Intentional obfuscation of where their knives are made?

Made In America has long been an important marketing tool of sellers. To be sure we all know examples of where it did not equate to quality goods. Personally, country of origin makes little difference to me. Quality is quality no matter where it comes from IMHO. When the origin is purposely hidden it makes me wonder what else may be hidden though. When I was growing up Made In China was considered to be the lowest quality goods you could buy. Now we rush to buy knives from them because the quality and price points are hard to beat with several manufacturers. One of my favorite origin notices comes from Spartan Knives. They list origin on one of there daggers as “Made by our allies in Taiwan”👍I believe as we navigate a world economy, consumers need to push a little more towards quality aspects and learn to stop being so price motivated. Super easy right😜 Manufacturers would have to respond accordingly or die off.
 
Can't add much to what's already been posted other than I agree with the OP's sentiment. I would add that it's unsettling/maddening that the non-capitalist, central control and command economy (aka 🇨🇳) is able to produce high quality at ridiculous prices.

I don't care where my phone is made, but for some reason knives, watches, and clothes I do. European firearms are OK. 😉 Please don't bother pointing out any logical fallacies in my feelings.
 
This is a problem with not only knives but many products these days. You can start buying a certain store brand of oil filter because you find out it is made for the store by one of the major manufacturers that produces really good quality products, and then one day you find out they changed the contract without warning and started buying them from somewhere else and you have been using some junk without knowing.
It gets really complicated in knives with the steel composition. For example, one company may label their knife as "440A steel" and another may list their product as "7CR17MOV"
Problem is, they may both be made of the same steel from the same source (or not) because 7CR17MOV is the Chinese designation for 440A, so they can label it either way and not be lying.
Same as VG10, AUS8, AUS10, D2, etc. It gets really hard to figure out where the materials were sourced from, and they will not tell you because it is usually proprietary and they keep the raw materials, heat treat, manufacturing processes, etc. secret like it is the blueprints to a nuclear bomb.
This whole situation really bothers me also because I am interested in manufacturing details, etc. but it is really a crap shoot anymore. You just have to look for reputable companies, and take their word for it unless proven otherwise.
I feel that MOST reputable companies, like Buck, Case, Spyderco, Benchmade, etc. have been pretty forthcoming and haven't really intentionally tried to deceive anyone. You do have to be aware that some of their products may be imported or include some parts that are internationally sourced, and keep an eye out for which ones are if that is important to you.

**Edited to say we need to watch out because 115CR11MOV may soon start getting sold as Magnacut 🤣
 
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Here are two examples that could trick a new collector. The first is a Frost copy of an American made E. C. Simmons. The fit quality is great, especially for the price. I’m definitely not knocking the Chinese. It just doesn’t say China anywhere on the knife. Ditto for the Puma SGB. The knife lacks any mention of China. The boxes for both knives are more clear in that the Frost product says made in China and the Puma SGB says assembled in China with German parts. That’s where hair splitting begins and it ends with the omissions on the actual knives. (Dang it I’m not remembering how to post pictures).
 
chevyrulez1 said:
This is a problem with not only knives but many products these days. You can start buying a certain store brand of oil filter because you find out it is made for the store by one of the major manufacturers that produces really good quality products, and then one day you find out they changed the contract without warning and started buying them from somewhere else and you have been using some junk without knowing.
It gets really complicated in knives with the steel composition. For example, one company may label their knife as "440A steel" and another may list their product as "7CR17MOV"
Problem is, they may both be made of the same steel from the same source (or not) because 7CR17MOV is the Chinese designation for 440A, so they can label it either way and not be lying.
Same as VG10, AUS8, AUS10, D2, etc. It gets really hard to figure out where the materials were sourced from, and they will not tell you because it is usually proprietary and they keep the raw materials, heat treat, manufacturing processes, etc. secret like it is the blueprints to a nuclear bomb.
This whole situation really bothers me also because I am interested in manufacturing details, etc. but it is really a crap shoot anymore. You just have to look for reputable companies, and take their word for it unless proven otherwise.
I feel that MOST reputable companies, like Buck, Case, Spyderco, Benchmade, etc. have been pretty forthcoming and haven't really intentionally tried to deceive anyone. You do have to be aware that some of their products may be imported or include some parts that are internationally sourced, and keep an eye out for which ones are if that is important to you.

