Hey, Marine, great video! Indeed, we (the EDC community) have been trained - maybe propagandized - to seek out only premium gear. You've spoken to that before. That’s why channels like yours provide such a valuable service. Guys like you take at least some of the risk about buying off brand. Past two years I've pulled the trigger on several off-brand items, based on reviews like yours, and been very pleased... and kept some of retirement check in my wallet. Keep up the good work! Sergeant Major, out!
I’m not going to lie; I picked up one of those Bugout clones after your video 8 months ago. I needed a knife for work. I always wanted a bugout and couldn’t afford one at the time.
I like clones because they keep companies like Spyderco and benchmark from overcharging they keep the market in check. benchmade is out here selling a 40 dollar knife for 180 bucks. A knife like a sanremu 7010 lets companies know the type of performance and quality chinese companies can make on a 15 dollar knife.
I understand what you are saying but it's still theft, it's stealing from American Makers, I agree they need competition but in the form of other quality designs, like Kizer drop bear it's now competition for the bugout same with Escort
Thank you for saying this!! To many on a high horse and have many other type clones throughout their property. Ive always said things like clones are the gateway drugs 😉 you play with a clone (anything) long enough and sooner or later you will want to upgrade. My transceivers i started off cheap with (clones) and have slowly upgraded, same as my tools.
EDC isn't just something we do, it's a passion. That's why people get so upset over it. I avoid knockoffs and fakes but I have some cheap knives that are clearly inspired by name brand models. I guess for me, as long as they aren't lying about it, it's ok. Example, I bought the Harbor Freight Icon knife to try it out. It's pretty decent.
I have a bugout clone that is indistinguishable from the original. It has a grey ceracote blade. The only difference is the tiny copyright sign on the BM logo. It rocks D2 steel so edge retention is great. I swapped the scales, washers and springs and it is easily one of my fav knives in the collection. I don't care if its fake or not. Never did, never will as long as I know what I'm getting.
Keep in mind some of these clones are made in the same Chinese factories as the budget lines/models from US brands like Spyderco, Benchmade and others. IIRC SanRenMu (aka SRM) is one such Chinese company that makes budget lines for the afore mentioned US brands, that also makes clones as well as their own designs.
You see a similar take in the watch world too. There are "homage" watches that usually get a pass due to using their own logo or no logo. Then there are true counterfeits that try to pass themselves off as the real thing. Some of the counterfeits are legitimately impressive in their quality, but obviously trying to be something they are not. Them the homages offer a similar experience to the real deal for a fraction of the cost, which in some cases is very desirable.
Clones are a different thing than counterfeits. Counterfeits and their sellers should be blocked. When I think of clones, I think of that routine from Eddie Murphy from the 80’s about McDonalds. “You got the welfare, green pepper burger”
i respect a ganzo or a sencut or a byrd or even a craftsman utility blade over a counterfeit because you took the time to get the most quality that you could afford. once your utility needs are met this just becomes a hobby so you should want the real thing, and with sezzle, afterpay and the secondary market the real thing just becomes easier to get. there's really no excuse to buy fakes.
I bought 3 of the Amazon "bugouts" for a total of $70. For a box or letter opener they are good enough for me. I have other Spyderco and what not with better steel if I need a heavy duty knife. I probably wouldn't have bought a real bugout anyway because I don't see the value in them anymore. So I saved a $100 not because I'm poor but because I don't like feeling like I wasted my money. Great video!
I see that a lot with watches, too. There are so many Rolex Submariner clones out there. Some have their own design flares to them, and others are just blatant copies with a different logo. But if I wanted to see if i would like that style watch, i would rather spend 70 bucks on an Invicta Pro Diver instead of wait for many years on an authorized Rolex dealers wait list, only to find i dont like it. By the way X, im loving this style of video.
