# Made in U.S.A.



## bud16415 (Jun 8, 2015)

In the last year I went thru 4 can openers and they were all junk made in China. Every time they lasted just long enough for my brain to forget when I bought it and after they stop working I go to Walmart like another sheep to slaughter and remember not to buy the one I just had but by the next piece of junk they sell. The final straw came Friday when I came home from work and opened the fridge and there was a can of tuna ¼ opened that looked like it was opened with a pair of vice grips a screwdriver and a sledge hammer and then the contents were fished out with an ice pick. I asked what happened and was told the can opener broke on the first can it tried to open. I took a look at it and it totally self-destructed broken plastic and bent and loose bits of metal. 

My goal this weekend was to find a good American made can opener if it killed me even if I had to buy a 50 pound restaurant bench model. I went to a nearby town that had a cooking store and caters to homeowners but also their main business is restaurants and schools and such. Sure enough they had the big bench models, but they also had a big selection of hand operated openers. Many  of these looked fairly good but still had a high plastic content and when I would flip the package over it said made in China or made in some similar place that was not USA. Then my eyes caught some packaging that was not at all slick it was actually kind of gaudy and looked like it was designed in 1950 and made from heavy cardboard not the blister formed plastic that keeps you from trying it until you get it home and hack it out of its shell. Red White and Blue package with U.S.A. marked on it in 5 different places and stamped into the tool another place. It had the guy&#8217;s name on it that made it with a phone number and a web page and email addy plus the location of his company in St. Louis Mo. It felt heavy and solid and good thick chrome over some heavy gauge steel. No plastic in the whole thing except the outer coating of the grips. If Channel Lock made a can opener this would be what it would look like I thought. For 14 bucks about double the Walmart junk price I went out the door with a smile on my face. 

Got home and grabbed the mangled tuna can and she said don&#8217;t try it on that it&#8217;s mangled to bad. To both our surprise it opened the can and on the way around it straightened the can back up with very little effort cranking it. 

It might sound crazy writing a review for a can opener on a home improvement page but I&#8217;m hoping this thing makes my life just that little bit easier and more fun and every time I open a can with this I&#8217;m going to yell out its tacky 1950&#8217;s name Ez-Duz-It and think there might be a little hope left for Made in America quality I remember.


----------



## Chris (Jun 8, 2015)

Like what you did, I too try and find made in USA products. It is getting very hard to find good quality now days and I wish more people would buy American. I will gladly spend more for a product that will last me a life time. You can buy six 5 dollar can openers or one 14 dollar can opener. In the long run the more expensive is cheaper. Unless you are like most of America now and have to have that new model in two years. Good on you!


----------



## Admin (Jun 8, 2015)

Thanks for that review and showing the web link on the back.   Supporting USA made items needs to be done more.  

After you use it awhile, please let us know if it's still working well for you.


----------



## bud16415 (Jun 8, 2015)

Will do. It could fall apart in a week also but at least I have a phone number I can call if that happened. Just judging by the thickness of the materials I have a good feeling so far. The handle crank thing looks to be formed into a U shape from .09 thick steel. The ones I have been tossing out look to be about .02 at the most and then molded into some plastic for strength. 

We often joke at work when we see strange designed parts and say they must have been designed by a computer. This handle looks like it was designed by a toolmaker. On their web page I see they talk about a hardened  steel being used for the cutting wheels. I kind of doubt the China made ones are. 

One of the first things I noticed is how sharp the hook is for taking off bottle tops. All the cheap ones I have, have a flat on the point. After I thought about it you would want that point sharp to grab the thin edge of a bottle cap. 

The one review I found that didn&#8217;t like it said it would have got a perfect mark if it had the magnet to catch the lid. I didn&#8217;t see that as being a feature I needed. 

I did save the card it came on as I thought it was pretty cool you could take it off without destroying the package. 

Who knows maybe Walmart will read this and put some on the racks. Right.


----------



## Chris (Jun 8, 2015)

I just found that one on Amazon for 10 bucks. I might just have to order one.


----------



## bud16415 (Jun 8, 2015)

Chris said:


> I just found that one on Amazon for 10 bucks. I might just have to order one.


 
Go for it. then we will have two product testers. Haha. 

