Who Actually Owns ‘Original Lishi’? The Truth Behind the Brand
TL;DR: originallishi.com is a legitimate Australian-based distributor, but it is NOT Mr. Li’s official factory website. The trademark is owned by the distributor, not the inventor. For the most direct and affordable authentic tools, Classic Lishi and Lockpickable are your top professional alternatives.
As a professional locksmith and a seller who ships these tools globally, I get this question almost every day. There is a lot of confusion in the market because of trademark disputes and “clone” tools that look similar but perform poorly.
Here is the professional breakdown of what “Original Lishi” actually is as a brand.
What is “Original Lishi”?
“Original Lishi” is the brand name for the tools designed and manufactured by the actual inventor of the 2-in-1 pick and decoder, Mr. Li Zhiqin.
In the locksmith world, we simply call him “Mr. Li.” He revolutionized the industry in the early 2000s by combining a picking tool with a decoding tool, allowing us to not only open a vehicle but also read the wafer depths to cut a key on the spot without taking the door apart.
Who owns originallishi.com?
As a seller in this industry, I have to be precise about this because the “Lishi Wars” (the split between the inventor and his former partners “UAP Limited”, and “Original Lishi” became Mr. Li’s new partner) are a big part of our history.
Everyone knows that the “Original Lishi” branded tools are made by Mr. Li, but is the website www.originallishi.com owned by Mr. Li, or his company?
Domain Basics
Here’s the detailed domain basics of http://www.originallishi.com. You can check it out yourself here.
| Item | Info |
|---|---|
| Registered | 2015-06-13 |
| Expires | 2029-06-13 |
| Registrar | Tucows (TUCOWS.COM, CO.) |
| Name Servers | ns1-4.panthur.com (hosted by Panthur, Australia) |
| Primary URL | http://www.originallishi.com (originallishi.com → 301 redirect to www) |
Hosting of the Website
I looked up domain name originallishi.com’s NS/A/MX records, and here’s the details:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Web Server IP | 116.90.58.167 |
| Hosting Company | Hostopia Australia Web Pty Ltd (hostopia.com.au) |
| Network Range | 116.90.0.0 – 116.90.63.255 |
| Name Servers | ns1-4.panthur.com (Panthur — Australian hosting provider) |
| mx.mailfilter.net.au / mx2.mailfilter.net.au (Australian email filtering) |
Conclusion
🇦🇺 originallishi.com is hosted in Australia, not China. This aligns with what we found earlier — the “Original Lishi” trademark is registered by someone outside China, and the site operator is non-transparent and anonymous. The entire infrastructure (web, DNS, email) runs through Australian providers (Hostopia / Panthur).
This further reinforces that originallishi.com is not owned and operated by Mr. Li or his company. It’s exactly a Western (likely Australian) business entity acting as an authorized distributor, not the Mr. Li factory or a Chinese operation.
Are “Original Lishi” Branded Tools Legit?
originallishi.com is a legitimate and well-established authorized distributor of genuine Mr. Li factory tools, with a working anti-counterfeiting system. However:
- It is not Mr. Li’s official website
- The operating entity is anonymous and non-transparent
- It is not the cheapest channel (Classic Lishi prices are notably lower)
- The trademark “Original Lishi” is owned by the distributor, not Mr. Li himself
- If you’re evaluating them as a supplier, competitor, or partner — they’re a credible but premium-priced distributor. Classic Lishi (classiclishi.com) is the more direct and affordable alternative from the same factory.
FAQs
Is originallishi.com Mr. Li’s official website?
No. The domain and website is operated by Australian providers, not Mr. Li’s company in China.
Is the “Original Lishi” trademark owned by Mr. Li?
No. The trademark is owned by the Australian distributor, not Mr. Li.
What’s the relationship between “Original Lishi” and Mr. Li?
Mr. Li is the inventor and owner of the factory in China (Qinhuangdao Lizhiqin Tools Co., Ltd), he does not personally manage the AU-based .com website. “Original Lishi” is one of Mr. Li’s business partners.
How to verify Mr. Li’s original tools?
Except “Original Lishi”, you can also buy Mr. Li’s original tools through Mr. Li’s other Chinese partners, which also comes with a stylized portrait of Mr. Li Zhiqin as the logo, but these tools can only be verified on Mr. Li’s official website www.lizhiqintool.com
There’re many other marketplaces where you can purchase Mr. Li’s original tools. If you see it at stores like ClassicLishi.com or Lockpickable.com, you are getting the version with Mr. Li’s face on it—the one that pros actually trust for daily use in the field. It’s also an original tool, made by the same manufacturer.
