Gerber, Buck, Browning, knives made in China!

[whocares]

About two years ago a guy I worked with had a Gerber paraframe that I realy liked. I was in Gatlinburg TN and found one in a display case at one of the countless cheap ass knife shops on the strip. It had been ten years since I stayed in the smokies and man had it changed. I bought the knife for I believe $35 at that time. When I got back to the cabin and inspected the knife I saw China on the base of the blade. I was furious. I thought they had sold me a counterfeit Gerber. I did some quick research and found that Gerber was having several models made in China and my heart sunk.
A few months after that I saw a Buck sheath knife in a blister pack at Walmart and saw made in China. Damn that hurt. I mean if companies as American as Buck and Gerber are going Chinese who wont. I really began looking and found so many premium knife companies were doing this it was rediculous. The bottom line is the bottom line. No heritage, no pride, just profit.
I since started carrying Kershaw 1620H3 Ken Onion and the 1670blk both made in America.

 

[vanillagorilla]

Everythings made in china except for those made in china stickers. They are made and put on by central american workers.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

SOME Bucks are still made here, but good luck finding one. I don't think ANY Gerbers still are. All the more reason to buy as many old used American made knives as you can get your hands on. Look at the prices of a used Buck 19....

 

[Bradsknives]

SOME Bucks are still made here, but good luck finding one. I don't think ANY Gerbers still are. All the more reason to buy as many old used American made knives as you can get your hands on. Look at the prices of a used Buck 19....

There are several Gerber models still being made in the US...The LMF II and the prodigy are two that I can think of off of the top of my head.
A lot of companies that started out manufacturing knives just in the US are now manufacturing certain models in China, but are still manufacturing some of there models in the US.

 

[451_Detonics]

Only thing that would concern me is if the quality isn't there in the China made knives. Given some of the knife companies in China have been in business longer than the US has been a country means the Chinese are capable of making very high quality knives. No not all Chinese made knives are high quality but many are. I tend to worry more about quality than country of origin. Having said that I would suspect a 35 dollar Chinese Buck 110 from Wally World probably isn't that high of quality.

 

[keith2210]

I always have been a case fan. Lifetime warranty and american made. Great knives still made here.

 

[tradertator]

Benchmade, ka-bar, sog, schrade, gerber, buck, ..........., and the list goes on and on and on.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

All the more reason to buy from independent solo makers here.

 

[emst52]

I know its off topic but did you just recently visit the smokies? im planning a trip in my for my birthday any suggestions would be great! thanks

 

[paddling_man]

All the more reason to buy from independent solo makers here.

Yep! Lots of good folks still making knives in the U.S.!


(To be fair, I still like some Norinco imports rifles.)

 

[LPPOsecurity]

All Buck 110 are US made even the 35 dollar Wally world ones, and I picked up a Gerber gator new that is made in US and as much as one might like kershaw, plenty of their knives are made overseas, but for informative purpose, as of last year Buck is in the process of returning all production back to the US as is another company whose name escapes me at the moment

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I'm really fond of my Boker, but that's not US or China made....However the Boker "cop tool" IS made in Taiwan but is still high quality and I recommend it.

 

[Sylvain]

I just got a brand new Buck 285 today.
Its made in the USA (from foreign and domestic parts so not 100% USA made), I think the previous models were made in China.
The quality has nothing to do with where its made.The blade of that US made knife has some blade play.My Spyderco Tenacious made in China has no blade play at all so it has better quality control.
I dont mind paying more for my knives to get a US made product but above all I want quality.Just stamping "USA" on the blade doesnt make a quality item and some companies forget about that.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

My Gerber FAST blade was made in USA. Love that knife. My Ka-Bar was too. I do have a hankerin for Russian Rifles though