Made By Monkeys

Figure 1: Click on the images to see why the real SKF bearing (left) actually looks less genuine than the fake (right).

The counterfeit Louis Vuitton bags you can buy in China's fake markets may fall apart on you quickly, but at least they won't kill you. A phony bearing that doesn't meet the technical specs could. A recent onslaught of bogus after-market bearings in China has created a major headache for legitimate bearing makers like SKF and Timken, who say that it's often very difficult to distinguish the fakes from the non-fakes. Counterfeiters are getting very good at reproducing the original markings and the packaging--in some instances they're getting almost too good. As a case in point, compare the real and counterfeit versions of the SKF BAHB 311443 AB HBU1 bearing above. Note that the marking on the counterfeit (right) looks more "genuine" than the marking on the actual SKF bearing. "The fact that they may look more real only underscores the need for people to look beyond physical appearances and make sure they only buy from authorized dealers and distributors," says SKF's Colin Roberts. To help people avoid getting duped, SKF offers a tip sheet on how to detect fake bearings.

On a trip to Shanghai to research an article on "fakes," I walked into the Xiangyang Market. Thirty minutes later and after some fierce haggling, I walked out with copies of Adobe Acrobat 3D, SolidWorks 2006, AutoCAD 2007, and PTC Wildfire. Total price: $22.00. Oh yeah, and I did snag a six season set of The Sopranos for $19.00.

It's a pretty safe bet that nobody who buys an engineering software package worth thousands of dollars for just a few bucks at a place nicknamed "the fake market" actually thinks they're getting the real thing. It may be a working copy of the software, but don't try calling tech support or inquiring about an upgrade. Nevertheless, it's always amazing to see how, well, fakey some of these fakes are. Note the spelling of PTC WildFire in the area with the black background. (Click on the photo to see detail.)

Craig Johnson, who runs the website www.ledmuseum.org, where he posts some highly entertaining product reviews, had a few choice words to say about this Chinese-made flashlight advertised as "no battery needed."

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If an incredibly low price isn't an obvious enough tip-off, here's a surefire way to tell a cloned product from the real thing: In a lame effort to "prove" that the fake has been through some sort of rigorous quality-control process, it usually carries at least one official-looking label to that effect.

Take this $20 clone of the $270 U2 SureFire Ultra LED flashlight, which is one of the toughest and brightest flashlights out there. The clone is the one in front with the gold "Q.C. Passed" label on its bezel.

Of course, there's other telltale signs that this Chinese-made light doesn't come close to the real thing, as Craig Johnson, operator of the website www.ledmuseum.org, a site devoted to all things LED (including some highly entertaining reviews of LED-based products), discovered on closer inspection:

When poorly aimed, a flashlight's multiple light sources can create a serious Van Gogh effect!

Doug Ritter writes about the clone flashlight that produced this hallucinogenic effect on his equipped to survive website, where he reviews outdoor gear and survival equipment. He writes:

"The "Pilot" lights by Holly Solar Products are a virtual clone of the original triple AA-cell Trek light, though of lower quality fit and finish, with a twist. Besides the Pilot 2 ($30) two-LED model, they also offer both a one- and a three-LED version. The single LED model, Pilot 1 ($20), didn't seem to offer much except extra long life and it was quite bulky for the light provided. The Pilot-3 ($35) served as an excellent example of the difficulty that having multiple light sources that are not well aimed can cause, as it provided three distinct lit areas. Not too bad for finding your way, but seriously annoying when trying to use the light for close-up work."

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Are there any real magnetic induction shake-to-charge flashlights out there? Phil Karras relates his run-in with some more flagrant fakes on his website:

"I'm not saying that the flashlights were not worth the $2.50 I paid, but they were not as advertised. The flashlight box clearly stated in poor, but understandable English, that the flashlight did NOT use batteries, all you had to do to make it light was to shake it back and forth.

On my way out I heard someone say that there was no magnet inside the flashlight. Instead of going right back to the vendor, though, I went home and ran an experiment. I left one of the flashlights on while I went out for a couple hours. When I returned, the flashlight was dark. I picked it up and shook it, but no amount of shaking would make it shine again."

                                                                                                         Thanks to Jon Titus another contribution to our photo gallery of cockeyed construction work -- or is someone just having fun with photoshop?