Gerber Strongarm is another that has tons of counterfeits. Id love to get a "Bugout," and I use quotes because I care more about the knives specs than branding (Id prefer not Benchmade). So if clones are getting close to materials, fit/finish, size/weight and reliabilty while also reducing price Im all for it. Competition is a good thing...and theres plenty if brands that have been resting on their laurels for too long and some are finally waking up to the need to improve in some way.
I got the bobba fett microtec clone the small otf blade version a year ago and never had an issue, and saw a video where an authentic was sent back multiple times to microtec for repair. $ 20 vs 3-400 is a huge difference.
Do I buy a $135 Bugout to open envelopes and cut packing tape 10:55 or get the clone? I would love to have S30V but that task doesn’t require it. Love the light weight of the knife.
I bought a Randall Made Model 1 in 1975. Couple years ago I picked up a Cold Steel R1 clone for 1/6th the price... probably 85-90% of what got with my Randall.
One of the Amazon issues is that unscrupulous.people buy a real Benchmade, and return a counterfeit to Amazon, who unknowingly sells it as a legitimate one.
This reminds me, I was recently shopping for a CAT Combat Tourniquet on Amazon, and I was finding the prices were really low on them. I looked better, and turns out they aren't CAT brand, they just looked just like them. This is one category of product that throws up red flags for me. What if the plastic is cheap and breaks while using it? That's one situation where product failure could have serious repercussions.
I bought a Harbor Freight Icon knife. It’s a clone of a Begg Knives Glimpse. It is made extremely well. Both are made in China and feature the same materials. And HF sells it for half the cost of the Begg Knives Glimpse. And you get a lifetime warranty and a milled clip vs. a stamped clip. I recently bought a multitool that’s very similar to a Leatherman Wave. But it was only $25. Yeah, it’s not Leatherman quality. But the quality is surprisingly good. I’m going to toss it in the glovebox.
Some of these clones are scary good. I shit you not I have a Benchmade Bugout (counterfeit) that looks identical to the original in every single way except for one minor thing and it's that the butterfly is just a smidge too dark. But this knockoff is a great knife lol! I also handled some of the fake Wave sets and honestly they get the job done for like $30.
Some great words. Originally I would hit the gas stations from California to the Canyons and look for cool knives, not name brand just cook knives. I still have the majority of them. Thank you for the reflection.
I used to buy Ganzos, but then I found out they were "versions" of other knives. I was upset. Yes, they are cheaper and the steel was D2, but I wanted the good stuff. And a $3-5 price difference is a lot different than getting swindled when you think you're buying a $180 knife and get $20 worth of material with no warranty.
to speak on the sound difference - metals will have a different harmonic from one metal to the other , the ping tester for silver coins is a prime example of this at its best.
Just one more point of view to consider, thinking outside your box. I live in Brasil. There's a minimum value for a month of work, guaranteed by law. There's millions of people who doesn't get paid much higher than this value. A real Benchmade costs 1/3 of that money. Some Spyderco cost one entire month of work. For guys like me, who want the chance of try some of those designs, clones are the only option.
The edc “community” particularly knife aficionados have reached a fever pitch of insanity. An example is the combat flathead which on certain sites was going for $500. You’re not wrong about “cult like”.
This is super common in the watch community. There are homages, and clones. Homages are similar, but don't display the brand that the design is borrowed from, they often have their own logos. Clones are exactly that, down to the brand name. I personally enjoy homages to dip my toes in the water and see if i like something enough to commit to the real mccoy, wont buy or wear straight clones though. Oftentimes I cant justify the price of the real one, price disparity is too high for what you get vs the materials. I dont care one bit about brand story, history, etc, so im after value. Some of these companies are ripping consumers off, and they wont get my dollars. Lower your prices, or ill gladly continute to buy homages and wont feel the slightest bit bad about it. If I can get 90% of the performance for 30-50% of the real thing, ill do that every time.
I am Buck and Case Knife Guy. I have owned a Benchmade. I never warmed up to the Benchmade because I felt it was overpriced. Don't come at me, that is my opinion.
