Help a noob out - Benchmade model 51

F

FrankyG

Joined
Jul 27, 2010
Messages
19
Hey I'm sorta a noob here as you're about to tell by my question. I got a guy trying to sell me a Benchmade model 51 with the box, pouch and everything and it's in near mint condition for $100. Is this a good buy or what should I look out for? I'm almost sure it's real because he has the receipt still. It looks like a good balisong and he said he just desperately needs the cash so I decided I'll buy it but before I do I want to see if everything seems legit to you guys. So is this a good buy? Do you think it's real? And what should I look out for? Thanks for the help, I'd really appreciate it.

Here's the pic:
IMG_4247.jpg
 
That seems like the real deal to me. That is a great price but not unbelievable good so it might be legit.
 
I agree that it looks like the real thing. it retails for over $200 so that price is rather good. If i had to guess i'd say 15 year old billy bought a balisong and mom took it away when she found it and is selling it to get it out of the house. I have a 32, the smaller version of the 51 and i'm very pleased with it.
 
Ya I saw the 32 and looks cool. Thanks I'm definitely going to buy it. Whether that's the case of why he's selling it either way I'm going to buy it. Thanks for the help.
 
this in no shape or way is to alarm you, but there are benchmade 51 counterfeits, very well made counterfeits. I encountered them in China while traveling. Have some photos if anybody wants to see.

Look at his receipt and see how much he paid for them. 100 dollars is a pretty good deal considering retail hovers around the 225 mark. Meet him in person in a well lit place and go over it.
 
I'm not sure why he's selling for such a low price. I'd make sure i had a way to inspect it, first.
 
will a counterfitter also counterfit the manual, box and bag?
 
zyhano said:
will a counterfitter also counterfit the manual, box and bag?
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Yes. Check out the pictures in these threads:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=643584

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=715621

So far, the most obvious tell of the fakes is that the butterfly logo on all of them are facing the wrong direction.

It's too bad the picture is so blurry. To my eye it looks legit. I would be that the 51 (and 32) would be pretty difficult to counterfeit convincingly. The clip and liners would be the most obvious problems. They're titanium, electro-chemically anodized blue (maybe a hint of purple), and the liners are jeweled. You can't color steel like that, and a magnet would be an obvious giveaway. The only other possibility would be aluminum, and the clip, if it were made from aluminum, wouldn't have even close to the strength of titanium, and very little spring-back. Aluminum, even the best quality alloys, would be pretty easy to bend/break at that minimal thickness.

That, combined with the fact that he has the receipt (what was the original price, btw?) makes me believe that it's legit. $100 for a near-mint 51 is a steal. Even if it were well-used it'd be a good price. Caveat Emptor about the receipt though: If it's a California retailer (you being in Sacramento), some suspicion arises there. That knife would be illegal to sell in CA; many retailers outside of CA won't even sell balisongs to CA addresses. If it's from a shop in CA, I would wonder how they got the knife. Benchmade probably wouldn't have sold it to them, or if they did, the dealer wouldn't sell to anybody who wasn't active duty military or a law enforcement officer (with all the paperwork). However, if it is indeed a counterfeit, you can find those at swap meets, flea markets, gun shows, smoke shops, all over the place, regardless of legality.

If at all possible, in addition to the original price, see if you can find the dealer's name on the receipt as well (and let us know).

nevermas said:
there are benchmade 51 counterfeits, very well made counterfeits. I encountered them in China while traveling. Have some photos if anybody wants to see.
Click to expand...

Yes please. I don't think we (the online balisong community) have seen any fake 51s yet. It would be an appreciated service to us if we can spread the word on any possible counterfeits before anybody gets burned.
 
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Ok guys now I'm getting a bit worried. Okay check these pics out, these are the knife and yes I did buy it.

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FrankyG said:
Ok guys now I'm getting a bit worried. Okay check these pics out, these are the knife and yes I did buy it.
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Just remember, don't get caught carrying it- Sac PD will absolutely confiscate it, and most likely arrest you, for doing so.

EDIT: BTW, nice score.:D
 
Christian said:
Just remember, don't get caught carrying it- Sac PD will absolutely confiscate it, and most likely arrest you, for doing so.

EDIT: BTW, nice score.:D
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Oh ya bro for sure. I know all my knife laws. Under 2 inches for balisong and switches. What part of sac do you live by if you don't mind me asking? Big forum and I don't see a lot of ppl from sac.
 
FrankyG said:
Oh ya bro for sure. I know all my knife laws. Under 2 inches for balisong and switches. What part of sac do you live by if you don't mind me asking? Big forum and I don't see a lot of ppl from sac.
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Broadway and Riverside- kinda Land Park, kinda ghetto, not quite downtown.:eek:
 
What do you mean? I'm showing the printing right side up. Best to look at the pictures lol.
 
FrankyG said:
Help out this noob. Any way to tell whether its fake or real?
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Again, clearer pics would be nice, but it looks totally legit to me. The blue anodizing, the markings, everything looks right.

You could always weigh it. A 51 should weigh 3.3oz. If the metal parts of the handles were aluminum instead of titanium or steel, it would weigh less.
 
FrankyG said:
What do you mean? I'm showing the printing right side up. Best to look at the pictures lol.
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As I mentioned earlier, the common counterfeits we've seen have the butterfly logo oriented in the wrong direction. The logo on yours is correct.
 
That's definitely a knock off. You might want to send it over to me for proper disposal. And let me know the seller, he might have more of those knock offs. :D

Nice score ! I love mine a lot although I don't EDC it. I currently EDC the 32. Excellent little bali.
 
If it has those little "wings" on the box to open it the box is real and also watch for the Benchmade logo on the knife the shape of the latch ( if its curved on top (the circle itself) and flat on the bottom its a fake ) if its curved on both sides its real i think those are the most obvious ways to spot a fake ☻ good luck
 
Jason★bali-guy★ said:
If it has those little "wings" on the box to open it the box is real and also watch for the Benchmade logo on the knife the shape of the latch ( if its curved on top (the circle itself) and flat on the bottom its a fake ) if its curved on both sides its real i think those are the most obvious ways to spot a fake ☻ good luck
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Welcome. Hopefully he hasn't been struggling to answer his question for the last 7 years.
 
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