Does Made in the USA mean anything to you (knife specific)?

[coinbuysell]

Simple answer: yes, I like having a blade made in the US, though personally it is not a deal breaker if it is not, but I do like to support American business, and most of my recent purchases have been US made

Agree, but I am not against buying a foreign made knife that credits the designer, i.e. Spyderco Southard from Taiwan or maybe a Kizer Gemini as long as there is no competitor near the same price for the same quality. Even though they have US designers, the new Reate's for $400ish are a no go for me due to quite a few US made options available at that price point (even if they are not by the same designers...Begg, etc.). I hear they make a nice knife but there are a LOT of US made mid-tech and/or custom options near that price point that I would rather purchase.

That being said, I am considering a Lion Steel folder...

 

[AusLoX]

USA made is great. I enjoy other countries as well. I have a 50/50 mix I'd say.

 

[Avantage]

I don't live in the United States, bit i like american goods. Properties of the American economy often forced manufacturers to produce quality stuff

 

[Quiet]

I prefer US made, although I'll purchase knives made in other countries, as long as they're by a company I support. Spyderco and Cold Steel for example, have some knives I like (and own) that were made in Taiwan. And of course I have multiple SAKs, because they're fantastic. That said, I do not buy knives from China as a general rule. I know I have a few Kershaws made there, but that's about it these days. I buy so many other things made there because there aren't American equivalents (electronics, clothes, etc.), that it's nice to be able to purchase items made here in support of my hobby. About the only other place I really get to "vote American" is in my car buying choices (I drive Mustangs primarily). If that makes me a "sinophobe", so be it. I prefer to think of it as supporting my own country and countrymen when and where I can. That's still important to some of us. :thumbup:

 

[Peroni1973]

I buy some of my knives from Whitty (happily and with great service). Most of my knives are American made and I think there are really some of the finest cutlery companies Stateside but place of manufacture really isn't an issue for me. Honestly compare Golden Spydies vs. Taichung. Pretty often the Taichung will be finished to better standards.

I genuinely think that it is going to be a truly global economy and resisting it isn't going to help - JMHO.

Cool that we have a heap of choices and I love that fact that a bunch of us consider where our cutlery dollars are being spent....

Ben

 

[Makael]

US citizen here, and I don't care where something is made.

People in this country often say "I buy American to support American jobs". But the fact is, the importation of foreign-made goods into the US, and their sale, provides quite a lot of employment for US citizens. Here's a list of several occupations in the US that benefit from, and in some cases depend on the importation of foreign-made goods-

Cargo ship workers (the people who transport the goods from their source country to the US).

Dock workers (the people who unload the cargo from the cargo ships).

Customs workers (the people who oversee and inspect incoming cargo).

Truck drivers (the people who transport the goods from the docks to the wholesale distributors).

The people who work for the wholesale distributors.

Shipping company personnel who ship the goods from the distributors to the retailers (UPS, Fedex, trucking companies).

The people who work for the retailers.



There are a lot of Americans who have jobs as a direct result of foreign-made goods being imported and sold in the US who otherwise might not have jobs.

When I buy a foreign-made knife, I don't think of the people who made it, I think of all the Americans who have jobs because I bought it.

I think of jobs lost

 

[strategy9]

I would love to say yes, but.....

Quality matters more
and as a poor middle class American myself, Value means just as much (if not more)...

As an American, who served my country, (as my father and his father also did) and who has been halfway around the world and back (to the east coast), and who also has a few years experience in manufacturing under my belt, from pillows to plastics to steel (current,l I know all too well "made in USA" does not automatically equate to higher quality, unfortunately, (and certainly not in value very often)... No more then a USA plumber is automatically a better plumber then a Yugoslavian one, or a USA bricklayer is automatically better then an Irish one., etc. People are people, and we all suffer from the human condition. The US produces plenty of it's very own homegrown crap, and a made in USA stamp/tag doesn't magically fix that and make it golden...

