Chinesesieum

[Rockindaddy]

Never ceases to amaze me how metallurgy affects our everyday life. My wife loves to sew. She makes the most beautiful things. She has worn out two fine sewing machines. A German Pfaff machine is a real fine machine. But she has managed to wear em out. The other day she was complaining that it is almost impossible to buy a safety pin that actually works. She said the wire used in safety pins is soft and the pins do not work as well as pins from years ago. I just ignored her comments as she said the safety pins sold these days are all made in China. Well I have been a tool maker and gunsmith for over 50 years now. I have made all sort of parts and pieces. My small machine shop keeps me busy and in "beer money". Just finished a set of safety rail splices for a stainless rail system. The material was 316 stainless. Not a real hard material but tough. Finished all the machining and had to cut the newly turned and machined parts in half. Grabbed a hack saw and started sawing. The cut in the stock was barely a sixteenth deep when my hacksaw blade gave out. Removed the first blade and installed another. Same thing! Barely a 1/16" cut and that blade was done as was a third. They all went into the scrap metal bin. Went and looked in the supply cabinet and beside the new shinny blue blades was a Nicholson hacksaw blade. I installed it and proceeded to saw right through my 3/4" piece of stainless. Looked at the teeth on the Nicholson and they still looked good. The blue blades were nicely made and painted blue with MADE IN CHINA marked on them. These should have been marked for wood only not metal. I call any Chinese knife, saw, drill, spring, file, or cutting tool all junk! They are made out of a rare element not even on the Periodic Chart of Elements. The element is Chineseieum. Anything made out of it rusts, disintegrates, bends, breaks, and falls apart! I have made a vow to never buy Chinese tools, cutters, drills, or files. The CCP are destroying out finely made manufactured goods and putting American manufacturers out of business. The middle class working tradesman is suffering because of the cheap china goods flooding our shores. I took a photo of my hacksaw cutting. Three china blue junk blades! Soft as butter. 326187

[Barry54]

326188

See the fine print?

[Winger Ed.]

A lot of folks don't ever, or hardly ever oil their sewing machines. That a major factor for their longevity.
A commercial place that runs them all day, every day will often oil them either every day,
or about three times a week. Like a engine, oil is their life blood.

I have a commercial machine for doing heavy stuff like car & boat upholstery.
I oil it before every project. It's 30 years old, but acts like it is brand new.

[Delkal]

Have you been to a harbor freight store? I walk around with a smile looking at crappy tools I need but don't depend on.....

I totally agree that "any Chinese knife, saw, drill, spring, file, or cutting tool all junk!" but we don't have many options left. I don't believe your Nicholson hacksaw blades are still made in the US and they haven't made a decent file in 30 years. When you replace the hacksaw blades you might find a European made blade in a machinist / specialty catalog that is decent but don't bother looking for one at any retail store.

Its sad but true.

[JDHasty]

Have you been to a harbor freight store? I walk around with a smile looking at crappy tools I need but don't depend on.....

I totally agree that "any Chinese knife, saw, drill, spring, file, or cutting tool all junk!" but we don't have many options left. I don't believe your Nicholson hacksaw blades are still made in the US and they haven't made a decent file in 30 years. When you replace the hacksaw blades you might find a European made blade in a machinist / specialty catalog that is decent but don't bother looking for one at any retail store.

Its sad but true.

That’s not quite accurate about Nicholson files, I was on the phone with Boggs and telling them that I had just bought a 10” Grobet fine cut mill file and it was a total piece of junk. They said that Nicholson has been turning out some real nice files lately, a week later I came home and there was a file on my doorstep with an invoice for $12. It’s a Jim Dandy. I paid north of three times that for the Grobet. I did send it back to the vender and was credited for it. I threw a six inch Nicholson fine cut mill file on a Midway order in order to qualify for free shipping after that experience and that one too leaves nothing to be desired. It was also on sale at the time.

I totally can relate to the wife’s frustration with Chinese safety pins, for me the one that really set me off was nail nippers. My kids have managed to lose most of my American made nippers and try as I might I couldn’t find a pair to replace them with that was worth spit. The ones the kids lost were ones I had owned since the 1960’s or 70’s. They cut clean as a whistle and were as sharp as when I got them. The Chinese ones aren’t sharp to begin with and after five cuts crush more than cut.

Not one to surrender and accept insult gracefully, I went on a mission to find a decent pair of nail nippers. I solicited opinion from everyone and anyone regarding their experience with nail nippers and in doing so provided amusement to friends and acquaintances.

