Tool Origin Labeling (or Lack of It)

[wilbilt]

In the interest of respecting the GearWrench brand spline thread, I would like to continue this in a separate thread if anyone is interested.

Wilbit - I'm looking over my Klein screwdriver's packaging, and there is no American flag, and no origin info anywhere on the product or packaging. On the back, it says "Klein Tools, Inc, Chicago IL USA, but this suggests company headquarters and not place of manufacturing origin.

My Stanly demo drivers do say "Made in England" on the package but not anywhere on the tools themselves. I have since seen these tools in a different style packaging which says "Made in China" (or Taiwan, I don't remember), with no indication on the tools. If I bought a set of those and mixed them with mine, there would be no way to tell which tool was made where.

I don't think that omitting the place of origin from the packaging is deceptive, as long as the quality of the tool is good and there are no efforts to hide the place of origin. Why should Danaher draw attention to the tool's place of origin if it could hurt sales? When you apply for jobs, do you put your weaknesses or hesitation-provoking attributes in bold font? Of course not. Highlight the good points and only note the bad ones when and where you're asked to.

Hi Stuey,

I find that interesting about the Klein packaging. I was in HD the other day, trying to find anything that was not labeled "USA". Every single package I looked at was marked with a little flag and "Made in USA". Maybe my local store has old stock or something.

You don't think that omitting the place of origin constitutes "trying to hide the place of origin"? I sure do. I think that not stamping the tool itself, and stating the origin in microscopic print where 90% of customers will never see it can only be an attempt to "hide" the manufacturing location.

Why should Danaher (and other manufacturers) stamp the tools with the country of origin? Because it will draw attention to the fact that our manufacturing industry is being gutted and maybe it will open some eyes.

When Sears tried taking Craftsman to Taiwan in the late 1980s, there was practically a consumer revolt when the Taiwan stamp appeared on Craftsman tools.

Why isn't that happening now? Because the manufacturers are making every attempt to hide the country of origin.

You and I know where the stuff is being made, but you must admit we are a little bit more interested in that kind of thing than John Q. Public. I'd wager that nearly 100% of Craftsman customers assume the tools they are buying are made in the USA. They take them home and throw away the package and never know they are being deceived.

Doesn't that bother you?

 

[rsanter]

keep in mind that there has been an additional 20 years of exposure for us to get used to the overseas products
some people have become 'desensitized' to it

bob

 

[64merc]

For what it's worth, I have noticed something. If you look at the cheap tool brands like HF or Pro Series they almost always stamp their stuff made in China or India. Why is it that the high dollar brands don't stamp their tools unless it is made in the USA? I would have to say that there is a little bit of deception going on. I wouldn't be proud to say that my once made in the USA wrench is now made in Taiwan either, but you can't have your cake and eat it too!!

 

[Moose-LandTran]

For me, i don't really care.

i'm more worried about the price and the quality of the tool. if it's made in taiwan, but is the quality of a US-made tool then i don't have a problem paying a US-made price. (within reason)

I just want nice, good quality tools that do their job and last.

 

[T56 Impala]

Well, I feel everything sold should have a Origin stamp on it. I for one would like to know which economy I am supporting. I prefer to support our own (US mainly, North America overall). I am not opposed to buying QUALITY from over seas though. I have some decent stuff from other countries. Some even Asian!

 

[speed bump]

I don't mind buying tools in other countries as long as they clearly mark the country of origin. I don't like that Stanley, Danaher, and now apparently Blackhawk (I haven't seen any Taiwanese Blackhawk stuff yet) do not clearly mark a country of origin on there tools. With these companies people expect to be buying american made tools so without a clear country of origin label many people will be fooled into buying imported tools that they think are made in the US.

Also on Klein tools I went out and looked at all of the Klein tools we have in the shop (which covers almost every type of tool Klein makes) and I could clearly find country of origin markings on everything except for nutdriver handles that it had worn off of.

 

[DiStOrTiOn]

I've got those same demo drivers as Stuey. When I bought mine, they had just reduced the price at Lowe's, and I was curious why. When I looked through all the packages to see where each of them was made, I came up with 10 Taiwan, and 2 England. Needless to say, I bought a set of the Made in England ones. There are slight differences between the two countries drivers, but not enough of a difference (in looks anyway, performance is another issue im sure) to be able to readily tell them apart. When I buy anything, especially tools, I look for the country of origin on the package/item. If I can't find it, I will assume it is made in a foreign country, and I don't buy it. I might be missing out on some nice products, but I'm not willing to destroy my countries economy (further) to save a few bucks. Manufacturers and re-sellers should be required to stamp the product AND packaging with country of origin, on the front, in legible lettering to every consumer, not just us young people with good eyesight and a talent for squinting.

