Not surprised at all, there are some big name knife outfits that are all China made, even ones you’d argue “not them” ! It’s a shame but if you see a nice folder for under $100 it’s probably China made.
Absolutely Unacceptable
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Dave.357
Member
On a happier note my Mothers china
Was made in Ohio .She got it in 1950
With some kind of trading stamps.
I think my big sister still has the pieces
That 5 kids didn’t break.
Was made in Ohio .She got it in 1950
With some kind of trading stamps.
I think my big sister still has the pieces
That 5 kids didn’t break.
OP
The big problem for me is that the purposefully made the packaging to match other brands like Buck and Kershaw that put the American Flag across the packages of their American made knives. They wanted you to think it was American made.
zodraz
Member
The Communists are beating the Capitalists at their own game in this Global Economy.
I wear western boots every day. I have all my life. I recently bought a very nice pair of Hyer boots. They're excellent, probably the finest pair of boots I've ever worn - but they are made in Leon, Mexico. I don't like it, but sadly, that's the world we live in.
OP
The problem isn't which country, its any country. When we spend our hard earned American dollars on foreign products, they don't come back. That money is gone. And every time we buy a foreign made product, an American made product goes unsold. A good business fails because Honduras, Turkey, Taiwan, etc. have lower standards and shave costs.
Several years ago I ran across this clothing label in a thrift store. If this isn't the ULTIMATE irony then I don't know what is!
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22hipower
Member
Does it really matter who makes our cutlery or T shirts or running shoes? We should buy the quality we prefer at the lowest price. Products critical to defense, medicine and more must be made here though and/or we must control the supply chain so that no single supplier can hold us hostage as occurred during Covid and since. We're making progress in that respect I think with chips, rare earth magnets and more. As long as we're re-shoring manufacturing for these products I won't get too upset over finding a S&W knife made in China, not that I'll buy it, but wouldn't buy one made here either unless it came out of the S&W factory, which isn't likely these days.
Yep, too late, already has.
I can recall as a much younger boy my thoughts/perception of "Made in Japan". Now look at many/most things from that country and they are leaders in quality. I wonder if someday Made in China will have the same effect... Today my opinion of Chinese stuff lacks impression. It is hard to find products that have little/no trace of production outside of our borders.
TaxPhd
Member
I’m not so sure about that. If you look at the first post, with the picture of the barcode, read what’s written there. The S&W name and logo are used under license.
S&W is just getting paid royalties.
Good job! I wish more Americans including myself did the same.
sparkyvega
Member
Non firearms S&W swag is not made in the USA. Hard to complete with pennies on the dollar wages and sometimes child labor. Our "representatives" did this to us.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
They can make a nice 1911 when they want to.
Unless Cabelas is Chinese owned they didn’t get any American dollars for this used one. But who knows?
Unless Cabelas is Chinese owned they didn’t get any American dollars for this used one. But who knows?
Brownie0486
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Hired by S+W's training division as their adjunct defensive edged weapons instructor in 99. After the director and two other firearms instructors saw the demo, they asked I go downstairs and look at their retail outlet where one can buy items like their folders.
Junk china made crap with Smith name on it. Called back upstairs [ when they announced I was hired after their pow pow ]. The director [ Bert DeVerney ] asked me what I thought of their knives, he and the other two all carried a Smith folder made in China.
I asked if he wanted the politically correct answer or the truth. He chose the truth, told them flat out they were a POS. He asked what I was carrying. Two custom folders, one clipped to each front pocket that cost 350.00 and 475.00 hand mades.
They didn't hold my opinion against me and asked about the steels used in theirs made in china and my own. Gave them a brief rundown on steels and hardness and left for home with a schedule they wanted me there to train leo's they'd put in front of me.
Junk china made crap with Smith name on it. Called back upstairs [ when they announced I was hired after their pow pow ]. The director [ Bert DeVerney ] asked me what I thought of their knives, he and the other two all carried a Smith folder made in China.
I asked if he wanted the politically correct answer or the truth. He chose the truth, told them flat out they were a POS. He asked what I was carrying. Two custom folders, one clipped to each front pocket that cost 350.00 and 475.00 hand mades.
They didn't hold my opinion against me and asked about the steels used in theirs made in china and my own. Gave them a brief rundown on steels and hardness and left for home with a schedule they wanted me there to train leo's they'd put in front of me.
