Sears Craftsman Tools Now Made in China, You kidding me? What's next?

[Anti-Party]

Go into any major store like Target and Wal-Mart and start looking at all the products made in China. I was looking at Sears tools in our Temecula Mall last month and every one of the, they used to be great, Craftsman Tools, that I looked at(many) were made in China, I could hardly believe my eyes.

From my experience, Chinese made products are inferior to our's, Japan's, Taiwan's and even Korea's. Take a look at the Chinese made clothes and how thin the material is. The Chinese stuff looks good on the outside, but try to look on the "inside". Their pants are borderline too short in the crotch area, shirts too small/tight to save material, Shoes are too narrow, try finding wide Chinese made shoes. I used to hear how if you ate at a Chinese Restaurant, you would be hungry in two hours because everything is superficial, to get you to buy it, with no "substance" and their Products seem to reflect that old saying, flash with no built in lasting quality.

I used to collect knives along with Japanese Katana and any knife made in China is suspect as to its material(metal composition and hardening) construction, either too brittle(hard to sharpen) or too soft(won't hold an edge). In my kitchen I have mostly German made Henckels, a couple Cutcos and one Henckel from China. I am constantly re-sharpening the Chinese Henckel. On the contrary, my other collection knives made in Japan are very good.

Years ago I bought a couple Russian SKS's(since sold) and they were great guns with the barrels screwed into the receivers. I had looked at the Norinco SKS made in China, which had a cheaper price. Someone really in the know stepped up and told me how cheaply made the Chinese SKS's were, with the barrels pressed into the receiver instead of being screwed into it, and that over time, the barrel might work itself loose and actuall blow up, and that was the start of my watching out for Chinese Junk sold over here....all true........................

................................"I was cleaning my SKS last night, and when I looked down the barrel, I noticed a rather nasty bulge about 2"-3" down the pipe from the muzzle.

It can't be felt from the outside, but it is there nonetheless. To the best of my knowledge, the Norinco SKS barrels are pressed in vice threaded on.

Does anyone know hoow to get the barrel off and how to install a replacement (and where to obtain said replacement)?

Being pressed, I imagine that it would be more trouble than it is worth, but I'd like to try anyway as this SKS is the first rifle I ever bought (and the only reason I still have it)"..................

...................."It is my understanding that some of these rifles have pressed and pinned barrels while others have threaded barrels. The method varies depending upon the particular factory that produced the rifle. Another real problem with the Chinese SKS rifles is that their doesn't appear to be any fixed set of standards from one factory to the next. Every factory seems to be using their own specs. In my experience with these rifles it seems that parts will always require hand fitting. They can really be a nightmare to work on. The book "Practical Gunsmithing" from DBI books has a whole chapter dedicated to Gunsmith Kinks for troubleshooting and repair of the SKS. I've decked out a half dozen of them for friends as Sporters. All but one of them required a lot of hand fitting for the new scope mount dustcovers. I haven't done any barrel work with them. I would imagine that fitting up a new barrel could be a difficult project on a Chinese SKS".........................
http://www.proshooter.org/cgi/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=000028;p=0

The people that work in manual labor and the offices have been addressing this ever since NAFTA. The small brains always repeat "whatever is best for profit is best for America".

The problem is the profit only fills the wallet of one. Via Wal-Mart.

Troll me on the "one" but it's the basics of this scenario we are in.

 

[Anti-Party]

Ok. $1000 says Chinese steel is the exact same quality as American steel. Since I run a metallurgy lab, and deal with both steels, I'll cut up various parts and run a battery of tests, and evaluate the microstructure.

Wow dude. You seem to have many jobs in all fields and are never wrong. Stating "one country" steel vs anothers is basic nonsense. Of course all steel are the same. You ignore the additives involved in that steel. But you are right, no matter what, the steel is still the same. heh.

 

[Anti-Party]

Older and better Buck knives were made out of 440C

You are correct on this. America USE to be the Industrial Nation that produced the best quality anywhere. The sad part is we could still produce the best quality anywhere and still undercut other Countries with the right legislation.

Today we are obsessed with getting the cheapest products because we are paid much less than we were when we were a successful Country. And sadly the cheapest products always fail. Even the moderate priced products are breaking within a week of purchase.

America use to pay it's employee's to make a quality product. Today we use the lowest paid person on the planet to make something that will work hopefully beyond the warranty. We don't care the age, Country or Conditions they work in.

