Is this Amtech flux I bought genuine?

[Porama6400]

I got AMTECH flux from the local store
I suspect that it is a counterfeit one

It has typo "reproductine" and the word "Made in USA" seem to be written with plain font
I'm not sure as I can not find the matching image on Google

Could anyone help me confirm that is this a counterfeit one or not?

[Wirehead]

If you didn't buy it from Amtech - it's fake...

[kripton2035]

I have a real amtech here : no shiny sticker on it. the whole sticker is greenish, not white.
you really have a counterfeit one...


like Louis says : "rebranded vaseline" ...

[llkiwi2006]

I find it quite funny how they try to pass it off as "Made in USA" but then puts writing in chinese right next to it.

[Augustus]

It's as fake as fake can be. The genuine ones also have a production and expiration date printed on the label. And no fancy shiny holographic stickers. Bin it, you never know what nasty chemicals they put in. Or if they sold you pure vaseline as flux as it once happened to me on Banggood 

[Porama6400]

I find it quite funny how they try to pass it off as "Made in USA" but then puts writing in chinese right next to it.

That's the part that I get really confused 

[wraper]

No chance to be genuine.

[sleemanj]

It's fake, but it's flux, unless you are in industry where you need to strictly control your process it will be just fine.

I've always found this chinese "amtech" stuff to be pretty good, but of course there's no assurance that one batch is the same as the next... but flux is not exactly rocket science.

I used to import, relabel so nobody would say "it's fake", and sell it locally in NZ no complaints ever, and of course used it myself.  I stopped because I'm a goody-two-shoes and we had some hazardous substances law come in and I couldn't be bothered working out what might be required (not like I'd ever be able to get legit documentation for it anyway).

[Halcyon]

It's fake, but it's flux, unless you are in industry where you need to strictly control your process it will be just fine.

I've always found this chinese "amtech" stuff to be pretty good, but of course there's no assurance that one batch is the same as the next... but flux is not exactly rocket science.

I used to import, relabel so nobody would say "it's fake", and sell it locally in NZ no complaints ever, and of course used it myself.  I stopped because I'm a goody-two-shoes and we had some hazardous substances law come in and I couldn't be bothered working out what might be required (not like I'd ever be able to get legit documentation for it anyway).

I don't disagree with you that it should be completely fine, but importing a fake product, purposely re-labelling it to appear genuine (knowing that someone might spot the fake), isn't that breaking all kinds of fair trading laws or being fraudulent? At the very least some moral values?

I mean if I purchased a product with a fake label, it's really my fault for not doing my homework well enough to spot the difference. But if there is no real way to tell between the fake and the real deal and you're passing it off as genuine, how is that fair?

[BravoV]

DIY soldering flux, get an IPA and mix with violin's rosin as its already cleaned and filtered, all of these ingredient are cheap and easily sourced. Works like charm & once used at soldering board, easily cleaned too.

[wraper]

DIY soldering flux, get an IPA and mix with violin's rosin as its already cleaned and filtered, all of these ingredient are cheap and easily sourced. Works like charm & once used at soldering board, easily cleaned too.

FWIW such flux has no chance even against counterfeit tacky flux.

[BravoV]

DIY soldering flux, get an IPA and mix with violin's rosin as its already cleaned and filtered, all of these ingredient are cheap and easily sourced. Works like charm & once used at soldering board, easily cleaned too.

FWIW such flux has no chance even against counterfeit tacky flux.

I guess the "dodgy" flux that probably part of it contained dissolved/cooked flour,rice or corn powder for making it jelly like or gelatinous form, is good for your pcb and components.

Yep, local here there are such product sold, and labelled Amtech too, cost approx. one dollar or even less for one big fully filled tube. 

Sorry, not for me.

[sleemanj]

I don't disagree with you that it should be completely fine, but importing a fake product, purposely re-labelling it to appear genuine

You misunderstand.  I relabelled it to be simply "Electronics Soldering Flux", not branded.

Indeed I still have the label file...

[Halcyon]

I don't disagree with you that it should be completely fine, but importing a fake product, purposely re-labelling it to appear genuine

You misunderstand.  I relabelled it to be simply "Flux", not branded.

My mistake.

[Porama6400]

like Louis says : "rebranded vaseline" ...

You mean Louis Rossman?

[Augustus]

It's not a joke, I'm the proud owner of a 100g jar so called "Amtech RMA-223-UV" Flux which really is nothing more than pure vaseline. If you want something to be not soldered, this is the thing. It's basically a release agent for solder (if that's the right word in English), it prevents molten solder from wetting your components or the pcb. Bought it from Banggood just out of curiosity, I knew it would be a fake. The reviews on their website were excellent   


edit: Pics added. They weren't even lying about the excellent anti wetting capabilities of their flux 

[kripton2035]

like Louis says : "rebranded vaseline" ...

You mean Louis Rossman?

yes !

[kripton2035]

the real amtech stickers look like this one :

[hermit]

I got a free jar of flux on sleazebay.  The 150g container weighed in at 99g including lid  (container lid was 7g all by it's self).  He was redistributing various stuff from China and someone had probably already bought and re-labeled it prior to him getting it.  I doubt he ever checked.  So basically it was a 100g container that was still short   He didn't dispute the resolution and didn't bother paying for return shipping.

[Elasia]

Just out of curiosity

Where do most folk here source their legitimate AMTECH Solder Flux NC-559-V2-TF from?  So much fake crap out there for this stuff

[kripton2035]

Just out of curiosity

Where do most folk here source their legitimate AMTECH Solder Flux NC-559-V2-TF from?  So much fake crap out there for this stuff

Louis Rossmann claims to have genuine ones, and explains why :
https://store.rossmanngroup.com/index.php/amtech-nc-559-v2-30-cc-16160.html

[rstofer]

I'm pretty sure I used to get Amtech flux from HowardElectronics.com in the US.  They don't list it any longer.
I would buy MG Chemical flux from DigiKey.com.
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/mg-chemicals/8341-10ML/473-1117-ND/2233037

[Augustus]

Fellow Europeans may get it from ersa-shop.com, they sell only genuine stuff, guaranteed.

https://www.ersa-shop.com/amtech-559asmuv-rework-flussmittel-clean-100g-p-12622.html
https://www.ersa-shop.com/amtech-223tpf-rework-flussmittel-halogenhaltig-100g-p-12623.html

Just make sure to ask them about the manufacturing date, because, to be honest, I doubt they sell much of this stuff 

[sstepane]

Hi,

What would you say about this AMTECH flux? - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=558656912479
Somehow it has particular S/N and a dedicated site for checking S/N. Might that be some kind of China only Amtech flux? I mean - patented or allowed to be produced and sold in China only, but an original flux?
Why so many hassle with S/N and stuff if not?

[wraper]

Hi,

What would you say about this AMTECH flux? - https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=558656912479
Somehow it has particular S/N and a dedicated site for checking S/N. Might that be some kind of China only Amtech flux? I mean - patented or allowed to be produced and sold in China only, but an original flux?

Package looks similar to original but sticker certainly not. If you think that you can buy genuine Amtech from China for less than in US or EU, you delude yourself. And AFAIK Amtech do not make anything in China as sticker says. Also why would amtech put jiyangsolder website on the sticker 

Why so many hassle with S/N and stuff if not?

Genuine Amtech do not have serial number, LOT number only.

Halogen Soldering flux
No Halogen, LOL