Im in to balisongs, and ppl rly hate clones here. But when u ask why would i buy a knife 5x times more expensive that works rly well they just attack xd. Replicant was my dream but i rly dont like sandwich handles and also it 380$ has tap and play. Bought a clone that was channel titatnium (brs doesnt even make channel rep) it came perfect tolerances its amazing and it costed me 110$. Sorry if u cant give for ppl more for the money someone else will
I tend to separate the difference between a CLONE vs. KNOCKOFF/COUNTERFIT. I view a CLONE as something that's obviously not the same brand (no name, missing name, or even name brand) and a KNOCKOFF/COUNTERFIT is trying to TRICK you to thinking you bought the real deal. . An example of a good clone IMHO is Ganzo. Ganzo makes good clones for cheaper prices. . Another way to look at it is there's a BUNCH of gun companies that make a "GLOCK CLONE". They're not knockoffs or counterfits. They're just copying a design. *shrugs*
I carry Glock clones all the time. Do I trust my actual Glocks more? Yes. Are some things over priced and could be done just as good for cheaper or even better? Absolutely
I was just about to add this. The only reason I have a growing Spyderco collection is because I bought an Endura clone from Wish. Once I got that in hand, I knew I wanted the real thing.
I have bought a few clones in my time only 2 were intentional none were being passed as legitimate name brand knives , the intentional a $ 13 dollar ad15 clone , why ? to test the scorpion locks functionality , us with some arthritis going on will know what im saying . second a Watchman clone of the crooked river , nice knife just had no clue it was a clone till I was using it one day and a coworker mentioned how nice my clone was. the Third one was a Temu purchase for $12 dollar clone of the Quartermaster alf3 , minor differences between the two , mostly upgrades on the clone compared to the original , I rock this knife everyday since I purchased it the ergos are out of this world . and one I was given as a gift from my brother a counterfeit of a Ka-Bar BK18 , he got me this knife because I own a Bk companion and have nothing but edge rolling problems from the jump out of it and Ka-Bar sent it back to me saying the blade was HRC'd at 57 and within specs and would do nothing about it ....... enter the BK18 in D2 hrc'd at 60, 5 times the knife the companion is and I will put that on my momma , use it as a pack knife for camping.
The difference between “store brand” and name brand commodities is that they are commodities there is no intellectual property being stolen. I don’t want to buy a copy of a knife, especially made in the USA knives that would take money out of someone’s pocket who is trying to feed there kids. We have a different standard of living and wages and prices reflect that. I’m Not speaking to you X, I know you already understand that.
I purchased a custom benchmade cRiver and a cheap but identical clone. I honestly use them interchangeably most of the time because I just need something sharp. So I agree nothing wrong with clones if it pushes the company to raise their quality.
I’m fine with clones as long as they clearly say that they are clones, but those counterfeiting knives and trying to pass them off as a genuine article are pure scum. And those that support these scumbags are no better.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a clone. It’s just a knife that looks like a similar knife, but it’s wrong to buy a counterfeit when they put the logos on the counterfeits to pass them as originals.
![Megan Thee Stallion - Bigger In Texas [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QxTkZTLWdo4/mqdefault.jpg)
Hey, Marine, great video! Indeed, we (the EDC community) have been trained - maybe propagandized - to seek out only premium gear. You've spoken to that before.
That’s why channels like yours provide such a valuable service. Guys like you take at least some of the risk about buying off brand.
Past two years I've pulled the trigger on several off-brand items, based on reviews like yours, and been very pleased... and kept some of retirement check in my wallet.
Keep up the good work!
Sergeant Major, out!
I’m not going to lie; I picked up one of those Bugout clones after your video 8 months ago. I needed a knife for work. I always wanted a bugout and couldn’t afford one at the time.
Thank you. Fraud is one thing but clones are another. Tired of seeing people get shamed for buying something that they spent their own damn money on.
I like clones because they keep companies like Spyderco and benchmark from overcharging they keep the market in check. benchmade is out here selling a 40 dollar knife for 180 bucks. A knife like a sanremu 7010 lets companies know the type of performance and quality chinese companies can make on a 15 dollar knife.
