Gil Hibben has spent over 55 years of his life building his name and reputation as a master knifemaker. Because his name is recognized around the world, there are some rip-off companies and sellers who try to cash in by putting the Hibben name on counterfeit knives. These are NOT Hibben Knives and are NOT endorsed by, or associated with Gil Hibben, in any way.
Beware that the fakes are out there! Nearly all are made in China where there is little or nothing that U.S. law can do about it. You CAN fight back by not buying from sellers who deal in counterfeit items.
Below are a few that recently showed up on Ebay:
This one was for sale on Ebay by seller "smartknives2010" (in China). It is not even a Hibben design! It was NOT made by United Cutlery and is NOT a Hibben knife or design.
Another complete fake sold on Ebay by "c-knife2009" (in China). Again, this is NOT a Hibben design or a United Cutlery product!
Gil Hibben's "Rambo III" knife is one of the most recognized and successful reproduction knifes ever made. Over the years, several people have made and sold counterfeit copies of it. Some rip-off manufacturers are bold enough to actually put the Gil Hibben and/or United Cutlery trademarks on them.
The example below was being sold on Ebay by "katahan_art" (in China). It is NOT a Hibben or Hibben endorsed knife. It is a cheap counterfeit copy. Notice the packaging; "Rambo 111" was NEVER used by Hibben or United. Hibben knives are marked "Rambo III" but some counterfeiters also use that mark.
Also notice the poor quality of the blade with the pitting in the grind.
Gil Hibben makes handmade originals and authentic handmade reproductions in his one-man shop. He also licenses some of his designs to be made exclusively by United Cutlery. The United Cutlery knives are lower cost factory-made reproductions of Gil Hibben designs. Anything else is a fake!