Extrema Ratio: fake knives are for fake people

[martineden]

Hi everybody,

I am pleased to open this thread here, having received from Extrema Ratio several pics illustrating the differences between original ER knives and fakes. I guess this will be useful for most ER fans so for all knives’ passionate.

Extrema Ratio knives are easily recognizable for their peculiar style, and they are 100% made in Italy. I know that not all of us likes them, and several people think they are a bit expensive. Well, I just think that, if Extrema Ratio continue to launch new models and to grow up as a company, that means the quality/price ratio is not all bad at the end of the day. Me, I don’t like all the ER knives, but having tested several models throughout the years, I learned to appreciate the original style of this brand and – as an Italian – I appreciate the choice to not move the production in China or in some other South-East country, in these hard last years too.

Coming back to the main purpose of this thread, I think fakes knives are just a shame. They are low quality and dangerous tools, they damage our economy, and they were made without any work’s safety and environment’s respect.

Now, few pics illustrating the differences between original ER knives and fakes. Hope this help, thanks for watching.

Cheers,
Alfredo

 

[Juraj]

Wow. These are ugly

 

[cncpro11]

Yeah but they are "real" ugly.

 

[Balls Deep]

That's a big reason why I try to go with reputable websites and not role the dice amazon or too good to be true cheap sites. I've seen $70 for a pm2 on a "wholesale" site, and surprise they had it in stock even though no one else does. One of the things I've always been curious about with the fakes is have they ver actually gotten something right. The manufactures are pretty much obligated to say all fakes are trash and I agree with that. I just wonder if they've seen fakes and thought, wow they nailed the jimping, or dang that's a good grind and steel.

 

[jeepin]

Wow. These are ugly

What he said. Pretty much all of Extreme Ratio's knives are. And what's the deal with the handle designs. Looks pretty uncomfortable to me

 

[bladeboss]

I dont like the looks of ER knives, but those fakes are a bit close. Its pitiful.

 

[BladeScout]

Seldom are all knives in one single thread horrible looking.

That being said, I agree; Fakes knives are for fake people. Dont buy fakes.

 

[Bugout Bill]

So what does this make the real knives?

Goofy knives for goofy people?

 

[BladeScout]

Well, just as there is a market for Microtech knives, BG knives, Strider knives, there is a market for ER knives.

There is no accounting for taste.

 

[S.R.B]

These threads are a double edged sword, good info here for any serious knife people, great training manual for fakers though.

 

[Bugout Bill]

These threads are a double edged sword, good info here for any serious knife people, great training manual for fakers though.

Google images is probably more damaging.

 

[A Justice]

These threads are a double edged sword, good info here for any serious knife people, great training manual for fakers though.

People keep bringing this up in threads that help people spot fakes, and it's a little ridiculous. If I can find 7 differences between a fake and a legit knife, don't you think that the counterfitter with enough attention to detail to make an extremely close replica in the first place can do the same? The people that make the close knives do not need the Internet to tell them where they fell short - they use the Internet to tell them how to fix it.

Everyone who uses dollars don't participate in threads on how to spot fake dollars, and counterfitters and the feds are engaged in a never ending game of improvement, safeguard implementation and reverse engineering. The same thing with knives. These threads educate far more buyers than they do fakers, and by pushing the level at which a knife counterfitter has to operate it doesn't allow them to get comfortable or capitalize as heavily as they could if there was no push back. Anything we can do to complicate their job is a good thing. If they were able to use the same methods to fool the same amount of people, more people would be counterfitting everyday, and soon their competition would be the other counterfitters and not the interests combating it. Ultimately, expanding the number of individuals participating in the counterfitting of a product makes their progress speed up at an exponential rate (they can crowdsource or hire out solutions more readily).

The only difference between dollars and Spydercos is that there are much more powerful agencies pursuing people that counterfit dollars, and the government does far more to introduce new security features than knife companies do. A single new security feature on every product a manufacturer makes (or even the box) would mean that every facility that manufactures fakes would have to invest in the equipment to reproduce that feature.

Anyway, let them use our threads to fix their problems - we will keep finding shortcomings in their batches. Also, consumers could always shun Ebay and Amazon and buy from reputable dealers - that makes the likelihood of your knife being legit skyrocket.

 

[Sonnydaze]

As I understand it, version 2 of the fakes will correct those differences.

 

[goldie]

I hope whoever welded that tang isnt welding bicycle or motorcycle frames. that is some of the hidden bad work on these fakes that no one will ever see.too bad the handles werent lexan to show how horrible it is...

 

[martineden]

Thanks for your comments, guys (the adverses/bitings too)

 

[MrBoone]

I was considering a extrema ratio folder not so long ago . There are so many fakes of these. Thx for the rundown.

 

[cluster2600]

Hello,

thx for the thread, i'd like to add this one:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bJykjGFBVcsUSE8HA

This is a picture of a knife i bought in good faith but it is a total knock off

 

[GIRLYmann]

Extrema Ratio knives are easily recognizable for their peculiar style, and they are 100% made in Italy.
Now, few pics illustrating the differences between original ER knives and fakes.

I agree with much of what's been written.
Fakes are a no no.
But, imo that fake folder actually failed in making the cut
by having even far more spectacular looking features than the original
Finishing and production quality aside,
I wonder if such additional bits of design innovation on fakes
make genuine manufacturers reevaluate their wares.

 

[ponykid]

the only thing you can hope for is that the differences come down to a cost prohibitive issue. if it costs to much to fix the differences then they wont do it. the whole reason they make them cheaper is to make money . if they have to put the same effort/labor/cost into the knife as the original then whats the sense.

that's the only hope . most wont even know unfortunately

People keep bringing this up in threads that help people spot fakes, and it's a little ridiculous. If I can find 7 differences between a fake and a legit knife, don't you think that the counterfitter with enough attention to detail to make an extremely close replica in the first place can do the same? The people that make the close knives do not need the Internet to tell them where they fell short - they use the Internet to tell them how to fix it.

Everyone who uses dollars don't participate in threads on how to spot fake dollars, and counterfitters and the feds are engaged in a never ending game of improvement, safeguard implementation and reverse engineering. The same thing with knives. These threads educate far more buyers than they do fakers, and by pushing the level at which a knife counterfitter has to operate it doesn't allow them to get comfortable or capitalize as heavily as they could if there was no push back. Anything we can do to complicate their job is a good thing. If they were able to use the same methods to fool the same amount of people, more people would be counterfitting everyday, and soon their competition would be the other counterfitters and not the interests combating it. Ultimately, expanding the number of individuals participating in the counterfitting of a product makes their progress speed up at an exponential rate (they can crowdsource or hire out solutions more readily).

The only difference between dollars and Spydercos is that there are much more powerful agencies pursuing people that counterfit dollars, and the government does far more to introduce new security features than knife companies do. A single new security feature on every product a manufacturer makes (or even the box) would mean that every facility that manufactures fakes would have to invest in the equipment to reproduce that feature.

Anyway, let them use our threads to fix their problems - we will keep finding shortcomings in their batches. Also, consumers could always shun Ebay and Amazon and buy from reputable dealers - that makes the likelihood of your knife being legit skyrocket.

 

[Quiet]

These threads are a double edged sword, good info here for any serious knife people, great training manual for fakers though.

Really? It's almost certain that these counterfeiters bought one or even several of the actual thing to pattern their counterfeits off of. Maybe the fakes pictured are their first "crack" at it. I highly doubt counterfeiters are coming to Bladeforums to read on how to make their stuff better. These guys will have the kinks worked out of the next run, most likely and then they'll be virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.