I understand what you are saying but it's still theft, it's stealing from American Makers, I agree they need competition but in the form of other quality designs, like Kizer drop bear it's now competition for the bugout same with Escort
Thank you for saying this!! To many on a high horse and have many other type clones throughout their property.
Ive always said things like clones are the gateway drugs 😉 you play with a clone (anything) long enough and sooner or later you will want to upgrade.
My transceivers i started off cheap with (clones) and have slowly upgraded, same as my tools.
I agree man, it’s mainly a big issue if they’re trying to get OG prices for a fraud, if you pay cheap for a copy then that’s to be expected
EDC isn't just something we do, it's a passion. That's why people get so upset over it. I avoid knockoffs and fakes but I have some cheap knives that are clearly inspired by name brand models. I guess for me, as long as they aren't lying about it, it's ok. Example, I bought the Harbor Freight Icon knife to try it out. It's pretty decent.
I have a bugout clone that is indistinguishable from the original. It has a grey ceracote blade. The only difference is the tiny copyright sign on the BM logo. It rocks D2 steel so edge retention is great. I swapped the scales, washers and springs and it is easily one of my fav knives in the collection. I don't care if its fake or not. Never did, never will as long as I know what I'm getting.
Sounds like the watch equivalent of "homages are okay, fakes are not; but brands want people to feel the same way towards homages as fakes."
Keep in mind some of these clones are made in the same Chinese factories as the budget lines/models from US brands like Spyderco, Benchmade and others. IIRC SanRenMu (aka SRM) is one such Chinese company that makes budget lines for the afore mentioned US brands, that also makes clones as well as their own designs.
You see a similar take in the watch world too. There are "homage" watches that usually get a pass due to using their own logo or no logo. Then there are true counterfeits that try to pass themselves off as the real thing. Some of the counterfeits are legitimately impressive in their quality, but obviously trying to be something they are not. Them the homages offer a similar experience to the real deal for a fraction of the cost, which in some cases is very desirable.
Clones are a different thing than counterfeits. Counterfeits and their sellers should be blocked. When I think of clones, I think of that routine from Eddie Murphy from the 80’s about McDonalds. “You got the welfare, green pepper burger”
i respect a ganzo or a sencut or a byrd or even a craftsman utility blade over a counterfeit because you took the time to get the most quality that you could afford. once your utility needs are met this just becomes a hobby so you should want the real thing, and with sezzle, afterpay and the secondary market the real thing just becomes easier to get. there's really no excuse to buy fakes.
I bought 3 of the Amazon "bugouts" for a total of $70. For a box or letter opener they are good enough for me. I have other Spyderco and what not with better steel if I need a heavy duty knife. I probably wouldn't have bought a real bugout anyway because I don't see the value in them anymore. So I saved a $100 not because I'm poor but because I don't like feeling like I wasted my money. Great video!
You make some great points! Clones are a difficult topic.
Hey, it's so cool to see one of my favorite creators on another channel.
I see that a lot with watches, too. There are so many Rolex Submariner clones out there. Some have their own design flares to them, and others are just blatant copies with a different logo. But if I wanted to see if i would like that style watch, i would rather spend 70 bucks on an Invicta Pro Diver instead of wait for many years on an authorized Rolex dealers wait list, only to find i dont like it. By the way X, im loving this style of video.
Thank you X! Rockin it! Vibin it! Layin that ground work down! Have a day sir!
Gerber Strongarm is another that has tons of counterfeits.
Id love to get a "Bugout," and I use quotes because I care more about the knives specs than branding (Id prefer not Benchmade). So if clones are getting close to materials, fit/finish, size/weight and reliabilty while also reducing price Im all for it. Competition is a good thing...and theres plenty if brands that have been resting on their laurels for too long and some are finally waking up to the need to improve in some way.
