Counterfeit Surefire SW01 Fatty & Slim tailcaps + Z49

Rat

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I HAVE SHOCKING NEWS FAKE SW01 TAILCAPS ARE OUT THERE AND HAVE BEEN FOR SOMETIME FATTY & SLIM :shakehead

We all know too well about the counterfeit SW02 tailcaps and how to pick them out. Sadly I have found there are more Counterfeit Surefire Tailcaps out there SW01 Fatty, Slim & Z49 tailcaps and who knows how many others.

I purchased a SW01 slim thinking it was the real deal not long ago it turned out it was a fake SW01 slim tailcap. A very good copy the HA is perfect and the machining is spot on. Sadly I have now found a fake SW01 fatty that I have had in my collection for a long time which I would of paid top dollar for so who knows how long these have been around for.

The seller of the fake SW01 Slim found out they were fakes after he had sent it out to me. He did the right thing and told me to send it back which I will do or than again i just might crush it under a 10-ton press. I am not going into any other details about the seller as yet he is a member on here so lets see if he cuts in. After I found this out about the SW01 slim I looked at a Z49 tailcap I got from the same seller a few weeks before and guess what also FAKE. Not sure he is as innocent as he makes out.
There is a lot more to this part of the story but I will leave it there for now.
Thinking I was interested he offered me more at $60ea 5 for $250 or 10 for $450 so as you can see there is a lot of these out there. Do not ask me about buying any of these counterfeit tailcaps because I think they stink and want no part in it.

If they made copies and called them #####fire or whatever than good I would never buy them but at least I would know they could not be mistaken for the real deal. They have been made for one reason and one reason only to fool us collectors into paying top dollar for a fake item. It does not do our hobby of collecting Surefire products any favors at all. So I hope you all will stay clear of these fakes. If nobody buys them they will stop making them.

This thread is more about telling all you fellow collectors to watch out for these fakes. I do know there has been a few sold on eBay as the real thing so if you purchased any on eBay you better have a real good look at them. The real SW01's have been pulling big money for a long time now so to pay top dollar for a fake that I would not pay a dime for would be a sad day indeed. I am pretty sure if yours has came sealed in the bag you should be OK.

SW01 Slim
One way to tell them apart is to go by weight.
The real SW01 slim will weight 38.6 grams
The Fake SW01 slim will weight 39.3 grams
All three of my real SW01 slim tailcaps weight spot on the same and they all came sealed NIP around three years ago.


The spring inside on the fake SW02 slim is thinner and shinier. Also the flat area on the spring seat is thinner see below.
SW01slimbottom_zpsfac3b3e9.jpg


SW01comside_zps505dddfa.jpg


Have a good look at the text. This is not the same with the fatty.
SW01slimtextcom_zps4f02edc2.jpg




SW01 fatty


Same as the Slim the spring inside on the fake SW02 fatty is thinner and shinier. Also the flat area on the spring seat is thinner see below.
SW01fattybottom_zps0b84865f.jpg


SW01fatty_zps7abe7742.jpg


SW01fattytext_zpsf95547e7.jpg



Z49
Now the Fake Z49 tailcaps same thing very good copy's
The real Z49 will weight 34.7 grams
The Fake Z49 will weight 32.8 grams

From the outside the rubber boot is a different shape very slightly & the knurling on the Fake is also different. The clicky switch is softer as well.
Z49side_zpsc11cb5fa.jpg


The spring is thinner and shinier it's also much softer you can easily push it all the way down onto the plastic much harder to do on the real one.
The black plastic bit the spring sits on is also different the notches are bigger and as you can see below the plat has different cut outs in them.
Z49inside2_zps41f1dff3.jpg


Z49inside_zps910f101f.jpg



Let me know if you have a Counterfeit fake SW01's, SW02, or Z49

Feel free to use this anywhere you think people should know about these fakes

:wave:

EDIT: Whole post has been edited with photo's and new discovery of fake fatty
 
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dc38

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Hi Guys
We all know too well about the counterfeit SW02 tailcaps and how to pick them out. Sadly I have found there are more Counterfeit Surefire Tailcaps out there SW01 slim & Z49 tailcaps and who knows how many others.

I have one of the fake SW01 slim tailcaps and they are a very good copy from the outside you cannot tell the difference the HA is perfect and the machining is spot on

:wave:

Perhaps you should bring this up with surefire's counterfeit reporting?
 

