Tell Tale Signs:
Unfortunately, like bogus currency, it is difficult to tell the difference, and usually it takes a direct comparison to an authentic piece to see the difference, but here are some red flags that should tip you off.
1.Is the item marked down substantially from the suggested retail price? This, first and foremost, should be the most obvious clue. If an item normally has a suggested retail price of $100 and it's being offered for $50 or less, you can be pretty sure that you’re being ripped off.
2.Is the quality up to Cold Steel's standards? Look at the fittings and the finish. Are the grind lines crisp, and clean or are they blurry and indistinct? Is the blade razor sharp, or is it just somewhat sharp? If you’re buying a San Mai knife, can you see the laminate line where the different kinds of steel meet?
3.If it is a fixed blade knife, look at the sheath that came with it? Is it a sturdy quality piece, or something made of the cheapest materials available?
4.If it is a folder, is the lock sturdy? Does the blade wobble? Is the locking mechanism strong?
5.Make sure you research what you're buying. Get our catalog, go to our website and look up the item you plan to purchase from another vendor. Does it look the same? Many of these fakes are easy to expose, simply becase they don't resemble anything Cold Steel sells. They just trade on the Cold Steel name.
6.Be aware of situations where this kind of commerce takes place. Flea Markets, Swap Meets, garage sales, and street vendors are places where you're most likely to be ripped off. Above all, use common sense, if a street vendor is trying to sell you a Rolex watch for $10, for example, your common sense should tell you that it is very likely a fake! Also be on the lookout for disreputable websites that list only a phone number or a P.O. box for contact information. We've even discovered some of this trash product on Ebay (to be fair, Ebay has been very cooperative with us and has removed fraudulent products when we request them to do so).
Most of these fakes are being produced in Asia. Our representatives there tell us that the fake knives are available from street vendors there. To protect yourself from this kind of fraud, you should only buy from reputable dealers or from Cold Steel directly. The sayings that “you get what you pay for” and “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” should be first and foremost in your mind when you think about purchasing one of these knives.
