Thoughts on buying Chinese knives

Yes China is doing what Japan were doing several decades ago by copying European Stuff and look where are they now, You should not underestimate the chinese products. Everything is made in china nowadays good luck by not buying chinese stuff.
How you know that your american knife is not made by some mexican getting paid less than minimun wage?
There are lots of double standards.
I buy american knives because they are better quality, but if china some day puts out a sebenza like knife for under $100 you bet i'll buy it.
The statement of money outflowing to other countries is kind of dumb because there will be barely spending in the US if everything were made here. How many is willing to buy a $10K TV? The economy will stall because the spending will reduce.

Did you ALL FORGET that we fought a war against German or Japan? what handgun you wish you could afford, what kind of car do you drive or what camera do you use. Who makes the finest TV's?
 
Greenstuffs this is a response to you.

"how you know that your american knife is not made by some mexican getting paid less than minimum wage?"

nice grammar.. The answer is I don't know if it was made by an immigrant worker. but at least i know that this country has rudimentary enforcement when it comes to toxic dumping. ... and it doesn't use CHILD LABOR in FACTORIES.

complaining about "money outflowing to other countries is kind of dumb"

? tell that to factory workers who have no jobs. Have you heard of NAFTA? CAFTA? North American Union? What happens when the U.S.' manufacturing base moves overseas? What happens when all of the remaining software and IT jobs are taken over by 19 cent-per-hour indian programmers? We can enjoy marginally cheaper merchandise now, but consider the long term effects for a second. Are you still going to have money so that you can afford the slightly cheaper molded-plastic-junk that's coming out of the PRC?

And Finally,
"If China some day puts out a sebenza.."

Well, they WON'T do that any time soon. Every China-made knife I have ever handled is inferior to the U.S. made knives, in some way or another, even if it was made for a Japanese or U.S. company.

And with all the other additional factors i already mentioned, a conscientious consumer would not buy a sub-par product that not only damages the country it comes from but also the U.S.

EOF

P.S.:
if you want to debate economics, I don't. Watch "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3836296181471292925
 
Real knife lovers will be impressed if you try to stay away from cheap 3rd world factory made knives.
You might lose the customers who dont want to pay much and dont know the difference though.

I dont like my knives being made in taiwan or china.
 
Ken Onion, as well as a handful of other people, have the right idea here. Up until the 70's, it would have been true that the Government of China controls everything. Starting then, however, the establishment of areas (SEZs) that allow private groups to engage in trade with outside nations and groups.

This has led to a great deal of rudimentary free market economic practice, and even allowed many rivate groups to list on the increasingly independant chinese stock markets. Even a number of "commi" utilities inside the nation are beginning to show privitization.

The reason for all of this change is that the incredible revenue supplied by SEZs, as opposed to short sighted central planning, is an undeniable force. The more that private chinese firms trade with the US, the more the government will allow fre market systems to expand, which lead to worker's rights, in time. SEZ cities are the most liberal and most wealthy in the nation.

Refusing to support the sort of trade that Ken Onion is engaging in only bolsters the position of the old gaurd communists in the chinese economic system. Embracing the privization of china's industry is the greatest thing we can do individually and as a nation for the chinese work conditions.
 
gk4ever said:
I agree Fred! The more money that flows outside the US, the less jobs there will be for Americans. I have never owned a Kershaw knife, and now I'm even less inclined to do so (I might reconsider if a particular model of interest is made in the US). This is one reason why I buy Benchmade, Busse and Camillus knives - they are made in the US. I happily pay more for a US product than one made in China.

I wonder how much money Kershaw pays the Communist Chinese government for the privilege of having a factory there? That money helps to both further strengthen the government (our enemy) and repress the people.

Thank you Fred - Knife Outlet just moved to the top of my list of knife dealers!
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Well said! Knowing that Kershaw is owned by Kai makes my decision clear. NEVER buy a Kershaw knife again. E-Bay the three I do own. The Ken Onion Storm and my Leek and Chive. Gone. I will NEVER put CITGO gas in one of my cars again after their brutal foul mouthed dictator came to the U.S. and slammed our President in front of the entire United Nations. Playing for laughter as he berated our President. One hundred percent owned by the state of Venezuela. Citgo... NEVER again! There are a lot of decisions I have control over in my daily life.Where to spend my money is one. I buy from local markets and variety stores in my town rather than Wal Mart. Costs a bit more maybe but the owners go to my church. Their children play with mine and a million other reasons why I support my town first then the state then the country. They can all have a piece of my wages. I live here and I will never live anywhere else. America is my home and I don't turn my back on my own!
China can make and sell all they want. They can murder babies just because they are born with retardation or Palsy or a myriad of childhood diseases. Their government is so far away in human rights from what I consider normal that I will not support them at every turn that's for sure. I make a conscience choice every day when and where I purchase. I think about where it goes and who it supports. I may be alone on this , but that is what I do.