**Edited to say we need to watch out because 115CR11MOV may soon start getting sold as Magnacut 🤣
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Great points. I found multiple websites committing copyright and trademark infringements on Buck. They claim to provide a personified engraved Buck knife (yes capitalized) at a price lower than any actual Buck knives. They messed up numerous ways but touting 440A.

links to non-supporting vendors not permitted - edited by staff
 
What I find deceiving is when a marketing yahoo or youtuber has their knives made by the likes of Barkriver, or something..... So many knife brands are just marketing brands. You think some markers are makers....they are not.

Or when a Custom maker really isn't making Your knife. But has a team of guys doing the heavy lifting instead of the actual "Maker"
That bugs me.
 
OP. Sorry, I'm not normally this long winded. But this has been sitting on my brain as well.

For production knives, I find the retailers published information to be most accurate and honest about the subject. Plus, this community sniffs the turds and outs offenders in short order.

This was a top priority of mine out the gate and still is. Ill always prefer US made. However, I have 10% china and Taiwan built knives. Because I came to these two conclusions, right, wrong or indifferent.

There are build houses that produce products for large companies on the cheap, no thanks. Then there are some real, dedicated, foreign knife producers that are just as serious and passionate about knives as the US companies. Just happen to be standing on far away soil that may carry a stigma here.. They build fine knives, some are proven designs from previously US custom only makers. Others are just well engineered original designs. These would not be obtainable for many of us, whom appreciate them most without this component.

People want US made knives, but constantly shit all over the companies that produce them. Specifically for being expensive. This industry is at a real bad disadvantage when it comes to manufacturing expectations, prefered materials and buyers tolerance for cost, imo. In these circles anyway, which aren't much of the buying market, but a significant part of the higher end buying market, in my mind.

Perhaps supporting the custom, small shop craftsman would be a solution. Even if they source a few parts outside of the US, I imagine they would work with you on options. I'm constantly surprised at how reasonable they can be around here, for some really impressive gear. Unquestionably putting food in the bellies of American Craftsman and their Families.

Along with voting with your wallet. As previously mentioned above.

Final thought. Some amazing small batch stuff comes from our neighbors to the North. Canadians are damn serious about blades.
 
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Frost has never made knives, far as I know. They've certainly designed some then had them manufactured overseas to their specs. SMKW, Parker, Taylor, Cold Steel, and many other brands also have knives manufactured to their specs overseas.

Frost and SMKW also seem to have rebranded knives not of their original specs over the years.

Back in the 80s, many knives were sourced from Seki City Japan and were excellent quality.

Once production costs in Japan rose, they shifted to Taiwan, then China, and many knives today are sourced from Pakistan.

Each time they went with a cheaper source, overall quality seemed to slightly decline. I've seen very good knives from Taiwan and even China, but mostly garbage from Pakistan.
 
Crag the Brewer said:
What I find deceiving is when a marketing yahoo or youtuber has their knives made by the likes of Barkriver, or something..... So many knife brands are just marketing brands. You think some markers are makers....they are not.

Or when a Custom maker really isn't making Your knife. But has a team of guys doing the heavy lifting instead of the actual "Maker"
That bugs me.
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Oh man I think you may have crushed my imagination. Is Kayla a real knife maker?
 
First, I'm perplexed that anyone cares about frost knives enough to worry about where they are made. I suspect that if the op hangs around here for any length of time that concern will become academic. The larger point is perfectly valid. I don't buy Chicom knives. I don't buy Russian knives either, at least not on purpose. The obfuscation is not accidental.
 
The last time I saw a knife from Frost it was spinning around in a wooden block on a episode of Cutlery Corner bundled with about 300 other knives. It was quite the bargain at only $39.95 for the whole lot. They were even gracious enough to offer it in 4 flex pays of only $9.99 if you called in the next 5 minutes. Still kicking myself for not getting in on that deal of the century.
 
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