AKC or a clone?

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tanto
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AKC or a clone?

Post by tanto »

Hi guys,

I run into this knife on local auction. Not too many AKC knives around so I am wondering whether this is the real deal or a clone. There are only these two pictures available.
akc2.jpeg
akc2.jpeg (203.19 KiB) Viewed 3510 times
akac1.jpeg
akac1.jpeg (93.12 KiB) Viewed 3510 times
Any help will be appreciated.
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Chris51P
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by Chris51P »

I believe that this stamp is the first AKC stamp used. I won't buy any AKC knives unless they have this particular stamp. I could be all wet but that's my opinion. Look's like I'm all wet. :lol:
Last edited by Chris51P on Tue Jan 26, 2021 1:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
sammy the blade
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by sammy the blade »

There is a thred here somewhere that shows the correct stamp and the fake stamp used by whoever but it's been a quite a few years back but I would Bill could tell you if it's the fake for sure.
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Stamp or not, that knife is Chinese!
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Luke_of_Mass
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

Has AKC even made stilettos ? I don't think I've ever come across one that wasn't a clone, in person or online. The only legit AKC products I've seen on the market are leverlocks.
Knee-deep in the hoopla...
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whippersnapper
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by whippersnapper »

Bill DeShivs wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 10:21 pm Stamp or not, that knife is Chinese!
Yep

Here is the old thread showing the difference in the stamp /etch. You can still see the pictures even though the bastards at photobucket have water marked blurred the images.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10269
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whippersnapper
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by whippersnapper »

tanto wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 7:28 pm Hi guys,

I run into this knife on local auction. Not too many AKC knives around so I am wondering whether this is the real deal or a clone. There are only these two pictures available.
akc2.jpegakac1.jpeg
Any help will be appreciated.
I have a fake just like the one pictured that I won in a giveaway years ago. I hate to say this but it is probably the best fit/finish and functioning 13" stiletto that I have ever owned...lol

I ain't kidding either unfortunately.

****Another way you can tell the fakes is if you look into the safety slot at the internal metal part of the safety that slides under the button it is a light blue color.****
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whippersnapper
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by whippersnapper »

Luke_of_Mass wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 11:27 pm Has AKC even made stilettos ? I don't think I've ever come across one that wasn't a clone, in person or online. The only legit AKC products I've seen on the market are leverlocks.
My mind isn't as good as it used to be but I'm sure I have had stilettos with the AKC stamp. Pretty sure the last one I had was a small 7 or 8 inch stag Kriss blade. I think I sold it or traded it to somebody here on talkblade. Seems like it was Jeremy aka jimbrown.
sammy the blade
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by sammy the blade »

My memory ain't what it used to be either but it seems like I had a couple with serrated blade that had the AKC stamp but I wouldn't swear to it. I have a picklock that Straydog worked over and I thought it was AKC but I just looked at it and it has the AB stamp. It was really nice from the maker but it's a lot nicer now!
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Luke_of_Mass
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

As unfortunate as it is, if I were Angelo, I might just kill off the AKC brand quietly and quit making knives with acrylic scales, quality horn and wood only - I can't see China making clones with legit horn or snakewood. At this point, I don't even risk touching anything marked AKC. Damn shame it's gotta be that way.
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whippersnapper
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by whippersnapper »

Luke_of_Mass wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 11:27 pm Has AKC even made stilettos ? I don't think I've ever come across one that wasn't a clone, in person or online. The only legit AKC products I've seen on the market are leverlocks.
I dug up an old picture. It's small but you can see the AKC mark on it.
IMG_0894.JPG
IMG_0894.JPG (135.26 KiB) Viewed 3443 times
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by Bill DeShivs »

The Chinese make Leverletto clones with stag and horn all the time.
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Chris51P
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by Chris51P »

whippersnapper wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 11:55 pm
Bill DeShivs wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 10:21 pm Stamp or not, that knife is Chinese!
Yep

Here is the old thread showing the difference in the stamp /etch. You can still see the pictures even though the bastards at photobucket have water marked blurred the images.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10269
I see the difference now. Does anyone know how long this has been happening? I have 2 swing guards that appear to have the correct stamp to be original AKC knives that were bought about 8 - 10 years ago. These stamps do not have the double line block letters for the letters AKC. Also, they do not have the words stainless steel on either side of the tang. These are quality knives made with high quality parts. If these are Chinese I may never buy an AKC again.
AKC Swinguards #1.jpg
AKC Swinguards #1.jpg (46.24 KiB) Viewed 3428 times
AKC Swinguards #2.jpg
AKC Swinguards #2.jpg (48.68 KiB) Viewed 3428 times
AKC Swinguards #3.jpg
AKC Swinguards #3.jpg (42.93 KiB) Viewed 3428 times
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whippersnapper
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by whippersnapper »

I have never heard of any counterfeit swingers.
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JulesVane
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Re: AKC or a clone?

Post by JulesVane »

The question of AKC producing a classic style stiletto switchblade comes up so often, I had to go to the source. This is part of that short conversation on the subject with Angelo. AKC never made a stiletto of the classic/traditional style. When AKC started in roughly 2001, Angelo bought less than 500 blank tang pieces from Renzo Beltrame and etched them AKC. So, even to find a "legit" piece from that less than 500, it would have been produced by Renzo Beltrame.

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