2 cents worth...

[SkyWave]

I am SADDENED to see another American manufacturer bite the dust...

Is it possible that the American dream is over? Without getting into the dispute between the management and labor at Camillus is it possible that the socio-political environment in this once great country has deteriorated to the point where it is not possible to make a quality product at a competitive price?

Case in point: I received 3 Camillus #61's today to give to my kids as keepsakes...The fit of the lockback lever is PITIFUL...It is apparent that several hand fitting operations have been simply OMITTED during the production of this knife...It requires a "hammer blow" to disengage the lockback lever on ALL 3 knives...

If this is the way that Camillus makes knives then the only thing to say is..."Bye Bye"

Too bad.

 

[Andy_CN]

Case in point: I received 3 Camillus #61's today to give to my kids as keepsakes...The fit of the lockback lever is PITIFUL

In my opinion it's still possible to manufacture a knife in the USA and to sell it
at a higher price than imported knives, if there is really a difference in quality.

When paying more for a knife that's Made in USA, people expect a higher quality.
If they get disappointed they may consider a cheaper imported knife next time.

 

[shecky]

In my opinion it's still possible to manufacture a knife in the USA and to sell it
at a higher price than imported knives, if there is really a difference in quality.

I agree, it's still possible.

However, knife making isn't rocket science. Third world countries can produce fine cutlery using very mature technology at very low cost. As a result, American manufacturers can't rely on pricing alone. American companies have to work smarter, offer a product with superior quality and desirability.

Superior quality isn't hard to do, but it often comes at a price. Working smarter (like Victorinox, for example) often yields superior quality and low cost at the same time. Creating a desireable product, on the other hand, is a real art. Many US based companies rely on a long tradition. Some rely on marketing. Others let the product sell itself. No matter how you slice it, however, selling stuff is a tough business. Only the strongest will survive, as always.

 

[orvet]

The one area in which American knives have no competition, IMHO, is in the area of design. We have all seen hundreds of knock-offs of American knife designs, but how many American copies do we see of Chinese knives? (With the possible exception of historical pieces.)

I was in a surplus store today to buy some para-cord. I saw a Chinese copy of a Kershaw! I knew the Chinese were copying American knives, this is the first I had seen of them copying Japanese knives. Since it was a Kershaw, it may have been, in fact, an American design.

I guess people in a free society, who have the freedom to speak & think as they please are more innovative in the area of design. If you grow up in a totalitarian society I guess it is easier to reproduce another person's work. It is safer, no risk.

Just my $.02
Dale

 

[Codger_64]

As much as I hate to admit it (being a manufacturing process engineer), lean manufacturing methods, JIT shipments with no or very little warehousing of materials, components or finished products is where manufacturing is heading. Fat manufacturing where surplus materials and goods are stockpiled against future orders just don't cut it any more. It is a precarious balancing act and takes expert managers to work lean operations, coordinating vendors of materials and components, packaging, manufacturing, and shipping to meet deadlines, particularly when lead times are short for customers who use lean practices themselves. Ship to them early, you're out. Ship late, you're out. Some even time arrivals of new products down to the hour of the day. Six week or longer ocean voyages fail to meet their needs. And when the product arriving turns out to be crap? Send it back? American manufacturing is evolving with the times. And old line companies that change too slowly, or in fits and starts are falling by the wayside. Sad, but true.

Codger

 

[Thomas W]

Sorry, posted on the wrong thread.

 

[shecky]

I was in a surplus store today to buy some para-cord. I saw a Chinese copy of a Kershaw! I knew the Chinese were copying American knives, this is the first I had seen of them copying Japanese knives. Since it was a Kershaw, it may have been, in fact, an American design.

I guess people in a free society, who have the freedom to speak & think as they please are more innovative in the area of design. If you grow up in a totalitarian society I guess it is easier to reproduce another person's work. It is safer, no risk.

I think totalitarian societies have little to do with this particular case. In the US, it's easier to copy than innovate, too.

In some ways, China can be more capitalistic than the US. Kershaw clones, for example, are designed to appeal to American markets. They'd be selling flint knives if that's what the market wanted. I suspect every Chinese knife we see on the market in the US is a reflection of what some American salesman said he wanted... hands them a Leek (or 110 or stockman) and says he wants 10,000 units that look just like it.

Had they only needed to serve the native population, they'd probably make very plain and functional knives. A strong consumer base is where innovation comes into play, where the need to compete spurns new innovations in order to appeal to consumers. And slowly they're getting to that point.