Fake Brass Knuckles vape cartridges are everywhere. Shady vendors across the country sell them all the time. Here we show how to identify them and name the companies making fake Brass Knuckles cartridges.

Update 10/10/2018: Hologram picture and information added

Update 01/16/2019: Added video guide comparing fake vs real

Update 02/02/2019: Companies producing fake Brass Knuckles

Update 5/2/2019: CA! symbol information

Update 5/3/2019: Strain specific packaging  not matching strain stickers

Update 6/24/2019: Fake Connected carts information

Brass Knuckles fake cartridges are here for a while

As long as some states have legal marijuana dispensaries and others do not, fake Brass Knuckles cartridges are here to stay. The most common place to find these fake vape carts is in illegal states. They also might be at some legitimate operations as well, particularly in California where regulations are lax. See our multi-brand post on fake cartridges for information on other brands that have counterfeits out there.

See our video guide to spotting fake Brass Knuckles below. Keep reading for the more in depth explanation.

Easiest way to spot most fakes

Real Brass Knuckles have a hologram on the side. Most fake Brass Knuckles cartridges do not. This is the first thing to look for and if there is no hologram you instantly know you have a fake. Take a look at the picture below, the hologram is in the top right left corner.

If you have the hologram most likely you are using a legit cartridge. No hologram and you instantly know you are using a fake. Photo grabbed from Reddit user throwaway725199.

Strain label and package mismatch, the second easiest way to spot fake Brass Knuckles

The fake BK cart pictured above was recently sent to us by email from one of our readers. It’s an obvious fake because we previously reviewed Napalm OG from a legit dispensary in Las Vegas. Napalm OG is the strain too, so there is no way this is a legitimate Do Si Dos cartridge. It has to be fake if the packaging does not match the strain. Most BK carts are not strain-specific packaging, but there are a few that are.

Strain specific packaging not matching the sticker = fake.

What is a fake Brass Knuckles cartridge?

A Brass Knuckles cartridge is considered a fake when it contains oil that was not made by the actual company, Brass Knuckles. In China, companies make cartridges with Brass Knuckles branding, logos, and packaging. We are not sure if the real company is able to pursue any of the Chinese makers legally, because there might not be a trademark since technically Brass Knuckles is a federally illegal product.

Real Brass Knuckles has had issues anyway

The think about Brass Knuckles vape cartridges is even the real ones have problems. Most recently they have tested clean. However, it is hard to trust them after multiple failures for pesticides. There is even a lawsuit against Brass Knuckles currently ongoing for somebdy that got sick from their carts. See our vape pen pesticides and solvents test page for Brass Knuckles testing information, current and past.

THC vape cartridges better than Brass Knuckles

There are several brands better than Brass Knuckles. In California: Stiiizy Pen, Justdab, Select Oil and stick e vape are all available and better than Brass Knuckles. In Nevada: Select Oil, Kabunky, and BaM pods are all better than Brass Knuckles. Next time you are at any dispensary and thinking of picking up Brass Knuckles, ask the budtender what they think is better. I have never had any budtender at any shop say Brass Knuckles was the best they had.

Advertising plays a role

Some brands pay a lot for advertising and celebrity endorsements. This does not ensure a good product nor are we stating that advertising means it is a bad product. G Pen products are not good but they got Snoop Dogg. Brass Knuckles strength is actually pretty good, but the pesticides issue makes it lack some trust, and they got Xzibit. Nike had Tiger, and Nike golf clubs were never considered good. The point is try the stuff yourself and read reviews that are not paid for. You will be surprised at the quality some of these unadvertised brands are delivering.

Key things to look for to identify fake Brass Knuckles vape carts

Misspelling

All the lettering should be worded correctly. China is notorious for misspelling things and this is an easy thing to spot. Also, it’s an easy thing for them to fix, so this might not last forever. This reminds me of the odd English formats you would see in Japanese made video games back in the NES days.

No strain information on bottom of packaging

Real Brass Knuckles cartridges have strain information on the bottom. When that information is lacking, you can be sure it is a fake cartridge.

Brass Knuckles should make a list of verified vendors

We hope in the future Brass Knuckles puts up a list of verified vendors. This would be the most efficient way to buy real cartridges. Unfortunately, their system of determining fakes is actually less effective than this page. Not the best organized company, hence the previous pesticide issues.

CA! symbol does not always mean real or fake

We read elsewhere that some claim if there is now CA! symbol, then the Brass Knuckles cartridge is fake. That’s not the case. If it is being sold in California, it should have a CA! symbol on it. However, Brass Knuckles is also sold in Nevada, where there is no CA! symbol on the packaging.

Likewise, having a CA! symbol in California does not always mean it is real. Make sure to check other indicators for authenticity as well.

Fake Connected Cannabis Co cartridges

Connected Cannabis Co. is a cannabis company from Sacramento, CA. They make collaboration cartridges with vape brands and recently had one made for Brass Knuckles and Friendly Farms. This sub-category of fake Brass Knuckles is widely distributed. Take a look at the pictures below.

Fake Connected carts are one of the harder ones to determine as real or fake. However, they are one of the more widely faked Brass Knuckles cartridges. If you see a Connected vape cart and it’s not at a legit dispensary, I would assume it is fake.

Here are the companies in China making fake Brass Knuckles cartridges

For ones that had a picture I am including a picture so you can identify fakes better. The picture of each company’s fake will be below their information. Please add any data you may have in the comments section or discuss fake brass knuckles here on our forum. This page will be updated as new fakes are found.