 

[billymade]

I feel like they should mark EVERYTHING they make with the country of origin; I feel like it is the same thing as having to reveal all of our financial info on a annual report , to the government or the stock exchange! It is called transparency and if they are proud of the quality of their products, they should not be afraid to reveal the country of origin of the products they sell and produce. This is obviously a emotional issue for much (or at least some) of the American buying public; why do you think Toyota and all these other foreign companies are making their products in the USA? Aside from the savings because of the weakness of the dollar (thus higher profits) they can say made "by americans for americans" in their marketing; has anyone heard how hard Toyota is pushing this in their marketing/commercials lately? My folks are from OHIO and were of a blue collar factory worker oriented background; in the midwest there still is a sense of "buy american" as a credo. I see those bumper stickers when there but the manufacturing base has all but gone from the Cincinnati area. I am always amazed how much more domestic vehicles I see on the road when I visit there.

 

[Slide]

I recently bought a Fowler dial caliper... it says nothing on the package or the tool itself as to the country of manufacture. Like others, I'd like to know what economy I'm supporting (being that Fowler is HQ'ed in the USA, at least SOME of what I paid is going to the US ). But in the end, I feel like the tool is worth what I paid.

 

[Stuey]

I've been thinking about the issue more, and I think you're right, everything should be marked, if even temporarily.

After all, a lot of doodads and trinkets carry "China" "Taiwan" etc stickers on them. How much could it possibly cost to print little stickers and have them slapped onto the tools, if the manufacturer doesn't want to or cannot label the tools themselves.

I was at Sears before, and saw the American flag with a USA on most of the Klein tools. Oddly, the 5-in-1 and 10-in-1 drivers still didn't have any origin labeling on them whatsoever.

I'm coming around to seeing that maybe all tools should be labeled, but I wouldn't go as far as Wilbit would in terms of boycotting a certain product. Few if any companies can compete with Gearwrench in terms of quality and price. I would hate to have to pay a 50-100% additional premium to get similar quality from a brand that properly labels their tools.

 

[billymade]

If they can put a brand name or a part # on their tools; they can put "CHINA", "TAIWAN" or "USA" on it!

 

[Lugg_Nutt]

Junk is junk, regardless of where it's made or the country stamp it carries.

 

[rsanter]

I belive it is LAW that all imports into this country must be marked (stamped in, molded in, printed on, or sticker) for its country of MFG.

personally its too easy to take a sticker off, I want it on there permantly

by the way, there is not law saying the something made in the US and sold in the US has to have any markings at all.

bob

 

[wilbilt]

I belive it is LAW that all imports into this country must be marked (stamped in, molded in, printed on, or sticker) for its country of MFG.

personally its too easy to take a sticker off, I want it on there permantly

by the way, there is not law saying the something made in the US and sold in the US has to have any markings at all.

bob

The notation can be printed on the packaging instead of on the item itself.

This is a loophole the manufacturers take full advantage of.

So Joe Homeowner goes out and buys a tool based upon brand recognition. Maybe he buys some Craftsman pliers. He brings them home, rips open the package and throws it away.

The tools have no markings on them, and he proudly tells his friends how he "only buys American". He has no idea his tools were made in China, as he has been deceived.

Domestically produced tools require no marking directly on the tools.
Imported tools require no marking directly on the tools.

Kind of convenient, don't you think?

I lose sleep over stuff like this.

 

[Brandon_Lutz]

If it doesn't say "Made in USA" on it I try to avoid it at all costs. I flip the label or package over on everything I look at to find it's country of origin. Sometimes there is nothing there at all. IMO if your too cowardly to stand behind your product and say where it's made in plain sight, then you can kiss my rear end. It should be law that the country of origin is stamped right there in big, bold letters on the package or on the product so we all know where our dollars will be heading.

Sadly there are just some things you need that are going to be imported now. I was lucky enough to buy some old Milwaukee drills at my local hardware store that were still made in USA years ago before TTI gutted the company's manufacturing.

Good luck however, finding any cordless tools, or any electric tool for that matter thats made here regardless of what the name says on the box. Heck you can't even find driver or drill bits made here anymore unless you know where to go. How much is that going to last though? Probably not long due to this our country's willingness to buy a cheap product regardless of the harm that it causes our economy.

If I can't buy a USA made tool, then I try to buy something made in a country that shares our values or at least supports us in some facet, such as creating jobs here instead of the other way around.

I will absolutely, 100 percent, NOT BUY something made in China if I can afford it. I will search flea markets, estate sales, and what not to avoid sending one damn cent offshore especially to of all places China, the country that will see us undone in the end.

