Does it matter to you?

[bacman99]

If you were in the market to buy a new fixed blade, say a Bushcrafter, and you were going to spend around $200.00 would it matter to you where it was made?

Ive been pondering this for several days and I'm kinda on the fence.

 

[Diomedes Industries]

Sounds like you are pondering a Spyderco.

TF

 

[powernoodle]

USA is good.

But I like Taiwan too. My father-in-law made many trips to Taiwan on business. In fact, he died of a heart attack in Taipei on one of those trips, but that is neither here nor there. Taiwan is a westernized, pro-America, cosmopolitan democracy, and I have no prob buying anything from there. But I have that little Taiwan connection too.

China? They have nukes pointed at us, and are basically a vast prison state. I try not to support their economy, but I probably do have some knives that were made there (Tenacious?).

 

[TheGame]

It isn't a deal breaker for me, but it really depends on the knife, I guess.

 

[abo4ster]

If you were in the market to buy a new fixed blade, say a Bushcrafter, and you were going to spend around $200.00 would it matter to you where it was made?

Ive been pondering this for several days and I'm kinda on the fence.

That's a very personal thing. For me...

standard fixed blade ~ doesn't matter.

Bushcraft knife ~ yeah, I kinda want it made in the USA, UK, Scandinavia, or Canada. It shouldn't matter, but I like the tradition...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9phlDH4h-eU

 

[Foilist]

I like what I like, and I tend not to be too political in my buying habits.

 

[The Government]

I would buy a USA product

For that price -why not choose USA? Are you giving anything up? I would think you are getting what you want plus supporting our economy at its core. It is a win win if you find something you like that is domestic. Buying foreign means you win, but another loss for a potential american sale. Like sidecuttter said below "all things being equal."

The Koster bushcrafter is below that price -with a sheath!

PS -I just realized the irony of my name LOL!

 

[sidecutter]

all things being equal, buy American. but i do have some german and japan knives. good stuff.

 

[scrumpy jack]

I,ll say it...yes. north american, british, european....mostly

 

[udtjim]

NOPE, not one little bit. If the quality is there it came come from the moon for all I care. I like to buy American but sometimes, someone else comes out with a better product or at least one that I like better.

 

[David43515]

If I feel I can trust the quality, I don`t really care where it`s made. I like what I like. Besides, many companies have thier base in the US, but contract with other companies in several counties to make the knives for them. One famous knife company I know in the states has several models made in Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and other countries as well as having things made for them in the US. So even though I`d be buying from an American company, I`d be hard pressed to know which models are made where.

I remember growing up near Toledo, I had occation to take a class held in a room rented at the UAW (United Auto Workers) union hall. There was a large sign in the parking lot saying that foreign cars were not allowed to park on thier property and would be towed. So I always parked my Mazda (made in the USA on a Union assembly line by American workers) across the street while the lot was filled with GM cars assembled in Canada from parts made in Mexico.

 

[6shooter]

When you get up into that sort of price range, I'd prefer to buy from a maker than an overseas variant from a manufacture. There are a few bushcraft style knives from the makers here I'd rather have than a Spyderco, but that's personal preference.

I try not to worry about the politics of it, but I was out of work for a total of 5 months this year(two separate bouts), and by buying from a maker, or at least buying something made in the US or Canada, I like to think I'm helping keep someone employed who may not have been otherwise.

 

[jca21]

USA is good.

But I like Taiwan too. My father-in-law made many trips to Taiwan on business. In fact, he died of a heart attack in Taipei on one of those trips, but that is neither here nor there. Taiwan is a westernized, pro-America, cosmopolitan democracy, and I have no prob buying anything from there. But I have that little Taiwan connection too.

China? They have nukes pointed at us, and are basically a vast prison state. I try not to support their economy, but I probably do have some knives that were made there (Tenacious?).

did ya marry a taiwanese person?

regarding the OP. if you are planning to buy a spyderco i think its ok. i agree with many points that powernoodle made but ontop of that, spyderco is an american company, so the money is getting back into the hands of americans some how.

i'd say whatever knife purchase you make, be happy with it. if where its made is an important factor to you, get one thats made where you want it to be, however, it is possible that it will cost more or less than 200.00 so you should be prepared to make the monetary sacrafice to stick by your conscience.

 

[Bumppo]

Does not really matter to me for customs, but for manufacturers, I prefer American owned companies , no matter where the actual knife is built.

 

[baldtaco-II]

Not much but I've still got some work to do on that. I know it shouldn't because I should just judge on merit and nothing else. As I see it anything else makes me a dumb buyer. After all it puts me out of step with everything else, for example optics. Then there's the made abroad but assembled domestically like your old Leatherman debacle, and so on. Unless I can get some sort of consistency going on I'm just making silly arbitrary decisions. On the other hand I used to buy a lot of SOG knives made in Seki. Some of the newer ones may be as good, they've improved the steel on a bunch of them, but I wouldn't buy a non-Seki one after having those. And if I had a knife with China or Tiawan I'd grind that out, regarding it as a kind of stigma stamp, despite the reasoning that got me to select that knife. Absurd but true. I guess once I've pegged something as toxic I really internalize that and it takes a long time to truly clean up after I change my view. I can, because it is sensible, but I expect stains for a while yet. Yup, I can do idiot, what's not to like about the Crowell / Barker camp knife really.

 

[Iboschi]

I have a feeling this is going to be a controversial thread. Let me grab some popcorn. Be right back.

 

[Dannyboy Leather]

Post expired.

 

[kgd]

One to the OP, the good news is that there is a lot of variety to be had in blades in the $200 range. For me personally, I'm picky about who I buy from but more so from the manufacturer/maker than I am from the country of origin. My #1 rule for knife buying is that they represent themselves here on bladeforums and are active participants to discussions beyond schlocking their wares. I know, that that is a tall order, yet there are many great examples of companies that do just that. Ratcutlery, spyderco, buck to name a few and all the great custom makers who participate regularly here on W&SS and elsewhere in bladeforums.

If those companies can't give my social network, and one devoted to knives and discussing thereof, the time of day why should I give them the coinage from my pocket? I'm really not missing out on much by limiting my choices either. Thats my schtick and I'm schticking to it

 

[u812]

I try to go USA as much as I can with everything but others countries with an economy close to ours does not bother me.
China,Mexico and Taiwan are some I stay away from.

 

[Mentor]

I tend to buy custom knives, and the customer-craftsman relationship is generally more important to me than considerations of location or nationality.

When it comes to production models, I try to support businesses that attempt to maintain a local manufacturing capacity.

All the best,

- Mike