• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Loadout Room

The Loadout Room

Professional Gear Reviews

Hardcore Gear and Adventure

Menu
  • Shooting
        • Pistol
        • Pistol Accessories
        • Rifle
        • Rifle Accessories
        • Shotgun
        • Machine Guns
        • Air Guns
        • Ammunition
        • Optics and Sights
        • Weapon Lights
        • Tips & How-To
        • Concealed Carry
        • Holsters
        • Suppressors
        • Precision Rifle Shooting
        • Firearms Training
        • t5Tommy Gun Madness: The Thompson Submachine Gun
        • Firing the Full-Auto Steyr AUG
        • m60M60 Pig: America’s Jungle-Eating, Belt Fed Freedom Machine
        • image-60a08f67My First Single-Action Revolver Purchase: Heritage Rough Rider .22 LR/.22 WMR Range Report
    • Close
  • Gear Reviews
      • Mission Gear
      • Camping Gear
      • Survival Gear
      • Medical Gear
      • Adventure & Travel
      • Knives & Tools
      • Overland
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Footwear
      • Womens Gear & Clothing
        • ac65a540-2ef3-4598-8d11-afdf53f46e94.__CR0,0,970,600_PT0_SX970_V1___Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount HL-X: A Thoroughly Bright Review
        • Bluetti 2 handsfree power backpackBluetti Handsfree 2 Review: The Ultimate Power Backpack for Off-Grid Adventurers
        • The Gallagator 10 day pack on the shoreline next to a hiking trail.Day Pack – Mystery Ranch Gallagator 10 – The Best Yet?
        • PXL_20240209_171721326Pic of the Day, It’s Graduation Time
    • Close
  • Men’s Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • EDC
      • Eyewear
      • Watches
      • Electronics & Technology
      • Downtime
      • Mens Clothing & Accessories
      • Manly Skills
      • Style & Grooming
      • Gentleman Drinks
      • Crate Club
        • rs3CIVIVI RS71 Review : Big Blade Energy
        • civivi2Civivi Brazen Review: The Best Budget EDC Knife under $75?
        • G43_Gen3-107G43 Review: The Compact Powerhouse for EDC
        • Photoroom_20250403_201449ARES Watch Company Diver-1 & Field Watch: Unstoppable Tactical Watches for Land & Sea
    • Close
  • News
  • Video Demo
  • Buying Guides
  • Shop
  • Advertise
Firearms

Knockoffs and Generics, What Will the Internet Give Us Next?

January 11, 2024 by Fred Rowlands Leave a Comment

With clowns to the left of me and jokers to the right, I’m stuck in the middle of knockoff central. Knockoffs have been around for decades, longer than I’ve been alive, longer than, well a long time. As long as there have been items that are in high demand and command a high price, someone somewhere will create one that looks almost, (if not EXACTLY), the same and charge you less for it. Food items, (canned goods, laundry detergent, chips, and more), and pharmaceutical drugs are called “generics” and are often created on the same manufacturing line that creates the original but the “generics” don’t have the brand name and often have one or two slight differences that “don’t affect the usability of the product”. The only difference between the two is, that one is a tad more legal and is much more accepted than the other.

Since the dawn of the Internet Knockoffs and generics have only become more available and in some cases a much more prolific business. The days of walking down the pier in Naples Italy and joking about holding out for that very special Michal Jackson Thriller jacket in “100% pure imitation vinyl” (none of that fake imitation vinyl stuff for drunken Sailors) so we could buy it for about $30, if we were lucky are long gone.

The SO – SO

https://youtu.be/6Lbq7yWS2Sw
The Folding Morphing Knockoff With Multiple Names and Websites

Lately, I’ve been cleaning out the drawers here and doing some video reviews for our YouTube channel, (https://www.youtube.com/@loadoutroomofficial/videos), about some knockoff and generic knives I have in my collection. One thing I’ve noticed, just because it has a brand name and is listed on its website doesn’t mean it isn’t a knockoff! That would be the first knife I reviewed, The Folding Morphing Knockoff, if you look around hard enough, I think you can find this particular model on at least 3 possibly 4 websites all under different names of course, and for sale on Amazon.