Ten bucks on line sounds about right. I saw them on there this morning as well. I do buy a lot of stuff on line also but when I can I go local. The guy in my little hardware store in our town has a lot of stuff and its always a little more than Lowes or HD but 10 miles closer. I try and do my part to keep him going. I would be sick if he closed up.


----------



## Chris (Jun 8, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> Go for it. then we will have two product testers. Haha.
> 
> Ten bucks on line sounds about right. I saw them on there this morning as well. I do buy a lot of stuff on line also but when I can I go local. The guy in my little hardware store in our town has a lot of stuff and its always a little more than Lowes or HD but 10 miles closer. I try and do my part to keep him going. I would be sick if he closed up.



Sadly we do not have many of those type of guys left in southern CA. We have big box stores and that's about it. Up by my mountain house there are still family owned shops that we prefer to use over the big guy.

Keep buying from small business or your state will end up being a California.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Jun 8, 2015)

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1433796181.506281.jpg


Only can opener we have at our house, had it 20 years or so and yes, Made In America.


----------



## bud16415 (Jun 8, 2015)

That's a beauty! 

Maybe the thread should have been show us your can opener. 

I should have started this thread a year ago seeing as how some of you guys were keeping yours a secret.


----------



## inspectorD (Jun 8, 2015)

Hey Guys...this site has been around for a while...I thought everyone knew about it...
http://www.madeinamericastore.com/
I shop Locally up here in New England..we have artisans all over the place. guess I just never thought about it outside of Here..
made in CT Made in VT, NH, Maine... we got it all.


----------



## nealtw (Jun 8, 2015)

Watch out for made in a America, after Nafta that might include Mexico and the junk from Canada


----------



## oldognewtrick (Jun 8, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> That's a beauty!
> 
> Maybe the thread should have been show us your can opener.
> 
> I should have started this thread a year ago seeing as how some of you guys were keeping yours a secret.



You mean, you show me yours, I'll show you mine kinda thing?


----------



## nealtw (Jun 8, 2015)

We were talking about this at work today and my grandson was talking about his American Eagle clothes he orders on line but he complained about the duty. I pointed out that there is no duty if it is made in the US so guess where that stuff is made.


----------



## bud16415 (Jun 9, 2015)

oldognewtrick said:


> You mean, you show me yours, I'll show you mine kinda thing?


 

I try and not judge a man by the can opener he carries but its dang hard not to when he shows up with a vintage beauty like you showed us oldog. Mine is still new and its hard to fight the urge to show it off, but I cant wait for the day 20 or 30 years from now when Im in a nursing home, to shock everyone when I whip mine out and say Ez-Duz-It.    :hide:

Even as amazing as this can opener is, it still comes in second to the P-38 I have carried on my keychain now for about 45 years. It has got me out of plenty of a jam. It was opening oil cans when oil still came in a can, pried open 1000s of paint cans, and tighten more screws than I could count. Not to mention a lot of cans of beans. 
Nice write up on the P-38 and its big brother the P-51 
http://www.georgia-outfitters.com/page52.shtml


----------



## oldognewtrick (Jun 9, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> but I cant wait for the day 20 or 30 years from now when Im in a nursing home, to shock everyone when I whip mine out and say Ez-Duz-It.    :hide:[/FONT][/SIZE]
> 
> 
> > Just be careful in mixed company, within 500' of a school and before 12:00 on Sunday in some communities


----------



## slownsteady (Jun 16, 2015)

And then there's always german engineering......

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSFiejJsu_c[/ame]


----------



## bud16415 (Aug 24, 2015)

Here is my latest entry into what happened to common sense and American made quality. My Walmart belt was falling apart and to give them credit it lasted about 2 years and kept my pants up and I almost bought another but thought there must be a tougher belt sold. I went to a better clothing outlet and saw a Dickie brand belt and remembering they make pretty tough stuff I thought I would give them a try. I checked the leather and it looked tough as nails and the buckle was made nice and most important it fit around me. The clerk pointed out it was a good seller as it had a feature that let the buckle flip around and be black or brown. I thought now that&#8217;s cool two belts for the price of one. 
It lasted exactly one day and I bent over and my pants fell down. I then saw how it was made, attached pic. This tiny pin with some spiral groves is what lets the buckle flip around. It is pressed or molded into a soft plastic insert inside the metal piece. No kind of a head or rivet just stuck in the plastic. 

