ly and pretend we all believe it. some probably don't, but some do, and I'd bet there's a fake watch or two in some folks drawers somewhere as well. Difference is:
They're not gonna tell ya that.
Stay cool, watch yer back, before long Mom and Dad aren't gonna be.

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking the same thing about everyone owning a few clones. I guess next time I'll just keep to myself about this stuff. For some reason it's the same few guys every post ripping me a new one, and honestly, I probably won't be here much anymore because I don't want to have to deal with it.

 

[Schakalicious]

That is the best post you've made this far. I believe that you need to own one to fully appreciate it. There are countless stories on here of people who weren't blown away when they first saw or handled their Sebenza. The "wow factor" wasnt there. After owning, understanding, and using it for a short time is when the appreciation for the knife hit them. After all, the beauty of the Sebenza is its simplicity.

Like I said earlier, if you buy a used one at a fair price; you should be able to recoup most, if not all of your funds.

Thanks. That's what I'll do. I probably won't even want one after I go try it out, I just want to see if the sebenza really is magic like people say lol.

 

[Inazone]

Schakalicious, answer this question if you don't mind: Have you actually come up with a list of specs and features you'd like in a knife, and spent some time online knives what knives meet those requirements within your price range?

Look, if the Sebenza's appearance appeals to you, I get it. However, it seems as though you aren't terribly interested in a functional knife, and you're doing yourself a disservice if you buy a knife strictly on looks alone, more so if it's a copy. Why not buy an inexpensive but well-built knife made of good materials?

 

[Nrthfce]

Lol I don't have a wife so I can't relate, I was just trying to make an example. What I meant was that if your wife had a cheap handbag or if you had a cheap watch/cheap knife, honestly I wouldn't judge because if that cheap knife/watch/handbag made you happy then that's all that matters. As long as you're satisfied.

😀 true. I don't care what people carry as long as they are happy. I spotted a couple carrying matching his and hers 😘😘 kershaws the other night and asked how they liked them and even got to handle the knives. We had a great discussion. Btw I was carrying a Gerber in one pocket and a CRK in the other. We all compared knives back a forth. However, if one or both of them pulled a fake Kershaw(s) at 1/10 the price the conversation would have been much shorter a less useful for both parties.

Same goes for my bride. We enter a party, she sees a bag, goes to talk and talks to the other person regardless of value but if someone is either trying to pull off a fake LV or knowingly carrying a fake LV, no information is learned and conversation is ruined.

 

[ocnLogan]

So much has already been said, but I just wanted to share a small bit of information that helped me.

On the topic of clones. You should really watch a documentary called "Illicit: The Dark Trade". It was filmed by National Geographic, and is based on a book by Dr. Moisés Naím called "Illicit". Its a documentary about the effects of cloning/counterfeits on the global economy, and how the counterfeits and clone products out there are very commonly used to help fund large criminal organizations that do all sorts of horrific things. I first saw it in college, and went from being somewhere in the middle in terms of viewpoints on this topic... to staunchly supporting real products, and not clones.

I just have no desire to be helping fund human trafficking, drug running, or anything of the like.

Now, "replicas" or "products with design influences" or things in common with other designs... the waters get more murky.

I would personally find a knife made by a company that isn't trying to claim it is a clone, or replica, and instead has similar traits to what you're wanting. For instance, look at the CRKT Drifter in stainless. Its clearly not a CRK (and its $20), but has some design similarities that may help you scratch that itch.

Its clearly your money, and you can do what you want. I just thought I'd chime in on the cloning bit, as I felt that documentary was very educational.

Anyway, 'gratz on bringing your parents around . I'd be quite content to just have a knife again methinks .

 

[NJBillK]

I bought my Large 21 to use because it is a Great knife. I use it at work, I have dropped it on concrete and put a ding in the scales, the blade has a chip in it from making accidental contact with a piece of steel and guess what?

I am fine with it. I bought it to use and that is my right. But guess what, at the end of the day I can go home, take my knife out of my pocket and know that I bought and used the knife I wanted to use, not some "art" knife that is pretty.

There are Plenty of knives that can be considered prettier than a CRK, especially a small 21. Plain Ti slabs with little to catch the eye, little color and a plain blade shape... But, do you know where the 21 (large and small) excels? At being a Great user.

Knock it off and close this thread. Buy a fake and support a thief and don't tell anyone or be a respectable human being that values what a person places their passion in and makes a living from.

I am done with this thread, you want one and there Shouldn't be anyone here that supports you in your effort to justify the purchase.

 

[Jake-n-Bake]

So you know it's wrong, and justify it with thinking like this.

It's precisely that kind of attitude that is ruining the world. What's one piece of trash thrown into the ocean? 7 billion people with that attitude = a pretty crappy place to live.


Hold yourself to higher standards man.

Exactly. My job has a lot to do with conservation, so I appreciate people with your mindset. :thumbup:

 

[whitty]

After a bit of searching around I found a knife shop near me that carries Chris Reeve knives. I think that I'll take a trip out there to see if I even like it, and if I do I'll end up getting a used sebenza. That way I get to test one out without getting a knockoff, and I don't support any illegitimate businesses.

