Anyone who will NOT buy a Sage because they are made in Taiwan?

[JNewell]

Some thoughts in response to your question...

Taiwan is not a low-cost economy any longer, even if costs are still lower than places like Japan. It has a democratic government and a skilled workforce that commands fair and relatively high wages. The knife was sourced in Taiwan not because it was cheap but because Spyderco needed a partner that could provide the required quality at a reasonable price.

Why not make it in the US? Spyderco has expanded its facilities in the US, but cannot possibly expand (and contract) its US facilities fast enough to respond to our demand for innovative and interesting new knives. Expanding facilities and workforces take years of lead time and require a lot of investment that can kill a company if they over-estimate future sales and income.

Taiwan should actually cause people a whole lot less heartburn than most of what we Americans buy today, much of which is made in an economy that is not democratic, is in direct competition with us in the military, political and economic spheres, and runs an economy that features things like prison labor and indiscriminate endangerment of labor and consumers with toxic materials. And yet probably everyone who contributes to this thread is using a computer made in China...and I don't hear anyone threatening to stop buying computers or TVs or DVD players or cellphones or anything else of that sort just because it came from China.

I have to say that while I really prefer to buy American, there is no way to avoid off-shore goods. Buy smart, buy native, whenever possible, but don't avoid quality offshore goods from quality counties.

I love Spyderco, I love the ergonomics, style, innovation, blades, so on and so forth. I have been looking for a strong EDC blade that will not make me think twice and I can have on my pocket for years which brought me to the Sage series of knives. The size, shape, materials, and simplicity are everything I am looking for in a knife and it would be perfect except for one thing, the knife is made in Taiwan and is stamped right on the blade. I know this shouldn't matter if the quality is solid but when I see it stamped on the blade it makes me sick to my stomach to think that it is the only thing stopping me from buying it. So I am wondering if anyone else has this problem and if anyone can help me overcome my thoughts?

 

[Rudeco]

I own a Sage 1, IMO the Sage is a well made blade, I try to buy American made blades, thats why i love the ZT line so much, but to me the Sage 1 is worth buying even though made in Taiwan.

 

[Joshua J.]

The trouble with computers is that there is no alternative that I know of. U.S. made knives are relatively easy to find. To get a computer wholly made locally is next to impossible.
If they were available, I would buy them.

 

[L.J.Tibbs]

To the OP, if your purchase decisions are dictated by the country of origin then I am afraid you will miss out on many quality products made outside the States. For me, I have no qualms with buying an US Iphone, a Swiss watch, a German camera or a China thinkpad... So long as they are quality products in their category I think it is silly not to buy them for my use or enjoyment.

As for knives, I buy knives from Sweden (Fallkniven and Mora), France (Opinel), Germany (Boker), Switzerland (Victorinox) just to name a few... When it comes to custom knives the list gets even longer. Talents just abound in other parts of the world and they still exist even if you don't recognize them. If I confine my purchase to knives that are made locally I can only buy cleavers used in the kitchen. Will I be happy? No, and it doesn't make sense either.

i completely agree.

 

[Toyz]

Seems to me that we are in a Global economy, and as long as the product is made well, priced fairly, and backed up by a reputable company - I'll bite.

 

[hoopster]

Sage I isn't too bad, but I still think it's overpriced. The Sage II is overpriced for being made overseas

I'm curious to hear what US made knife you think can compete with the Sage2 for $150 with full titanium frame lock, CPM S30V steel, a wire clip and the spyder hole? The Reeves small sebenza is $330. I think the Bradley alias might be a contender, maybe some Kershaws but I doubt any of those surpass the Sage2 in F&F and ergonomics for the price.

I respect people's opinions and choices, I just see the Sages as great values with very little downside.

 

[chanwahyaoh]

I find it amusing that so many people believe that the fate of the United States relies so heavily upon manufacturing alone.

 

[Dorito Monk]

I find it pretty amusing that a whole lot of people can't tell the difference between the PRC and Taiwan.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I find it amusing that so many people believe that the fate of the United States relies so heavily upon manufacturing alone.

And more than that--manufacturing in a niche industry producing an item that virtually every culture in the world has made and used for themselves for thousands of years.

 

[Esav Benyamin]

No one said it relies on manufacturing alone.

The more manufacturing, the more jobs.
The more jobs, the less unemployment.
The more high-cost manufacturing done here, the more financial security
The more heavy machinery and high tech manufacturing, the more material security.

There are many good reasons for wanting the work done here. That's no reason to disrespect fine products made elsewhere. This world has always been a global economy. But buying local has many advantages, and in time of financial stress, it becomes increasingly attractive.

 

[RetiredGuns]

No one said it relies on manufacturing alone.