After about six months of looking I finally ask the right guy and was told that the Green Bell G-1205 Nail Clipper (Takumi No Waza) is what I was looking for.

By God, he knew his nippers. They ain’t cheap, but they are sharp as a razor and keep their edge like the American made ones had.

[Barry54]

I’m starting to buy German made tools if I can’t get USA. I really like the Knipex pliers.

So are there any American made nail clippers?

[HWooldridge]

It’s a common refrain - much of what is produced in China is junk. They are capable of better quality but they don’t send it to the USA.

Germany, Italy and France still make good products, and we can certainly do it here if given the opportunity. Japan also raised their game a long time ago and most of their output is high quality - but buyer beware on China, India and their ilk.

[Rockindaddy]

A lot of folks don't ever, or hardly ever oil their sewing machines. That a major factor for their longevity.
A commercial place that runs them all day, every day will often oil them either every day,
or about three times a week. Like a engine, oil is their life blood.

I have a commercial machine for doing heavy stuff like car & boat upholstery.
I oil it before every project. It's 30 years old, but acts like it is brand new.

Boss lady corrected me on the sewing machine wear. She said it took her 50 years to wear em out. Pfaff instructs users to only oil at certain points. A quart of 20 weight oil will last her a long time. The main point was the terrible quality of china goods being brought by boat to our shores. Delkal has it figured out! The Chinese must have a Chineseium mine where they extract this rare earth element to add to their steel products to make junk for the American market!

[Froogal]

We've lived in this house for nearly 26 years and I've been fighting drips and leaks in the drain pipes under the kitchen sink ever since we moved in. Several years ago I totally replaced ALL of those pipes with NEW stuff, but I am still fighting the drips and leaks. PVC all the way, and "MADE IN CHINA" on all of it. I'm ready to replace it again, but I don't know where to get the good, made in USA stuff, if it even exists anymore.

[rockrat]

I have some nail clippers that belonged to my Grandfather. Gotta be at least 50 years old and still sharp.

[Hondolane]

Every dollar we spend on China junk is a dollar to the CCP. Another way to look at it is that same dollar buys another bullet that could/may/will be used against our people someday. We're all guilty of funding them, but next time you buy that thing Made in China think about how that money is going to be possibly used against this nation.

[country gent]

I like the bimetal hack saw blades keep them in 3 different tpi sizes. Starrett is on maker but there are several US made brands. A good hacksaw blade makes a big difference when cutting fine work. Uneven kerfs and sharpened edges will cause the blade to walk. A good frame for the blade is the rest of the system.

[Kestrel4k]

Every dollar we spend on China junk is a dollar to the CCP. Another way to look at it is that same dollar buys another bullet that could/may/will be used against our people someday. We're all guilty of funding them, but next time you buy that thing Made in China think about how that money is going to be possibly used against this nation.
That ^^^ x2

[Rapier]

Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Ain't going to be fooled again.

[imashooter2]

Hardly a thing exists that a man can’t make it a little cheaper and sell it for a little less.

[JDHasty]

I’m starting to buy German made tools if I can’t get USA. I really like the Knipex pliers.

So are there any American made nail clippers?

I don't believe so, and the German ones weren't what they had been advertised to be. It was Japanese that stand out.

[JDHasty]

I have some nail clippers that belonged to my Grandfather. Gotta be at least 50 years old and still sharp.

A half dozen of mine were given to me by my mother and grandfather. If they have lost anything since new it surely wasn't apparent.

[MaLar]

A lot of folks don't ever, or hardly ever oil their sewing machines. That a major factor for their longevity.
A commercial place that runs them all day, every day will often oil them either every day,
or about three times a week. Like a engine, oil is their life blood.

I have a commercial machine for doing heavy stuff like car & boat upholstery.
I oil it before every project. It's 30 years old, but acts like it is brand new.

That's what the sewing machine makers suggest. I have some machines that are a hundred years old, They run great keep em oiled.

[john.k]

German tools are nice......but the prices .....$600 for a set of combination Stahlwille wrenches ...........Knipex tools are all around $100..........Im old enough to remember when there were junk German tools too,and junk Japanese stuff....................as to hacksaw blades ,I wont use anything but 'all hard' HSS blades .......but I hand the saw to a young person ,the blade is broken in five seconds .

[M-Tecs]

I love quality tools. Most of my personal tools are high end. US made if possible. That being said some of the Chinese imports are 90% of the quality but 25% or less in cost. For low usage or loaner tools they have a place for me.