This post makes this all worth while. It shows that some of the hostility you have heard back toward you has sunk in. You are obviously very head strong, but with enough push on the right side of things, it appears you do let rational thought sink in! I hope you follow through with this and actually get a Sebenza.

The one thing I can say about just holding one and looking at it for a few minutes, is you can not grasp the quality of a CRK that quickly. When you realize the return on your investment is when you are holding it 10+ years later, knowing you have beaten it senseless, and it still locks up perfect and looks darn near brand new!

Below is a pic of my old Sebenza and a brand new one. The only real differences is mine does not have a lanyard and mine has a rounded tip. Mine is 11 years old and has been used to completely remodel 3 homes. The tip is rounded because I broke my last razor and still had 20 pieces of drywall to cut and hang. I used my Sebenza in a fit of late night work rage and cut the drywall on top of concrete. I am amazed it only slightly rounded the tip. You can not put a price on that type of quality!

Seb1 https://www.flickr.com/photos/57703464@N02/

 

[Leftytwogunz]

That's the problem. I don't want things explained to me. I just want my questions answered.

The problem is that a lot of people on here don't answer my question first of all, and second of all, give advice that they don't seem to take themselves. That is my frustration.

The problem with CHILDREN today. I want what I want, and I want it now. You ask for advice, but you know everything.

And who wants advice from a little brat trying to justify buying stolen designs made of inferior materials. You want a knife that looks like a CRK?? Who cares if it's heat treated, decent steel or not made in a sweat shop etc. and so on.

And to the guy who suggested that all of us probably own a fake but won't admit it? Wrong here! I have plenty of knives and zero are fakes.

Furthermore, perhaps there is something about "buying a name" If I buy the name "Chris Reeve" I know I am getting good steel, properly heat treated, a good design, warranty, customer service etc. I could go on and on about other products like quality sunglasses, rifle scopes etc. but you probably don't give a shit.

Confirm User List Modification
Are you sure you want to add Schakalicious to your ignore list? :thumbup:

 

[JAB]

I bought my first Sebenza almost twenty years ago.

At the time I was only aware of Chris Reeve's one piece range and only discovered the Seb when the guy at the knife counter at my local AD asked me if I had ever seen one and handed me one to check out - I bought it on the spot.

The design, smoothness, and precision just blew me away. This coupled with the Reeves' stellar reputation is what sold me on the knife. Since then, the Sebenza has achieved almost mythical status and there is a reason that the real thing is coveted by so many and earns so many accolades (not to mention award after award) from Mr. Reeve's peers in the industry.

If you want to waste your money on a $#!tty substandard copy then by all means do so - just don't delude yourself into thinking you're getting even close to the real thing and don't try to justify your actions to those who know better. Some folks get it and some...just don't.

 

[RevDevil]

Clones suck. Supporting counterfeiters sucks even worse because it pays for them to become better at cheating people out of money.
If you literally only have $70 to spend then get some nice sharpening equipment or a reasonably priced decent knife that isn't a fake.
My suggestion would be to put the $70 in your piggy bank, and keep adding to it until you can afford a real Sebenza.

I agree.

 

[Schakalicious]

Thanks for all of your answers. I decided that my mouth was getting me in trouble and just let more posts come in to read in the morning. I'm glad to see than some of the hostility subsided. I was tired and stressed out last night, but now that I've had a full night's sleep I see the errors in my words. I will not be getting a fake and am checking a real one out soon at a local shop. Please don't think badly of me based off of what I post - when I am doing these things it is mostly to vent to be honest. I thank all of you for participating.

 

[craytab]

Guys, this is a farce. The kid has started multiple threads of questionable nature, this latest being the most controversial. Can he really be this naive? Or is he here just for a laugh? Either way it is not worth my time. He never listens to sound, reasoned advice. And frankly the specific recommendation of particular counterfeits in this thread here on bfc is disturbing.

 

[davek14]

Then buy a Chinese knife that is not a clone. Simple.

Go to ebay or aliexpress and look up Sanrenmu, Ganzo and Enlan knives. Chinese brands, very inexpensive, good quality (varies), uses a couple of design elements from well known knives, but definitely not clones.

I recall some of them were posted on here by users who have bought them and were very satisfied with them.

Virtually all of them use 8Cr13MoV steel which is supposedly comparable to AUS8 steel.

☺

I saw this thread this morning and saw how quickly it went to 4 pages. I could pretty well predict what I would read. Not that anything is wrong with any of it.

I know I won't be answering the OP's question but I'll throw my thoughts out. The second(?) response was the best.

I wouldn't buy any knife for appearance or a logo or brand name on it. I would buy for quality, steel, etc. only. The problem with Chinese knives is that you have no clue what you will actually get. They can be a great budget knife but you have no guarantee of anything. It can also be crap.

So the thing to do if you want one is to get one that many people have gotten and liked. You then have some assurance of quality. The Sanrenmu 710 is a good knife for around $10 and is probably the most purchased Chinese knife. It's not a Sebenza clone, but it resembles one.

Get that to scratch the itch and then save for the real deal.