 

[Billy the Great Khan]

Older and better Buck knives were made out of 440C

[Citation Needed]

 

[Billy the Great Khan]

Wow dude. You seem to have many jobs in all fields and are never wrong. Stating "one country" steel vs anothers is basic nonsense. Of course all steel are the same. You ignore the additives involved in that steel. But you are right, no matter what, the steel is still the same. heh.

I am a man of many, many talents. But if you think you know better maybe you can pony up the cash?

 

[Anti-Party]

I am a man of many, many talents. But if you think you know better maybe you can pony up the cash?

"Pony up the Cash"? What does that have to do with other countries adding products to steel?

This topic is about steel, not you kid.


What makes you great? Most of your posts are bias trash, you don't spend time to research any party or view other than your own. If anything, you are weak.

(Even your link to Beers and Guns is a joke. You are using microbreweries to cover up your alcoholism and using guns to cover up your fear of EVERYTHING.)

 

[Billy the Great Khan]

"Pony up the Cash"? What does that have to do with other countries adding products to steel?

This topic is about steel, not you kid.

Actually the OP is about Chinese stuff supposedly being inferior. I have stated that it is, in fact, no way inferior to American products. I then offered a small wager as an added incentive. So far, no one has been willing to challange it.

What makes you great?

Everything. My heritage, my knowledge, my expertise, my tastes in both fine and menial things, Etc. Everything about me is great.

Most of your posts are bias trash, you don't spend time to research any party or view other than your own.

[Citation Needed]

(Even your link to Beers and Guns is a joke. You are using microbreweries to cover up your alcoholism and using guns to cover up your fear of EVERYTHING.)

Uh huh. How much do I drink a week? Would you care to bet on that instead?

 

[Althea]

So they are made in China...I wonder why that is?

"Made in China" doesn't mean today, what it meant in the 80's. Labor is cheap, and there are no enviro regulations. As such, we ship materials to China, have them assemble everything, and ship it back. Of course, Chinese brands are still junk...

When you order the quantity that big box stores do, you get to build tools to your own specs. When I first started buying Bosch in the 70's, they were made in Switzerland by Scintilla. I believe you can still get them, but if you shop online, or in a box store, they're made in China.

So, there are plastic gears, and other minor cost cutting measures.

As with any mechanical device, each company has its quirks. I moved away from Rockwell years ago, because the armatures needed replacement too often.

I still have a shop full of Bosch, but I'm impressed by the way Ridgid holds up. If you register them, they all carry a lifetime warranty. I've had a number of free batteries just handed to me already. The only thing I'm troubled by, is that you only get a 3 year warranty on batteries if you purchase them alone.

Thankfully, I purchased the vast majority of my Ridgid stuff in kits, where a lifetime warranty applies to batteries too.

 

[Althea]

I thought Bosch was just dishwashers.

Funny! I think they made tools long before they made DWs...but I could be wrong.

 

[The Dude]

We use to make buggy whips to simpletons

 

[signalmankenneth]

 

[SJJRSJJS]

[Citation Needed]

Folks, this stubbornness shown from "MOD" Frenchy 75 is not so much about the knife making steel's quality as much as it is about the radical Leftists on this Forum trying to defend the Communist Country China, which the Leftist admire and hope the we eventually change to, first Socialism and then who knows. I have repeatedly upstaged Frenchy 75(Sho Sho) with proof but "wala", no amount of proof will ever change his/her mind because she was dumbed down in school to be a good little Socialist and defend Socialism, no matter what. Folks, please read this entire thread and you will see how I dismantled "Sho Sho" and the so-called quality of basic products coming from a Socialist/Communist Country, aka China. Again, "Sho Sho" ,here, demands a citation about Buck knives using 44C stainless in the early manufacturing of their great knives while in San Diego, Califa, about 60 miles from me and here it is below. "Sho Sho" is living in NeverNeverLand, if he/she thinks it can best me in the Knife, Sword, Gun arena of ideas...again I won this debate hands down, I love my yob(the great Freddy Prinze)...how did I do Debate Champion Darla? In my view, I turned "Sho Sho" everyway but loose, and if he/she keeps this sheet up, I will continue to cyber womp him/her ........infinity, I know you are but what am I....lol
......"The Buck Model 110 has a 3¾–inch blade, a high-tension lock and a low-pressure release, the handles are typically wood and the bolsters are made of heavy-gauge brass.[1] Introduced in 1964, the Buck Folding Hunter was one of the first lockback folding knives considered strong enough to do the work of a fixed-blade knife.[6] Its debut revolutionized hunting knives, rapidly becoming one of the most popular knives ever made,[1] with some 15 million Model 110 knives produced since 1964.[7][8] Before 1981, the specially heat treated stainless steel used was 440C, from 1981 to 1992 it was 425M, and after 1993 Buck has used 420HC stainless steel.[9] Its design is one of the most imitated knife patterns in the world.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Knives

