Outdoor Adventure USA

Outdoor Products Made in the USA


OAUSA has designated October as "Made In the USA" month. So, its now time to promote the great products made right here, and also to underscore the need to take the time to discover all the new things that are, again, wearing the "Made In USA" label.

'Tis better to get this out now. Way too many people have been tempted into buying what they need by the lure of CHEAP stuff and free delivery. No need to mention company names, because just about all of us have taken advantage of this business at one time or another. BUT, whether your cheap stuff is delivered by a major name company or cheap stuff you can find all over the place, it comes with a price tag which is not immediately measured in dollars. The price tag of which I speak, comes every time you buy a product that does not wear the made in USA label, because you are not supporting American workers and the American economy, but worse yet, in many cases, you are financially supporting enemies of the USA.

So, how do we avoid this hidden price tag????? Simple, when you want something made here, look for it. Resist the temptation of cheap stuff and free delivery, and either take a few minutes in an internet search, or ask the friendly salesman at your favorite store. You will be surprised at how much stuff carries the correct "Made In" label. And the good news is that there is an ever increasing trend for manufacturing to return to America. And, speaking of which.............

An industry group, the Reshoring initiative, was formed in 2010. This was their goal:

The Reshoring Initiative® is the leading voice in making the case to companies that it is often in their interest to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States or keep existing jobs here. We promote reshoring (insourcing, onshoring, rightshoring, and backshoring) and FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) and provide tools and support for companies evaluating sourcing locations.

They maintain the largest inventory of the pace and volume of companies that are returning to our shores. Below are the numbers for 2022 and Q1 for 2023:



Just so there is no doubt, we have never wavered from our belief that high quality matters, and when you can find a well made product in the USA, it is a win/win situation.

So, if it's something we use in the outdoors, its fair game. This includes, but is not limited to:
Ham radios and gear
camping equipment
clothing
food preparation gear
coffee preparation gear
vehicle gear used on your excursions
navigation equipment
firearms, handloading equipment/supplies, ammo, holsters
shooting gear, accessories, gunsmithing tools, cleaning stuff
hunting gear
hiking gear
backpacking equipment
footwear, head wear
first aid stuff
water purification devices
optics
survival and emergency food, supplies, water, equipment, resources
off-road equipment, tools, recovery stuff
bug out bags and contents
flashlights
knives
alternate power, solar, wind, generator
batteries

Just to name a few!!! We are always anxious to support American companies, but we don't know 'em all. What have you f

Options for acquisition of Made-in-the-USA knives are plentiful, and with a little bit of research, you'll easily find products that put most of the foreign-made knives to shame, with the reward being a quality product made by American hands.

Tonight I will present two Made-in-the-USA knife makers, each taking a very different approach to making knives. The makers to be highlighted tonight are Anza Knives and Moore Maker.

Anza Knives

https://anzaknives.biz/store/

From the Manufacturer
"Anza has been committed to providing top handmade affordable knives for the sportsman and collector. Charlie Davis, owner of Anza Knives, has over 50 years experience making knives and founded ANZA in 1980. Our knives are so sharp and hold an edge for so long that they have become a favorite among guides, outfitters, hunters, backpackers, and fishermen as well as a utility knife by the "workingman". Anza Knives are completely handmade, each one different in its own way. Built for the collector, priced for the sportsman, used by the working man. These are high carbon steel and made to CUT!"

My Thoughts on Anza Knives
Anza manufactures fixed blade knives, mainly from files, though a few of the fishing knives are made using High Carbon 1095 Steel to help achieve the flexibility needed in a fishing knife. Proper care is easy and needed to keep the blades from rusting.

No two Anza knives are identical since they are made one at at time by hand by a craftsperson. That said, Anza has a variety of different knife patterns, including multiple patterns for the various file sizes used as the base for the knives.

A beautiful feature of an Anza knife is that the makers leave some of the file texture in place, making it obvious the knife steel began as a file. Of course the file blades are tempered by Anza to render them less brittle.

I have found that Anza knives come very sharp, and with a little attention at home, I can easily bring them to arm-hair shaving sharp thanks to the high carbon steel. Edge retention is very good

Anza knives will set you back somewhere between about $70 and $2,600, with the majority of Anza knives in the $100-$200 range.

The best way to buy an Anza knife is to visit their showroom in El Cajon, CA where you can view the knives first hand. The Anza web store is another way to buy...just make sure you carefully view each knife against the ruler in the photo inset so that you know the size of the knife before you buy it. Also, not all knives comes with a sheath, so read the description to find out which knives do.

