I was checking out some cool new screwdrivers today

[hamburglar]

...at the Dollar Store, probably somewhere near the Wheatios brand cereal and the Crust toothpaste.

Anyhow, there was a label on them that said something along the lines of 'Material in handle has been shown to cause cancer or reproductive problems. Please wash hands after use'.

Nice. Three guesses on country of manufacture.

Speaking of that same country, I got it in my head to buy some new lightweight trail or walking shoes. I spent about 2 hours looking through the web trying to find non-Chinese shoes. Even the Wolverine people were claiming 60-70% Chinese manufacture and there's been a bunch of closed down factories in the last 5 years or so. The upshot is that I seem to live in a country of 300 million people who, aside from cowboy boots and big-*** leather workboots, can't seem to make shoes anymore.

You know, if those guys shut off the taps for some reason, we are in *so* much trouble.

 

[eschoendorff]

Why teh hell were you in the Dollar Store? That place gives me the creeps! You can find stuff better and cheaper than at the Dollar Store if you do just a little bit of shopping...


ps... go wash your hands

 

[hamburglar]

Why teh hell were you in the Dollar Store? That place gives me the creeps! You can find stuff better and cheaper than at the Dollar Store if you do just a little bit of shopping...


ps... go wash your hands

I was dropping by JCPenney's to buy some 501's and thought I'd stop by and snoop around. I'm so incredibly snotty about stuff like that that it's kind of fun to peek in people's shopping carts.

 

[dxdexter]

...at the Dollar Store, probably somewhere near the Wheatios brand cereal and the Crust toothpaste.

LOL. I only go in for the Daracell batteries.

 

[Merkava_4]

You know, if those guys shut off the taps for some reason, we are in *so* much trouble.

Yeah ... we'd have to go back to making our own stuff again.

 

[Joe B.]

New Balance makes some shoes in the USA. They even are pretty honest & upfront about what "Made in the USA" means....

http://www.nbwebexpress.com/information/madeinusa.asp
(with a list of USA made proucts.)

 

[spencerian]

It's back to school time for the tax deductions at my house.

My wife wanted to "buy American".

After some research I found that 97% of clothing is imported.

Redwing shoes... made in the USA.

 

[Stuey]

Lead is used in a lot of ways these days. It's used to soften PVC, for example, which explains why some soft-handled screwdrivers, extension cords, AV cables, and steering wheel covers may carry a lead warning.

 

[eschoendorff]

I was dropping by JCPenney's to buy some 501's and thought I'd stop by and snoop around. I'm so incredibly snotty about stuff like that that it's kind of fun to peek in people's shopping carts.

Okay, I can respect that

 

[mtwaterguy]

LOL. I only go in for the Daracell batteries.

Is that duracell's sister>

 

[hamburglar]

Redwing shoes... made in the USA.

One of the things I ran into researching it is that that mostly isn't true anymore.

Also...New Balance...3/4 made in China, lots of arguments and lawsuits with the FTC about what 'Made in America' actually means.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

See, this is exactly why Merkava and I push Snap-on stuff so much. If you buy import tools, you won't be able to make babies.

 

[eschoendorff]

See, this is exactly why Merkava and I push Snap-on stuff so much. If you buy import tools, you won't be able to make babies.

 

[le6920]

It's back to school time for the tax deductions at my house.

My wife wanted to "buy American".

After some research I found that 97% of clothing is imported.

Redwing shoes... made in the USA.

Danner, as well. At least they used to be when I got my last couple pairs. They last a long time!

 

[hamburglar]

Danner, as well. At least they used to be when I got my last couple pairs. They last a long time!

Sorry kiddo...China. At least most models of shoe I could find.

I mean, all of these 'American' brands pretty much aren't anymore.

Most shoe lines of:

Red Wing -> China
Danner -> China
New Balance -> China

It's pretty weird.

 

[Cummins_Powered]

I did a quick search but i didnt really find anything about where they were made. one thing said they were assembled in the USA maybe somebody else knows

Saucony?

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

my red wings are made in usa on the tag , a year old and not cheap
the cheap ones are chinese I guess

 

[48548]

I don't want to make babies, so I guess the genius tools I ordered should be right up my alley... If I have babies that would be less money for tools, hahahaha.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

See, this is exactly why Merkava and I push Snap-on stuff so much. If you buy import tools, you won't be able to make babies.

So $1 store screwdriver, is a cheap vasectomy? Then I can practice, practice, practice.

 

[Merkava_4]

If I'm not mistaken, only the Worx line of Redwing is made in China; or at least I hope that's all.

 

[nissan_crawler]

If I'm not mistaken, only the Worx line of Redwing is made in China; or at least I hope that's all.

Nope. My $160 red wings are made in china.

 

[Merkava_4]

Nope. My $160 red wings are made in china.

Do they still have the factory in Utah and the factory in Redwing, Minnesota up and running?

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I don't want to make babies, so I guess the genius tools I ordered should be right up my alley... If I have babies that would be less money for tools, hahahaha.

No action for you!

Me and merkava will have to work overtime satisfying all these women that won't get any as a result of import tool-buying.

 

[Kevin54]

LOL. I only go in for the Daracell batteries.

I only make it in for cheap light bulbs for the traffic light I have in the garage, and maybe once in a while some cheap drying towels for various things in the garage. But all in all I am more upscale than the Dollar Store and head over to WallyWorld for cheap items. At least with WallyWorld I don't feel as dirty when I walk out.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I'm so incredibly snotty about stuff like that that it's kind of fun to peek in people's shopping carts.

I do that..

Same as when you get in a customer's car and you see what CDs are in the door pouch.

Always makes me feel better about myself.

 

[eschoendorff]

I do that..

Same as when you get in a customer's car and you see what CDs are in the door pouch.

Always makes me feel better about myself.

Anything to boost your self esteem. Man, CDs are definitely a tell-tale sign about a person....

 

[le6920]

Sorry kiddo...China. At least most models of shoe I could find.

I mean, all of these 'American' brands pretty much aren't anymore.

Most shoe lines of:

Red Wing -> China
Danner -> China
New Balance -> China

It's pretty weird.

Just looked and the boots I get are still on their web site as Made in USA, Portland OR. So at least their boots still are.

 

[hamburglar]

Like this product?

http://www.buy.com/prod/men-s-red-wing-bemidji-boot/q/loc/65499/207073489.html

Made in China.

So far as I can tell, the Made In USA products are the larger leather work boots while the rest of their lines aren't.

Here's an interesting article on the shoe biz...
http://www.madeinusanews.com/content/view/390/97/

From that article:
Almost 99% of the 2.4 billion shoes purchased in the U.S. every year are imported, 86% of them from China.

...........99%.........

It's a good example of how screwed you are once you lose critical mass.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

It's a good example of how screwed you are once you lose critical mass.

Sounds like something you shouldn't say at a Weight Watchers convention.

 

[Fedwrench]

I just couldn't believe that the phrases cool new screwdrivers and dollar store were in the same sentence. I guess there's another reason to wear Malaysian made nitrile gloves while working if you're using chinese made tools.