Fake Knife Books

[Rookie]

I've noticed a trend starting on Amazon and Ebay, where AI generated slop is being presented as real items.

I like knife books, and am always on the hunt for ones that I do not already have. I came across these couple, and after doing a bit of digging, found that these books have fake AI cover images, and the content inside is all AI written non-sense. In looking at other books offered by the authors, they have "written" dozens under many different subjects.

Please be wary of any knife books you find that were written 2024 or newer, without doing your homework.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G728DBT2

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GZNVDQ2J

[knifeaholic]

Thanks for posting this. I had no idea people would stoop so low. Odd since these are being sold as hard cover books, not just digital downloads.

[Rookie]

Thanks for posting this. I had no idea people would stoop so low. Odd since these are being sold as hard cover books, not just digital downloads.

ya, apparently the author just had AI write up a generic book about pocketknives that was 100 pages long, and they just self published it through Amazon, and away it goes. Probably took the user less than a day to create. I reported both to Amazon, but I doubt that will do anything.

[Mumbleypeg]

Amazon doesn’t give much information about the first one but there’s four pages of hype about the second one. Looking at their info about it, I see quite a lot of apparent garbage. The pictures supposedly depicting blade shapes are laughable.

There’s a need for such books, but AI information is not reliable enough to produce anything remotely resembling a book like these purport to be.

Maybe if someone is an experienced and savvy enough collector to edit out AI garbage it could work. The biography of the author of the first book says she “has expertise in child psychology” and writes books for 6-12 year olds. Doesn’t say she even owns a pocket knife. I do not find any bio for the author of the second book.

Ken

[Rookie]

Amazon doesn’t give much information about the first one but there’s four pages of hype about the second one. Looking at their info about it, I see quite a lot of apparent garbage. The pictures supposedly depicting blade shapes are laughable.

There’s a need for such books, but AI information is not reliable enough to produce anything remotely resembling a book like these purport to be.

Maybe if someone is an experienced and savvy enough collector to edit out AI garbage it could work. The biography of the author of the first book says she “has expertise in child psychology” and writes books for 6-12 year olds. Doesn’t say she even owns a pocket knife. I do not find any bio for the author of the second book.

Ken

ya, I found about a dozen issues with those graphics. And on the first book, if you zoom in on the cover, the tang stamps look like hieroglyphics on the "Tidioute" knives. Telltale sign of AI generated artwork, as it doesn't know what text to put there, so it just tries to put in something to fill the space.

I work in book publishing, and we see this garbage 365 days a year from author's who try to get books published so they can make money, but all the content is just nonsense AI baloney.

[knifeaddict1965]

Thanks for starting this thread, Carl! Hopefully, it will save a few people from throwing their money away on this GARBAGE.
I can't even begin to imagine how much inaccurate and ridiculous AI crap is in these books , although the authors do appear to have an "unprecedented" amount of experience & knowledge in knife collecting circles.

Maybe these books can help us learn more about all those ridiculous AI descriptions on the Bay with the 2.76 - 4 inch blade range, designed for ambidextrous use with a slipjoint lock type and manual opening mechanism adding to its versatility and functionality, and sleek design making it a stylish and functional collectible folding knife perfect for everyday use and a must-have for collectors and knife enthusiasts.

[OLDE CUTLER]

That book in the second link is absolutely crazy. What's with the blade coming out out the handle of the Case knife at a wonky angle? And how it says most collectors "get it wrong"? It also says that it will help you avoid costly mistakes. I am going to avoid the costly mistake of buying those books.

[1967redrider]

What, in particular, is going on in this cover picture?

Not any information on author, Craft Logan, but there is some on Oxford educated Riley Stone. She should stick to kid's books.

[Rookie]

The scary part is that as AI gets better, it's going to be harder to identify these books as AI created. Our company is using AI to help identify other AI created content so we can flag it, so we are beginning the war of the machines.

[dlr110]

This really makes me mad since my book is on Amazon. Nothing fancy, just the things I learned in starting my collection years ago. Heck I can't even spell AI.

[bestgear]

This is why Name, Image and Likeness is worth big bucks to athletes, actors, writers and broadcasters - they can be duplicated artificially without a lot of effort - that first phone call where you talk to someone that wasn’t next to you must have been pretty scary too

[Sharpnshinyknives]

What a waste of money. The pictures of the knives described aren’t even correct. I’ve never seen a stockman with 3 blades coming out of the same end of the knife. The Barlow looks nothing like a Barlow. I could go on and on about what’s wrong with the pictures. That description of the author doesn’t inspire confidence in me about her knowledge of knives.
It’s bad enough that eBay lets sellers take a picture of a knife and lets AI title, describe and price them with incredibly wrong information but an entire book about knives from AI is just beyond the pale.

[Rookie]

That description of the author doesn’t inspire confidence in me about her knowledge of knives.

I would be willing to bet that lady isn't even the author. Likely is a guy from India or the Philippines using a fake photo, fake name, and fake background to seem more authentic. In my line of work, I see that stuff many times per week.

[stockman]

Carl, you are right on. I looked at your profile and you know exactly what is going on. Thanks for your reply.

Harold