I got the bobba fett microtec clone the small otf blade version a year ago and never had an issue, and saw a video where an authentic was sent back multiple times to microtec for repair. $ 20 vs 3-400 is a huge difference.
Looks like I need to step up my coffee game!!! Looks Dino. Keep up the awesome content.
Do I buy a $135 Bugout to open envelopes and cut packing tape 10:55 or get the clone? I would love to have S30V but that task doesn’t require it. Love the light weight of the knife.
I bought a Randall Made Model 1 in 1975. Couple years ago I picked up a Cold Steel R1 clone for 1/6th the price... probably 85-90% of what got with my Randall.
One of the Amazon issues is that unscrupulous.people buy a real Benchmade, and return a counterfeit to Amazon, who unknowingly sells it as a legitimate one.
This reminds me, I was recently shopping for a CAT Combat Tourniquet on Amazon, and I was finding the prices were really low on them. I looked better, and turns out they aren't CAT brand, they just looked just like them. This is one category of product that throws up red flags for me. What if the plastic is cheap and breaks while using it? That's one situation where product failure could have serious repercussions.
I bought a Harbor Freight Icon knife. It’s a clone of a Begg Knives Glimpse. It is made extremely well. Both are made in China and feature the same materials. And HF sells it for half the cost of the Begg Knives Glimpse. And you get a lifetime warranty and a milled clip vs. a stamped clip. I recently bought a multitool that’s very similar to a Leatherman Wave. But it was only $25. Yeah, it’s not Leatherman quality. But the quality is surprisingly good. I’m going to toss it in the glovebox.
I saw that on the den of tools RUclips channel. Looks interesting
Some of these clones are scary good. I shit you not I have a Benchmade Bugout (counterfeit) that looks identical to the original in every single way except for one minor thing and it's that the butterfly is just a smidge too dark. But this knockoff is a great knife lol! I also handled some of the fake Wave sets and honestly they get the job done for like $30.
A have a knock off of a chris Reaves knife and it has smooth ball bearings in it and is better than some of my spyderco knives
Some great words. Originally I would hit the gas stations from California to the Canyons and look for cool knives, not name brand just cook knives. I still have the majority of them. Thank you for the reflection.
I used to buy Ganzos, but then I found out they were "versions" of other knives. I was upset. Yes, they are cheaper and the steel was D2, but I wanted the good stuff. And a $3-5 price difference is a lot different than getting swindled when you think you're buying a $180 knife and get $20 worth of material with no warranty.
to speak on the sound difference - metals will have a different harmonic from one metal to the other , the ping tester for silver coins is a prime example of this at its best.
Just one more point of view to consider, thinking outside your box. I live in Brasil. There's a minimum value for a month of work, guaranteed by law. There's millions of people who doesn't get paid much higher than this value. A real Benchmade costs 1/3 of that money. Some Spyderco cost one entire month of work. For guys like me, who want the chance of try some of those designs, clones are the only option.
The edc “community” particularly knife aficionados have reached a fever pitch of insanity. An example is the combat flathead which on certain sites was going for $500. You’re not wrong about “cult like”.
This is super common in the watch community. There are homages, and clones. Homages are similar, but don't display the brand that the design is borrowed from, they often have their own logos. Clones are exactly that, down to the brand name. I personally enjoy homages to dip my toes in the water and see if i like something enough to commit to the real mccoy, wont buy or wear straight clones though. Oftentimes I cant justify the price of the real one, price disparity is too high for what you get vs the materials. I dont care one bit about brand story, history, etc, so im after value. Some of these companies are ripping consumers off, and they wont get my dollars. Lower your prices, or ill gladly continute to buy homages and wont feel the slightest bit bad about it. If I can get 90% of the performance for 30-50% of the real thing, ill do that every time.
I see what you're saying. I own several real Benrus watches and there are a lot of homages
The clones and counterfeits are the same thing. They come out of the same factories. They are not ok.
I am Buck and Case Knife Guy. I have owned a Benchmade. I never warmed up to the Benchmade because I felt it was overpriced. Don't come at me, that is my opinion.