How can someone make a product and not at least yank on the buckle of the prototype unit to see if it will take a few pounds of pull? A ten year old could have designed a better deal than that. Total junk. 

She wanted to take it back but I needed a belt so I filled the whole gap with super glue and stuck it together and now I have a black belt that&#8217;s brown on the inside.


----------



## Chris (Aug 24, 2015)

I have a Justin brand belt, made in America and is at least three years old and still kicking.


----------



## beachguy005 (Aug 24, 2015)

The problem is that Walmart keeps beating up its manufacturers to get better pricing, so they can sell it cheaper.  Companies that sell to Walmart cheapen their manufacturing to be able to lower costs for Walmart.  So...you get what Walmart pays for.


----------



## bud16415 (Aug 24, 2015)

beachguy005 said:


> The problem is that Walmart keeps beating up its manufacturers to get better pricing, so they can sell it cheaper.  Companies that sell to Walmart cheapen their manufacturing to be able to lower costs for Walmart.  So...you get what Walmart pays for.



That could well be true for many items at Walmart but my Walmart belt lasted two years before it got to ratty looking to wear. This time I selected a high quality retailer and a well-known brand that has a reputation for workman quality and I get a belt that lasts about 6 hours of wearing time.  My opinion is it is all junk might have to look into the Justin brand belts. Or go find an Amish guy and have him make me one.


----------



## beachguy005 (Aug 24, 2015)

The other issue with Walmart is they don't do fancy very well.  If you're very selective you can do okay there, but you have to be selective.  With belts, I bought 2 there.  One black, one brown, one inch leather with a stitched non-reversible buckle. I wear them all the time and have had them for years.  I examined about 30 before getting them and I knew they would hold up...no pun intended. If you're buying something there because it looks pretty or it's mechanically reversible, it's probably going to be junk.


----------



## bud16415 (Aug 24, 2015)

I sent in my picture and got a reply within minutes. Albeit from a computer. I will get a true blue person within 48 hours all most as long as my belt lasted. If it was a manufacturing defect I would just go with the flow, but when I see the design is just stupid I figured it would be fun to see what they say. Here is my reply from them.

Thanks for emailing us. Dickies takes great pride in both hearing from and responding to our loyal fans. Rest assured, a true blue Dickies representative will personally review and respond to your email, most likely within 24-48 hours (not including weekends and holidays). During peak operating hours that response may be delayed, but not forgotten.
Whether you&#8217;ve worn us for a lifetime or a week, our commitment to you is the same &#8211; to provide innovative, durable work wear offered at an unmatched value. That&#8217;s the satisfaction guarantee we&#8217;ve promised to customers since 1922, and it will always remain true. So will our dedication to providing timely, top quality customer service.
Thanks again for taking the time to contact us. We genuinely appreciate it, and will be in touch soon.


----------



## nealtw (Aug 24, 2015)

http://www.amishmadebelts.com/


----------



## Chris (Aug 24, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> That could well be true for many items at Walmart but my Walmart belt lasted two years before it got to ratty looking to wear. This time I selected a high quality retailer and a well-known brand that has a reputation for workman quality and I get a belt that lasts about 6 hours of wearing time.  My opinion is it is all junk might have to look into the Justin brand belts. Or go find an Amish guy and have him make me one.



Justin is the same company that makes quality boots. A belt will cost close to 40 bucks but you get what you pay for.


----------



## nealtw (Aug 25, 2015)

interesting
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7meBsZ8e8QA[/ame]


----------



## Chris (Aug 25, 2015)

I'd like to see the video on that Dickies belt.


----------



## nealtw (Aug 25, 2015)

They have an interesting way of counting stars on their rating
http://www.amazon.com/Dickies-Mens-35mm-Reversible-Belt/product-reviews/B001FOR2QU


----------



## bud16415 (Aug 25, 2015)

Here is my timely reply from Dickie. This kind of nonsense drives me nuts. If you have a company licensed to put your company name on a product and sell it wouldn&#8217;t you care about the reputation your name carries? 






