Ontario Knife Company closes

[chief38]

That is sad news! I am still not over Marbles Safety Axe Co. selling their name to a Chinese Co. (20 years ago now) to make cheap Chinese knives. Marbles USA were some of the best - now they (the Chinese versions) are just OK for opening the mail and I'd never buy one after looking at some.

At least I was able to acquire most of what I wanted when Marbles USA Gladstone was still in business and making high quality knives. While their fixed blade knives were not quite equal to Randall knives, I'd put their actual cutting ability, sharpening characteristics and quality for the price right up there.

I'm always saddened by company's with a long and vital history of making great products, falling by the wayside. That said, I guess they did have a good run.

 

[Bald1]

I lived up in the general area in the summer of 1976, so I looked up Franklinville, NY on an atlas. Here it turns out that Bradford, PA is about 25 miles due South of Franklinville. Bradford, PA is the home of Case knives and Zippo lighters. Hopefully the people at Ontario Knife Company can get jobs down there. I always feel bad for people who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. It's happened to me.

If the displaced workers want to work, there is a huge dairy plant (cheese) being built right now on route 16 which is the main drag through Franklinville. Good jobs that pay well. But it's a very different job. And some people aren't cut out to work in a refrigerated building doing shift work. But at least they have that to fall back on. It's sad all the way around.

 

[Bald1]

I will try to not make this lengthy. I have gone off on this topic half a dozen times. Especially when Schrade failed. They went out of business in their 100th year.

The Schrade name is back now, owned by Taylor Cutlery out of Dirty Socks, TN. I believe. They own the Schrade name, Imperial name, and several others. They make S&W brand knives. All in CHINA.

There were 3 generations of men working at the same time at Schrade. They went under from CHINA import pressure. A way of life and employment in 3 counties in NY changed when Schrade went under. Schrade was Old Timer, Schrade, and Uncle Henry.

Taylor Cutlery makes S&W knives in China. Also NRA knives are made in China. When the NRA sends me a piece of Chinese junk, it goes right in the trash.

There are other nice knives that are acceptable. Germany, Italy, Sweden come to mind.

My suggestion is know where your knife comes from, and proudly buy American!!

PS, Pakistan is junk too

It's every industry. NAFTA turned my life upside down as a teenager. My dad worked at TRICO the wiper blades manufacturer. They had 3 big plants in Buffalo. All those jobs went to Mexico and headquarters went to Brownsville TX. A few years ago I went into NAPA to get some wiper blades. A 60ish year old man tried to up sell me on more expensive Trico blades. I told him he couldn't pay me to take them. When he asked why, I said you're older than me. You should know why. I told him to Google it on lunch break.

 

[Narragansett]

It's every industry. NAFTA turned my life upside down as a teenager. My dad worked at TRICO the wiper blades manufacturer. They had 3 big plants in Buffalo. All those jobs went to Mexico and headquarters went to Brownsville TX. A few years ago I went into NAPA to get some wiper blades. A 60ish year old man tried to up sell me on more expensive Trico blades. I told him he couldn't pay me to take them. When he asked why, I said you're older than me. You should know why. I told him to Google it on lunch break.

It is not just NAFTA. I believe that either Bush or Reagan gave China most favored nation trade status. That really opened the door

Above is an informational comment only, and not designed to spark a political debate.Please react accordingly.