Baykeeper,Baykeeper wrote:It is far more complicated than just us sending money to China. Most of those brand names are owned by US investors who employ US citizens to then sell the knives. Some of the money pays for manufacturing in China yes, but a good portion of the end money comes back to the US brand owners. Never forget that the move to offshore manufacturing was precipitated in the first place by US industrialists looking to increase their bottom line. China didn't steal those manufacturing jobs from us, we, (US industrialists), simply handed it to them on a silver platter, job security for fellow US citizens be damned. Leave it to the big wigs to screw the US worker to increase their profit margin.
I occasionally buy a Chinese knife when I need a sacrificial lamb that I can use and abuse, or to give as a gift to someone who could care less whether it's a good knife, but ALL my personal EDC's are US-made.
You bring up a very good point. In addition, if you're just talking about quality it all boils down to if it is coming from a reputable manufacturer that is controlling the quality or some piece of junk. I have to admit that I don't own any China made knives but I am also a flashlight collector and I do own some Flashlights from a specific manufacturer. I will tell you that some of the Chinese companies like Fenix make a great product very comparable to Surefire flashlights which I also own quite a few of. It basically comes down to economics for some people because there are a lot of people out there that can't afford to spend $100 or more on a good knife. So now some of the good name brands have a cheaper option for those people that want a pretty good quality knife and don't care where it's made. I think for most of us here at AAPK it's all about the history of the U.S. made knives we collect and the storied history of the industry as a whole. Any country can make a good quality product but as always there has to be the desire and resources for good raw materials. Just my 2 cents.
Bladeguy