I was tempted to buy some GearWrench tools once, when I almost fell for the "Lets support Taiwan rhetoric" when I realized that Taiwan has never done a damn thing to support me or this country. At least nothing of huge significance. We on the other hand are single handedly propping their nation up on our expense.

They only thing Taiwan provides is a place for investors to send jobs to and screw American workers out of jobs. Apparently however, every GearWrench product I've found in the last year is made in China.

On top of that, GearWrench has deceptive packaging. There is a little waving flag with stripes and a some stars on the package. Not in American Red White and Blue, but it's shape and design is deceiving in that it makes it appear that it's an American made product.

No thanks, I'll keep my old standard flat ratchet wrenches and standard box ends if that means not sending more money out of this country into another. At least the Craftsman ratcheting combination wrenches I bought were made here, but the origin of the ratcheting mechanism is debatable from what I've read... But at least most of the wrench was forged and assembled here. Better than what I can say for GearWrench and many other "bargain" brands out there.

I like to support my fellow Americans and try to keep their jobs here. I don't care how much "quality" the Chinese, Taiwanese, and the other 3rd world produced tools claim to have, the fact is that those are jobs and food on the table for my fellow country men being lost when we purchase those "quality, I made a great deal on them" tools and other items.

Sadly no matter how you try though, you will be forced to buy something "Fabrique En Chine" because China has the market cornered on many of our essential appliances, and what not. I know this post comes off as pretty strong, but it's how I feel essentially about our manufacturing problem.

We're hemorrhaging away the American dream and ticks me off every time I think about it. Sadly this rant was made on a computer built by me out of nothing but imported parts, but thats a prime example of the problem we face. The entire electronics's industry is overseas.

 

[reversegear]

I was tempted to buy some GearWrench tools once, when I almost fell for the "Lets support Taiwan rhetoric" when I realized that Taiwan has never done a damn thing to support me or this country. At least nothing of huge significance. We on the other hand are single handedly propping their nation up on our expense.

They only thing Taiwan provides is a place for investors to send jobs to and screw American workers out of jobs. Apparently however, every GearWrench product I've found in the last year is made in China.

Taiwanese people buy American cars, agricultural products, weapons systems, and a bunch of other stuff. They pay full tuition to send their kids to U.S. universities. It is a free and democratic nation of only 20 million people, with an area less than half the size of South Carolina. They supported America in the fight against communism and the war on terror. Exactly what kind of thing "of huge significance" do you expect them to do?

China, on the other hand, takes America's money and uses it to develop battle plans to take out the U.S. Pacific fleet. Big difference.

 

[krusty the clown]

Taiwanese people buy American cars, agricultural products, weapons systems, and a bunch of other stuff. They pay full tuition to send their kids to U.S. universities. It is a free and democratic nation of only 20 million people, with an area less than half the size of South Carolina. They supported America in the fight against communism and the war on terror. Exactly what kind of thing "of huge significance" do you expect them to do?

China, on the other hand, takes America's money and uses it to develop battle plans to take out the U.S. Pacific fleet. Big difference.

as long as there are americans that are capable and willing to manufacture products here why have them made overseas? ahh the corporate bottom line........have we forgotten our history lessons? the reason the south lost the civil war is because the north had manufacturing capabillities and south was at the mercy of euopean countries to provide arms. when all of our manufacturing moves overseas what will happen to us?

 

[reversegear]

as long as there are americans that are capable and willing to manufacture products here why have them made overseas? ahh the corporate bottom line........have we forgotten our history lessons? the reason the south lost the civil war is because the north had manufacturing capabillities and south was at the mercy of euopean countries to provide arms. when all of our manufacturing moves overseas what will happen to us?

I agree that it is a problem (loss of American manufacturing). My point is that not all imports are equal from a moral perspective, or from a perspective of what's best for America.

 

[krusty the clown]

I agree that it is a problem (loss of American manufacturing). My point is that not all imports are equal from a moral perspective, or from a perspective of what's best for America.

i respectfully disagree.........no imports would be best for america although on a moral perspective there are different levels.

 

[nissan_crawler]

You don't think that omitting the place of origin constitutes "trying to hide the place of origin"? I sure do. I think that not stamping the tool itself, and stating the origin in microscopic print where 90% of customers will never see it can only be an attempt to "hide" the manufacturing location.

Why should Danaher (and other manufacturers) stamp the tools with the country of origin? Because it will draw attention to the fact that our manufacturing industry is being gutted and maybe it will open some eyes.

I don't mind buying tools in other countries as long as they clearly mark the country of origin. I don't like that Stanley, Danaher, and now apparently Blackhawk (I haven't seen any Taiwanese Blackhawk stuff yet) do not clearly mark a country of origin on there tools. With these companies people expect to be buying american made tools so without a clear country of origin label many people will be fooled into buying imported tools that they think are made in the US.

