Do you care where your 150$+ knife is made ?? I do...

Does the manufacturing location of a blade influence your purchase ?

  • Yes !

    Votes: 60 59.4%

  • No !

    Votes: 21 20.8%

  • Give me the best knife I can effing get for the $$

    Votes: 26 25.7%

  • What are you smoking bro?

    Votes: 9 8.9%
  • Total voters
    101
Status
Not open for further replies.
I answer that question every time I buy a knife, and I don't feel the need to promote trolling by answering it here.
 
MittenStateMashers said:
It’s not okay to ask opinions on a forum? Isn’t that the point of a forum to ask opinions and have a collective base of information?

Why does it matter what people post on the internet?

Lmao :thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:
Click to expand...
To be fair, it's probably going to be the same group of us repeating the same arguments from the thread of two days ago. And all of the other similar threads before that.
 
I normally avoid these threads like the plague (opinions like arse-holes as they say). But the comment on American cars made me remember a story on just how "American Made" cars are. In the top 10 most American made cards are an Acura, and Honda was the most dominant in the top 10 (by fiscal impact to the US). The Most american made car was the Jeep Cherokee (at 73% American made as I recall).

Not chiming in either way - but just an interesting factoid :)

I *am* sad that my Dodge wasn't in the list though :(

forgot a linky-thing:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/clas...ican-made-vehicles-20180621-photogallery.html
 
Yo Mama said:
It's just sad to me there are not as many US options anymore at that price point
Click to expand...

Without going down the rabbit hole too much, but it's because of a lot of reasons. One of those is that American workers want to be paid livable wages. It's a craft that requires skill (learned) and ability (natural talents). That costs money. China has a much larger labor pool to tap into and has an artificially devalued currency to make it even more inviting for offshore investments in manufacturing. Compound this with investment in high technology that does not require the laborious handfitting of generations past, and you end up with a very nice knife at a substantial savings.

Taking the big bad communist boogeyman out of the equation, it works out well for a lot of people from a purely capitalist point of view. The US manufacturer can produce high quality product at an affordable price. The Chinese worker finds themselves in good, steady work. The knife buyer spends less money for comparable quality. Manufacturer= :) Worker= :) Buyer= Happy. Divorced from politics, that's successful capitalism.

Wait, that doesn't seem full on fair, right? Capitalism shouldn't be so black and white. What about the American worker? What about the manufacturer who either produces stateside or is now competing with a reputable Chinese competitor or worse a Chinese competitor who uses gray market tactics to counter compete with the US manufacturers designs? Well, now we have stumbled upon on one of the reasons for those "evil" MAP policies everyone likes to growl "Let the market decide!" through frothy gritted teeth.

It's a global economy. History has proven that isolation to globalism works against economic growth. China is top dog in manufacturing because they have lots of capital in the forms of LOTS of workers and a government that will stack the deck to retain what they can. The thing is that its not sustainable forever. Chinese wages are going up. Chinese standards of living are increasing. Devaluing the currency isn't working and the country has shown the worst growth period in over a decade. At some point, the market WILL decide.

That said, I'm about quality. I buy a lot of ZT knives. That's not so much because of their county of origin but because they cost a lot of money and I can handle them locally first before I buy. I have NO problem with a Chinese Spyderco. I will also say that much of Boker's Chinese line is comparable if not superior to their German stuff. So for me, it's not about price. If a particular item is made better in China than in Connecticut, I'm going to by the Chinese version. A price savings is just gravy. I'm not in this hobby to save money.
 
I EDC a Spyderco Gayle Bradley 1 that was made in Taiwan. Great M4 steel and fit and finish is very good. Having been a fan of Spyderco going way back to the VG10 knives made in Japan I think the reputation of the maker, in this case Spyderco, is more important than where the knife was actually made. Spyderco guys have seen it all and know a good knife when they see/make it.
 
jill jackson said:
Two votes allowed? I voted yes and no! Just because I could!
Click to expand...

Atta girl !!
I generally choose the best knife. If the prices are close on similar quality knives, then country of origin is the tie breaker for me. If one is definitely a better bargain, I choose that one.
As far as quality is concerned, my favorite Spyderco Knives often are made in Taiwan. Also, one of my new favorite edc/work knives, the Rat 1, comes from Taiwan. Don t get me started about the build quality for money of the Taiwan produced CS knives.
I don t really see a quality to price advantage for knives made in Japan or Europe these days. Most Chinese brands don t appeal to me compared to similar U S produced knives.
 
Quiet said:
It's only fun when I get to smash bad logic. Also, whenever the "Racism" card is pulled, that's a sure sign of good times ahead! :D
Click to expand...
I think we’re doing ok - Hitler wasn’t mentioned last time. Godwin’s law and all that jazz...
 
I tend to first look for quality in a product I’m interested in buying. I love supporting local businesses and makers as much as I’m able but I don’t limit myself based on geography.
 
