The end product is what's important. If they're able to deliver a more cost competitive solution while satisfying the objectives, they deserve to win. We can argue about the principles all day long but in reality, delivering a market-competitive solution is what should matter.
Indeed the end product is important, but at what cost? Principles? I think the adage of “walk a mile in their shoes” applies. The strategic issues of lack of manufacturing in the USA aside, these are jobs and capabilities that are lost. There’s a line in a Springsteen song about a town in NJ in the 60s. “These jobs are going to boys, and they ain’t coming back”. Sure the cheap labor solution is attractive to a point, but again at what cost? Imagine if that was happening to your job, while the ceo gets a huge bonus? What if you were told that you weren’t cost competitive and a superior market driven solution exists so you can take a 50% pay cut amidst excessive growing costs.
Do we want to play ostrich to the ne’er do well people who have no jobs and thus no work ethic, drugged up, and a huge societal cost now and/or tomorrow?When was the last time you went out to dinner in the Tenderrloin in SF, or any less desirable section of any city? Why do you think we don’t make anything anymore in our cities, and have the blight in so many places? I’d argue that the offshoring and loss of many of those manufacturing and lower skill jobs is a big part of what started it.
To put it plainly, I’d rather pay a premium and get more things that are made here, and give people jobs, than to pay their welfare and emergency room bills.
There are certain items where Snap-On delivers the best solution. But that list is becoming shorter and shorter by the year.
Don’t disagree, but ideally if I’m buying from someone else, I’m still supporting jobs and the tax base here, not overseas, or especially and adversarial entity, just to save a buck. I certainly will buy an overseas item if I have a reason to believe it is superior.
But buying something just because the company was the original developer and/or your home team, is doing everyone a disservice.
Where did I say that was the case? We should demand superior solutions and innovation. You know full well that what drivers the market - billions of dollars of sales at HF, HD, Lowe’s, Menards, Amazon, etc. is NOT because of this mythical superior market based solution. It’s purely to sell at a lower price point to increase profit. The CEO lives behind a gate with a security team. He won’t be hassled by the unwashed masses losing their jobs.
No offense - but who cares? The original producer of an idea may not have the best version of the product.
No kidding. But my point was that if a company like SO relabels and adds a premium onto the part for their relabeling, we can find efficiencies by finding the original producer who often comes in at a better cost.
Then they can start offering competitive solutions. I don't get paid at my job because I'm local to the client; I only get paid because I am delivering the most competitive solution to the end user. And that's the way it should be.
And again, walk a mile in their shoes… what happens when someone in TN, or Indonesia, or who knows where (AI) can handle it better for lower cost? No different in any trade.
The making and shaping of metal tools, even the advanced and improved ones, isn’t rocket science. What makes tools interesting is that we had the capability, we haven’t fully lost it, but we’re darn close, and it is a manufacture of what is/could be a cost effective (see Sears Craftsman or similar that we’re all domestic and low cost point until just a few years ago) product.
And sometimes these vendors do create a superior solution. Take the super light aluminum harbor freight jacks. I own at least three. There isn’t something better that I’ve found.
Correct - but this in turn, tends to deliver more cost-competitive solutions to the end user.
By firing the local higher cost labor in the interest of profit. Sure the end result a marginally lower cost
Item, dubious that it’s truly better. But hey, someone saved a buck, and the ceo got a bonus!
Look at Malco eagle grip. Superior product, reasonable price, but Joe Blow is still buying the offshored Irwin or the HF equivalent. Not superior in any way besides marginal price. Certainly not performance.
Back on topic — I also purchased the large metric set.
I used the other set for the first time. They don’t work any better than the Astro 7582’s that I have used for years, but they’re both HSS taps so…
But durability remains a TBD.
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Given all you’ve said, I’m scratching my head why you bought this, especially if you have a “superior market driven solution” from Astro? You already had the USA handles from the other set. Buying higher quality individual components from domestic manufacturers, or even the mystical Chinese/Taiwanese/Indian offshored vendor who had superior engineering and metalurgy and tooling would have been better, no? Regardless of the cost.
That said, looks like a pretty set