The more manufacturing, the more jobs.
The more jobs, the less unemployment.
The more high-cost manufacturing done here, the more financial security
The more heavy machinery and high tech manufacturing, the more material security.

There are many good reasons for wanting the work done here. That's no reason to disrespect fine products made elsewhere. This world has always been a global economy. But buying local has many advantages, and in time of financial stress, it becomes increasingly attractive.

Simple truth. I have watched my hometown go from a manufacturing Mecca to a retail dump. This was a proud town of making furniture, cars, aircraft parts, machines, wire, cabinets, tires, chemicals, toys etc...

We can't sustain our economy selling coffee & hamburgers but the reasoning behind this travesty is certainly for another thread...

 

[Geode]

I love Spyderco, I love the ergonomics, style, innovation, blades, so on and so forth. I have been looking for a strong EDC blade that will not make me think twice and I can have on my pocket for years which brought me to the Sage series of knives. The size, shape, materials, and simplicity are everything I am looking for in a knife and it would be perfect except for one thing, the knife is made in Taiwan and is stamped right on the blade. I know this shouldn't matter if the quality is solid but when I see it stamped on the blade it makes me sick to my stomach to think that it is the only thing stopping me from buying it. So I am wondering if anyone else has this problem and if anyone can help me overcome my thoughts?

Don't know if anyone can help overcome your thoughts. Seems like for most people, it is not an issue. If it is an issue for you, just buy something that gets you happy about the country of manufacture. If you can't change your thoughts, just make your actions align with them.

 

[knivesngear]

I always try to buy american. that goes for knives and everything else. It won't kill anyone if you buy the Taiwanese sage but there are a lot of great american made knives that you could also buy too.

 

[unit]

Do you suppose people in Taiwan have these conversations about products made in USA?

 

[dtownknifekid]

The Taiwan thing isnt a deal breaker for me, but I am looking at lots of knives right now and can't afford them all. Whenever I look at the sage I see an American made knife that I like either the same or better and the Made in the USA part gives the other knife that little edge.

 

[Socom Elite]

I'm curious to hear what US made knife you think can compete with the Sage2 for $150 with full titanium frame lock, CPM S30V steel, a wire clip and the spyder hole? The Reeves small sebenza is $330. I think the Bradley alias might be a contender, maybe some Kershaws but I doubt any of those surpass the Sage2 in F&F and ergonomics for the price.

I respect people's opinions and choices, I just see the Sages as great values with very little downside.

The Benchmade Subrosa can be had for the same price. Yes I know it's assisted and thats why I took the 2 torsion bars out of mine. Its one of the smoothest knives I own.

The MPR can also be had for around the same price.

The Mini Skirmish used to go for $130 - $150 all day long before it was discontinued

Bottom line is that it can be done. I own a Subrosa and had a Skirmish and 2 mini Skirmish and they were top notch on fit and finish.

I did a passaround for a sage a while. They are super nice in quality, just wish it was made here.

 

[Reeek]

I make my purchase decisions based on the quality of the product. And the bottom line is that with some products, some out of country MFG's do as good a job as US built, some do better and some do it worse.

Some foreign made products we all use happen to be better than the same product built in our backyard. Some products just aren't built in our backyard at all.

If a product I want or need is better built in Timbuktu rather than Patriottown, USA, then that's probably where I'll buy it from.

 

[CWL]

The trouble with computers is that there is no alternative that I know of. U.S. made knives are relatively easy to find. To get a computer wholly made locally is next to impossible.
If they were available, I would buy them.

Actually, it is totally impossible, HOWEVER, the marketing, logistics, project management, software, industrial design, intellectual property and innovations put into computers and modern electronic items are typically from the USA and sometimes Europe or Japan. The high-paying jobs remain in the USA, it is the low-end assembly and fabrication that has been offshored to China.

Taiwan, OTOH is a modern democracy with an educated workforce and industrial base that matches, if not, surpasses the USA. The same "secret" manufacturing techniques used to make warheads by USA defense contractors, is used in Taiwan to spin cooking pots & pans! Betcha didn't know that.

Yeah, I'd own knives made in Taiwan.

 

[Bryan J]

In the year 2010, in many ways, Taiwan is a far more "American" country than America is.

 

[THG]

It's not the USA.

Exactly lol

I don't really have a "problem" with the Sage being made in Taiwan. I'm sure the quality and all is superb. It's just that there are USA options at a better price. That's why I've been buying Kershaw lately. If I CAN buy USA, I SHOULD buy USA when the alternative is available.

So no, it's not a simple, "OMG CHINA/TAIWAN/JAPAN MAKES ME SICK!" thing.