Absolutely Unacceptable

[Patriot Precision]

So we're shopping the other day when this catches my eye. An American flag covered Smith & Wesson knife honoring America's Heroes. I grad one immediately. I flip the package over, as I always do, and am shocked to find a tiny little MADE IN CHINA under the bar code. Now, i'm new to the Forum, but not to Smith & Wesson. I have 20+ Smith revolvers and im proud to own them. This might be it though. Let's celebrate American heroes by sending our money to China. It was around $30. I put it back. If it was $50 and made in America, I would have bought 4 to hand out to people I consider American heroes. Absolutely unacceptable.

 

[Bevo84]

Yeah, but it's got a glass breaker and seatbelt cutter

 

[FZ1Tom]

It is an unfortunate sign of our times that, I suspect, will work to our eventual detriment in the future. Or rather, the young people's detriments, since most of us will not be around to suffer their foolishness. I pity them, but it gets a little harder and harder each day.

Tom

 

[Denverd0n]

Hard to buy anything these days that doesn't involve China in some way. For example, you know those made-in-America flags that they advertise all the time. Are you sure that none of the cloth they use, or the thread they use, or the machines they use to sew it all up weren't made in China? Frankly, I'd be willing to bet that at least the sewing machines have numerous parts made in China.

It is the world we live in today.

 

[14daMoney]

It is an unfortunate sign of our times that, I suspect, will work to our eventual detriment in the future. Or rather, the young people's detriments, since most of us will not be around to suffer their foolishness. I pity them, but it gets a little harder and harder each day.

Tom

Tom

I don't even want to speculate on what our grandkids will be enduring in 20 years . . . . .

 

[tlawler]

Hard to buy anything these days that doesn't involve China in some way. For example, you know those made-in-America flags that they advertise all the time. Are you sure that none of the cloth they use, or the thread they use, or the machines they use to sew it all up weren't made in China? Frankly, I'd be willing to bet that at least the sewing machines have numerous parts made in China.

It is the world we live in today.

Best you can do is check for the Made in America tag on it and maybe research the company. I buy all my American Flags at the Ace Hardware down the street from me in my little town. They are made by Valley Forge and proclaimed to be “Made in America by Americans with American Materials.”

I think buying an American Flag made in China kinda defeats the whole purpose. And I buy quite a few of them too. When we moved up here from Southwest Florida, I noticed quite a few of the flags flown by businesses were a little ratty. I started purchasing them and handing them out to the business owners and introducing myself. Great way to break the ice and meet the new town folk. Added plus is driving around and seeing all the new flags blowing proudly in the breeze that I provided.

 

[sigp220.45]

There has been Smith and Wesson branded junk for decades now. I used to have a Smith hat made in China.

China merch doesn’t bother me, but shoddy stuff does. Caveat emptor.

 

[FZ1Tom]

I don't even want to speculate on what our grandkids will be enduring in 20 years . . . . .

Oh they're gonna be cannon fodder, that's a given. It might take a little more than 20 years but it will happen one way or the other. Now as for China, that's a bit more complicated. It's not JUST Communism. China's history and our history have been joined at the hip, kind of awkwardly at that, for most of 200 years or so now. Same with Japan, Korea, and most of the other Asian countries. But primarily China. Think railroads, ships, trade routes, and such. Then and now it all starts making more sense. It was never really truly an easy relationship, and probably never will be. The Chinese, and indeed most of the Asian countries, are just culturally....devious at times in ways we just never would think of. Trademarks? Patents? Huh? Royalties? Pfft. Labor laws? Ha!
I think you can kind of see where I'm going with this sort of stuff. They have a true hive mentality and we don't, but our idiot yoots think it's the way of the future.

I could go on for HOURS about this but by the end I'd be clubbing yoots, err I mean baby seals, left and right upside the head out of anger, and getting a little tired in the meantime, so I'd just have to stop and catch my breath before I could resume the clubbing again. Yeah, that bad.

What would General Stilwell have thought of all this, I wonder? Old VInegar Joe, he spent 34 years in China and got to know them better than probably any American before or since, from the regular 'coolie' (yes I know, that's an anachronistic term, but it was what they used back then) all the way up to the Generalissismo aka Chiang-Kai-Shek, who Stilwell derisively called "The Peanut" and later on became the Nationalist leader of present day Taiwan after the Communists took over the mainland in 1949. Stilwell by then was long in the ground, the victim of stomach cancer in 1946 and a demand by Chiang to FDR that led to his final recall from China in 1945, which indirectly led to his own loss of the Chinese mainland.

