chinese onions

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Anybody old enough to remember when "made in Japan" was a bad thing? I do. But as time progresses, so does the skill of a labour force. Chinese made products is nowhere near as bad as they used to be from a quality standpoint, and some products are on par with equivalents from other countries.
It's been brought up in many threads before, but it bears repeating that one would find it difficult to buy everything they own to be 100% US made.

FWIW, I think that Canadian made products are at least the equal of anything made in the US.

Rik
 
Interesting timing. I just noticed the other day that the Kershaw Caribiner tool/knife I've had for almost a year was made in China. This really did bother me, and I'm not sure I can really explain it. Seeing "China" stamped on any kind of tool has always meant "junk" to me. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has that impression. I know it is entirely psychological, but my pride in the knife took a huge hit at seeing that word stamped on the blade. The knife is just as good today as it was before I noticed it, but knives for me aren't strictly about utility. I enjoy having what I feel are good quality knives. I've had great experiences with Kershaw knives, starting with the Leek (before I bought one I really wasn't familiar with the Kershaw name).

Ironically this is what motivated me to join this forum. I was thinking about buying a new Kershaw knife (the Responder), but seeing that manufacturing of at least one other model moved to China made me think twice. If I hadn't seen China on the blade of another Kershaw I would simply have bought the Responder without any further research.

I'm sure Kershaw has done plenty of market research on this, but personally if I didn't already have a strong affinity for the brand seeing that a Kershaw knife was made in China would take it entirely off of my consideration set. Since I do have a very high brand view I'll consider it, but will look first at other brands to see if I can't find something comparable that wasn't made in China. The thing that doesn't make sense to me is I'm more price sensitive when I don't know a brand, and I imagine that is common for others. If I'm anywhere near common then the cost savings achieved by moving production to China would hurt sales with the very customers you most hoped to win with a lower price.
 
TxRedbeard said:
If I'm anywhere near common then the cost savings achieved by moving production to China would hurt sales with the very customers you most hoped to win with a lower price.
Click to expand...

Kershaw isn't moving there production to China. On the contrary, they're
expanding there facilities here, in the USA to up what they (Kershaw) are
already manufacturing.......which is at about 90% already.

Have a great day and welcome to the forums. :)

SV
 
To add to what SV said, the production of a few folders in China
will help them with sales in the lower $$ figure. There are plenty
of folks that can't afford a plain Leek. $40-$50.
But they could afford $25 or so for an O So Sweet.
Maybe they don't want to spend $40-$50 for any knife. idunno.

China production is still overseen by Kershaw, so in my opinion, I don't
think they would let inferior products out of the door.

I might not purchase as many Chinese made knives as USA made knives,
but that is just how it has worked out.
I used to be the guy that would look for a Made in wherever first.
Now I look at design, materials and overall look of the item before I ever look
at where it is made.

I would love to have everything made in the USA. While that sounds
great, it currently isn't feasible for most manufacturers.
Cell phones, house phone, speakers, monitors, refrigerators ....the list is endless
of items that are not produced here, or are on a limited basis.
Heck, my kitchen would have cost $200k if everything was made in the USA.

Sixfoot7, you got it right about made in Japan. I remember when that
was just horrible.

Oh, that Snickers bar you just ate....well, mine was made in Canada. :eek:

mike
 
I am 48 years old and grew up in NYC, and all the knives offered for sale where from Japan and were junk. The better ones came from Italy, then of course Germany. There were few USA lock backs offered for sale. Now Japan is high quality, and I must say I have seen some very well made knives come from China in the last few years. I am a big collector of Kershaw and Buck knives, and there is still a huge difference in the quailty of the China made knives these two companies offer. I just hope that the offering of a lower level line doesn't hurt their well earned reputations. I was at Dick's sporting goods a few weeks back when two guys were looking at Buck and Gerber knives, when one said to the other " they are both made in China now don't buy them". I corrected the guy as his friend was looking at a USA Buck 110.....
 
svrider3 said:
I guess we all need to throw out our shoes, TVs, stereos, phones, DVD players,
watches, cameras, printers, scanners, monitors........Oh my....what else
should I start chunking out in the yard? :rolleyes:

I love American Made as much as anyone, but we do trade with China as well
as a number of other countries. Just because it says China doesn't mean all
is bad.
Click to expand...

Yes it does. China is our avowed enemy. China supplies weapons and munitions to terrorist killing our troops. China pollutes at will. China uses slave labor. There is absolutely nothing good about Chinese products.

Please make sure that you make the distinction between goods imported from other countries and CHINESE imports. China is bad. Do not buy Chinese products.
 
Gmountain said:
Please make sure that you make the distinction between goods imported from other countries and CHINESE imports. China is bad. Do not buy Chinese products.
Click to expand...


You'd better take your car back, or your shoes, maybe that toothbrush.
The stuffed animal, plastic toy or tea set you bought your child.
I guarantee everything you buy is not made in the USA.

mike
 
2brothers said:
You'd better take your car back, or your shoes, maybe that toothbrush.
The stuffed animal, plastic toy or tea set you bought your child.
I guarantee everything you buy is not made in the USA.

mike
Click to expand...
I don't buy Chinese products. I wouldn't by products made in Iran or North Korea either.

