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KNIVES MADE IN ASIA, ESPECIALLY CHINA
I recently found a nice little (2-1/2 inches closed) two-bladed folder with beautiful scales that were polished reddish wood with a band of re-constituted mother of pale midway along each scale. It was only $10.00 and looked like a great little knife for my hobby toolbox, so I bought it. Well, I got it home and discovered it was made in China.
Every knife collector knows that the knife market in the U.S. is flooded with Chinese-made knives, and that many other inexpensive products sold in the U.S. are made in China, even a lot of products sold under American manufacturers' brands, which means U.S. companies are exporting jobs to China and other Asian countries. Most of us also know that the Chinese have bought a frightening amount of American assets. We have also heard a lot of negative publicity about their civil rights policies.
Now, my conscience is bothering me about my purchase of a knife made in China, but I'd like to know what iKC members think about this.
1. First, is it unpatriotic to buy Chinese-made knives?
2. Second, what about buying other Chinese-made products? Is that unpatriotic?
3. Third, what do our members think about U.S. manufacturers who have their products made in China to keep their prices down? Is that unpatriotic?
What's your opinion on these issues?
Every knife collector knows that the knife market in the U.S. is flooded with Chinese-made knives, and that many other inexpensive products sold in the U.S. are made in China, even a lot of products sold under American manufacturers' brands, which means U.S. companies are exporting jobs to China and other Asian countries. Most of us also know that the Chinese have bought a frightening amount of American assets. We have also heard a lot of negative publicity about their civil rights policies.
Now, my conscience is bothering me about my purchase of a knife made in China, but I'd like to know what iKC members think about this.
1. First, is it unpatriotic to buy Chinese-made knives?
2. Second, what about buying other Chinese-made products? Is that unpatriotic?
3. Third, what do our members think about U.S. manufacturers who have their products made in China to keep their prices down? Is that unpatriotic?
What's your opinion on these issues?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Trent Rock on -
1)No
2)No
3)No
That's just ....IMHO
http://iknifecollector.ning.com/forum/topics/so-whats-the-big-deal-not
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Permalink Reply by Peter Wagner on -
hello terry, I regard China as the secret world power, each electrical appliance it in Germany will buy here in China made, all the same whether Siemens, bosch or something else on it stand
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Permalink Reply by Terry Waldele on -
Hallo müssen Peter, ich mit Ihnen übereinstimmen, dass China tatsächlich eine geheime Kraft ist. Es ist ironisch, weil einer der Professoren meiner Ehefrau der Klasse erzählt hat, dass sie darin war, dass der nächste Weltkrieg ein wirtschaftlicher Krieg zwischen China und der restlichen Welt wäre. Seine Voraussage ist wahr geworden.
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Permalink Reply by MJ Wallace on -
Google Translator says....
Hello to Peter, I agree with you that China is indeed a secret power. It is ironic, because one of the professors told the class my wife is in that it was a fact that the next world war would be an economic war between China and the rest of the world. His prediction has come true.
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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on -
Ahhh,
Much better.
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Permalink Reply by Phil Hostetler on -
Hi Terry, In my opinion, and it's just my opinion, we never helped out any Communist country in our history. Sure it's cheap labor, but when you really check it out, the prices aren't that much cheaper. So somebody at the top is making a killing by taking their manufacturing jobs to China. They don't care how many people they work to death or how much they pollute. I got a knife from the NRA for a donation. Nice signed Charlton Heston Commemorative. I was happy till I saw the made in China stamp ( it was a sticker on the box ). Now I have a knife I don't want in my collection. By rights all that crap coming in here should be permanently stamped. Not just a sticker that can be peeled off and sold without knowing where it came from. If you buy Chinese you are helping to build a war machine that will soon be much larger than ours! I know it's hard to find anything made in USA anymore, but you have to at least look. So you spend a little more. Chances are you will get a better product and that worker can now go out and buy something you may have made. All I ask is that you check before you buy. Anyone else ot there feel the same?
Phil Hostetler
Damn proud to be an American!
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Permalink Reply by Brad Hyde on -
I'm a dealer that does close to 40 gun & knife shows a year. I carry china made knives, Rough Rider & MTech. Both of these manufactures make very nice knives...the fit and finish is as good as any/most production run American made knives IMHO. Some people don't care where a knife is made...but others will NOT buy a knife made in China and usually give me a little stink about it, but yet they won't step up to the plate and spend the money it takes to buy a USA made knife. The bottom line is some people don't care and alot of the ones who do want a USA made knife want it at a China price.
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Permalink Reply by Terry Waldele on
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Thanks for your comments. My favorite carry knife is an MTech. When I bought it, I liked it so much that I bought two of them. Buying Chinese products creates a real dilemma for American consumers. We want to be patriotic and support our fellow Americans' jobs and incomes, but we want to buy goods at the lowest price possible. Hopefully, things will balance out soon and the Chinese standard of living will rise until it costs the Chinese as much to produce their products as it does U.S. manufacturers.
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Permalink Reply by Terry Waldele on
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Phil, I agree with you for the most part, but I think the federal government should consider imposing imp0rt controls that level the playing field or subsidizing U.S. manufacturers to make them more competitive with Chinese manufacturers.
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Permalink Reply by Phil Hostetler on
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Terry, you make a good point there. But the Chinese own so much of the USA now that if we imposed sanctions against them they may call the notes owed due, then what? Also they devalue their currency so their products are still bargains in today's market. I guess we need someone in our government with some balls to step in and do something about all this. Part of the reason I joined iKC was to get to know
some makers to buy some knives, tomahawks, etc. made in the USA. I am a steelworker by trade and at one time the company wouldn't let you drive a foreign car into the plant. Now Honda, Toyota, Bosch, and alot of foreign companies buy our steel. Look at the sticker on a Honda and it will tell you that the parts in their engines are made in USA. That's our steel. I've had two hip replacements recently and I had to ask the Dr. where the hips were made. He said they were European made. Not the best answer but sure glad they weren't made in China. I guess what I'm trying to say is make an effort to check into some American made knives, tomahawks, or whatever. You may be surprised at what you can find made in America. It may cost a little more but we are all in this mess together!
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Permalink Reply by Phil Hostetler on
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Hi Brad, I know it's hard in these times right now to buy US products but the whole idea about making things in China was to help people that need the products, but can't afford to buy them, at a cheaper price. What I have been seeing lately is that what used to be cheaper made in China, is now getting more expensive. I don't know for sure but I'd bet that the Chinese worker's are not making more. So who is making the extra? Again I'd bet it was the company president that moved the business over to China in the first place. We have to make it harder for companies to move their operations to China in the first place. I will continue to buy USA made knives, tomahawks, etc. I consider my purchase as an investment too. I could be wrong but I don't see Chinese knives being worth more in the future.
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