It's mind boggling that this idea isn't something that people do on there own anymore. Maybe we need to use a widespread advertising campaign like back in WWII to get the message out. There is a related post on this blog http://americanboom.com/blog/ if you want to check it out.

Thanks for the post man!

I do buy American, when I can, e.g. All-Clad cookware that will last the rest of my life (but check the packaging; even All-Clad is making stuff in China now), the US-made old tools in my old rusty US-made toolbox that I've had since I was about 16, and so on. But it's become so hard to find US-made products that I've largely given up, though I always try and find an alternative to Chinese product to the point where I will go without. This is nothing to do with Chinese workers and everything to do with their corrupt government and total disregard for the value of human life, not to mention the environmental devastation they've wrought. It's also a message to vendors, but they won't listen.

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We're too caught up in saving money and being frugal that a $50 hammer vs. a $15 hammer is a simple choice because of the $35 difference.

I'd rather pay the $50 hammer once, but I just can't find that kind of steel or quality any longer.

Fabulously Broke in the City

“Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.“

If you do enough digging, you can find companies making things the old fashioned way. Most of the ones that have survived, have done so by moving upmarket into the realm of luxury goods marketed to the wealthy. Examples: Le Creuset pots, Allen Edmonds shoes, audiophile grade stereos, diesel Mercedes-Benz sedans. This stuff will last. The problem for someone like me is that you pay two premiums, one for the durability, and a second for the exclusive luxury brand status.

There are a very few mass-market, high quality manufacturers left. In your specific case of tools, Craftsman hand tools (not power tools) sold at Sears are built to last forever, and they back that up with a guarantee. Arguably Toyota and Honda fit this niche as well.

But you're right, people do look out for their wallets, but foolishly in many cases. As many, many blogs point out, “cheap” is a lot different from “frugal!”