Thank you for contacting Dickies. You have purchased a licensed product that we do not warehouse here. This item is manufactured and sold by Randa Accessories. All of our licensed products have a Satisfaction Guarantee. The companies that manufacture these products for us will be happy to honor this guarantee for you. You may contact them directly at:



Randa Accessories 

5600 North River Road , Suite 500 

Rosemont IL, 60018 

Ph 1.847.292.8300 

www.randa.net 

Contact: Mimi Ruiz 

[email protected] 

(847) 292-8349 



If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to email me or contact one of our knowledgeable Customer Service Associates at 1-800-DICKIES (342-5437). Our hours of operation are daily from 8am-8pm CST.



Kind regards, 

Customer Service 

1-800-DICKIES (342-5437) 

1-800-336-8643 Fax 

Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Co. 

509 W. Vickery Blvd. 

Fort Worth, TX 76104 

www.dickies.com


----------



## nealtw (Aug 25, 2015)

They do give you list of other names they make
From dress to casual, belts to suspenders and more, Randa builds outstanding product for the world&#8217;s top brands. Whether it is Kenneth Cole, Levi&#8217;s, Dickies, Columbia Sportswear, Nautica, or Tommy Hilfiger accessories, Dockers America&#8217;s largest belt brand or the extraordinary launch of Ryan Seacrest Distinction, Randa defines belts and furnishings for men.


----------



## bud16415 (Aug 25, 2015)

nealtw said:


> interesting
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7meBsZ8e8QA


 

Neal
Thanks for the video about Justin Belts. I wonder if Chriss $40 belt was one of the ones they show being made in the USA and taking 8 hours to hand tool or one of the ones they briefly mentioned being made over seas. Did anyone notice the factory worker breaking open the sand castings molds in flip flops. I seriously doubt there are any shoes or belts or anything like that made in this country anymore except for craft type specialty items that cost 100 to 1000 times the junk wacked out in China or India. LL Bean droped their made in USA thing many years ago.


----------



## nealtw (Aug 25, 2015)

In the video they do say they do 1000s a day in aisia.
We used to see tags like "union made in USA" but even that is just name of a company that imports goods.
When I shipped products to the US under NAFTA I could label it made in America or Canada but duty had to paid on bits and peices that come from China. I always thought the label should have had a % on it.


----------



## Chris (Aug 25, 2015)

My belt has s huge stamp on the inside that says  "MADE IN USA" so I really hope so. Mine is a plain Jane brown belt with a silver buckle no tooling or anything. I'll take a couple picks after work. It's three years old and looks great.


----------



## mudmixer (Aug 25, 2015)

"Made in the USA" does not really carry much weight. A product made from imported components, but assembled in the U.S.A. can carry that label. The same goes for Mexico.

Where it comes from depends on the specifications set by the marketer/specified that importer and what the retailer want the "Made in" label to say.

"Made by Honeywell" (or other retailers does not mean to much does not mean much).

The problem really lies with the importer/specifier of components and the retailer that hangs the "made in" title on.

Did you ever wonder why the largest selling cars in China are Mercedes, BMW and Audi. - Does your Buick (or similar) have have a made in the USA on the transmission even though most of the parts are made in a Shanghai plant? Ford just went into a new plant. The plants are automated, so labor costs are really not a factor.

Dick


----------



## Chris (Aug 25, 2015)

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1440554230.481994.jpg


View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1440554244.198027.jpg


My fancy belt!


----------



## nealtw (Aug 25, 2015)

They did show us how they made the buklels with some guy loading the san in the molds bear foot and the dumping them while wearing that real heavy duty foot wear, we used tyo call them flip flops


----------



## Chris (Aug 26, 2015)

My belt whether it was made in USA or made somewhere else with a stamp on it is still by far the best belt I have owned. It's three years old and still looks new. I am not easy on my stuff either. The buckle is showing a bit of wear and the hole I use it stretched because I am fat and work in it. I will definitely buy another Justin belt.


----------



## Chris (Aug 26, 2015)

They really should only let you stamp made in America if it is actually made in America.


----------



## nealtw (Aug 26, 2015)

More regulations?


