100% Made in U.S.A. ?

[allmightyoz]

Well I know sambar stag is from Asia, seeing how CASE has knives in Sambar, that means they paid some guy in Asia for it, had it shipped over. How is that any different from having a blade shipped over? Or having everything made overseas and put together? Do you count handle materials from overseas as not US made?

So i think Case should be taken off the list. Face the facts, something comes from somewhere else. I'm sure Case didn't buy all of their machinery, mops, and everything else from the U.S. The big machine companies are all overseas names... Mazak, Haas, Doosan, (i'm sure their using at LEAST one of these, OH NOES). So is it a really big deal if not EvERYTHING is made in the U.S? I think not. So if you won't buy Buck or Ontario because they make some knives in China, don't buy CASE if they don't get all their materials and equipment from the US either. I don't think one single company in the US has never bought anything, or paid any money, to another company not located in the U.S.

Makes u think twice eh.

[wazu013]

Well I know sambar stag is from Asia, seeing how CASE has knives in Sambar, that means they paid some guy in Asia for it, had it shipped over. How is that any different from having a blade shipped over? Or having everything made overseas and put together? Do you count handle materials from overseas as not US made?

So i think Case should be taken off the list. Face the facts, something comes from somewhere else. I'm sure Case didn't buy all of their machinery, mops, and everything else from the U.S. The big machine companies are all overseas names... Mazak, Haas, Doosan, (i'm sure their using at LEAST one of these, OH NOES). So is it a really big deal if not EvERYTHING is made in the U.S? I think not. So if you won't buy Buck or Ontario because they make some knives in China, don't buy CASE if they don't get all their materials and equipment from the US either. I don't think one single company in the US has never bought anything, or paid any money, to another company not located in the U.S.

Makes u think twice eh.

That's a slant to this thread that I didn't consider when I started it. I was thinking let's put together a list of companies that accumilate raw materials then builds their knives in America, U.S.A. made. I didn't want to bash foriegn products or their quality. I guess using your sugestion we should really eliminate all the knife makers because I'm sure they aren't diving Lake Erie for pearl or abalone or running out to Kansas for Giraffe bone and Buffalo horn. You know what I'll bet they sell Ramen noodles in their lunch room so their employees are fueled by foreign food. In fact I'll bet they drove some Kias and Nissans to work. How about we use a little common sense and put a list together of companies that can and do put made in U.S.A. only on their knives. I love German and Italian knives but they won't make the list. Let's not single out China or Taiwain. Just MADE IN THE U.S.A.
wazu013

[allmightyoz]

muskrat man customs! It's sad though, that nothing can be purely American made with American materials and tools. I don't think one should take Buck out of the equation though as an American knife company, considering their fixed blades (the good ones anyways) are made here. It makes me sick to, to think of all the jobs the US loses to overseas companies and outsourcing. I'd go with a Randall and add them to the list, if one is willing to wait six years for a very expensive knife...

I say about the materials since someone brought up the Frost coreleon scales. And i wouldnt discount a company as being american "made" if its assembled in another country.

[allmightyoz]

and you guys forgot about Benchmade even thought they... well we wont go there

[ea42]

As far as cover materials you can always pick and choose. For example Canal Street's chestnut comes straight out of an old Kentucky barn, Bois D'Arc is from Texas as is the mesquite.

Eric

[orvet]

Well I know sambar stag is from Asia, seeing how CASE has knives in Sambar, that means they paid some guy in Asia for it, had it shipped over. How is that any different from having a blade shipped over? Or having everything made overseas and put together? Do you count handle materials from overseas as not US made?

Makes u think twice eh.

Personally I think this is a fair question!

wazu originally asked-

Can you guys tell me which companies are 100% made in America?

This could obviously mean several different things.
It could be asking "How many companies make knives that are totally made in the USA?"

I take this question to mean; "How many companies’ knives are exclusively made in the USA?"

Now it becomes necessary to ask; “What do you mean by ‘made’?”

Does that mean the knife is totally constructed of raw materials mined, smelted, processed and the knife made into the final form all within the confines of the USA?
If so I doubt there are any companies that have knives totally ‘made’ in the USA.

Modern cutlery steel requires manganese. According to Wikipedia the US Import Sources for manganese ore in 1998-2001 were as follows: “Gabon, 70%; South Africa, 10%; Australia, 9%; Mexico, 5%; and other, 6%.” Apparently the USA has no deposits of manganese ore of commercial grade. So any cutlery steel we make in the USA will be made with manganese ore that has been imported.

Or does ‘Made’ just mean the materials are processed here and the knife is put together here?

Or perhaps ‘Made’ means the parts of the knife may from other parts of the world are merely assembled here in the USA? Would that include the blades as well? Why or why not?

No matter where you draw the line; if you are going to maintain intellectual integrity and honesty, you need to give a reason for why you draw the line where you do.
Otherwise this line of reasoning eventually becomes an exercise in the absurd when taken too far. Like Bill Clinton’s statement during the Monica affair; “It all depends on what the definition of is is.”


I am admittedly not a fan of Chinese knives, and I am a big fan of America and American made products.
I am also a realist; I realize that far too many American consumers are only concerned about getting what they need/want at the most affordable price.

Due at least in part, to our standard of living (effecting wages paid US workers) and the tax structure (effecting the prices of US made goods), our goods are more expensive than those made in other countries; most especially those made in China.

I also think the knives made in the USA are at least as good as those made anywhere else in the world and in most cases they are better. My opinon.