I have no problem with imports, but not from our enemies. Chinese imports are bad, not all imports. Only from China.
 
Gmountain,

Please save your political views of this argument for a different thread, in a different forum.

If you don't have anything to add about "Onion Knives Made in China" to this particular thread, then please move on.

Gosh, after writing the above, it got me thinking, do you guys think I'm cut out to be a Mod?
 
Thomas W said:
Gmountain,

Please save your political views of this argument for a different thread, in a different forum.

If you don't have anything to add about "Onion Knives Made in China" to this particular thread, then please move on.

Gosh, after writing the above, it got me thinking, do you guys think I'm cut out to be a Mod?
Click to expand...

Looks like you have been reading too many Glockman warnings. You've got his firm but fair first warning style pretty much figured out.
 
If Kershaw can offer awesome knives with great warranties at great prices I'm all for it! Living on a highschool budget has its disadvantages though! :D

I hope people can learn to respect each others opinion like Mike illustrated.

Thomas, when I first saw you here I thought you were a Super-M! So yeah, you could be a regular mod....:)
 
Thomas W said:
Gmountain,

Please save your political views of this argument for a different thread, in a different forum.

If you don't have anything to add about "Onion Knives Made in China" to this particular thread, then please move on.

Gosh, after writing the above, it got me thinking, do you guys think I'm cut out to be a Mod?
Click to expand...
No, this is a thread about Chinese products. The original poster was dissappointed when he saw made in China. The Kershaw post talks about how the factories are great and the government isn't involved. In fact the Chinese government is involved at every level. This is entirely political.

You cannot seperate the two, now matter how hard you try, because in China all production is owned and controlled by the state. Quality is a direct result of state control-lack of standards, adulterated materials, and slave labor. Politics and production are inextricably linked in China. That is the problem there.

Until we stop blindly accepting products because they are cheaper, nothing will change. Quality will never improve. If you want top quality Chinese goods, then you have to get the government out of the factories. The only way to do that is to not buy Chinese products or accept them until change does occur there.

So, you cannot talk about the quality of goods or prices without bringing in the government. It is all one and the same.
 
Let me add that I like Kershaw knives. I have several Leeks, I carry a Leek a lot, and I like my Blur. But Kershaw isn't doing themselves or their reputation any favors by selling a Chinese knife. It really is going to put them on a level with Frost.

It's a short term quick profit at the expense of the long term picture, and no good will come of it in the long run.
 
And yet, the quality out of China has improved. Just like the quality out of Japan improved, and the quality out of Malaysia improved, and the quality out of Indonesia improved, as these countries experienced their own version of our Industrial Revolution.

How do you explain that, Gmountain?
 
riffraff said:
And yet, the quality out of China has improved. Just like the quality out of Japan improved, and the quality out of Malaysia improved, and the quality out of Indonesia improved, as these countries experienced their own version of our Industrial Revolution.

How do you explain that, Gmountain?
Click to expand...

It hasn't improved-it's worse. Just look at all the problems in the last year alone -lead paint, poisoned children's products, adulterated food products, adulterated medical products, and other defective products.
 
Thomas W...Don't you think that it MIGHT BE time that you signed back on AS a moderator? I'm here at this Kershaw forum quite a bit, watching over things alittle, and sometimes Tim even pops in, but it would be great to have YOU back in-charge.

Anytime you're ready, I'm sure that Spark will welcome you back as THE Kershaw mod.:thumbup:.:thumbup:.

As for Gmountain...I know how you feel about products that we buy coming out of "bad" countries (I feel the same way), but please realize that BladeForums DOES have a separate forum for political discussions.
 
Gmountain said:
But Kershaw isn't doing themselves or their reputation any favors by selling a Chinese knife. It really is going to put them on a level with Frost.
Click to expand...

I'm not trying to knock you for staying away from China made items.
It is hard to do, very hard. There are so many things built here that
contain China made items. There are so many items not made here anymore either.

What I don't like is you trying to degrade a company that has 90% of
it's products made here, by American workers. Comparing them to
a company that has 90% of all of their products produced in China.

Do you put Buck and Spyderco also on that same level? The Frost level.
They both have knives produced in China. Buck more than Spyderco.
Buck has more models made in China that Spyderco and Kershaw combined.
I wouldn't put them anywhere near a Frost level.

mike
 
2brothers said:
I'm not trying to knock you for staying away from China made items.
It is hard to do, very hard. There are so many things built here that
contain China made items. There are so many items not made here anymore either.

What I don't like is you trying to degrade a company that has 90% of
it's products made here, by American workers. Comparing them to
a company that has 90% of all of their products produced in China.

Do you put Buck and Spyderco also on that same level? The Frost level.
They both have knives produced in China. Buck more than Spyderco.
Buck has more models made in China that Spyderco and Kershaw combined.
I wouldn't put them anywhere near a Frost level.

mike
Click to expand...
I'm not degrading Kershaw. I like them. In fact I have more Kershaws in my collection. Nice ones. I like them a lot.

And yes, I say the same thing about Buck and Spyderco. I said if they are not careful they will get that reputation.
 
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