----------



## Chris (Aug 26, 2015)

No just more honesty would do it.

Less trickery to sell a product.


----------



## Chris (Aug 26, 2015)

I should probably rephrase that to say it would be nice if a company could make a product and not feel they need to lie or bend the truth in order to sell more products. Especially when the reality is that very few of us actually try and buy stuff made in our own country.

I see a made in America stamp and I tend to believe that item was actually made in America.


----------



## Chris (Aug 26, 2015)

I buy Swedish knives because I believe they are a better quality. 

I'm not a guy who buys American just because it's American, I like to buy things of quality. I like to buy things once. Doing my part to keep the landfills empty.


----------



## bud16415 (Aug 26, 2015)

The company that&#8217;s not the company that has their name on the belt replied back. With a form of all the information they need to understand the problem they have that I clearly explained in the letter I sent them along with a photo. The first thing they asked for in replying to my letter explaining the problem was if I could explain the problem. Then they say if you could provide a photo that would really help them track down the problem. Lol You mean a photo like the photo I sent. 

How much do you want to bet they send me the same stupid belt that broke for my troubles. I guess I super glued this one to be black I could super glue a new one to be brown and I would have my problem solved. 

Chris 
Your belt looks solid regardless where it was made. Two rivets and a sturdy buckle and good leather are all it really takes. In 42 years of designing things I have always found simple is best. I should have known better than to think they could invent a belt that can flip over without falling apart. It is just too complicated a task, haha. Always amazes me we can have smart phones but can&#8217;t design a reversible belt that works.


----------



## Chris (Aug 26, 2015)

They have reversible belts like mine. Pop off the two rivers and flip it over. I looked them when I bought mine.


----------



## bud16415 (Aug 26, 2015)

Well just got my confirmation 2 to 4 weeks I get a new belt just like the one that the design sucks on. No explanation sorry for the inconvenience no we don&#8217;t make them like that any longer. Just your replacement is on the way. I wonder how many I can get if they keep breaking?

Chris my old reversible belt worked like that two snaps and you flip it over. That was a good design.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Aug 26, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> Well just got my confirmation 2 to 4 weeks I get a new belt just like the one that the design sucks on.QUOTE]
> 
> So, we have to endure 2-4 weeks of you with droopy drawers or a rope tied around your waist? I think I'd ask for my money back.


----------



## bud16415 (Aug 26, 2015)

oldognewtrick said:


> bud16415 said:
> 
> 
> > Well just got my confirmation 2 to 4 weeks I get a new belt just like the one that the design sucks on.QUOTE]
> ...


----------



## bud16415 (Sep 4, 2015)

Well my pants are back up tight. The company that made the belt sent me the exact same belt I bought as a replacement. The only difference is this one the entire swivel part is all solid steel. There is no longer a plastic core. I have no clue if the one they sent me was the old design before they cheapened it up or if they had a big problem and they fixed it and I got the old stock hanging out in a store when I bought it. We will see how it holds up. 

They did send a nice letter telling me how much they appreciated feedback. The letter looked like it had been ran thru a copier a 1000 times.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Sep 4, 2015)

We love happy endings. &#128521;


----------



## Chris (Sep 5, 2015)

Give us a report in a year and see if it is still holding up?


----------



## Chris (Sep 5, 2015)

I was looking through some of my moms old belongings and found a pocket knife that was bright orange, had a nice blade and a gut knife. Obviously an old skinning knife. I sharpened it up and plan on using it. Stamped on the side is made in USA. Probably from the 60's or 70's.

I'm curious to see how it holds a blade.


----------



## bud16415 (Sep 5, 2015)

Chris said:


> I was looking through some of my moms old belongings and found a pocket knife that was bright orange, had a nice blade and a gut knife. Obviously an old skinning knife. I sharpened it up and plan on using it. Stamped on the side is made in USA. Probably from the 60's or 70's.
> 
> I'm curious to see how it holds a blade.


 

Normally they put the makers mark on the blade where it said USA. If the blade is blackish and not stainless you have a carbon steel blade and a good knife. Post a picture of it someone will know what you have. 