Video of Charlie Davis telling the story of Anza Knives: https://youtu.be/ybMDdLpMAvQ?si=XAxj4plwpnXOy6WW

Two Examples of Anza Knives

Top: About 7.5" overall length with 3" edge (ricasso to tip), laminate scales, full tang, and leather sheath.
Bottom: About 5" overall length with 2" edge, Elk and American Walnut scales, file work, full tang, and leather sheath.

Moore Maker

https://www.mooremaker.com/about.html

From the Manufacturer
"Moore Maker INC. was established in 1985 by Wayland Moore, and Glynard Moore, in Matador, Texas. Matador is a small town at the bottom of the Texas panhandle, 65 miles northeast of Lubbock, and 300 miles west of Dallas. Agriculture makes up the bulk of the local economy, with cattle ranching and cotton farming being among the top occupations.

The Moores started making bits, spurs, and buckles in the family garage, soon thereafter they began to build dehorners. Next came bullnose fencing pliers, and later, knives, saddle pliers, and other fencing and ranching tools. Today Moore Maker INC., is the largest manufacturer of knives, and ranching tools in Texas. All Moore Maker products are top quality and guaranteed to last, some for as long as the life of the owner. The reason Moore Maker emphasizes quality in their products over any other aspect, is that if a consumer buys the best, and that item lasts him or her forever, then that person will come back and buy from us again, and he will tell all of his friends. That reputation is what we strive for.

The knives and tools that Moore Maker produces are tested extensively on some of the worlds greatest ranches before they are ever sold to the public. The King ranch, the 6666 ranch, the Waggoner ranch, and the Pitchfork ranch are among those that use and test the knives and tools from Moore Maker. If there is any deficiency in the tools, it will be soon found by the men and women of these ranches, then the tool will be redesigned to meet the demands of the working cowboy.
​
Moore Maker INC. has built knives for President George W. Bush, Gov. Rick Perry, Charlie Daniels, and George Strait. Moore Maker is active in the local community, and regularly donates both time and money to livestock shows, and local schools. The Moore family still owns and operates Moore Maker INC. on a daily basis, and still finds the time to ranch and farm around Matador."

My Thoughts on Moore Maker Knives
Moore Maker knives are 100% Made in the USA using American made materials, including its folding and fixed blade knives. Moore Maker contracts its knife manufacturing to American companies, with Moore Maker owning many of the knife patents along with the jigs and dies used in the manufacture of the knives. Importantly, Moore Maker writes the knife specifications and oversees quality control. Moore Maker has had their knives built by Canal Street, Camillus, Queen, Bear & Sons, and Utica. For a period, Moore Maker contracted some knives to Boker in Germany, though that practice seems to have ended.

Most of Moore Maker's knives are made from 1095 High Carbon Steel hardened to 56 +/- 1 Rockwell. Proper care, which is pretty easy, is needed to prevent the blades from rusting, especially before the blades age and the carbon begins to migrate to the surface and darken the blade. Moore Maker suggests Pam cooking spray for rust prevention.

Moore Maker makes knives with a variety of scales, with bone being most common. Scales using synthetics and composites are available. Perhaps most interesting are the exotic scales, including stabilized Pinecone Damacus, stabilized Cholla, stabilized Cedar Fence Post, Mesquite, Impala, stabilized Armadillo, and Stag.

Moore Maker knives will set you back between $40 and $400, with most of the bone-scaled pocket folders in the $80 to $100 range.

Two Examples of Moore Maker Knives

Folder, Dyed cow bone scales, 1095 High Carbon Steel, Double Lockback (each blade has an independent lock), Leather Sheath Folder, Composite scales, 1095 High Carbon Steel, Lockbadk, Leather Sheath (I made and added the lanyard)

Rules For Using the phrase, "Made In The USA"

Technical time!

What does made in USA mean. It should come as no surprise that there are a number of deceptive descriptions that are intentionally made to sound like the stuff is made here, but buyers need to be aware that it just ain't always what it seems.

Made in USA , almost means what it says. The FTC regulates when a product can wear the Made In USA label, and they say this:

“Made in USA” means that “all or virtually all” the product has been made in the USA. That is, all significant parts, processing and labor that go into the product must be of U.S. origin.

But look out for these descriptions, especially when the American Flag is wrapped with these weasel words.