 

[Truth Detector]

One of the great swap meets ever was the huge Cypress College Swap Meet every Saturday and Sunday in Orange County, Ca. They had all these great used older USA Tools that I would buy from certain old timer dealers, specialty tools like around the corner carburetor adjusters for a Weber two barrel progressive on a VW Bug, where the adjustment screw was up against the fan shroud. The Chinese Tools and Knives look good to the eye, it is the steel that is questionable, or the wrench fit on the nut is a shade too big, so it might tend to round off the nut over time, little things that irritate half ass mechanics like myself....lol

I understand your desire to have American made, i tend to prefer them as well, but you didn't answer the question; why are so many tools made in China these days?

 

[Truth Detector]

"Made in China" doesn't mean today, what it meant in the 80's. Labor is cheap, and there are no enviro regulations. As such, we ship materials to China, have them assemble everything, and ship it back. Of course, Chinese brands are still junk...

When you order the quantity that big box stores do, you get to build tools to your own specs. When I first started buying Bosch in the 70's, they were made in Switzerland by Scintilla. I believe you can still get them, but if you shop online, or in a box store, they're made in China.

So, there are plastic gears, and other minor cost cutting measures.

As with any mechanical device, each company has its quirks. I moved away from Rockwell years ago, because the armatures needed replacement too often.

I still have a shop full of Bosch, but I'm impressed by the way Ridgid holds up. If you register them, they all carry a lifetime warranty. I've had a number of free batteries just handed to me already. The only thing I'm troubled by, is that you only get a 3 year warranty on batteries if you purchase them alone.

Thankfully, I purchased the vast majority of my Ridgid stuff in kits, where a lifetime warranty applies to batteries too.

Your long winded post didn't answer my question; why do you think so many things are made in China?

 

[Dantès]

Hey SJJ, it's too bad you don't have even a rudimentary education or even basic understanding of capitalism. If you did all of this whining and complaining would be history and you would be buying stock in every company that has all their products made in foreign countries where wages are less than 60 cents an hour about the same wages that they paid black people in the South in America in the 50s

 

[SJJRSJJS]

You're a fucking moron. For all the time you spent Googling the Chauchat, you could have actually Googled my namesake, the French 75. 2nd, I'm at work, in my metallurgy lab, performing metallurgical tests.

I originally kind of believed that you, "Sho Sho", are in the metallurgical field, butt now I believe that you are a minimum wage employee or even an intern trying to get you some bragging smarts. You are the person who sets up the basic Lab test equipment and runs errands for the scientists, "get this", "go get that", "do this", "do that", kind of like a stooge. Do you collect "Food Stamps"? How does it feel to be "defeeted" in front of this Forum, I have said it in the past that I thrive on verbally dismantling radical Leftists and wala, seeing is believing, sorry bout that, I hope that I did not permanently burst your Leftist superiority bubble....not?

 

[SJJRSJJS]

I understand your desire to have American made, i tend to prefer them as well, but you didn't answer the question; why are so many tools made in China these days?

Granted that coffee makers are lower priced, and because of the price and most stuff works and looks good enough, they sell, it is the innards(motors) that are suspect, do the Pros buy Chinese tools, no. In the case of knives, the actual metal content varies from one batch to another. Go buy a Chinese kitchen knife and take it home, try to buy an identical model used German Henkle knife off Ebay and compare the two, that is the best test ever, not from some paid lab guy who is afraid to actually tell US the results of his/her tests because they would lose their jobs. Do you really think that Frenchy 75(Sho Sho) has the nerve to openly downplay the Chinese quality, they would lose their job because "Sho Sho"'s Metallurgical Lab bosses are just like he/she is here, a radical Leftist who has acquired this Mod job to protect Leftist interests on this Forum, and I have proven that here. Another issue is the lead content in paint used in children's toys, like the dinosaur real life toys, do they test everyone of them or do they take the word of a Commie Country that wants to take US over? The next War will be with China....guaranteed and maybe that is why they do not want to start pulling the Chinese made products off the market, afraid of pissing them off, since their entire economy is based on selling US their junk.

