something fishy going on......

[peterforpats]

so i finally received my russian91%- no problem there, i love everything about it. while waiting for the russian, i ordered an ehpro kayfun lite clone so i could have something to practice building different coils and to experiment with that type of device. no problem there , once the correct length screws and 510 adapter was received. vapes just fine. still waiting on the r91 i went ahead and ordered a full-sized russian because it was in stock and quickly available. no problem there, vapes perfectly. now i have all 3 devices and realize i would like one more to keep seperate juices in them and be able to clean one while vaping the others. so the last one i order is the hcigar kayfun 3.1 clone from e-bay to have anice rotation working.
well, the 3.1 clone arrives and it is EXACTLY the same as the full sized russian. except for the phony svoe mesto logo it is identical in every way possibleto the russian-same finish, o-rings, everything.so it hit me, kebo(whoever they are) and uct(anyone hear of them before the russian? can you contact them?) are playing both ends of the street. i believe they are manufacturing to market both the original and the so-called clones. maybe not all but certainly some of them. spend more for the "original" no problem. need a "clone"? no problem. any qualms i may have felt about getting a knock off just vanished. the look , feel, quality and most importantly, the vape is identical....

no more shelling out big $ for the expensive "real" one. the vaping trick is to find the best "clone" and get it...it is probably made by the same people anyway. i know the two russians i have are and no one can convince me otherwise without solid proof. it took awhile but no mor getting suckered in.......

 

[BigDaddio]

I got the EHPro 3.1 Lite Clone from Bucky's Bargain Vaping I also have a Kayfun Lite. They are basically the same in size, the EHPro has the adjustable airflow (do not like I run full open anyway) and is made of a different steel. It is a different type of stainless (hope its stainless) and has a different finish. There are some other little things like the top of the chimney is chamfered on the KFL where it is not on the EHPro. Standard drip tip doesn't fit in the clone but it has an adapter. The top is slightly different as is the tank material. Other than that it is pretty good. Vapes equally as well. I may buy another or get the HCigar.

 

[peterforpats]

I got the EHPro 3.1 Lite Clone from Bucky's Bargain Vaping I also have a Kayfun Lite. They are basically the same in size, the EHPro has the adjustable airflow (do not like I run full open anyway) and is made of a different steel. It is a different type of stainless (hope its stainless) and has a different finish. There are some other little things like the top of the chimney is chamfered on the KFL where it is not on the EHPro. Standard drip tip doesn't fit in the clone but it has an adapter. The top is slightly different as is the tank material. Other than that it is pretty good. Vapes equally as well. I may buy another or get the HCigar.

the hcigar is exactly (except for logo) like my russian-finish is even identical. this is not some other factory doing a copy....

 

[vtechmech]

I wasn't aware Hcigar made a Kayfun clone, wonder if it's better than EHPro? I got the russian 91 and look like they are cutting cost by outsourcing certain parts (to Hcigar maybe?). The two steel tube from the middle, didn't match the rest.

 

[peterforpats]

I wasn't aware Hcigar made a Kayfun clone, wonder if it's better than EHPro? I got the russian 91 and look like they are cutting cost by outsourcing certain parts (to Hcigar maybe?). The two steel tube from the middle, didn't match the rest.

View attachment 284406

while both are good, the hcigar 3.1 is better than the ehpro......so far, it is the best of all the clones i've seen(and much better than the tobeco or rocket)

 

[Vwls]

Some of these companies absolutely play both ends of the market... and why wouldn't they? The high end buyers are only going to buy things if you price them and advertise them as exclusive and expensive. And those items will never be purchased by the other folks, who are looking for bargains. If you want to exploit the widest possible sales base, the only thing you can do is market clones of your own high end product. It's capitalism at its best - you'll find the exact same thing in car parts, bicycle parts, etc. Nothing to be upset about. If you want the name, buy the high end version. Just have to do your homework - not all clones are the original maker - some are indeed cheap rip offs.

 

[peterforpats]

Some of these companies absolutely play both ends of the market... and why wouldn't they? The high end buyers are only going to buy things if you price them and advertise them as exclusive and expensive. And those items will never be purchased by the other folks, who are looking for bargains. If you want to exploit the widest possible sales base, the only thing you can do is market clones of your own high end product. It's capitalism at its best - you'll find the exact same thing in car parts, bicycle parts, etc. Nothing to be upset about. If you want the name, buy the high end version. Just have to do your homework - not all clones are the original maker - some are indeed cheap rip offs.

that's the rub isn't it? trying to figure which clone is best and not really a clone? the nice thing from a cost stand point is you can buy 3-4 clones and still not reach half the price of the expensive "real" piece. for example, the aqua rba costs $175 new: the "clone" costs $35.....

