Can you spot a fake?

[Megatron]

Having seen the discussion in General Chat on the Fake Britain programme (which I haven't seen) I thought this might be a good test.

 

Is this fake? How can you tell?

 

 

 

 

[testcricket01]

isnt that ment to be a stihl 090 not 070 if its a copy or not i dunno im a husky man

[yewhunter18]

Have yOu bought that ? Stopes making them a few year ago and it's not got a scratch on it

[spudulike]

Looks like a real one to me - been refurbed, I think Stihl are still making this model for the South American market but my money is on refurb - will let you know why if I am correct - am viewing on a phone though!!

[Charlieh]

its one of the ones being made under license in China, so not a fake but not really a 100% real stihl

[Megatron]

Have yOu bought that ? Stopes making them a few year ago and it's not got a scratch on it

 

No it isn't mine. These are mine;

and yes I painted the 075 blue, just to stand out.

[alex_m]

isn't it one of those brazilian ones meant for very low grade petrol?

i could be talking complete b******* here, though...

[Megatron]

I think Stihl are still making this model for the South American market but my money is on refurb - will let you know why if I am correct - am viewing on a phone though!!

 

The 070 is no longer produced anywhere by Stihl AFAIK. It has been replaced by the MS 720 as of the end of 2008/start 2009. I would be interested to know why you think the saw is real or not, regardess of what it actually is.

 

its one of the ones being made under license in China, so not a fake but not really a 100% real stihl

 

No it isn't. Don't know about any modern Stihl saw being "100% real Stihl" though as many of the components that are used in the German and US factories are made in China. Zama carbs etc

 

Drum roll...

 

The saw is a Chinese clone/fake/counterfeit. There are several 070 counterfeit versions, this is one of the more convincing ones.

 

Every now and then one of these will pop up on ebay or gumtree.

 

Here is some tips on how you can tell;

 

-Often the seller will say it was bought in the 1980s to prevent having to use the word IMPORT which buyers are generally weary of. However, as with all the 070 clones I have seen they have plastic nameplates on recoil and filter housing/engine shroud. Plastcic nameplates were only put on the saw from 1996 onwards.

-The plastic nameplate on the filter housing/engine shroud should have the registered trademark symbol after "STIHL", ®.

-As is often the case the font is not quite right. The "STIHL" label on the clutch cover should be more itallic and should also have a faint ® after it.

-The cylinder appears black. AFAIK the only cylinder supplier used for the 070 was MAHLE, who don't make cylinders that look like that.

-The tank gasket shouldn't be black AFAIK. Yellow or Green or Red (which is the replacement tank gasket colour if you buy one now).

-The oil tank/engine shroud/recoil starter/rear handle should be attached via slotted head bolts not allen bolts, especially not black ones!

-The muffler should be held to the cylinder by studs which are threaded into the cylinder and then silver/gold M6 lock nuts to hold the muffler on. Not the black allen bolts which appear to have been used in this clone.

-The kill switch should have a plate under it with two red arrows pointing backwards saying "Stop", instead of the red and black "On" and "Off" markings which appear to have been used above.

-The "box" under the the kill switch should look a lot slimmer and have a rubber cylindrical shaped covering for the kill wire. Not something with writing on which looks like an electrical relay.

-I deliberately didn't find a picture of the recoil side as it is normally the biggest giveaway. The nameplate on the cones does not even look close to the real thing and doesn't have the place of manufacture written on it like "Made in Germany" etc.

-The serial number would also likely be a big giveaway.

 

There are loads of these on Aliexpress, Alibaba etc.

e.g.

Wholesale Stihl 070 Chain saw with 36" SOLID GUIDE BAR + Free Shipping

 

They make convincing conterfeit copies of the MS250, MS380, MS381 and Husqvarna 365 Special also...

[Megatron]

A different saw off of Youtube;

[ame]

[/ame]

 

You tell me...

[Sam Thompson]

A different saw off of Youtube;

 

You tell me...

 

The stickers give it away. Faaake.