[John Taylor]

Broke the blade on my band saw and went to Harbor Freight to get a new one. They had some by-metal blades made in USA and that's what I got. I use it for gun barrels and spring steel mostly.

[country gent]

I run a little finer tpi on my band saw its also a variable pitched blade. To coarse a blade and you dont have the tooth engagement giving a poor cut and pulling teeth off. You want a minimum of 3 teeth engaged with the piece. In hack saw blades I have 12 24 and 32 tpi. On the band saw its a variable pitch 8-10 tpi for what ido cutting these give good clean cuts last and dont load up to bad. To few teeth and it rips thru, to many it loads and slides over.
The power feed on my saw makes life easier and the blades last much longer when the above is followed.
I had an old power hacksaw for awhile it was a learning experience to watch it run, chips were only on the back side of the stock the blade raised slightly on the return stroke. Used an 18" blade that was hard to find.
Where some ruin the blades is trying to cut on both strokes.

[dtknowles]

I don't believe so, and the German ones weren't what they had been advertised to be. It was Japanese that stand out.

I have a Korean clipper that seems top notch.

Tim

[JDHasty]

I only use the best hack saw blades, usually Starrett and use high tension frames. I think they are Bahco.

I have a Harbor Freight about six blocks from my home and don’t buy much there. Zip ties etc, but have bought a few rechargeable magnetic LED lights that are exactly what I was looking for and could not find what I wanted anywhere else.

Most of my tools are older. Most of what isn’t is pretty specialized and you won’t find it there.

[Texas by God]

I miss the Sandvik brand of hacksaw and blades.


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[MrWolf]

German tools are nice......but the prices .....$600 for a set of combination Stahlwille wrenches ...........Knipex tools are all around $100..........Im old enough to remember when there were junk German tools too,and junk Japanese stuff....................as to hacksaw blades ,I wont use anything but 'all hard' HSS blades .......but I hand the saw to a young person ,the blade is broken in five seconds .

HF sells their Icon (think that is what they are) 10" version of the Knipex pliers for like $40. Watched a YouTube review of the the other day. Supposed to be just as good for less than half the price. No idea if you can trust the review.

[beemer]

We've lived in this house for nearly 26 years and I've been fighting drips and leaks in the drain pipes under the kitchen sink ever since we moved in. Several years ago I totally replaced ALL of those pipes with NEW stuff, but I am still fighting the drips and leaks. PVC all the way, and "MADE IN CHINA" on all of it. I'm ready to replace it again, but I don't know where to get the good, made in USA stuff, if it even exists anymore.

I put in a new kitchen sink a couple years ago, bought all the plastic drain parts at Lowe's. I had leaks and drips that I couldn't stop, seemed the tighter it got the more it leaked. I sat around ticked off for a while. I finally loosened everything up and poured some boiling water down the drain. Doesn't hurt to put a very thin spear of silicon grease on the threads and seating surface. After everything got hot I tightened it all up. The leaks stopped and haven't had anymore even after taking off and cleaning.

Changing to files and tools, I like good tools myself. I will buy Harbor Freight for some things, don't like the idea but sometimes the good stuff is too expensive for low usage. If you make a living with tools the best worth it. I do try to pick up better things used at flea markets and estate sales. Last week I bought five odd Nicholson files at a flea market for a dollar, mostly for the handles. They were clogged up with what looked like paint, carded them and put in vinegar overnight. Turned out the are good.

Bought a set of Victorinox nail clippers, sharp.

[KenT7021]

No-mes nail clippers.Made in Troy,NY.I got them from Amazon.They aren't cheap and are excellent.

[rbuck351]

I bought a knipex 7" slip joint pliers about 15 years ago for around $35. They still list for about the same price online. They are the best slip joint pliers I have seen. I also bought a Chinese 1" to 4" mic set about 35 years go and used them for 7 years in an auto machine shop. They are every bit as accurate as the Starrets the others were using. They were about $90 vs Starrets for around $400. I'm now retired so they don't get used like when I bought them but they still look and work like new.
HF does have some good drills. The cobalt ones they sell are quite good and cost about $110 for the 115pc set.There other drills are either junk or only ok.

[JDHasty]

I can state unequivocally that Boggs file sharpening service is one of the best things going that few people know about. If they paint it red on the tang they don’t want to see it again, don’t charge you for that one and tell you to feel free to use it up then make something useful out of it. I’ve found the red painted ones to give pretty decent service when I get them back. The ones that they actually charge you for are like new from my experience.