Knife Outlet you have been added to my Favorites on my home page.
God Bless America.

Peace.
 
I have bought Chinese made knives in the past and will likely buy them in the future. I prefer US made knives but if a Chinese made knife has a nice design and a reasonable price I will consider it. I've been carrying a Chinese made Buck 372 for the past few days. I was a bit concerned when I ordered it but it turned out to be a good inexpensive knife.
 
Just finished reading 6 pages and 4 years worth of posts in this thread. Tiring stuff. Felt I wanted to be part of the legacy.

In a few minutes, I'm going to leave my apartment in Red China (actually now it's more of a faded pinkish color). I'm gonna walk down a street marked with English signs, pick up a coke at the corner store, maybe buy a Big Mac at the nearby McDonalds, endure "My Heart Will Go On" blaring from some speakers in front of the WalMart superstore, and listen to the several inevitable construction workers shout "Hello!" at me from their job site.
Later this month, I'm gonna resume teaching English and American culture to the future scientists and business leaders of Jinan, China, just like the thousands of other foreign teachers all around China.

I don't find this country so threatening. Sure it's f**ked up, and most Chinese acknowledge that (when nobody's listening). But maybe in 10 years I'll be willing to buy a knife made here. For now, I'll endure the 4 hour train ride to Beijing so I can buy an American made Benchmade or Spyderco.
 
Agreed, but the thread appears to still be active, and the point I was making at least wasn't a response to knifeoutlet or any other service so much as a response to the mistaken attitude of doing good to human rights by not buying from chinese factories as a general rule.
 
Absolutely, whether people realize it or not we're in the Cold War all over again and this time it's with China. It's one thing to buy something from a competitor and another to buy something from an enemy.
 
Being that 80% (our goal is 90%) of our products are made here in Tualatin Oregon USA, I actually find it a bit amusing that Kershaw Knives Kai USA is the manufacture to be pointed out in this "Red China" thread.

With all the imports being brought in from all the "American" made manufacturers, I would have hoped we would be looked at in a bit more positive patriotic light than what I have read.:rolleyes:

FYI, as far as Kershaw Knives go, we make our own knives, what I mean by that is that we screw together each and every one of them. We don't outsource, don't have anyone make them for us, don't have to. 80% of production (95% of sales) are done here in the USA. Did you read that PoP! The other 20% is split up between Japan and China (we own our facilities in both places as well).
The Kai Corp headquarters is located in Seki City Japan, not China. Anyone heard of Seki City! Prince?

With the big influence of imports from all your favorite American manufacturers currently flooding the market, Kershaw has taken a stance and said we will compete against this trend and fight this fight with Tualatin Oregon, good ol' USA made products.

Well said! Knowing that Kershaw is owned by Kai makes my decision clear. NEVER buy a Kershaw knife again. E-Bay the three I do own. The Ken Onion Storm and my Leek and Chive. Gone.
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Now Price of Peace I'm gonna chalk this up to you not understanding our USA production focus and parent company location., but in the future you might want to do a bit more listening and a lot less posting on subjects you are less than familiar with. You wouldn't want any mis-information out there after all.....would you?

Knife Outlet, I'm not sure why you changed a stance that you seemed so proud of 4-5 years ago, but that is for you to explain.
 
Thanks for the snide and brutal attack Thomas. I appreciate your protection of your company.You certainly have a way of saying what's on your mind. Thanks for the facts.

Peace.
 
I bought a little 10 dollar Kershaw for a Xmas present at Wal-mart for a non knife savvy friend. Its no big deal it was marked China. I have other Kershaws marked USA that cost many times that. I don't expect every cheaper knife I buy to be made in the USA. If I am going to pay a lot I do want USA or Japan on the blade.
 
Prince, you are the one showing aggression us with agreeing with comments like this:
That money helps to both further strengthen the government (our enemy) and repress the people.
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And saying comments like this:
I will NEVER put CITGO gas in one of my cars again after their brutal foul mouthed dictator came to the U.S. and slammed our President in front of the entire United Nations. Playing for laughter as he berated our President. One hundred percent owned by the state of Venezuela. Citgo... NEVER again!
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When you start comparing us to South American dictators, and agreeing with posters that state that we are repressing the Chinese locals, who is attacking who?
Knowing that Kershaw is owned by Kai makes my decision clear. NEVER buy a Kershaw knife again
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I would think you now regret saying this?


I appreciate your protection of your company
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I'm not protecting Kai USA, I am letting the board know of our USA made interests and focus. I would think you would appreciate that.

