Encouraging progress in the fight against knock-offs?

[FordRanger]

There will always be copies made of expensive things that people want, because someone always wants to pay less and is willing to get suckered in. All we can do is hope to slow it down. I think the reason for knife fakes is the same as other industries; I don't care what others know about my knives, I'm just content to know for myself that I have a certain knife. Plus if someone does ask, I get to tell them about my cool knife! :thumbup: Some people just have to have that certain knife, but want to pay a ton less for it and think they got a deal.

OLD Craftsman, not the Crapsman stuff they sell today at whatever Sears stores are left.

Read the backs of the boxes, if it says its made in the US, its probably still just as good as the old stuff. My grandpa and I share a shop full of mostly Craftsman tools accumulated from about the early fifties until now, and their US made hand tools haven't changed a bit in our experience, gimmicky tools excluded. Some of their newer styled tools offer better grip, strength, and ease of use, so don't completely discredit the stuff that is still made here. Though personally I do prefer Channellock brand pliers, they're more comfortable to use. Everything else is Craftsman.

 

[jakemex]

.......

 

[Jim85IROC]

Read the backs of the boxes, if it says its made in the US, its probably still just as good as the old stuff.

Unfortunately, that's not completely true either. For the last few years before Danaher moved the Craftsman production to China, their American made stuff had gotten pretty bad. The chrome was flaking off of the sockets, the ratchets had rough machining that made them weak, etc. With some exceptions, Craftsman hand tools stopped being a good quality product about 5-6 years ago.

 

[skyhorse]

Selling counterfeit items is illegal. Unfortunately these laws are seldom enforced like many other laws nowadays. Good luck suing a company in Communist China.

 

[Quiet]

T
Read the backs of the boxes, if it says its made in the US, its probably still just as good as the old stuff. My grandpa and I share a shop full of mostly Craftsman tools accumulated from about the early fifties until now, and their US made hand tools haven't changed a bit in our experience, gimmicky tools excluded. Some of their newer styled tools offer better grip, strength, and ease of use, so don't completely discredit the stuff that is still made here. Though personally I do prefer Channellock brand pliers, they're more comfortable to use. Everything else is Craftsman.

I would respectfully disagree.

Unfortunately, that's not completely true either. For the last few years before Danaher moved the Craftsman production to China, their American made stuff had gotten pretty bad. The chrome was flaking off of the sockets, the ratchets had rough machining that made them weak, etc. With some exceptions, Craftsman hand tools stopped being a good quality product about 5-6 years ago.

This. Most of my handtools are Craftsman from the mid 80's, early 90's. Those are bullet-proof. I did have some newer stuff, but those tools displayed the same signs you're speaking of here. Flaking chrome, and multiple broken ratchets.

 

[ChrisLee]

One thing I think isn't touched on is that if we truly went back to producing everything in America, it'd be so expensive no one would want to buy many of the things they buy today.

This is true. America's economy has become so inflated and so service oriented that if foreign countries stopped sending goods to America. Nobody would be able to afford to maintain their current life style if everyone had to buy American Made products. Prices for normal everyday things would go up considerably.

 

[FordRanger]

Very interesting to hear this, as I have not experienced this at all except for in a very small number of tools. Maybe I got lucky, thanks for letting me know though! :thumbup:

 

[LX_Emergency]

[/B]

I wish there was a way.

This might sound a little harsh, but people who buy counterfeit knives are not part of my knife community.
This is the one place I expect the ramifications to be understood.

We need to get back to a 500% tax on anything made anywhere but in the USA.
That would solve every economic issue, but the corporations just wouldn't approve.

Not to get off topic and political, I apologize, but the biggest market in the world by a country mile could easily make and consume it's own goods....

The US is not the biggest market in the world. It's a big market yes, but compared to China it's tiny.