[murf205]

We can thank Bill Clinton for the Chinese crap flooding this country. He granted China favored nations trading status in 1995. I was working at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant when that happened and within 3 weeks the tool rooms were full of Chinese tools. I am of the opinion that 1 man should never be empowered to grant such a landmark decision whether he is POTUS or not. Kinda like forgiving student loans,
'ya know. Rant over.

[pipehand]

I use a lot of porta-band saw blades onmy job. Even Starret has differing levels of quality- the economy line is made in China. The worst thing to have, is a Chinese blade trying to cut Chinese stainless steel pipe. Crappy blades and lots of carbide inclusions in the pipe will actually wipe the teeth off the blade. The bean counters in provurement think they are getting a deal, but for instance, if you can get flapper discs at half price, but you use more than twice as many to do the same job, it is not a savings.

[Reg]

Every dollar we spend on China junk is a dollar to the CCP. Another way to look at it is that same dollar buys another bullet that could/may/will be used against our people someday. We're all guilty of funding them, but next time you buy that thing Made in China think about how that money is going to be possibly used against this nation.

Spot on !!!

[Ed K]

Not one to surrender and accept insult gracefully, I went on a mission to find a decent pair of nail nippers. I solicited opinion from everyone and anyone regarding their experience with nail nippers and in doing so provided amusement to friends and acquaintances.

After about six months of looking I finally ask the right guy and was told that the Green Bell G-1205 Nail Clipper (Takumi No Waza) is what I was looking for.

By God, he knew his nippers. They ain’t cheap, but they are sharp as a razor and keep their edge like the American made ones had.

This made me smile: Lost my still-sharp 1970 Made In USA "Trim" branded nippers last year. Went out on a limb and bought these same "made in Japan" nippers having generally only good experience with Japanese stuff the past few decades. Glad to have found them!

Now I'll add my two cents to the thread. It has become my belief that between (1) products being engineered such that they are unserviceable/less serviceable and (2) made of Chinesium, that younger folks now generally believe that anything over a few years old has little-to-no value as it being at the threshold of death. They've never lived in a world of products which proved otherwise. My 1943 Van Norman mill is still tight and has less than a thousandth runout along the table's travel. My 1980s Honda snow thrower and lawn mower both start on the first pull. My 1995 Dodge Ram with 12V Cummins diesel is strong as an ox. Meanwhile my kids and many friends/associates have a hard time understanding why I hang on to all this old "crap". I will admit to having a hard time getting non-Chinesium repair parts for my truck and I do have to search a bit to buy NOS "Made in USA" HSS milling cutters and end mills on eBay.

Meanwhile the odd $25-$50 consumer item I purchase from Amazon (or other) disappointingly fails in a year or two and everyone's reaction seems to be that it is new normal. Can't say I'm surprised either but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I'll admit to the occasional Harbor Freight purchase but usually for one-time or light-duty use items and make sure to read the reviews!

[JDHasty]

This made me smile: Lost my still-sharp 1970 Made In USA "Trim" branded nippers last year. Went out on a limb and bought these same "made in Japan" nippers having generally only good experience with Japanese stuff the past few decades. Glad to have found them!

Now I'll add my two cents to the thread. It has become my belief that between (1) products being engineered such that they are unserviceable/less serviceable and (2) made of Chinesium, that younger folks now generally believe that anything over a few years old has little-to-no value as it being at the threshold of death. They've never lived in a world of products which proved otherwise. My 1943 Van Norman mill is still tight and has less than a thousandth runout along the table's travel. My 1980s Honda snow thrower and lawn mower both start on the first pull. My 1995 Dodge Ram with 12V Cummins diesel is strong as an ox. Meanwhile my kids and many friends/associates have a hard time understanding why I hang on to all this old "crap". I will admit to having a hard time getting non-Chinesium repair parts for my truck and I do have to search a bit to buy NOS "Made in USA" HSS milling cutters and end mills on eBay.

Meanwhile the odd $25-$50 consumer item I purchase from Amazon (or other) disappointingly fails in a year or two and everyone's reaction seems to be that it is new normal. Can't say I'm surprised either but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I'll admit to the occasional Harbor Freight purchase but usually for one-time or light-duty use items and make sure to read the reviews!

I can relate. My Honda HR194 rotary mower I bought ~1986 starts on about the first eight inches of pull every time. My neighbor borrowed it Sunday and ask me if I had it enumerated in my will. It really is a dandy machine.
He has a John Deere that is a nice old mower too, he's waiting on a cowl for it.

[JFoster48386]

I am not a fan of Chinesium products. We had to sell and service/replace that junk for too long at our shop. I'd rather pay more for better products. But it's hard to find American made products that don't have Chinesium materials in them too.

On a side note, I pulled out one of my dads old STANLEY No. 151 Flat Bottom Adjustable Spoke Shaves to do some door work the other day. It's tarnished as heck but the blade is still insanely sharp after not being used for 30 plus years. And to be fair, I did stone the edge a bit to get the tarnish off of it and get the polished surface back...

Jon.

[history@mts.net]

We quit buying PRC garbage, of ANY kind, 5 years ago; have never regretted it or looked back since.

AFAIC it's giving aid & comfort to the enemy.

Unbeknownst to me, I picked up what was being sold as a genuine leather harness belt at the local thrift store for $2.99 last month. Fast forward 2 whole weeks & I noticed the leather was "kinked" at the notch where my belt was cinched. When I looked inside, the inner face of the "leather" had pulled away, while the "leather" inside came out in clumps & the facing was nothing but a vinyl coating. Just before throwing it into the garbage bin, I peeled off the lining & 'lo & behold, there was the "MADE in [Expletive-deleted] stamp.

Apparently, Dickies & Carhartt now sell /rent their names & their belts are made of this garbage too.

So what did little Jimmy do? He looked on-line, found a 100+ year-old Canadian company [Tandy Leather], ordered 2 saddle leather belt "kits", which were, incredibly, delivered the very next day. I dug out my old military issued black leather boot dye, swabbed it onto 1 belt, while I left the other in its natural state. After it dried, I installed the included keeper & double row buckles between the included & installed snap-rivets, measured where the holes go & used my Dad's 100 year-old Canadian-made leather punch to punch a number of holes after marking where the 1" spaced holes should go & Voila, 2 brand-spanking new real honest-to-goodness harness leather belts, made to order!

I still have all of Dad's old Canadian, British & US made tools from way-back when, from the time he came back from the War [WW2] & used his G.I. Bill benefits to get put through mechanic's school. I just appreciate them a whole lot more nowadays; I'm sure they'll still do the job when I pass them on to my Grand-sons in a few more years.

[MarkP]

Every dollar we spend on China junk is a dollar to the CCP. Another way to look at it is that same dollar buys another bullet that could/may/will be used against our people someday. We're all guilty of funding them, but next time you buy that thing Made in China think about how that money is going to be possibly used against this nation.
My Grandfather worked in the transportation department of a large meat packing plant. During the 1930's they were shipping lard to Japan in lead containers meeting thier specific alloy content. My grandfather said he thought it was odd they where so particular about the packaging material. Dec 7th 1941 they figured out what they were doing with it.

[JDHasty]

I love quality tools. Most of my personal tools are high end. US made if possible. That being said some of the Chinese imports are 90% of the quality but 25% or less in cost. For low usage or loaner tools they have a place for me.

After my mother passed away her home was broken into and I lost quite a few tools. I had purchased them over the previous fifty years and the cost was usually a bit higher. MAC, Plumb, Snap On, Diamond Horseshoe Co, Knipex etc. Her insurance coverage replaced the tools and would have paid for brand new direct replacement or equivalent quality tools. When I looked at the replacement cost of those tools I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I suppose common tools have become boutique items now too. When I bought my wristwatch as a young man, I paid a little more for it than what I could have gotten a perfectly serviceable wristwatch from another brand, but not that much more. These days it would be very hard for a young man who earns his own keep to justify the cost.

Chinese wrenches and socket sets don't crumble under a light load like they did when I was a kid and young man, but they don't fit the fasteners all that well and they are crude in as much as they are thicker and interfere with using them in tight places. I'm not a fan.

[Kestrel4k]

My Grandfather worked in the transportation department of a large meat packing plant. During the 1930's they were shipping lard to Japan in lead containers meeting thier specific alloy content. My grandfather said he thought it was odd they where so particular about the packaging material. Dec 7th 1941 they figured out what they were doing with it.
That is very interesting; I also note that explosives were made from lard, and that I doubt there was enough domestic supply in pre-war Japan.

[curdog007]

It seems you cannot buy replacement bearings at an auto parts store that are not Chinese, any more. They just want to sell the cheapest product possible - and these bearings are garbage. I absolutely refuse to use them.
It takes a little digging now, but you can find good bearings from other sources.

[dagger dog]

Try the MK Morse line of blades.