Again, welcome!

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The chinese have no respect for Intellectual Property laws. I know from experience. Look at how much software piracy goes on in China at retail shops. I used to work for a large Personal Finance Software Company that found chinese copies of our product that even used our company name on them!

We have watched our manfacturing base in this country disappear with the promise of a “Service Economy” whatever that means. Is minimum wage retail jobs at Walmart the service economy we have created. Software development has moved off-shore, and along with it, high paying jobs.

I was a strong free trade advocate based on my business school background. Now I am not so sure. I think we should support the innovators in our country, and not do business with those who don’t create innovation.

Now we are facing global warming, yet the third world manufacturers are not interested in participating in improving the situation. These are troubling times, and for me, a time to examine our set of business assumptions.

Bob”

Well said, Bob, very well said indeed….

For what it’s worth, my own views have been developed over time since the ’70′s when Japanese were making cheap knock-off copies of American goods. I have been a bonsai practitioner since the ’70′s and the Japanese claim to originating bonsai – and bonsai pots and bonsai tools – has fallen away to reveal that bonsai is a copy of Chinese penjing – including penjing pots and penjing supplies.

Now the shoe is on the other foot and the Japanese are squealing… High quality original Chinese penjing pots are less expensive (but not cheap) here now than Japanese copies…. so claims of cheap Chinese knock-offs of hi-quality Japanese pots fall on deaf ears here! I suspect the same could be said for wooden body planes…

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If by chance I find out that they are made by horrible, horrible people, then I will probably not buy them anymore. If their quality is representative of their standards and ethics, and I suspect there is a correlation, then I suspect that they are very honorable people. It would not surprise me if they still paid their employee’s a token of what they are really worth. But producing value means maintaining a certain level of skill. Quality tools require quality materials. In turn this can raise the awareness of people to the value of people.

Bob

You said:

“One of the big issues is the China thing. A lot of folk are developing a real hatred of things from China or India. Personally I would rather support the company that takes care of their employees. I would much rather buy from Canada that China for the same reason that I would rather buy food from a share-cropper than a slave owner. I think that people that share control, profit and future are more likely to make caring decisions. People who exploit people are much more likely to put toxic stuff in baby formula. As we turn our face away from the suffering of others, we practice the same skills that endanger our world.

I would rather buy local, but my real priority is to buy ethical. I would rather not reward selfishness. Business should be win-win. I try to consider trade practice, environment and business ethics, when I buy. I don’t want to give more money and power to a person or company that does not care about people. Even people who they will never meet, of different faiths, colors and languages.

I approve of WoodCrafts effort to offer quality products at lower prices, but I would rather not have products made by underpaid labor drive a quality company like Lie-Nielson out of business.”

TJIC said:

“I note that “underpayed” is all relative – folks don’t get pressganged to work in third world factories – they work there because the total package of wages / hours / working conditions are better than their alternatives. I’d rather work 12 hours in a factory with heating than 14 hours in a field!

The low wage / mediocre quality level of production is something that all economies go through on their way up. When the US was bootstrapping itself, Europeans were outraged that we worked so hard, and for so little.

I think that buying Chinese made tools, when they are of good quality, is a fine thing.

Americans are not babies – we don’t need special protections to survive and thrive.

We shouldn’t give Lie Nielsen or Veritas the “bigotry of low expectations”. Let them compete – they’ll do fine! Check out Bridge City Toolworks – their prices are stratospheric, but they’re selling works of art, and they’re thriving.”

TJIC – you did not address Bob’s main statement about selling a copy of a copy. Bob said he was happy with his service from Woodcraft and the products they sell in general. He said he had a specific problem with them taking a Lie Nielsen product to China and having a knock-off made to undersell them. You just have to understand Bob-speak to sift that out; but it was very plainly stated behind the leading ethics issue. This is Bob’s site. Challenging him on ethics will draw a response, which is only fair after all.

When Woodcraft sells Chinese woodworking products of established Chinese heritage we all benefit in the chain from artisan to purchaser…. In fact, Japanese who complain of cheap Chinese knock-offs must accept that they originally copied them from the Chinese many centuries ago.

Finally, my own concern – except for a bit of translating – is that sale of cheap Chinese goods here undermines sale of high-dollar Chinese tools (here). We are missing a wealth of historical Chinese masterpieces because we only think of them for cheap products and knock-offs.

Just my 2 cents worth, ya’ll just go on about your business now…

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