I have an old buddy who’s last job was doing brand licensing in hi-tech. He’s told me lots of “war stories”, and after watching the effects of branding and his stories, licensing your brand is almost always a short-term money grab. Because all the deals I know about, the original manufacturer has virtually no control over production or quality once they’ve licensed their brand. Tons of academic case studies out there also, that show the OEM brand always at least takes a hit and often the pull of their hard earned brand declines. The same thing is true of being a high quality manufacturer and then churning out high volume cheap products under the same moniker. But greed often overrides commitments to customers, communities, and quality. I think most people know this in their gut, and for a great many of us, we realize keeping research, design, capabilities, and production in our country really matters strategically - hence, BUY AMERICAN 🇺🇸

You cant stamp 'Made in the USA' on a product too much for me. As long as it actually is made in the USA, we're good. 👍🏻🇺🇲

I think Americans patriotism makes them a ripe target for marketing mischief.

One of the Knipex 10" version of hose clamp pliers has a lock.

Related, our washing machine stopped pumping out a while back. Bailed it out, took it apart to find the water pump seized. Replaced said pump and all was again 'ponies & rainbows'. Then out of curiosity, took the old pump apart... and found a toothpick jammed within. Pita...

I do my absolute best to buy USA made products. First for the quality but mainly to help keep my brothers and sisters working. My favorite hammer is still my American made Vaughan CF1. I cannot begin to tell you how many thousands of nails I have driven with it. Have a drawer full of Blue handle tools, Snap On tools, Klein and now starting to pick up USA Milwaukee hand tools. Thanks for another video brother. Edit to add, I picked up two pry bars at Walmart last week. They are the Hyper Tough brand but made in the USA. I really didn't need any more but a 25" USA made for 12 dollars is a pretty good deel. Plus they have the metal striking cap on the handle.

Doc I am a big fan of Vaughan hammers made by the Vaughan & Bushnell. They have a plant in Bushnell, Illinois. I went to college in Macomb, Illinois which is about 15 minutes from there. I was a paramedic in college and after college. I did training of the volunteer Fire Dept in Bushnell. One of the students was a supervisor there. I had an old fire axe my Dad had given me out of the Schubert Theatre in Chicago. Anyways the handle was old, the head had been painted. They took my axe to the plant put on a brand new hickory handle, removed the paint and polished the head to a mirror finish. Thanks for the episode. I am ok with the branding.

I don’t have a problem with the USA branding. I like that there is a marketing incentive for companies to make at USA made tools.

Can't wait for the review of the 410 channel locks I have had two pair of them for 40 years absolutely love them 👍😎👍

I will say the new Milwaukee linesman made in USA pliers are really giving my knipex daily go to pairs a real run for their money! Very impressed but carry the knipex price. Worth the price, both destroy Klein.

Knipex do make a locking hose clamp pliers

Great video. Vaughan has been hit or miss on quality for me, but the rig builder’s hatchet is one of my favorite tools. The channellock 410 is excellent. The design predates channellock making it. I want to say it was a Utica (some old brand like that). I have two of each size. The videos of the channellock plant in meadsville are great to watch.

Channellock at 7:50: Now it's getting personal. Knipex: Hold my flag.

There is this slow but great movement to see the manufacturing coming back to USA, particularly with tools. I am glad about this, people's demand and in particular the administration's new policies which support the companys here. They now understand that the so called globalization was Not really good for the Americans except for some greedy CEOs and the people republic of China. AMERICAN engeneuty is back and strong.

If they didn't say both "made in the USA" and "made with US materials" then we wouldn't know, so I'd count that as one. It's a shame they have to confuse the issue that way, but it's an acknowledgement that "made in the US with global materials" doesn't mean as much to us, as it probably shouldn't.

I love those new channel locks. They are better than my knipex for the most part for my purposes. They grip SO GOOD. I want a micro version and I would be happy. As a quadriplegic they really let me get a good grip on things, although they do bugger up what you are grabbing on.

Would love to see what your thoughts are on the stiletto USA made hammers titanium

Vaughan makes the NT150. The definitive best soft face hammer. Don’t challenge that boast until you’ve had one in your hand. Absolutely amazing. Buy two.

Vaughn makes the absolute best cats paw . I have 3 of them . Estwing Milwaukee and Vaughn. And of the 3 Vaughn is king. And I been seriously beating on it for years. And it's still sharp. If you're going to get a catspaw get a Vaughn.

I'd rather see an actual alloy designation... as opposed to 'US Steel' and stock photos.

I just got the stiletto trimbone 10oz finishing hammer and it is the nicest hammer I have ever seen. I like small hammers for wood stuff so most hammers are way too big. It’s like that little hammer but all titanium. I got the soft tips so hopefully I will use it more since I paid more than snap on pricing for it

Great video with a good point. Marketing is just all over the place and competing for our attention. It worries me knowing that I might get a tool without thinking that a particular part, hopefully not a acritical one, is of a lesser quality than the entire tool. Seems like there should be a clear list of where each part (or group of parts) is made in a clear, transparent and standardized fashion. Thanks doc.