 

[Thrasher]

ok just so it is clear - the russian is also a clone but is made by an employee who left Svoe mesto and is made in china.

So just think - on top of being expensive, you payed that much for a kayfun clone that came from china like the rest of them

 

[Andrew Freeman]

I wasn't aware Hcigar made a Kayfun clone, wonder if it's better than EHPro? I got the russian 91 and look like they are cutting cost by outsourcing certain parts (to Hcigar maybe?). The two steel tube from the middle, didn't match the rest.

View attachment 284406

I can tell you, as a union architectural sheet metal worker, unless every piece is finished together as one unit, and even then, it is VERY difficult to get an identical finish each and every time on metals.

That is one of our problems, when installing for example, aluminum panels, say we order exactly enough for the job, but one gets messed up...you have to order a replacement, well now you have the issue, if the replacement is just a slight bit lighter or darker, or even if the grain of the paint is going a different way...it is VERY noticeable once installed and next to the original pieces.

That may be what happened to you, they likely did not apply the finish to all the pieces together, and instead take pieces from a bin where individually you can not tell the difference in two pieces, but once assembled the differences will stick out like a sore thumb, especially on an expensive piece like that where I would be looking for each and every single defect with it. LOL!

 

[peterforpats]

ok just so it is clear - the russian is also a clone but is made by an employee who left Svoe mesto and is made in china.

So just think - on top of being expensive, you payed that much for a kayfun clone that came from china like the rest of them

it may be semantics, but i don't consider the russian 91% a clone as the term is tossed about in this forum. it is a kayfun evolved- improvements that weren't on the original. just about every product (be it washing machine, vacuum, t.v, etc) happens the same way. as to the country of origin- so what? america is just as capable of making junk as well as quality just like any other country. china can(and has )produce finely crafted goods as well as junk. i would be happy to purchase the american version of the kayfun if i could find it and it wasn't grossly overpriced and constantly out of stock. oh that's right , there isn't one. the r91 must be doing something right, it forced svoe mesto to come out with the kfl+- because the kfl+ still does not have an adjustable 510 pin, the r91 is still the better rta.....IMHO

 

[alcarl]

so i finally received my russian91%- no problem there, i love everything about it. while waiting for the russian, i ordered an ehpro kayfun lite clone so i could have something to practice building different coils and to experiment with that type of device. no problem there , once the correct length screws and 510 adapter was received. vapes just fine. still waiting on the r91 i went ahead and ordered a full-sized russian because it was in stock and quickly available. no problem there, vapes perfectly. now i have all 3 devices and realize i would like one more to keep seperate juices in them and be able to clean one while vaping the others. so the last one i order is the hcigar kayfun 3.1 clone from e-bay to have anice rotation working.
well, the 3.1 clone arrives and it is EXACTLY the same as the full sized russian. except for the phony svoe mesto logo it is identical in every way possibleto the russian-same finish, o-rings, everything.so it hit me, kebo(whoever they are) and uct(anyone hear of them before the russian? can you contact them?) are playing both ends of the street. i believe they are manufacturing to market both the original and the so-called clones. maybe not all but certainly some of them. spend more for the "original" no problem. need a "clone"? no problem. any qualms i may have felt about getting a knock off just vanished. the look , feel, quality and most importantly, the vape is identical....

no more shelling out big $ for the expensive "real" one. the vaping trick is to find the best "clone" and get it...it is probably made by the same people anyway. i know the two russians i have are and no one can convince me otherwise without solid proof. it took awhile but no mor getting suckered in.......

I just pulled the trigger on the Hcigar clone on ebay today (luxorvapes). I cannot wait to get it. It's my first rebulidable. Been soooo disappointed with my evods and protank lately, so I figure it's time to step up my vape game. Looks super easy to build the microcoil with cotton wick. I'm not into sub ohm or anything (yet). I will probably build mine to 1.4 - 1.8 and I'd be golden....

 

[vtechmech]

peterforpats, is the Hcigar 100% ss, no brass?

 

[Jimi D.]

I thought the Russian had one eyelet where the coil connects. The Svoe Mesto clone has two eyelets. Unless they've changed it.

 

[muzichead]

I just pulled the trigger on the Hcigar clone on ebay today (luxorvapes). I cannot wait to get it. It's my first rebulidable. Been soooo disappointed with my evods and protank lately, so I figure it's time to step up my vape game. Looks super easy to build the microcoil with cotton wick. I'm not into sub ohm or anything (yet). I will probably build mine to 1.4 - 1.8 and I'd be golden....

I was just poking around and found Luxor is selling the HCigar on eBay for $55.75 and on their website for $44.75 / HCIGAR Kayfun 3.1 | Luxor Vapes... I guess things aren't always cheaper on eBay!!!