VinnieL59
Member
I have a stainless S&W Book knife that I bought in the mid 1980's. It doesn't say, but it probably was made in China. The steel is crap and despite never having been used, it won't hold an edge.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
I have a drawer full of those knives, all gifts from people who know I like Smiths and wanted to get me something. I appreciate the gift, and act like its the greatest knife ever. I think I have a watch, too.
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Wonder how many folks have $59.95 microwave ovens that have lasted 15 years? I do.
While in Mogadishu we bought Chinese motorcycles for a local surveillance team (to blend in). The new, boxed 125cc bikes were under $800.
The Chinese, with a one-party totalitarian form of government, have been merchantilists a thousand years before any Europeans tripped over the Americas. They understand and practice a form of capitalism that is catapulting them to world economic leadership; real Communism there died with Chairman Mao.
Know your competitors, not an imaginary cartoon of them.
While in Mogadishu we bought Chinese motorcycles for a local surveillance team (to blend in). The new, boxed 125cc bikes were under $800.
The Chinese, with a one-party totalitarian form of government, have been merchantilists a thousand years before any Europeans tripped over the Americas. They understand and practice a form of capitalism that is catapulting them to world economic leadership; real Communism there died with Chairman Mao.
Know your competitors, not an imaginary cartoon of them.
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The discussion about things made in China made me think of when Gen Shinseki (sp?) decided everyone in the Army should wear a beret, so DoD ordered like a million of them - made in China. That blew up quick enough that they were cancelled and sourced by a US company....who probably just bought the excess from China and switched the labels. 
Arik
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Just remember that all this stuff is built to a price point. Its not that China, or anyone else, builds junk because you can build the same junk here. Its that the company making the order has a price point to sell at. If knife maker X wants to sell the finished product in the US for $15 then the materials are going to cost a lot less that if the knife was $500. Ultimately, its just a factory. You give the parameters and get the finished product.
All S&W knives are made in China...most are crap as far as quality and blade steel...that's why they cost $30. But it's all about profit margin with most companies now and China provides the cheap labor and probably 8 year olds making these knives!
Rust E. Badge
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My guess is that you are on other sites/forums threatening to leave a company forever due to their use of Chinese materials or manufacturing? You'll be busy today on forums for refrigerators, cell phones, washing machines, medical equipment, cleaning equipment, vehicles, paint companies, clothing, blinds, roofing, televisions, soft-materials for manufacturing, Bass Pro, Midway USA, Brownells, etc. Look, I'm still mad about Pearl Harbor and refuse to buy from oppressive nations when I can but, attacking S&W for this is mis-placed. Most gun owners who scream about S&W buying from a large distributor who originally purchased from China (and was therefor out of S&W's hand) will today, July 29, 2026, talk on a cellphone using Chinese components, drive a foreign car (I know..."But its made in America now". Doesn't matter, funds still travel back to the oppressive nation. you're still feeding your enemy) and brag about all of the firearms they own that are or were made in Communist-block countries, socialist countries, oppressive countries, freedom-hating countries, or their US-based companies doing business here because we are their largest customer, not because they love and honor our God-given right to self-governance. We've all heard it before, "If the American companies will make a gun as cheap or as good as ___________ (insert your favorite foreign gun company here), then I'll buy it, but until then, I'm sticking with_____". That's an excuse to be different, draw attention to yourself and hate on your nation of birth.
Buy from whom you choose while you have a choice. Gun owners helping the socialists/communists put companies out-of-business is "unacceptable".
Rust E. Badge
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American products are generally coveted world-wide. You are correct, sir.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
This looks nearly the same as the one in the OP. I found it on the roadside while bicycling around the county several months ago. ( you wouldn't believe all the good stuff i find!!) I yanked the Spyderco i had in my car console and replaced it with this, for which it seems perfectly aadequate.
max503
Member
Makes me think how much of our manufacturing was turned into war production in the past.
We no longer have much manufacturing.
We no longer have much manufacturing.
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I thought I had these photos. In front of me on the 800 meter-long bas relief carved by 1150 AD at the Angkor Wat temple complex for Khmer King Suryavarman II is a likeness of Chinese merchants getting their heads bitten off by Khmer (Cambodian) tigers. Nothing is as new as one thinks.
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Can't see why anyone would buy a cheap chinese made S&W knife......I wouldn't.
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