I'd like to move to western MT. Buy about 25 acres and build a barndominium. I bet what I'd want would be astronomically priced. Love your state, Doc.

I had the same deal with some "Monster" earbuds, a Chinese Importer with no relation to the American company. It's a little sleazy to sell a quality name off for branding some piece of junk that could devalue an American company's reputation

I really wished we had the same attitude in the UK. There's absolutely no "made in UK" products in your average high street or shopping park stores. We have no pride in local manufacturing. They could revive Sheffield's steel-making industry for mainstream products, rather than it solely be the domain of very high end goods for the rich.

Knipex has a locking version of the hose clamp pliers.

The apex will be "Made in America, by Americans, Born and Raised in America, with American Materials."

They have a 250 with a button to hold those hose clamps in a locked position… it looks neat!

That is a bit of a shame to see but I will say the vast majority of Vaughan products still seem to be made here in the USA, which is nice to see when the estwing products right next to it have all been outsourced to Asia (wrecking bars and nail pullers coming to mind). I've got 2 of those same 10oz "little pro" hammers along with 2, 20oz steel handle smooth face hammers, and 2 of the 12oz double sided soft face mallets (got 1 of each for work use in the shop and liked them all so much I had to get a second set for at home/on the go). I'd like a 23oz California Framer but I don't really do much framing at this point, if/when I need a framing hammer, that's what I'd get though. I'd like to pick up one of their small 6oz soft face mallets too.

10:15.. somebody gives you money to license your name on their product pays your American workers and keeps the wheels turning..just business as long as it doesn't hurt your business A lot of times they are investment products... if they sell a lot, and there's a place in the marketplace for people to want or need this. Then it's a good business opportunity. If not, either way, they still get a bag of money as long as it's not total junk.

Im glad Vaughan hammers are still made in USA they have slipped though, a CF1 Framing hammer from the 90s just was such quality, the name was stamped in and the head was cheek forged, now they leave the flash on with rest of the forging and lazer etch the name.... laser etch is so cheep, also im glad that plybar/hammer.... is an import what an embarassing tool.

Malco rh4 hammer. You want that for sure.

American manufacturing is on the ropes, no doubt about that. Also, I don't know if that Chinese company was licensed to manufacture that tool. They are notorious for importing knock-offs into the US without the consent of the US manufacturer. That could be the case here. The US companies can't pursue them all and take legal action. It is just not a cost-effective thing to do.

Sadly made in USA means it was likely made without pride or care. I hate it, but it is become my experience.

I wanna see some nepros tools 🔧

Again i think this is a case of that told you it wasn't made here by not advertising that it was. It sucks that they feel the need to offer a few Chinese and Indian made imports, because those products aren't necessary to their lineup. I love Vaughan & Bushnell though, they're the best. Yhey've been made in the USA for at least 150 years at this point as one of Americas oldest tool companies ( Ames is the oldest though, made calvary sabers for the civil war), and were making hammers for Sears going back to the 1880's I've got 3 of the #9 10oz " little pro " hammers, as well as 2 of the #99 16oz, 3 #999 20oz, and 2 505 24oz. The 28oz and 35oz are on my list just to have but I mostly buy these used because I want older stamped examples.y I've love the Channellock nutbuster, I have a current#410 nutbuster and just scored an early 50's #410 nutbuster at a yardsale last week.

Doc, speaking of dishwashers. Ours has a foul smell every time we use it. I got to dump simple green into its drain. Any clue what’s causing the water to stink ?

No lock? Just trex tape the pliers arms together...

They know Made In USA is always a good seller but Made In China will only ever put people off. I reckon the only reason a US tool company would make a point of a tool being "Made In UK" is because they want you to know its not made in China. FWIW China can make great tools if you want to pay them top dollar but their real expertise is making things in large numbers on the cheap, so when a western company goes to China its generally because they're trying to make the product as cheaply as possible, QA be damned.

I like these made in America tool videos

The tool is most probably counterfeit.

It’s a licensed tool. They didn’t design it. They didn’t make it. Why would they spend all the money to tool up on something they didn’t have anything to do with other than want to have the right to market it in the US, under their name?

If it doesn’t say usa on the tool, it’s safe to assume it’s made in China. Wouldn’t make a big deal out of it, every tool company does this. I would understand your argument if there was an American flag or something on the tag, but there isn’t. It’s just their name on the tool.

It seems to me that "made in america" is a guarantee that the thing will be decent, but not more than that. It looks like America is just too greedy to go real high quality like European stuff for example. They go just enough to live up to not being crap because customer expect 'MURIKA but that's about it. OR it's actually high quality but their prices are 5 times higher than the next thing of equivalent quality. It's all about too much greed