It is very interesting that this specific topic arises at this point in time. Over last few months, I've also done a little soul searching to better understand my own buying decisions with (relatively) expensive knife purchases. Historically, I've been one to agree with the "buy what you want" philosophy. I'm not one to judge collector enthusiasm. Chinese production quality has certainly increased dramatically
in recent years; however conversely I​
have become increasingly reluctant to purchase these Chinese manufactured (or Chinese machined parts) if there are similar,American-company-made options in the same general price range - specifically knives in and around the $300-$800 price point. Until recently, I've added several of these into my collection - (Reate, CKF, WE, etc.) as well as a few "mid-techs" with American designers but of Chinese manufacture. Also, I also have some great "beater" knives from Kershaw's and Boker's Asian sources. There are some really great knives are being produced worldwide now, but my personal feeling at this moment is that if I choose to spend $300, $400, or $500 on a quality production knife it will be of an American origin rather than foreign. I'm really not advocating for one side or the other, just stating my current preference in spending my disposable income on sharp pocket jewelry. Hopefully this wont seem too hypocritical.
 
DallasSTB said:
It is very interesting that this specific topic arises at this point in time. Over last few months, I've also done a little soul searching to better understand my own buying decisions with (relatively) expensive knife purchases. Historically, I've been one to agree with the "buy what you want" philosophy. I'm not one to judge collector enthusiasm. Chinese production quality has certainly increased dramatically
in recent years; however conversely I​
have become increasingly reluctant to purchase these Chinese manufactured (or Chinese machined parts) if there are similar,American-company-made options in the same general price range - specifically knives in and around the $300-$800 price point. Until recently, I've added several of these into my collection - (Reate, CKF, WE, etc.) as well as a few "mid-techs" with American designers but of Chinese manufacture. Also, I also have some great "beater" knives from Kershaw's and Boker's Asian sources. There are some really great knives are being produced worldwide now, but my personal feeling at this moment is that if I choose to spend $300, $400, or $500 on a quality production knife it will be of an American origin rather than foreign. I'm really not advocating for one side or the other, just stating my current preference in spending my disposable income on sharp pocket jewelry. Hopefully this wont seem too hypocritical.
Click to expand...

I think you hit the nail on the head when it comes to a price threshold. I'm not going to spend the same money on a production Chinese knife that I could on a Sebenza. While the CRK flagship knife isn't as top of the line as it was in regards to materials these days, you are buying finely fitted prestige. It has an earned reputation with a high pride of ownership.
 
bubbaskyjacker said:
There is no iPhone made in America, thus it is the only choice. I don’t think there is any cell phone made in America.

Just a personal choice of if I’m going to spend 200$ It’s going to be American, The odds are they live in a state I have been to, driven by or know some one in are high. I call it the cousin theory - I’m supporting my cousin, your cousin, or your cousins cousin.
Click to expand...

1) Nobody is forcing you to buy a cell phone.
2) What about the cousin who works for an American-based knife company who has their knives manufactured in China. You are not supporting them.
 
i do care where mine is made, I'm not a usa only type of guy, but with companies like bastinelli, fox, LionSteel, barkriver etc, i have gathered a list of countries i will buy knives from, which are ---
usa, italy, france, germany, japan, and sweden/el salvador (sometimes),
probably missing one but you get the idea, i don't buy from companies who outsource their work, I've seen a lot of knives from boker and ka-bar made in china now, so, i no longer buy from those two companies, that may come off as unreasonable, but that is because, I, am unreasonable. i bunched up all the knives i had that was made in china and sold them in an eBay listing.
Although i have a small collection of knives, they are tools to me i use TF out of, that being said, I will only buy a knife if it is from one of the countries i have listed, and made in their factory, not somewhere else in the world; as far as china is concerned, i cannot spend a dime on a knife made from there, kizer or not, and i know people praise kizer for F/F and QC
 
Last edited:
MittenStateMashers said:
It’s not okay to ask opinions on a forum? Isn’t that the point of a forum to ask opinions and have a collective base of information?

Why does it matter what people post on the internet?

Lmao :thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:
Click to expand...

It is okay to discuss knives here in GKD. I see you have been here a month. You may have not noticed that.

If you want to discuss politics or what you think of China or the Chinese take it else where.

Political Forum might be good for you. May have not noticed that either.
 
I care who makes it. If it's a cloner, clone, copy, etc then that company should be avoided 100%

It does not matter if it's China or USA. But... China usually does lower hrc, poorer heat treatment, possibly not the materials advertised and more quality control issues in general.
Even my we knives have qc issues.

But knife trends be knife trends. People just look for say m390 for $80 or s35vn for $40 even if the heat treatment is poor and they are 55hrc. Cause they don't know better. They heard the steel is da best.

But places like we knives, Reate knives do really produce good stuff at good prices.

So I like to buy the heat treatment vs the trend. I like the buy the knife as a whole .. Ergos and blade geometry too. Not the trends.
 
GermanyChris said:
The big question is why does it matter why people buy what they buy?
Click to expand...

I don’t care where other people buy their knives. Just wondering if people had the same thought as me. I would totally buy a knife from a high end maker from the Gamma Quadrant.

marcinek said:
1) Nobody is forcing you to buy a cell phone.
2) What about the cousin who works for an American-based knife company who has their knives manufactured in China. You are not supporting them.
Click to expand...

How would I get on BF if I didn’t have a phone :eek:o_O So yes I am forced to buy a phone ;)

let’s be real, what computer is made in America? None at the time so unless I decided to live like a caveman , I have to buy technology that is made in China. Forced :confused:. Remember I’m asking about knives on a knife forum as what do you do. I was demonstrating that I’m not anti China , just anti 150-200$+ China knife purchasing.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top