So yeah, it's kinda messy alright. And that's the thing. I know we don't normally discuss international politics here, but I do think it's reasonable to agree that there's one side that agrees that China is NOT our friend and must be dealt with as such with the greatest of caution and the firmest possible hand and the other side is just a bunch of dumb ignorant yoots and old fools who did their bidding and groveled at their feet. I think you know who I refer to.

Tom

 

[BabaBlueJay]

It is an unfortunate sign of our times that, I suspect, will work to our eventual detriment in the future. Or rather, the young people's detriments, since most of us will not be around to suffer their foolishness. I pity them, but it gets a little harder and harder each day.

Tom

Wait... Are you saying it's young people's fault or S&W's?

 

[eb07]

I recently purchased one of the official New Era MLB 250 commemorative hats they wore on the field with the nice 250 patches. Arrived. Made in Vietnam

 

[FZ1Tom]

Wait... Are you saying it's young people's fault or S&W's?

“Young people” is a social construct. Smith & Wesson is a business, albeit one with probably too many ‘young people’ in it. But they are two different things.

Tom

 

[tlawler]

I recently purchased one of the official New Era MLB 250 commemorative hats they wore on the field with the nice 250 patches. Arrived. Made in Vietnam

Reminds me of a cartoon I saw once. There was a Chinese American that went to China and was labeled a dissident and jailed for life. His name is Wang Bingzhang (I had to look that up!). Anyway, the cartoon was of him slaving away in a prison textile sweat shop making t-shirts for sale to Americans that said “Free Wang”

 

[ZGrand]

Kind of disappointing, but nothing new. I have several S&W branded gun rugs - made in China. A set of S&W commemorative pocket knives - made in China. A couple of S&W branded t-shirts - made in Honduras.

 

[Denverd0n]

I buy all my American Flags at the Ace Hardware down the street from me in my little town. They are made by Valley Forge and proclaimed to be “Made in America by Americans with American Materials.”

Yeah, but dollars to donuts says that the machines they use were either made in China, or at the very least have a lot of Chinese-made parts in them. You really just can't get away from it.

 

[Truckman]

Business is done in a global economy...I would as soon buy 100% home grown, home mined and home processed goods as the next man, but I wonder how many Chinese consumers would prefer American made products over their national brands...The market is ruled by demand, and consumers vote with their wallets......Ben

 

[tlawler]

Yeah, but dollars to donuts says that the machines they use were either made in China, or at the very least have a lot of Chinese-made parts in them. You really just can't get away from it.

Yeah, you can only do so much. Having them made by American hands with American grown cotton gives me a warm and fuzzy though.

 

[Model29-26.5]

I’m afraid you will have to accept it. It is just the way it is… and it will never go back to the way it was.
If you wanted to buy American every time, that means all the mining would have to be done here all the manufacturing everything.
The reason we can post on this forum from our cell phones is because of the global economy… which involves everything that we do.
The market controls everything and we are generally way better off than we would be if we just didn’t follow the trends.
You could just buy American, but you would have way less because everything would be more expensive.
We are living better lifestyles today than we ever did, and that is purely because of technology and the global market.

I like the old stuff, but that is just me. My sentiment is with the OP, but that is just emotion.
Someday I see myself with a 1956 Chevy, and 1956, Gretsch 6120 and a 1956 five screw pre 29..

They do not make any of those things like they used to… but in fact, as a guitar player, I can tell you that the Gretsch is of today is way better built and more accurate than it was back in the 50s. The tolerance is, the quality control back, then was not what it is today at all..

Smith & Wesson seems to be the opposite by all accounts, but I wouldn’t know because I only get the old stuff.

 

[Jakerin]

I carried a tiny Buck pocket knife with a made in China blade. When it broke I sent it back and it was returned with a similar made in China blade which couldn’t keep an edge. It’s in a drawer somewhere now. I didn’t expect Buck knives would buy blades from China….

 

[seasoldier85]

I can see this thread going off the rails soon...

 

[K Frame Keith]

I try very hard not to buy Chicom but sometimes it’s impossible to avoid as many American companies buy and resell made in China products and go to lengths to avoid advertising that fact.
I agree with the OP that it is best to purchase American made products whenever possible and avoid Chicom products at all costs.