Rat

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Perhaps you should bring this up with surefire's counterfeit reporting?

I have dealt with David from Surefires counterfeiting services in the past and he has been notified all about them and linked to this post already. He may pop in and say a word or two lets see.

Cheers
 

badtziscool

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Thanks for PSA Rat! I've been keeping track of the rare SF stuff on ebay, and lately I've been seeing SW01 tailcaps (both fatty and slim) more often than in the past and it has crossed my mind if they could be fake. Now we know they're out there.
 

m4a1usr

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Outstanding info RAT! Some pictures would be wonderful for reference. I'll post some soon.
 

rje58

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Thanks for the heads up! I don't have a scale that is accurate enough to weight my Z49s. I have two that I purchased on CPF back in 2010 or 2011. Should these be safe? or were there really good Z49 fakes in that timeframe as well?

Now the Fake Z49 tailcaps same thing very good copy in fact I prefer the knurling on the Fake than the real deal.
From the outside the rubber boot is a different shape very slightly I will need to show you pictures.
The inside is the same thing as above the spring is thinner and shinier. The black plastic bit the spring sits on is also different it is smaller and the notches are bigger. I will need to show you also.
The clicky is softer as well.
The real Z49 will weight 34.7 grams
The Fake Z49 will weight 32.8 grams
 

RGB_LED

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Hi Rat, thanks so much for highlighting this to us. I've noticed recently that there have been a few Z49's going up for sale on Fleabay so this is quire concerning.

It does make one wonder how much trouble people go through to make a fake... since, presumably, it means someone has to purchase the aluminum blanks, machine it, anodize it and so forth. I guess selling the fake as the real thing makes the profit margins all worthwhile. :shakehead
 
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Rat

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Thanks for PSA Rat! I've been keeping track of the rare SF stuff on ebay, and lately I've been seeing SW01 tailcaps (both fatty and slim) more often than in the past and it has crossed my mind if they could be fake. Now we know they're out there.

I have yet to see a fatty but you would think if they have done the slim than they very well could also have done the fatty. Who knows they might have done many more than we know of. We do now know there is the SW02, SW01 slim & Z49 I am sure there would be more and maybe after I post all the pictures people will start to find more models. As one member has pointed out the only problem with talking about it this way is they then know what they need to change but with out talking about it people do not know what to look for and are getting cheated. It's a hard one that's for sure.


Outstanding info RAT! Some pictures would be wonderful for reference. I'll post some soon.

I should have some free time tomorrow to start on the photo's. With the photos as reference it will be very easy to tell the fakes.


Thanks for the heads up! I don't have a scale that is accurate enough to weight my Z49s. I have two that I purchased on CPF back in 2010 or 2011. Should these be safe? or were there really good Z49 fakes in that timeframe as well?

I would think you should be fine. The fakes would of been picked up before this if they have been out there for that long. You will know any way when I post the pictures as the Z49 has five key points it's very easy to tell a fake without weighting one.


Hi Rat, thanks so much for highlighting this to us. I've noticed recently that there have been a few Z49's going up for sale on Fleabay so this is quire concerning.

This ebay one is 100% fake 261336764824 but remember that the seller probably does not know he is selling a fake.


:wave:
 

Rat

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Add the SW01 Fatty to the list

Sad day today. These fakes have been around for some time by the looks. I just found a fake SW01 Fatty in my collection. I would have paid $250+ for this thinking it was the real deal not happy.
I am not sure where I got it from but I am sure it was from MP a year or so ago as i have not purchase a SW01 fatty in a long time. It's 100% fake so these have been around for some time by the looks.

Sadly us collectors properly have been selling them to fellow members with out even knowing they are fakes.
So guys time to check your SW01 tail caps for fakes lets see how many we have in our collections. I think I was lucky I suppose to only have one fake it could of been worse. I think that was the only one out of the four fatty 's I have that did not come new in the bag.
Photo's will be up within the hour so you guys can 100% check if you have fakes.

EDIT: I have just updated the first post with photo's and text.



:(
 
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LightJunk

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Sorry to hear that Rat. Actually there are few fake Surefire lights & parts around. Google "firekylin". First few links are interesting.
 