Further more, while I'm proud to be an American, I've come to realize over the years I don't automatically like people more because they are "made in the USA", I frankly find most people in general, Americans included, not my cup of tea, (and vice versa), and find many foreigners are simply more grateful (and generous) people as a whole in general then us spoiled Americans are. Nothing personal, and it's not everyone, just my experiences...

Then there's the corporate side of things, be it greed, wealthy ceo's and board members who don't care about me anymore then i do about them as they get richer, (and spend much of their money on foreign products anyways, be it cars, Knives, imvestments, vacations, whatever), Or foreign shareholders, or the the foreign " ingredients" used in many USA products, (but not all), it's a messy tangled web of international commerce in today's market, no matter how you slice the pie... Sure there's your 100% custom makers using 100% American parts, but I simply don't care eenough to pay those prices to feed his/her family when I'm trying to feed my own. When i see my budget, i have a hard time justifying a car payment (or more) on a home grown product, just because it's home grown, when a similar one made over seas will handle all my needs just as well for 1/4 the price or less... I hate to sound heartless but before i am american, i am human, i am a father, and a husband, etc... "American" is not my #1, and as a human being first, we're all in this (world) together. while I'm proud to be American, as my home is here, the only people I really truly care most about is my friends and family (not all of who are American)... I don't care about a stranger across town any more (or less) then a stranger across the sea simply because of his nationality. I care about the character and integrity of the man much more then the flag he roots for during the Olympics... If I see a stranger in need, I will help them be they from America, or Ghana, or China, all the same, but I won't send 'em Christmas cards or birthday wishes any more then I expect them. I don't have blind nationalism pumping through my veins, and while I'd love to see our nation rise to prominence again, I won't do it at the cost of my own families budget, and it's at the core, the political and corporate levels that are truly destroying the fabric of country at the seams, incl. the manufacturing business, moreso then the foreign markets competing for said business... The simple fact that it is economically MUCH more profitable to manufacture overseas, and pay transportation and shipping costs back across the globe, as well as import fees, is mind blowing...

That all said, comparatively, a $50 foreign knife I like and a $60 American knife of similar design and quality, I'll more often then not buy American, i don't mind paying a little extra... But a $100 foreign knife i like and a $300 usa knife of similar design, i'm taking my chances and saving $200, then taking the family out somewhere...

 

[strategy9]

Fwiw though, my knife purchases are probably close to 1/3 split between USA, Europe, and Asia, all my guns are American, and I drive a dodge truck... So I'm certainly not "anti" American...

 

[Cursum Perficio]

I'm a non-USA person, I like quality for my hard earned and it doesn't bother me where it's made. It was a paradigm shift for me to see Taichung Taiwan on, for example, my Sage 4 or Domino as I marveled at their flawless build quality.

That doesn't stop me a being an admirer of Golden Spyderco knives, also the BMs and ZTs I have.
I like the knife, it's build quality, design, materials, functionality, practicality, and yes it's aesthetics, and it doesn't matter much where it's made.

However, I will say that one thing I've learned in the last few years is that I really like the US made steels I have in my folders. If it has CPM or CTS stamped on the blade that's good news to me. That comes from my own practical experience with the steels, no other reason.

I like some cheap Chinese folders too, some are good value, some are rubbish, though I avoid anything that is a blatant ripoff of someone else' work. That's not anti-Sino in anyway, it's anti being a thief.

 

[Twinsdad]

100% I'm sure I'll miss out on a bunch of cool knives for my ignorance but at the end of the day I'm ok with it. Keep up the good work

 

[Armadew]

30 years ago Made in USA meant quality. Now, not so much...I understand wanting to help your economy by buying American, but it isn't a consideration for me.

 

[wazu013]

I generally buy USA made knives. Sometimes I will buy an antique knife or pattern from Europe. I have bought some cheap novelty knives from the pacific rim. If I'm going to pony up a good chunk of money it will be on American made knives and tools.

 

[scamero]

I have a bunch of imported knives, but I'm trying to now only buy US made knives. Everything else I own is made overseas, so I've decided I'm going to have at least one thing on me that is US made. I do buy cheap imports to practice my knife tuning on, but try to carry and purchase US knives now for the most part.