Thank god I have a Keurig…😂
im tempted to check out the benchmade ones as a beater knife lol
Great beater
Im in to balisongs, and ppl rly hate clones here. But when u ask why would i buy a knife 5x times more expensive that works rly well they just attack xd. Replicant was my dream but i rly dont like sandwich handles and also it 380$ has tap and play. Bought a clone that was channel titatnium (brs doesnt even make channel rep) it came perfect tolerances its amazing and it costed me 110$. Sorry if u cant give for ppl more for the money someone else will
I tend to separate the difference between a CLONE vs. KNOCKOFF/COUNTERFIT. I view a CLONE as something that's obviously not the same brand (no name, missing name, or even name brand) and a KNOCKOFF/COUNTERFIT is trying to TRICK you to thinking you bought the real deal.
.
An example of a good clone IMHO is Ganzo. Ganzo makes good clones for cheaper prices.
.
Another way to look at it is there's a BUNCH of gun companies that make a "GLOCK CLONE". They're not knockoffs or counterfits. They're just copying a design. *shrugs*
I carry Glock clones all the time. Do I trust my actual Glocks more? Yes. Are some things over priced and could be done just as good for cheaper or even better? Absolutely
Clones serve a purpose as a way to get a "feel" for a knife that's on your want list.
I was just about to add this. The only reason I have a growing Spyderco collection is because I bought an Endura clone from Wish. Once I got that in hand, I knew I wanted the real thing.
Very great point
That's how i bought my Bugout.
I have a clone/knockoff dive watch I love that thing it's automatic like a Rolex. Just would never buy a 7000$ knife.
What did you spray on your coffee beans?
Just water. Helps reduce static in the grinder and less of a mess to clean and retention
I have bought a few clones in my time only 2 were intentional none were being passed as legitimate name brand knives , the intentional a $ 13 dollar ad15 clone , why ? to test the scorpion locks functionality , us with some arthritis going on will know what im saying . second a Watchman clone of the crooked river , nice knife just had no clue it was a clone till I was using it one day and a coworker mentioned how nice my clone was. the Third one was a Temu purchase for $12 dollar clone of the Quartermaster alf3 , minor differences between the two , mostly upgrades on the clone compared to the original , I rock this knife everyday since I purchased it the ergos are out of this world . and one I was given as a gift from my brother a counterfeit of a Ka-Bar BK18 , he got me this knife because I own a Bk companion and have nothing but edge rolling problems from the jump out of it and Ka-Bar sent it back to me saying the blade was HRC'd at 57 and within specs and would do nothing about it ....... enter the BK18 in D2 hrc'd at 60, 5 times the knife the companion is and I will put that on my momma , use it as a pack knife for camping.
The difference between “store brand” and name brand commodities is that they are commodities there is no intellectual property being stolen. I don’t want to buy a copy of a knife, especially made in the USA knives that would take money out of someone’s pocket who is trying to feed there kids. We have a different standard of living and wages and prices reflect that. I’m Not speaking to you X, I know you already understand that.
You're not taking money, you're blocking him to earn money
You should create a product and let someone clone it and sell it.
I purchased a custom benchmade cRiver and a cheap but identical clone. I honestly use them interchangeably most of the time because I just need something sharp. So I agree nothing wrong with clones if it pushes the company to raise their quality.
Go watch Greg Medfords live from yesterday!!!!!!!
#cloneswillneverbeok
lol maybe not weeks 😂
A sprinkle of days
@@MarineX lol there you go! Great video bro
I’m fine with clones as long as they clearly say that they are clones, but those counterfeiting knives and trying to pass them off as a genuine article are pure scum. And those that support these scumbags are no better.
If you didn't buy the Shaquille O'Neal Epson Ecotank inkjet printer, you are overpaying for ink. Get one, it will pay for itself.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a clone. It’s just a knife that looks like a similar knife, but it’s wrong to buy a counterfeit when they put the logos on the counterfeits to pass them as originals.