Clone
Explanation
A balisong is considered a clone if the design has been copied, with very little or no changes from the original.
Expanded Definition:
"Clones" may also be expanded into two categories of "legal" vs "not legal" for sale in the US (hence why "counterfeits" can only be originally purchased from international sites, which are not governed by US law).
This means anything 1:1, fake logos or less than "3 significant changes" would fall into the "not legal" category of sale in the US. Those models would now technically be referred to as "counterfeit" or "knockoff" with the intent to deceive and are potentially harmful to an unsuspecting buyer not familiar with the differences (We, as a community have the moral obligation to be honest with our fellow flippers regarding any private reselling). Be aware of potential scammers.
Quality
Clones are usually much cheaper than authentic balisongs, as they are often manufactured in China. However, the lower price tag reflects the drop in quality. Clone balisongs typically use lower-grade materials and have worse tolerances/QC as a tradeoff for the lower starting price. The biggest quality concern is the blade steel and potential of receiving a defect or poorly tuned piece. Clones often use inexpensive, poorly heat-treated steel with burnt cutting edges and the factory workers don't get paid enough to care about correcting defects. This is what we call "clone roulette" sometimes you get a good one, sometimes you get a bad one. When investing in clones, basic tuning knowledge/maintenance and proper tools will make a huge difference in your experience.
A couple of years ago, clones were complete junk. But nowadays some clones are very high-quality flippers, often times rivaling authentic balisongs in terms of flipping performance.
Clone Sellers
Legit Websites
Before purchasing a clone, please read Authentic VS Clone.
There are several known clone sellers, each with their own pros and cons. If you find a website which sells clones and it is not listed below in this chapter, consider it an unsafe website.
BBKS is usually the first to stock new clone releases.
Clisong is very slow when it comes to updating their website when a new balisong releases, often times being months behind release schedule.
Lots of users have reported never receiving their orders.
One Balisong offers a wide selection of balisongs, including some not found on other clone seller websides.
S2G is the only American reseller (limited to "legal" models free of fake logos) and offers a higher price as a tradeoff for higher QC, faster shipping, insured and overall reduced risk being the only Domestic option (US shipping only).
Average delivery time is 2 or 3 "business days" (Next Day Air is available).
Please Note: Any international site will all experience approximately the same delivery speed, which varies widely due to potential customs delays/international risks + your specific location. Some buyers have reported as early as 1 week (rare occasion) compared to the latest reddit post just reported a ridiculous 4 months (which is the opposite rare occasion).
According to USPS: 1 to 4 weeks
The average delivery time for USPS First-Class Package International from China to the USA is typically 1 to 4 weeks. = be patient when ordering international.
Scam Websites
Kolisong.com
Kolisong has stolen credit card information and has exit scammed their customers.
Armedshark.com
Armed Shark does not have their own website. Armedshark.com is a fake website.