I think it is more realistic to support the companies who 'make' products here in the US (however you define 'make'), but also to support the companies like Buck, Kershaw, Utica, and even Gerber by buying their products made in the US and refusing to purchase the imported products. These companies are in business to make a profit. No matter how cheaply they can have a product made overseas they must first sell that product before they can make money. If they only sell the products made in the USA, they will soon drop the cheap imports because they won't be selling.

Am I optimistic that this will happen? No!
But that is because Americans can not agree on what is important to them anymore than we, the participants in this thread, can agree on what the definition of 'make' is.

This is my opinion.
It most likely is different than yours, but that America in the 21st Century.

As far as cover materials you can always pick and choose. For example Canal Street's chestnut comes straight out of an old Kentucky barn, Bois D'Arc is from Texas as is the mesquite.
Eric

I agree with Eric.

Why don’t we take that one step further and just buy knives “made” in the USA and ignore those imported from overseas by the same company?

[jerryd6818]

Good point and very well put Dale. My personal definition of Made in America is manufactured within the boundaries of the USA. For me, manufactured means processing the raw materials into a final product, assembling the product and finishing the product into a saleable form. For my personal consumption, I don't take into account the origin of the raw materials such as, but not limited to, individual components of the steel like manganese or the stag or bone for the handles or the petroleum products used to make the acrylic for handles. Worrying about minutiae, such as where the components of the raw materials come from, is more than my small brain can manage and for me, much too tedious and restricting. I'm just not going to research it down that far. Good God, in spite of what some may say, I do have a life.

The opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone. Public consumption is not recommended without a prescription. Take only as directed. Side affects may include dizziness, nausea, the urge to have sex with someone other than your spouse and lower intestinal distress. Do not operate heavy equipment. not Made in America, while considering these opinions.

Thank God for spell check.

[wazu013]

Getting back to the reason I asked the question? I guess it was to see what some of the most passionate knife collectors and in some cases makers or I better say builders who belong to this forum could come up with as an answer to a very simple question. I think we are seeing just that. I think the answer if there is one is there are no companies that are made in the U.S.A. only. I just wanted to know which ones you could know that when you pick up the package or order that knife you know it will say Made in U.S.A. on it. That's all, very simple one would think. I still remember the first time I bought a German fixed blade and it had Arbalito stamped on it. I thought What the Heck is this? That knife is still skinning dear it turns heads at the camp. Boker had to do what it had to do. I think they were every bit as concerned at moving their work out of their country but look what they are doing now. The consumer will buy what he or she needs and wants reguardless where it's made. I knew the list would be very, very, small. I think to small. What do you think
wazu013

[basser5]

I found that Shirley Boser had addressed the corelon question on another forum, her answer..........



Prior to June of 2006, Frost Cutlery (a Tennessee-based company) had been distributing Case knives (manufactured in Bradford, PA) which were re-handled in Corelon® by Michael Prater, owner of Georgia-based Michael Prater & Company. These activities were occurring without our prior knowledge and consent. Marketplace confusion, warranty responsibilities and concern over quality standards motivated us to seek appropriate remedies. Upong complying with our established quality standards and warranty requirements, Prater was issued a 3rd party license to re-handle knives. Frost was made an authorized distributor of re-handled Case knives and issued a unique logo which reads, “Officially Licensed Case Product.” New packaging, printed with, “Produced by Frost Cutlery Co. under sub-license with W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.,” would be used to alleviate consumer confusion. As an added measure, Case began stamping tangs for legitimately re-handled knives’ with a prefix of “9” (i.e. “9220” for a re-handled Peanut). Loose shields would be provided to Prater for fitting into the Corelon handles.



Case continues to produce knives in this way under this arrangement. We’ve found the quality of these re-handled knives during the last two years to be good, and with few warranty problems.



If you have a knife that can be clearly identified as having come from an Officially Licensed re-handler that doesn’t meet your expectations, please contact our repair department for evaluation and assistance. Know that this product carries with it the same warranty as all genuine Case knives.



Finally, Case knives are not being made anywhere else in the world. They’re still 100% produced in the USA by American workers. We truly appreciate your enthusiasm for that philosophy!

[garddogg56]

thank God Case is still made in the USA I couldn't take it I heard Buck was moving some of it's china line back to the USA did anyone hear this???

[allmightyoz]

well i dont think that the formed handles are raw materials...they are pressed or molded in a different country, sent to a different company, and then put on a case knife by FROST. (lol, all the frost's ive ever seen sure arent from Tenn) just my two cents. Why can't case put their own coreloen handles on knives? i bet Frost is doing it for half the price...

[orvet]

thank God Case is still made in the USA I couldn't take it I heard Buck was moving some of it's china line back to the USA did anyone hear this???

Yes, I heard something to that effect from some of the Buck folks at 2009 or 2010 OKCA show.

I asked Chuck Buck how the Chinese made knives were working out for him.
He mumbled something I could not understand and changed the subject.
It was obviously something he did not wish to discuss at that time.

I heard later from another of the Buck employees that Chuck was none too pleased with the Chinese products and that the whole topic was a pretty sore subject with Chuck.

[garddogg56]

I'll tell ya Dale a lot more tradesman would be buying the smaller knives for EDC if they were made in USA at least 90% of the boy's carry 110's or 112's on their belts and aboslutely love them but in their pockets is anybody's guess.I myself allways have a Kershaw spring assist in my left front pocket, I have been looking at the Buck spring assist for a 2nd EDC for the pocket they are sweet