I was about 8 and I borrowed my dads good Barlow knife and later he asked me where it was. I left it in the garden and I went out there and looked for hours and he was pretty upset with me to put it mildly. It was 20 years later and he was in poor health at that time and I found the dam thing working in his garden, it was a clump of dirt and rust and I put it in a jar of oil and got it cleaned up as best I could. The blade that was out was shortened up as it had rusted thru. The long blade was pretty good. I sharpened it up and gave it to him and we laughed like hell. He told me why dont you keep it so I did and still have it and its not a good looking knife but it stays sharp and works.


----------



## paint-tastic (Sep 12, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> In the last year I went thru 4 can openers and they were all junk made in China. Every time they lasted just long enough for my brain to forget when I bought it and after they stop working I go to Walmart like another sheep to slaughter and remember not to buy the one I just had but by the next piece of junk they sell. The final straw came Friday when I came home from work and opened the fridge and there was a can of tuna ¼ opened that looked like it was opened with a pair of vice grips a screwdriver and a sledge hammer and then the contents were fished out with an ice pick. I asked what happened and was told the can opener broke on the first can it tried to open. I took a look at it and it totally self-destructed broken plastic and bent and loose bits of metal.
> 
> My goal this weekend was to find a good American made can opener if it killed me even if I had to buy a 50 pound restaurant bench model. I went to a nearby town that had a cooking store and caters to homeowners but also their main business is restaurants and schools and such. Sure enough they had the big bench models, but they also had a big selection of hand operated openers. Many  of these looked fairly good but still had a high plastic content and when I would flip the package over it said made in China or made in some similar place that was not USA. Then my eyes caught some packaging that was not at all slick it was actually kind of gaudy and looked like it was designed in 1950 and made from heavy cardboard not the blister formed plastic that keeps you from trying it until you get it home and hack it out of its shell. Red White and Blue package with U.S.A. marked on it in 5 different places and stamped into the tool another place. It had the guys name on it that made it with a phone number and a web page and email addy plus the location of his company in St. Louis Mo. It felt heavy and solid and good thick chrome over some heavy gauge steel. No plastic in the whole thing except the outer coating of the grips. If Channel Lock made a can opener this would be what it would look like I thought. For 14 bucks about double the Walmart junk price I went out the door with a smile on my face.
> 
> ...



Nice Can opener it looks very good. I bought my self a $20 can opener because I know cheap pays twice. It has lasted me a long time now with out any problems.


----------



## henryb (Sep 16, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> ...junk made in China... I go to Walmart like another sheep to slaughter...



Your first two sentences sum it up.  Why do you shop at a store that only carries cheap Chinese garbage (in spite of their marketing campaign)?


----------



## Chris (Sep 16, 2015)

Here is that knife I was talking about.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1442443338.603092.jpg


View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1442443351.385676.jpg


----------



## nealtw (Sep 16, 2015)

Chris said:


> Here is that knife I was talking about.
> 
> View attachment 9866
> 
> ...



https://www.google.ca/?gws_rd=cr&ei=kEPrUr33HsyFogSg2IKIDA#q=schrade+walden


----------



## bud16415 (Sep 17, 2015)

henryb said:


> Your first two sentences sum it up.  Why do you shop at a store that only carries cheap Chinese garbage (in spite of their marketing campaign)?



Good point and I didnt for a long time. In the case of my can opener I had to drive 30 miles to find a specialty cooking store that had a selection of better products. If I need a TV I will most likely check out Walmart as there is no such thing as an American made TV. I would love to buy good quality stuff made wherever but it isnt to be found. Most small appliances now are made to throw away. When I was a kid you fixed the toaster or the coffee maker or the TV. Did I forget to say you could fix them yourself.


----------



## Chris (Sep 17, 2015)

What does the word "fix" mean. Haven't heard that in years.


----------



## Chris (Sep 21, 2015)

Today I am running a made in USA john Deere 710k. Now that is a big backhoe. We have massive eucalyptus tree stumps in our trench line.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1442858158.300676.jpg


View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1442858175.100182.jpg


View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1442858187.749694.jpg


----------



## bud16415 (Feb 26, 2016)

henryb said:


> Your first two sentences sum it up.  Why do you shop at a store that only carries cheap Chinese garbage (in spite of their marketing campaign)?