I play golf with a born in Commie China dude from Canada, who's goal in life is to best me on the golf course, all true, he even changes the rules to give him the advantage and everyone out there on the course knows it. It is actually funny to behold, but he has never defeated me on the Golf Course regardless, o, maybe he will get lucky one day, no pun intended, but I putt much better than he and good putting wins in golf.

 

[Truth Detector]

Granted that coffee makers are lower priced, and because of the price and most stuff works and looks good enough, they sell, it is the innards(motors) that are suspect, do the Pros buy Chinese tools, no. In the case of knives, the actual metal content varies from one batch to another. Go buy a Chinese kitchen knife and take it home, try to buy an identical model used German Henkle knife off Ebay and compare the two, that is the best test ever, not from some paid lab guy who is afraid to actually tell US the results of his/her tests because they would lose their jobs. Do you really think that Frenchy 75(Sho Sho) has the nerve to openly downplay the Chinese quality, they would lose their job because "Sho Sho"'s Metallurgical Lab bosses are just like he/she is here, a radical Leftist who has acquired this Mod job to protect Leftist interests on this Forum, and I have proven that here. Another issue is the lead content in paint used in children's toys, like the dinosaur real life toys, do they test everyone of them or do they take the word of a Commie Country that wants to take US over? The next War will be with China....guaranteed and maybe that is why they do not want to start pulling the Chinese made products off the market, afraid of pissing them off, since their entire economy is based on selling US their junk.

I play golf with a born in Commie China dude from Canada, who's goal in life is to best me on the golf course, all true, he even changes the rules to give him the advantage and everyone out there on the course knows it. It is actually funny to behold, but he has never defeated me on the Golf Course regardless, o, maybe he will get lucky one day, no pun intended, but I putt much better than he and good putting wins in golf.

I see I am forced to answer my own question. The reason so many things are made in China is because the majority of American consumers choose not to pay the higher cost for goods produced in the US. The Chinese are willing to exploit their people and their environment to promote manufacturing whose cost is so low, one can make a profit even after shipping it across vast oceans.

If Americans were truly concerned with the disappearance of American manufacturing, they could simply choose to not buy Chinese made goods. As demand disappears, you will see fewer Chinese made products.

But there is another reason many goods are manufactured outside the US; things like ladders. Why do you think ladders are no longer made here? Starts with an "L" and ends with an "n".

 

[SJJRSJJS]

Hey SJJ, it's too bad you don't have even a rudimentary education or even basic understanding of capitalism. If you did all of this whining and complaining would be history and you would be buying stock in every company that has all their products made in foreign countries where wages are less than 60 cents an hour about the same wages that they paid black people in the South in America in the 50s

I do not disagree with you, the young people buy this Chinese made stuff because that is what they now see everyday, but the older people like me know the differences. Yes China are using basically "slave" labor and I am for a living wage, but my Dad always told me that "You are paid for what you know, not what you can do". He also said the following "brilliant" observations; "It is not how much you make, it is how much you save", and " Watch the pennies, the dollars take care of themselves". My Dad was a Republican, but my Mom was a Democrat, so I see the good in both sides. I am a genuine Moderate, maybe the only one on this Forum and I do not hate President Obama, I actually think he is pretty cool playing the game that I am good at and love...Golf. They raised the minimum wage in California to $9:00 on January 16, I believe, and to $10:00 in 2016, and that is at least a start. I am for paying more, but we need to "control" (with Green Cards)the illegal Mexicans here, who are like the Chinese, they will work for peanuts. I told you before that I have had a lot of Black friends, even girlfriend, so I do "get it". Education is the key, it is an investment in the future, anyone who wants to go to college should be subsidized by the Government, but that College Education subsidy money would be paid back slowly over the years from small payroll withdrawals, just like taxes. Also, we need to bring back the draft and build our Military back up to get ready just in case we do start making our stuff again and China gets pissed at US like Japan did in 1941...all this could happen

 

[The Dude]

I see I am forced to answer my own question. The reason so many things are made in China is because the majority of American consumers choose not to pay the higher cost for goods produced in the US. The Chinese are willing to exploit their people and their environment to promote manufacturing whose cost is so low, one can make a profit even after shipping it across vast oceans.

If Americans were truly concerned with the disappearance of American manufacturing, they could simply choose to not buy Chinese made goods. As demand disappears, you will see fewer Chinese made products.

But there is another reason many goods are manufactured outside the US; things like ladders. Why do you think ladders are no longer made here? Starts with an "L" and ends with an "n".

Duh