overseas manufacturing
I am very concerned about the increasing number of knife manufacturers that are having all or parts of their product line manufactured in Red China. Red China is not a friend of the United States despite all of the press
to the contrary. Knife manufactures outsourcing to Red China are doing nothing more than adding to the coffers of a Country that is perhaps the biggest threat to world peace. It is time to bring those products and jobs home.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ben Sobieck on -
Hi Hugh,
I hear this at knife shows a lot. The reason those jobs went overseas is to reduce costs, which keeps the price down for consumers who will not buy knives at a higher price point. Consumers would need to be willing to spend more for a knife for those jobs to come back. For hardcore knife purchasers like you, this isn't a problem. You're probably already buying American-made. But for the average person with only a passing interest in knives who just wants to open envelopes, the lowest price wins. That average person makes up the majority of people who buy knives. As a company, you're forced to seek out the lowest production costs in order to remain competitive. That means going to places like China and Taiwan.
Swap "knives" for any other product, and you've got most of what's available on the shelves nowadays.
-Ben
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Permalink Reply by Hugh White on -
Hi Ben,
I appreciate your comments and will accept at face value the idea that manufacturers are interested in providing affordable knives for the "average person". I would also suggest that these products are driven offshore by the US corporate tax laws and that lower labor costs means higher profit margins even at lower price points. However, my real point is the manufacturing of products in Communist (Red) China.
The Communist Chinese have been implicated in multiple cyber attacks on US defense agencies, channeling funds into political campaigns to influence US elections and shipping numerous products to this Country that contain toxic chemicals. You are correct when you point out how many products are now made in China and no matter what the reasons they do not justify doing business with an enemy of the US.
I would suggest that there are significant numbers of quality knives made in the US that are competitively priced for the average consumer. There are also foreign countries like Switzerland, Japan,England and Germany that manufacture and export competitively priced knives.
I fear the Communist Chinese are already in a position to destroy the US economy and it is time we wake up and do something about it. One baby step would be to stop manufacturing knives in China.
best regards,
Hugh
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Permalink Reply by Ron LaBella on -
Everything is made in China now! The bullet is out of the gun, you cannot put it back....
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Permalink Reply by Hugh White on
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Hi Ron
I hope you and all of our Blade friends had a great July 4th.
There is one simple thing we can all do, whenever faced with the purchase of a product made in Red China and a comparable product made in some other Country don't buy the one made in China!
Hugh
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Permalink Reply by Ron LaBella on
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Boycott WalMart and Target? How many other companies? The fact is it is almost impossible *almost* to buy American anymore. Sad, but true, Hugh. My Dell computer was shipped from Texas, but made in China.
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Permalink Reply by Garry T Moore on
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I truly appreciate your sentiments and wish we could organize our economy in such a way that we need not traffic with Communists, dictators or a wide variety of thugs. But such purity is IMO unattainable.
On the other hand it is my understanding that there are kinfe companies still employing Americans who are only able to do so by importing some of their line specifically from China. The economics involve quality. The other countries you listed (e.g. Japan) make high quality knives but also require a higher price point. A few Chinese manufacturers have been found by some of our American outfits that can maintain good, sometimes even impressive, quality standards.
Other countries such as the Philippines or Indonesia do not yet offer competitive quality.
If we have to tolerate some output from China to keep our American firms going then I will accept it. In recent years we have lost too many well known marks.
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Permalink Reply by Thadius Main Sr on
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I think the fastest way to stop folks from buying these Chinese knives is simple, simply show a video at your show table, (where you best be selling American knives), Show this video, exposing how easily CHEAP STEEL will let you down in a life threatening situation, or even in a simple work environment.. the steel in Chinese knives SUCKS!
They break like cheap Chinese tools, toys, etc... If people will simply understand just how important the type and quality of metal in a knife is, they will stick with US or maybe German manufacture.. it's worth extra money.. and that is then next way to stop the influx, PUT A HUGE TARRIF ON CHINESE CRAP COMING INTO THE US! They don’t let us export to them the way they export to us, they don’t have an open market for us to exploit, but you try and post a fee on an import from them and it’s an international incident, which we then buckle to.. We are suckers and they love us for it! (Our politicians that is) ..of course, all that being said.. the individual in China couldn’t afford most American consumer goods, but how about our food products, woods, other natural resources and such..
Anyhow, Buy American, buy quality and stop encouraging the influx of Chinese crap.. stay out of Wal-Mart unless you check to see MADE IN AMERICA on the products you buy!!!
Last thought, if ANY US governmental agency buys a product of China, be it a local ,state or federal agency, fire the top guy and anyone involved, start over with new folks and see how long this Chinese crap on our tax dime lasts!
OK, ‘nuf said!
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Permalink Reply by Craig S. Andersen on
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I couldn't agree more. Why give our greatest enemy the technology to produce any weapons? The fact is Capitalists make better guns, knives and darned near every product. Compare a fairly pedestrial Benchmade or Spyderco to any AKM bayonet of your chosing. Now compare it to a TOPPS ro a Microtech. See the profound difference? I don't mind paying a higher price for quality. Moreover, I love my country and its people and I would rather see them working and receiving a fair wage. I'm tired of the decline of our country and the despair of our people. If I'm going to bet my life on a knife, I'll bet on America!
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Permalink Reply by briley1911 on
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Buy American, plain and simple. If you can't afford to do it all at once, do it in steps, but make the decision to support OUR country not some communist dictatorship.
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Permalink Reply by Craig S. Andersen on
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Right on! You can usually rely on another American invention-lay away. Impact guns offers it and great prices.
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Permalink Reply by Thadius Main Sr on
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Craig, that was awesome! Another American invention ... Lay-away! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA.. bneautiful!
Glad to see patriots are still in style someplace too, thanks to any and all who posted in support of buying American!
Thadius
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Permalink Reply by Shane Kelly on -
I try to boycott all products made in China not just knives the sooner more people do this the better.
China's economy is a false one as its currency is not floated on the open market so it can be malipulated by it's Goverment.
The Chinese Goverment is one of the most corrupt and power hungry regimes the world has ever seen.
BOYCOTT ALL CHINESE IMPORTS TODAY !!!
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