Rat

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Sorry to hear that Rat. Actually there are few fake Surefire lights & parts around. Google "firekylin". First few links are interesting.

Hi mate yea I have seen them before not a fan. I think they could be the source of this type of thing. I had seen a few weapon lights and the SW02 before but never knew about the SW01 before.
It's when they start putting the name Surefire on them and people try selling them for the real thing that pisses me off.
 
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Mathiashogevold

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Do you know the weight of the real SW01 fatty? Mine is ca 36 grams on the kitchen scale. Looks like i have a real one when comparing to your picture, as mine have a fat ring inside.
 

LightJunk

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

So far I've never seen a fake SW01. Thanks for the photos. The Z49 & Z48 definitely from there. SW02 as well.

But the SW01 with Surefire letterings on it is definitely rare in the sense that it is already rare.
 

Rat

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Do you know the weight of the real SW01 fatty? Mine is ca 36 grams on the kitchen scale. Looks like i have a real one when comparing to your picture, as mine have a fat ring inside.

There was only 0.3 difference so I did not list it. My real fatty switches are all different as well two are 35.6 the other is 35.7 The fake is 35.4
 

Cerealand

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Thanks for the heads up. This post made me pull out my SW02 to check the spring. Non-shiny spring and same plate cuts out as the real one. :rock:
 

RGB_LED

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Add the SW01 Fatty to the list
Sad day today. These fakes have been around for some time by the looks. I just found a fake SW01 Fatty in my collection.... EDIT: I have just updated the first post with photo's and text.
:(
Rat, sorry to hear about this - that must have been incredibly disappointing. But, thank you again for posting this along with the pics. :thumbsup:

Thanks for the heads up. This post made me pull out my SW02 to check the spring. Non-shiny spring and same plate cuts out as the real one. :rock:
Same here. I checked out my various SW02's and all had non-shiny springs and plate cuts. I do have to wonder if those scammers, who make fakes, would ever try to copy the switch exactly with non-shiny springs and plate cuts. Worrisome.

Rat, I would assume that any fake Z48's would also have the same differences as those for the Z49. I'll definitely take a closer at these in the future.
 

m4a1usr

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Sorry to hear that Rat. Actually there are few fake Surefire lights & parts around. Google "firekylin". First few links are interesting.
Fire-Kylin has been making fake SW02 and Z49/Z48 switches for many years. And I wouldn't doubt this latest flood of fake SW01's is somehow tied to them. But there also is Apextac and probably more Thanks for the pic's. That is a big help!
 

m4a1usr

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Ah ha! Found another way to spot the fakes. After checking my SW01 it matched all of Rat's warnings AND it has a metric cap screw. It's a 3mm I believe.
 

Rat

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

Thanks for the heads up. This post made me pull out my SW02 to check the spring. Non-shiny spring and same plate cuts out as the real one. :rock:

That's some good news.


Rat, sorry to hear about this - that must have been incredibly disappointing. But, thank you again for posting this along with the pics. :thumbsup:

Same here. I checked out my various SW02's and all had non-shiny springs and plate cuts. I do have to wonder if those scammers, who make fakes, would ever try to copy the switch exactly with non-shiny springs and plate cuts. Worrisome.

Rat, I would assume that any fake Z48's would also have the same differences as those for the Z49. I'll definitely take a closer at these in the future.


Sadly you would think they properly will.
I am sure it will be the same for the Z48's as the Z49's and the same with the SW02's Luckly all my Z48 & SW02 switches are the real deal so I could not document them.




Ah ha! Found another way to spot the fakes. After checking my SW01 it matched all of Rat's warnings AND it has a metric cap screw. It's a 3mm I believe.


Sorry to hear you also have a fake. Good find on the crew size I bet there are many more ways to tell the fakes but I think we should leave a few out so if they try again we can pick them up on a few more things. I was going to pull my fake SW01 fatty down and have a good look at all the components but never had the time.

Keep checking your switches guys lets see how many of us have been deceived.

:wave:
 

Z-Tab

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Re: "WARNING" Counterfeit (FAKE) Surefire SW01 Slim tail caps

I believe that I have a fake SW02. There's an old thread where the differences were pointed out on some earlier fake SW02s. Since then, the makers seem to have altered their design to make them more like the real ones, where the differences are now extremely minor, like with the SW01 you have.
 
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