I just got back from walmart and I almost fell over we were walking thru the cooking section as she wanted a measuring cup. We have a good old glass one made in the USA and its always in the dishwasher when we need to use it so she wanted a backup. Low and behold they had the nice made in USA glass one for sale for a couple bucks next to a China plastic one for a buck fifty. I was shocked to see USA in the store but not as shocked as I was when we went around the corner and there hanging next to the China junk can openers is my exact same one I posted in the first post of this thread. With its red white and blue package. 

I wonder whats going on have people finally demanded quality again.


----------



## Chris (Feb 27, 2016)

People can only handle so much junk before it goes full swing and they want a quality product again.


----------



## KULTULZ (Feb 27, 2016)

nealtw said:


> They did show us how they made the buklels with some guy loading the san in the molds bear foot and the dumping them while wearing that real heavy duty foot wear,
> 
> *...we used to call them flip flops*



Or JAP-SLAPS.

*CHI-COM JUMP BOOTS*

...or was that P.F. FLYERS... 

Low quarters maybe?


----------



## KULTULZ (Feb 27, 2016)

Chris said:


> I should probably rephrase that to say it would be nice if a company could make a product and not feel they need to lie or bend the truth in order to sell more products. Especially when the reality is that very few of us actually try and buy stuff made in our own country.
> 
> I see a made in America stamp and I tend to believe that item was actually made in America.



You mean like the item shown below?

I did some C.I. No-Hub work in my daughter's condo a few years ago and was using all CHARLOTTE. Everything was going great until I inspected their banded couplings closely and noticed MADE IN CHINA. Made an immediate repurchase of TYLER couplings. 

FERNCO couplings from now on!


----------



## KULTULZ (Feb 27, 2016)

bud16415 said:


> The company thats not the company that has their name on the belt replied back. With a form of all the information they need to understand the problem they have that I clearly explained in the letter I sent them along with a photo. The first thing they asked for in replying to my letter explaining the problem was if I could explain the problem. Then they say if you could provide a photo that would really help them track down the problem. Lol You mean a photo like the photo I sent.



Did you notice the post mark? New Delhi maybe? :rofl:


----------



## Chris (Jan 27, 2017)

This morning when I couldn't sleep I was browsing around social media. Everyone on the left was complaining about the proposed 20% tariff on imported goods from Mexico to pay for the wall. They were specifically talking about produce. They think we get most of our fruit there. Then it got me to thinking that these are the same exact people that last year were fighting to take all the water rights away from California farmers and did a good job at succeeding and getting a lot of farms to close down. When are we gonna learn to stop shooting ourselves in the feet? And why is it so evil to have things made in america?


----------



## bud16415 (Jan 27, 2017)

Chris said:


> This morning when I couldn't sleep I was browsing around social media. Everyone on the left was complaining about the proposed 20% tariff on imported goods from Mexico to pay for the wall. They were specifically talking about produce. They think we get most of our fruit there. Then it got me to thinking that these are the same exact people that last year were fighting to take all the water rights away from California farmers and did a good job at succeeding and getting a lot of farms to close down. When are we gonna learn to stop shooting ourselves in the feet? And why is it so evil to have things made in america?



It isnt evil at all. It is what it should be. 

What I want you to think about is that we are shooting ourselves in the foot as you say but it is not an accidental shot as that saying has normally been understood. Nothing that happens in todays world and done by some of the smartest people around is an accident.  

That I believe is why the pushback is so hard. 

I dont want Mexico to suffer. But they need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. We are close neighbors with Mexico, we run around the world trying to help every country there is. Why have you never seen the President of Mexico saying we know you have a huge problem caused in part by us. We are in over our heads down here we need your help for the good of both of our countries, asking the USA to come down there and help them clean up the drug mess. Our military would have that done in a month. Why havent you heard the President of Mexico say look we will stop these people crossing the border for you. In return can we figure out a way to let them legally cross over for some period of time and do the work your people dont want to do and bring back some of the wealth in that way.  

You dont hear those things because they like it the way it is.


----------



## havasu (Jan 27, 2017)

I agree Bud. They are all for supporting their citizens coming into the US by any means necessary and receiving all kinds of free benefits.