Across the board Prince, we are not the ones with a line of...or a class of...or a brand of knives made up solely in China. Yet you are publicly scolding us, and giving others a pass.
Are you selling all your knives made by manufacturers that import knives from overseas? If so, why not call them out and hold them to the same "I'll never buy another knife by them again" standard like you did with us?

Knife Outlet you have been added to my Favorites on my home page.
God Bless America
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As mentioned, the Knife Outlet does sell knives made in China. You will be admonishing them on this thread as well?

You certainly have a way of saying what's on your mind. Thanks for the facts.
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Sorry if you felt slighted by my response, and I will challenge folks on occasion.

You're welcome for the facts.
 
If more people in the USA would stop talking about commercial ventures with same hatreds as the socialists and stop voting for politicians with the same aspirations as the socialists, maybe we'd be more productive than the folks who call themselves socialists but put their noses to the grindstone and their brains to the bottom line like capitalists.

When folks talk about 'big business,' 'big oil,' 'corporate welfare,' and similar catchphrases, it's a clear indication of hate and resent. You hate when stuff is done to better your lives in the USA and you get all santimonius when it's done elsewhere. There's no pleasing nihilists and it's time we stop trying.

I like knives made in the Milky Way. Knives from anywhere else are crap.
 
I've been to China a couple of times. China is in a state of transition.
They are not our enemy. The China that supported Korea
and Vietnam doesn't exist anymore. Even the Vietnam of the 70s doesn't
exist anymore in the same form. China is transitioning toward
capitalism and with that democracy is most likely to follow.
It won't be a quick process. It will take many decades.
Are they perfect? No. But neither is the United States.
Remember which country is expiditing people to foriegn countries
to be tortured (that would be us).

As far as the people go, they are friendly, hard working and
industrious. I'm not so sure the idea of a sweat shop would
be the best picture of reality when most high quality items
are manufactured in modern production facilities.
 
From what I've seen on an HBO documentary about a Chinese factory, The workers are paid very little, forced to work long hours 6 days a week, Live at the compound all but two weeks a year, have very few basic human rights, are forced to wear red caps at all times so they can be seen easily on the factory floor, women are used for most jobs as they are a lot more controllable, men are used for the loading and heavy work and the sexes are not allowed to mingle, pay is equal to about 10 cents an hour USA wages, if anything is messed up it comes out of their pay, if they don't turn out a certain amount of work they are docked, yet aren't paid more if they do, young girls are preferred workers even as young as 13, fumes from plastic and other toxic material is not vented. The plant owner profits about 2 million per year. The workers 60 dollars a month. He claimed they was happy working there. This is all so people can have plastic beads for mardi gras.
 
A lot of people need to realize that China isn't the giant evil communist state looming menacingly over all that is good and free in the world anymore. The reason China is burgeoning and expanding rapidly in terms of trade is because the government has begun to loosen its grip on industry. China is transitioning with its gradual assimilation of capitalistic ideals.

Also, I constantly stumble onto blogs and websites claiming that China is a huge threat to America. I'll agree that China is becoming a critical player in the world stage, but the thought of the country being hostile strikes me as being silly.

As for the whole only buy American thing, here is an interesting article:
http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=576
Now I don't agree with everything in the article, but it is some food for thought. And PLEASE read the whole thing before coming to conclusions (I've had people read the first 2-3 paragraphs and become enraged, immediately tossing out insults towards me and the author).

/edit

I also agree with just about everything eastknight said. Again, China isn't some aggressive menace to democracy anymore. These images of "red" soldiers and a "red" army marching around prepared to strike down democracy wherever it may stand is all, IMHO, idiotic.

And it isn't as if China hasn't had its fair share of shit throughout its very long history (opium wars, Nanjing, etc.)
 
Ooh! Classic Binswanger! That Doc has written some great essays and lectures. His ones on psychoepistemology are particularly great.
 
jill jackson said:
From what I've seen on an HBO documentary about a Chinese factory, The workers are paid very little, forced to work long hours 6 days a week, Live at the compound all but two weeks a year, have very few basic human rights, are forced to wear red caps at all times so they can be seen easily on the factory floor, women are used for most jobs as they are a lot more controllable, men are used for the loading and heavy work and the sexes are not allowed to mingle, pay is equal to about 10 cents an hour USA wages, if anything is messed up it comes out of their pay, if they don't turn out a certain amount of work they are docked, yet aren't paid more if they do, young girls are preferred workers even as young as 13, fumes from plastic and other toxic material is not vented. The plant owner profits about 2 million per year. The workers 60 dollars a month. He claimed they was happy working there. This is all so people can have plastic beads for mardi gras.
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I agree that the above does exist. It also existed in
the US and Europe for many years during the Industrial Revolution.
Everyone expects emerging economic countries to act just like us... but they are just 100 years previous. It takes time to get to where we are.
 
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