The Worst of The Bunch

Sometimes your knockoff/generic knife can’t take a beating and some can, while others can take the heat and still be semi-functional. By mistake, I sent one into the burn pile and it pretty much survived, although it needed a good cleaning and sharpening to make it useable again. The blade still doesn’t lock well and moves too much for my taste, the flashlight melted and the handle is very slippery now both with bare hands and with gloves since there’s no coating on it. The funny thing I noticed, the part that survived the best was the lettering on the blade, not that I remember the name of the company but whatever they used to coat the letters on the blade survived the best. Go figure

https://youtu.be/xX-5GcqWWys
Fire Tested Knockoff With No Name

This One’s OK

The knockoffs were 0 and 2 at that point but I still had more to review and surprisingly the spring-assisted knife I bought at a raffle turned out to be a pretty good buy.

https://youtu.be/OhIOnKvotLk
A Good Generic Knife, Not so Good With the Raffle Tickets

It has stayed sharp during use, survived being knocked around in my truck, and fits well in my hand. There’s a coating on it that isn’t tacky but does provide a good grip with bare hands and especially with gloves. The blade is a dagger style with both edges sharpened and both edges having serrations so this isn’t something you carry everywhere. I’ve used it to cut raw and cooked meat as well as cardboard boxes, plastic, and Styrofoam. No problem with any of them at any time. The blade is easy to sharpen but I do recommend being careful when sharpening any knife with dual edges, if you don’t pay attention, you can cut yourself and this knife will bite you if you don’t respect it. I mention in the video this knife has been knocked around a lot in my truck and it has, but the spring function still works flawlessly. Usually, that’s the first problem with these types of knives they will stop opening or closing if they take too much punishment.

Garfield Likes This Sexy Cutter

The last knife wasn’t mine but I’m not giving it back! The infamous (??) $40 Karambit that was given to me to look at and review is now mine. I like it, it’s in my possession and so it stays in my possession. In the words of Stan Lee, ‘nuff said!

https://youtu.be/ZX_LwIuJz84
Sexy Looking Karambit

It may be a knockoff, it may be a generic, I’m not sure what to call it except, it works and can be useful in the right situation. A Karambit isn’t a knife made for everyday use, everyday carry maybe, but not use. They are made for one thing, cutting soft tissue, and are employed as an extension of your fist with the ring on your Index finger. This knife does that and does it very well as far as my testing can determine. I used it on raw and cooked meat, cardboard, and some Styrofoam, yes, I keep it simple and consistent! The only “weakness” would be that the tip is very elongated and thin, good for slicing and causing puncture wounds but easy to break if you hit something harder than soft tissue. Still, I like it and it stays with me but I’ve no idea where it came from on the Internet.

In Conclusion, Do We Buy or Do We Go?

So, with the addition of the Karambit to my collection, I’m lucky that 50% of my knockoffs/generics are useable, that’s a good percentage but it was almost only 33%. The Internet is a literal bonanza of used car lots and shady deals all just waiting to take your money and only sometimes give you something worthwhile in return. So lucky me that my record sits at 50% but I understand it is luck. Like the song line from the movie Used Cars says, buyer beware!

Glad I didn’t pay a lot for any of these knockoffs and for the two that I’m going to keep, I’m glad I held out for the 100% PURE IMITATION, and none of those fake ones.
Garfield out.

Share This

About the Author

Fred Rowlands Fred “Garfield” Rowlands is a 21+ year Navy veteran who spent his career in strange and diverse places like Diego Garcia, Wintering Over in Antarctica, the Southern Border, and Burbank CA. Has spent over 30 years working in Military Physical Security, Law Enforcement, and Private Security, and has “more luck than a cat has lives” supposedly. He now resides in NW Florida with his wife and a Great Dane named Layla.

See All Fred Rowlands Articles

More From The Loadout Room

Comments

Primary Sidebar

Most Read

  • Tommy Gun Madness: The Thompson Submachine Gun
    Tommy Gun Madness: The Thompson Submachine Gun
  • The Biggest Little Roundgun: The 3-Inch Kimber K6s
    The Biggest Little Roundgun: The 3-Inch Kimber K6s
  • Bluetti Handsfree 2 Review: The Ultimate Power Backpack for Off-Grid Adventurers
    Bluetti Handsfree 2 Review: The Ultimate Power Backpack for Off-Grid Adventurers
  • Breek Arms Sledgehammer: The AR-15 Charging Handle That Gas Can’t Touch
    Breek Arms Sledgehammer: The AR-15 Charging Handle That Gas Can’t Touch
  • M4A1 Block I: The Special Operations Origins of an American Icon
    M4A1 Block I: The Special Operations Origins of an American Icon

Find Us on Facebook

Recent Comments

  • Ajita Sherer on The ACR (Adaptive Combat Rifle)!
  • Raphael Hanna on The ACR (Adaptive Combat Rifle)!
  • Daisy L. on CZ P10S – The Budget EDC That Gets the Job Done (Mostly)

Latest From SOFREP

SOF

Geo Hand: Honoring The Founding of Delta Force

Featured

Was James Comey’s “8647” Instagram Post A Call To “Take Out” The President?

Op-Ed

The Bolduc Brief: The Case Against Military Parades for President Trump – A Call for Fiscal Responsibility and National Identity

News

SOFREP Morning Brief: UN Humanitarian Chief Warns of ‘Genocide’ Risk in Gaza, Taiwan’s President Rallies Military Ahead of Possible New Chinese Drills

Military Content Group

© Copyright 2025 Military Content Group · All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers