Master locks...I'm disappointed

[S.Crum]

Today I bought a real nice used Knaack gang box for my welding trailer. One of the locks was missing and the other not in good shape, so tonight I was in Lowe's to get a piece of weather strip. I looked at several matched locksets and most were made in China. I try to buy American made whenever possable. Well there were a couple match sets of Master Locks so ASSUMING Master Locks were still American made, I pluncked down 2X the price of the Chinese locks and bought the Master Locks. After I got home I read the package closer and decifered out of the half dozen or so languages on the package that these locks were assembled in MEXICO!
WELL GEEZ!! If I had wanted imported crap why didn't I just spend half the money and get the Chinese junk? I asked this on Master Lock's web site. I haven't opened the package yet and still have the sales slip, so I'll take the locks back and exchange them for the Chinese locks and get 7 bucks back!

 

[Eddie in MI]

We have been using those Chinese crap Master Locks at school... and I have been instructed that when one freezes up, I am to throw it out and simply put another lock on. They freeze up on the kids' lockers all the time. And it's not like the kids are abusing them (I watch them)... they're just trash disguised as lock.

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

Hi Steve,

Were you able to get any information to indicate where the components were made? I wouldn't be too put off about where products were assembled, if I could be sure that they were being assembled from American made parts. In fact, assembly line workers from poor countries are probably at least as highly motivated to keep their jobs as unskilled American workers.

The trouble is that if a product was asembled in Mexico from American made parts, it would probably say that on the label. It wouldn't make sense to conceal information that would make many Americans choose it over cheaper, Chinese made alternatives.

All the best, Stan

 

[S.Crum]

Assembled in Mexico with American made parts. To me AMERICAN MADE means parts made and assembled in America. NOT parts shipped across a border and assembled by sweatshop labor to increase profit margins for the benefit of a handful of uncaring stockholders.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Returning it is the right thing to do. Also tell
anyone at the service desk or the store manager
why you are returning it. I wanted a small angle
grinder so at Home Depot after looking at all the
brands were made in China I bought the Milwaukee
which was made in USA. Got it home, opened the box
made in Mexico. I took it right back, complained
to manager that the display grinder said USA on it
but the one I bought was made in Mexico. He said
sorry that's the way it is but he will change the
display model. I went back to the tool area and
opened all 5 boxes and the last one opened was
made in USA so I bought it and left with a small
victory for myself.

 

[RobMD]

I'm holding a Mexican responsible if my shed is broken into.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I bought my Lincoln Electric mig welder assuming it was 100% American. Got it home opened the box and saw the sticker "assembled in mexico" on the back. It is almost impossible to buy American products these days.

 

[S.Crum]

I'm just guessing here, but one would think that if enough of the American buying public is going to buy stuff made 'offshore', they're not going to buy the stuff made offshore bearing an American name and reputation. Ie; why should I pay $129.00 for a Milwaukee grinder that is made in Mexico when I can buy a "yangsu" grinder made in China for $19.00? I'm taking the same risk on an imported piece. Granted maybe I can get the parts to repair a mexican Milwaukee when I maybe cannot for a "yangsu", but I could buy 6 "yangsu" grinders for the price of one mexican Milwaukee and if the "yangsu" fails, it goes in the dumpster and I can keep moving with the next of the "yangsu" grinders while I'm having to wait up to 3 weeks for something as simple as motor brushes for the mexican Milwaukee. I'm just real disappointed with the bandwagon of hard and well earned American names being used to market cheap imported junk and selling at the same price as American made. I don't care if any manufacturer say's 'it's made to our exacting specifications' Sorry pal, it still ain't as good as the tool it replaced.

 

[alg]

Remember that when you vote for president.Bill Clinton passed NAFTA.That's when all the job's went to Mexico.

 

[railhead]

the state of our Nation and our now "inability" to manufacture anything makes me very very sad. I am deeply concerned where we are headed. It makes me sick to open any tool I buy and find mexco or china but the only alternative is not to buy anything these days.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Lincoln Electric is selling a small welder made in Poland.

 

[OldFarmTractor]

This may sound terrible but I don't have any problem with buying tools and items "Made in Mexico"

Sure, it would be nice to buy stuff that was made by Americans but think about it. If it said "Made in America" it would mean in an American factory. Maybe that factory was owned by an American but I bet you the people working in the factory were Mexican.

So now we have the problem of the movement of people and families into our country.

Which would you rather have?

 

[1936]

If you want good locks go to a lock smith shop and buy a brand called American.

 

[greygoat]

I'd rather have American---BUT--I'd rather have
mexican over Chinese. Quality is usually better
and it keeps Mexicans in Mexico.

 

[S.Crum]

I'm thinking that most folks have missed my point here. What I'm trying to say is if I'm buying an American named product and paying extra money to buy that product fully expecting that I'm helping to keep a fellow NORTH AMERICAN employed, is it to much to ask that the product be made here inside our borders? I don't care what flavor the person making it is. As long as everybody is doing business above board and legal, the employee is a tax paying AMERICAN just like the rest of us, right?

 

[ebbsspeed]

s.crum said "What I'm trying to say is if I'm buying an American named product and paying extra money to buy that product fully expecting that I'm helping to keep a fellow NORTH AMERICAN employed, is it to much to ask that the product be made here inside our borders?"

I really hate to have to point out to you that the country of Mexico IS IN NORTH AMERICA......

 

[Steve in IN]

I found something that is made in America with American materials: Hon office chairs. I'm shopping for one right now for work. It is about twice the price but has a lifetime warranty vs the Chinese 1 year warranty.

Plus, since I have taken over the maintenance roll at work, I have been on the phone with Hon twice in the last month or so getting replacement parts for Warrantied chairs. Guess what? No accents that I couldn't understand and I only had to press a number one time once their machine picked up the phone. That put me in touch with a live customer support person that took care of my problem each time.

Guess which chair I am going to buy for myself?

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

Hi Ebbsspeed,

Technically, yes it is. But pointing that out is a lot like acknowledging that a lot of United States Americans are not of white, northern European descent. It runs counter to the wishful thinking mental image many people still hold of what this country looks like. Unless something amazing and totally off the radar happens, the view of America as an industrial powerhouse is going to be another one of those conditions that used to be true but aren't anymore. Buying American made products would certainly be one way to turn the situation around, but only if a significant proportion of the buying public did so. As it is, it's like shovelling sand against the tide.

All the best, Stan

 

[rustyj]

Did you folks hear that the Hershey Chocolate company, in Hershey, Pa., has sold the factories and is now going to make their candy in Mexico?
Yes, its true, I read a story about it several weeks ago.
And, i told my wife, who loves Hershey Bars with Almonds, she'd better learn to like some candy made in America, because i'm not buying Hershey bars any more!
Why?? Do the Mexican factories have the health laws to contend with? I don't think so!

 

[Eric SEI]

Lots of candy companies are moving out or thinking about it because they can use cheap sugar instead of American sugar. The candy comes into this country without the duties the sugar would.

 

[tractormarkb]

I work for a large US Company who had jobs that our workers hated to assemble, real pita jobs. We opened a plant in Mexico for jobs with high manual labor. we kept the automated jobs here. At first the quality from Mexico was terrible then as our US employees trained them the quality eventually met and even surpassed what the us plant produced. My point is they can be taught, learn and even surpass the quality of made in the US. the Chinase will also learn eventually too. scarry world economy.

 

[CJ3b_jeep]

My problem with Master locks: I bought two locks for my new pole building, they were expensive master locks, the kind you can't get cutters onto and have a little dust cover over the keyhole. I bought two of them, with 4 keys total. All of the keys open each of the locks...I did not buy matched key locks, just two random locks that were both keyed the same. I can also open my neighbor's welding trailer with my keys. What theif needs a bolt cutter when they can just buy a lock and get the same key I have?

 

[loveshisallis]

I can;t teel ya just how very much I agree with you with being disguisted with all of the imports when you are trying to buy OUR STUFF. I always try hard to buy from here , and if I get funny looks , that is theri problem.

 

[john18436572]

Masterlock is now (to my knowledge) manufacturing every lock they have in either Mexico or China. There used to be a company called American Lock that was still made in the US, but Masterlock bought them out and they are now being made in Mexico too. There is ONE American made padlock that I have found, they are called Top Brass. Thay are brass, and are keyed locks, no combo"s.

http://www.topbrasspadlocks.com/
http://www.topbrasspadlocks.com/

 

[farmer boy]

This isn't locks but I remember a while ago when there was this same discussion on workboots. There are Canadian made workboots believe it or not. Imagine wearing boots that were made in your own country. The prices are all the same for the boots. North American made or not. I hate buying Chinise but I have no problem buying German or Japanese. Guess it has to do with quality control and not being throw away. Both of our Stihl chainsaws (MS250 and 038 Magnum) were made in Mexico but I have no problem with that. Our Kubota along with every accessory on it was made in Japan yet I won't even consider pricing a chinese tractor. I just cannot stand Chinese, Thailand, or any of those countries. Shoe Technology Company(STC) if it matters.

 

[Jim B. in OH]

Farmerboy, your post reminded me of something, I have a 13HP Honda engine, GX series [b:13ebb521fc]NOT[/b:13ebb521fc] GC. Says "made in Thialand" It is still Honda quality, but I am a bit upset. Jim

 

[farmer boy]

That's actually kind of funny cause last year while at the Toronto farm show we decided to buy a pressure washer because it was a real good deal and we really needed one. 6.5 Honda GX. Got home and read the manual. Made in Thailand.