 

[Arik]

I think there can be a happy middle ground. I see a lot of people saying ....well the material is not sourced here so..... Not everything needs to be or can be sourced here, or anywhere. Some countries have more of one type of raw material and not the other type. I dont think thats a big deal. We should buy the stuff that we dont have and supplement that what we lack. And we would sell the same way. And I can see a reason for certain specific products to be imported. Maybe some specialized widget thats not financially feasible to make here. Maybe the machines to make it are too expensive for how little that widget is sold. BUUUUT the vast majority of manufacturing should be here.

 

[fatcat3]

I carried a tiny Buck pocket knife with a made in China blade. When it broke I sent it back and it was returned with a similar made in China blade which couldn’t keep an edge. It’s in a drawer somewhere now. I didn’t expect Buck knives would buy blades from China….

The only Buck knife blades bought from China are for those knives made in China. Now who ever thought a Chicom made Buck was a good idea, needs a good swift kick between the pockets...repeatedly. Jakerin just a suggestion, hunt the used market for a Buck 700 series that you like the looks of.

Are you sure that none of the cloth they use, or the thread they use, or the machines they use to sew it all up weren't made in China? Frankly, I'd be willing to bet that at least the sewing machines have numerous parts made in China.

While I would prefer nothing made by an enemy of the USA, when you get down to parts of a sewing machine used by manufacturing in the US, your getting deep into the weeds. JMHO, Made in America means made here by citizens.
Browning, Remington, Kershaw, Buck, Queen, Old-timer, Marble all have some if not all their knives made in China. I don't buy Chines made knives no matter how good or the "new thing".

 

[quinine]

Regrettably, it seems the more festooned with stars & stripes a product is - the more likely it's a scam. Distracting us (or the OP, judging by the name) with patriotism?

 

[Jakerin]

The only Buck knife blades bought from China are for those knives made in China. Now who ever thought a Chicom made Buck was a good idea, needs a good swift kick between the pockets...repeatedly. Jakerin just a suggestion, hunt the used market for a Buck 700 series that you like the looks of.

While I would prefer nothing made by an enemy of the USA, when you get down to parts of a sewing machine used by manufacturing in the US, your getting deep into the weeds. JMHO, Made in America means made here by citizens.
Browning, Remington, Kershaw, Buck, Queen, Old-timer, Marble all have some if not all their knives made in China. I don't buy Chines made knives no matter how good or the "new thing".

Here’s my favorite Buck. Some years back I bought a car from retired NHRA TF champ Eddie Hill and he gave this one to me. Not made in China.

As an aside my made in Japan motorcycle has an OEM oil filter that states MADE IN CHINA on it. Somehow it’s cheaper for a Japanese motorcycle manufacturer to contract with a China company for its oil filters…

 

[ralph7]

Yeah, but it's got a glass breaker and seatbelt cutter

Made me laugh

 

[billt460]

I have well over a dozen S&W knives. They're a great knife for the money. It doesn't matter where they were made, because Smith & Wesson receives the profit from the sale. They're an American company.

If you're that worried about it, take a look under the hood of your "American" car. You'll be hard pressed to find anything that was made, and / or assembled in this country.

 

[Mike Griffith]

Yeah, but it's got a glass breaker and seatbelt cutter

It has a deal breaker too! No way I would purchase it!

 

[Number1gun]

Where exactly has the OP been the last 50 years ?

 

[REParker]

Hard to buy anything these days that doesn't involve China in some way. For example, you know those made-in-America flags that they advertise all the time. Are you sure that none of the cloth they use, or the thread they use, or the machines they use to sew it all up weren't made in China? Frankly, I'd be willing to bet that at least the sewing machines have numerous parts made in China.

It is the world we live in today.

Comes a point where you have to decide. I have one of those flags hanging here. It's a really good one and easily will outlast anything I've had prior. I view it the same way I view cars and other stuff. It's pretty near impossible to avoid participating in SOME foreign influence, but I drive a Chevy because...although we all know it's got foreign parts, they all do...at least the PROFITS stay here! Say what you like about Toyota, et.al. being made here and employing Americans, yaddayaddayadda, those PROFITS go to Japan/Germany/etc. I've had this "discussion" many times. Doesn't change my mind. You do you...I'll continue to buy from American companies.

 

[shovelmike]

A different country, but in the same vein of concern over buying from our enemies, I really like my Caniks, Tisas guns seem to be quality as well as other brands made in Turkey.
Sometimes they have been an ally of the USA, other times not.
I was reading just this morning that they have a goal of reviving the Ottoman Empire, that doesn't bode well for our Western values and culture.