Personally, I disagree. Anybody that gives a damn know what to look for. The same guy that "thinks" his Craftman or Klein tool is U.S. made, and doesn't look on the package, isn't going to give a rip if he does see it.

 

[ImportTuner]

If it doesn't say "Made in USA" on it I try to avoid it at all costs. I flip the label or package over on everything I look at to find it's country of origin. Sometimes there is nothing there at all. IMO if your too cowardly to stand behind your product and say where it's made in plain sight, then you can kiss my rear end. It should be law that the country of origin is stamped right there in big, bold letters on the package or on the product so we all know where our dollars will be heading.

Sadly there are just some things you need that are going to be imported now. I was lucky enough to buy some old Milwaukee drills at my local hardware store that were still made in USA years ago before TTI gutted the company's manufacturing.

Good luck however, finding any cordless tools, or any electric tool for that matter thats made here regardless of what the name says on the box. Heck you can't even find driver or drill bits made here anymore unless you know where to go. How much is that going to last though? Probably not long due to this our country's willingness to buy a cheap product regardless of the harm that it causes our economy.

If I can't buy a USA made tool, then I try to buy something made in a country that shares our values or at least supports us in some facet, such as creating jobs here instead of the other way around.

I will absolutely, 100 percent, NOT BUY something made in China if I can afford it. I will search flea markets, estate sales, and what not to avoid sending one damn cent offshore especially to of all places China, the country that will see us undone in the end.

I was tempted to buy some GearWrench tools once, when I almost fell for the "Lets support Taiwan rhetoric" when I realized that Taiwan has never done a damn thing to support me or this country. At least nothing of huge significance. We on the other hand are single handedly propping their nation up on our expense.

They only thing Taiwan provides is a place for investors to send jobs to and screw American workers out of jobs. Apparently however, every GearWrench product I've found in the last year is made in China.

On top of that, GearWrench has deceptive packaging. There is a little waving flag with stripes and a some stars on the package. Not in American Red White and Blue, but it's shape and design is deceiving in that it makes it appear that it's an American made product.

No thanks, I'll keep my old standard flat ratchet wrenches and standard box ends if that means not sending more money out of this country into another. At least the Craftsman ratcheting combination wrenches I bought were made here, but the origin of the ratcheting mechanism is debatable from what I've read... But at least most of the wrench was forged and assembled here. Better than what I can say for GearWrench and many other "bargain" brands out there.

I like to support my fellow Americans and try to keep their jobs here. I don't care how much "quality" the Chinese, Taiwanese, and the other 3rd world produced tools claim to have, the fact is that those are jobs and food on the table for my fellow country men being lost when we purchase those "quality, I made a great deal on them" tools and other items.

Sadly no matter how you try though, you will be forced to buy something "Fabrique En Chine" because China has the market cornered on many of our essential appliances, and what not. I know this post comes off as pretty strong, but it's how I feel essentially about our manufacturing problem.

We're hemorrhaging away the American dream and ticks me off every time I think about it. Sadly this rant was made on a computer built by me out of nothing but imported parts, but thats a prime example of the problem we face. The entire electronics's industry is overseas.

Why are the rage on China? Clothing, electronics (yes, your big screen TV, cell phone, XBOX, etc), food products, toys and more are all coming from China.. CEO's of American companies all want to show big profits and they are transferring all our technology away ... Pretty soon, everything will be coming from other countries ... all in the name of globalization ...

 

[krusty the clown]

Why are the rage on China?

at least someone else is enraged

 

[speed bump]

I've been thinking about the issue more, and I think you're right, everything should be marked, if even temporarily.

After all, a lot of doodads and trinkets carry "China" "Taiwan" etc stickers on them. How much could it possibly cost to print little stickers and have them slapped onto the tools, if the manufacturer doesn't want to or cannot label the tools themselves.

I was at Sears before, and saw the American flag with a USA on most of the Klein tools. Oddly, the 5-in-1 and 10-in-1 drivers still didn't have any origin labeling on them whatsoever.

I'm coming around to seeing that maybe all tools should be labeled, but I wouldn't go as far as Wilbit would in terms of boycotting a certain product. Few if any companies can compete with Gearwrench in terms of quality and price. I would hate to have to pay a 50-100% additional premium to get similar quality from a brand that properly labels their tools.

Are you sure they were not made in the US? New Klien screwdriver handles have the country of origin label on the bottom of the handle by the shaft not in the traditional location. Also I was looking at one that an electrician brought on an AC hookup I did today and his was brand new and said USA on it.