 

[PQGK]

I feel more confident with USA made knives but as long as the workmanship is good I dont care where they're made

 

[Fireform]

I buy US made knives because I like to support US jobs and manufacturing. It's important that we know how to make quality products. That doesn't mean that quality can't be produced elsewhere. I do own a few Taiwan produced knives, like the Gayle Bradley. But I won't buy anything made in China if I can help it. Plenty of people are doing that for me.

 

[Chris Larrikin]

First, to give context, I think USA Made Blade has found an excellent niche and by all accounts does an amazing job in terms of customer service and integrity.

To me "Made in the USA" means pretty much the same as "made in England" (except the beer is cold), "made in Sweden" (except I don't need a hex key to assemble it), "made in Japan" (but with more space to move), "made in New Zealand " (but with fewer sheep and orcs), "made in France " (without the amazing pastries and bad coffee) and "made in Australia " (since I'm in a country without stereotypes there's nothing to say for this one...HA!). To me it means that due to participation in international agreements, early advances in industrialisation, capitalist background, relatively low corruption and long standing diplomatic ties, products are more likely to be of a higher minimum standard, of more consistent quality, using known materials, potentially of a higher overall quality and subject to greater accountability. The US manufacturers are probably more likely to reach higher heights in manufacturing and service.

Back in the 1990s there was a slogan here, "Australian made is good. Australian owned is better". The same is still true.

For reasons pointed out by others re job creation, the "buy American made to support your local economy" argument is, to me, very weak.

The only difference that I see between US owned and made, and US owned with overseas manufacture is political.

Speaking of political, "country of manufacture " threads are inherently political and from what I have seen are full of political content, eg "I won't buy anything made in [country ] because I don't want to support commie slaves" or "I only buy American made to support US jobs". It's a very common theme so I think we should give the new guy a break.

 

[Trollbane]

I answered "I don't live in the United States and don't freaking care!" but that is not the whole truth. I do care a little because like "made in Japan" or "made in Sweden/Germany/Switzerland/Italy" it's often a sign of good quality to me. But so can "made in Taiwan" be nowadays, like the Spydercos from Taichung, Cold steels or EnZos. This is even more true if you like me also are into bicycles.

Heck, even "made in China" isn't black or white these days - if you find the right brands. Just take a look at Reate, Kizer, Carson labs, Stedemon Knives etc.

And there is of course the underlying political debate but that's an entire different matter. But buying US don't exactly help Swedens current account. Still, I often buy American made knives or knives made elsewhere from American online dealers. I happen to like my Spydercos, Benchmades, Bucks, ZTs and the like.


/ J

 

[strategy9]

Nothing is ever so cut and dry these days...

Except the knife itself...

 

[19-3ben]

I'm in the boat with those who prefer it but I understand that good quality is good quality regardless of which patch of land holds the factory. My Opinels slice as well as any USA made knife, and my new condor bushlore is proving itself very to be very capable. On the other hand, I always give bonus points to a domestic made blade and am always more likely to get one made here.

 

[NG VI]

To me, a U.S.-made knife has a lot of emotional significance, and a little added practical value.

I like buying U.S.-made where possible, but unfortunately U.S.-made usually means 2x-3x the cost of the same knife made in China, or 50% more than made in Japan, Taiwan, or other well-regarded offshore production nation.

Usually it means better fit and finish, though not always.

Sometimes the difference can be huge, but on the low-budget end, reliable quality is getting easier to find in foreign-built product lines while American-made knives are generally getting more expensive, fast.

Ultimately I think I feel the same positivity towards well-made, trustworthy foreign knives, either traditional designs or ones I trust are built by skilled, content workers, but it's nice when I can help people in Oregon or Colorado keep the lights on.

I have mixed feelings on Ganzo-style functional replicas, I don't believe that they are inherently dangerous and the intellectual property laws protecting the original manufacturers don't do much for the American worker and it isn't clear that they do much beyond limiting competition.

It's tough to respect that with all the lost manufacturing jobs.