----------



## Chris (Jan 27, 2017)

I have several Mexican Americans that work for me and I talk to them about Mexico all the time, the main reason that place is in the state it is in is because just about every elected official there is involved with the Cartels or some other scheme of ripping off their own people. You are correct that they like it the way it is, they have more than enough money and resources to fix it themselves but choose not to. My foreman has a wife and kid their that are working the proper way to get here (he also votes republican) he had to buy a piece of junk truck to go visit them because of the police there. Last time he drove his nice truck (2002 Chevy 2500) the police confiscated it and took it down to the chasis saying he could be a drug dealer because of his nice truck. Took him fighting like hell then paying them a couple grand cash to get it back. This was the police and not even in Tijuana but further south where things are supposed to be better. It is a very corrupt country and I am shocked when I here people don't want a wall, it seems that Americans are willing to invite crime, drugs and just plain bad people here becasue they don't want ot stop the good ones. It would be nice if we could all work together and I think that Trump is kind of forcing that and build a wall and make a proper way to get here just like you have to from any other country. Mexico says it does not like walls but they forget about their southern border and what they do to people that come to their country illegally.


----------



## Chris (Jan 27, 2017)

KULTULZ said:


> You mean like the item shown below?
> 
> I did some C.I. No-Hub work in my daughter's condo a few years ago and was using all CHARLOTTE. Everything was going great until I inspected their banded couplings closely and noticed MADE IN CHINA. Made an immediate repurchase of TYLER couplings.
> 
> FERNCO couplings from now on!



Remember Tyler is doing a lot of import parts now. Most of my China pipe fittings come from Tyler.


----------



## Chris (Jan 27, 2017)

Also every year Immigrants are sending about 120 Billion dollars out of our economy back home and Mexico is getting about 24 Billion of that per year which I would only assume has to be helping their economy one way or another?


----------



## nealtw (Jan 27, 2017)

You guys wanted a big shake up. Find a seat, buckle in, enjoy the ride.


----------



## Chris (Jan 27, 2017)

nealtw said:


> You guys wanted a big shake up. Find a seat, buckle in, enjoy the ride.



I'm ready for it! some say its going back in time 100 years. I think that is what we need right now. Our government has been writing checks we can't cash for far to long, we need to sit back and reevaluate the situation and put America first for a little while. There is no doubt the progressives will take over again in the future but without this balance this country will likely fail.


----------



## nealtw (Jan 27, 2017)

Chris said:


> I'm ready for it! some say its going back in time 100 years.


Pick a date.
The rest of that you don't have enough facts to talk about trade.
Why is multi national deals better or worse than bi lateral.

Why was Mexico added to nafta later.
Why was China left out of the TPP


----------



## nealtw (Jan 27, 2017)

Chris said:


> This morning when I couldn't sleep I was browsing around social media. Everyone on the left was complaining about the proposed 20% tariff on imported goods from Mexico to pay for the wall. They were specifically talking about produce. They think we get most of our fruit there. Then it got me to thinking that these are the same exact people that last year were fighting to take all the water rights away from California farmers and did a good job at succeeding and getting a lot of farms to close down. When are we gonna learn to stop shooting ourselves in the feet? And why is it so evil to have things made in america?



Don't listen to the BS.
When Trump is serious he will follow the law.
 Article 2205 of NAFTA enables any member to withdraw from NAFTA six months after giving written notice to the other parties: A Party may withdraw from this Agreement six months after it provides written notice of withdrawal to the other Parties.


----------



## RafaelMoips (Mar 24, 2017)

Thanks gavin for the reply, you are right about the size of the hooks. I have searcht the forum for information about the size but I couldnt fint any, so I have made them by eye of the pictures I could find. But next time I will go for a smaller eye of the hook.


----------



## Thumper (Apr 22, 2017)

Im big on buying American. As a guy that has spent a large portion of his adult life working in manufacturing (other than time in the military and the oil patch) I like to support folks like me. 

But I also learned long ago that producing cheap stuff is how companies make their money now. Both American and foreign companoes try to sell volume not quality. Well at least in terms of "small" purchases. So if you find a company that produces a product that meets your quality expectations at a cost you like then please support them. Maybe we can eventually have good quality stuff again.


----------