• Made in USA with globally sourced components

• Assembled in USA

• Designed/engineered/built in USA

• The company headquarters is in the USA

• Made in America. Technically, America can mean Canada and Mexico. In doubt???? Call the company

And, beware of products that prominently display an American flag on the product, but lack the necessary phrase of, "Made in USA. "

Here is a really good tip: If you are viewing a product in an article, an advertisement of that product, or the company website which sells or describes that product, AND there is no mention of the country of origin, the odds are good that it is NOT made in the USA. If it's truly USA made, the company will invariably so state. I am aware of no cases of manufacturers of USA made products rushing to slap a "made In China" label on their stuff.

In the last several years, there has been a significant rise in false claims of "Made In USA", and its no secret why........there is a growing demand for USA made stuff, which translates to a desirable and profitable market for products wearing the Made in USA label. And, from what I have observed, Americans are turning more and more to products made here. I'm realistic enough however, to know that there will always be a population that buys cheap, and the products made overseas where labor is cheap or free, will always be less expensive. But, as it becomes more and more evident that some of the countries where labor is cheap or free, are not our friends, and often wish us harm, the incentive to buy cheap will subside.

Make no mistake about it, there are increasing numbers of businesses that are making false claims of Made in USA in the hope that they can cash in on this profitable market. Fortunately, the FTC has finally taken steps to penalize those who engage in such lies. For the consumer the best advise is Caveat Emptor (buyer beware)!!!

Articles relative to Made in USA issues:

FTC Issues Rule to Deter Rampant Made in USA Fraud: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/pr ... -usa-fraud
FTC Rules for Made in USA Labels: https://www.federalregister.gov/documen ... eling-rule

Unique Made In USA Products


1. Librem 5 USA Liberty Cellphone

It's about time. While the so called "smart cell phone" offers users outstanding tools and capabilities, they also carry a uniquely unpleasant and invasive quality in the form of virtually unlimited snooping by the phone maker, the countless apps installed on the phone (many of which cannot be deleted) and a host of other privacy destroying technologies. In exchange for free or cheap apps, free email, free navigation, et al., users have given away just about all of their privacy rights. They track you, read your emails, log your internet searches, record your preferences, have access to your photos, read your text messages, and more that you don't even know about. Finally there is a company that gives you the benefits of a "smart phone" but also gives you the power to stop the snooping, or at least control it. The Purism Liberty phone is just such a phone - https://puri.sm/products/liberty-phone/ . This phone carries a hefty price tag, but these days, so do all of the top line smart phones. In the end, it all depends on how much you value your privacy.

They say this:

This device is for anybody and everybody interested in protecting his/her data, communicating privately to your loved ones, or supporting a future of protecting your digital rights.

Some of the Benefits:

• Ensure that your personal data is secure, and not sold to third parties.

• All electronics of the Liberty Phone are made in their USA facility, and the entire phone is assembled in the USA

• Hardware Kill Switch

Source: https://puri.sm/products/liberty-phone/



2. Weathertech

Weathertech is an American Company that makes a number of products that help to protect your vehicle. For me, it has been my go-to source for rugged, long lasting, and attractive floor mats for my 4WD vehicle. Through mud, muck, wet conditions, and all the dirt and dust that find their way into the truck, my Weathertech floor mats have contained the yuck and protected the interior of the vehicle.

From David MacNeil, the founder and CEO of Weathertech:

As a business owner, I want to create high quality products that are designed, engineered and manufactured right here in America, built by American workers. You see, when something is made in America, it means more than just a good paying job for someone ... every manufacturing job actually creates up to five other jobs, including the delivery of products, packaging, designing, engineering and so on. Not to mention the communities, and supporting the small businesses of where those workers live every day.

Buying products that are made in America, the businesses have to operate in a system that is respectful to human rights, doesn’t harm the environment, and must adhere to certain quality standards.

So, the next time you’re at the store buying anything, look and see where it was made, and see if there is a similar product that is made in America. It might cost a little more, but what you’ll be saving is a lot more than just a few bucks, I promise you that.

Source: Weathertech - https://www.weathertech.com/floorliner-digitalfit/


3. SteelFreak 14 Inch Square Fire Pit - Starry Night

All of their products are hand made in the USA. This fire pit is especially useful in areas where ground fires are not allowed, e.g. Anza Borrego, and where smaller campfire footprints are preferable.

From the Steel Freak Website:

Our SteelFreak 14 Inch Square Fire Pits are laser cut from 10 gauge sheet metal here in the USA. They are designed to last so they will be your loyal companion for countless adventures and romantic nights in front of the fire. It is fully collapsible, easy to store and assembled in under 60 seconds.

Source:https://www.steelfreak.com/


4. Breeo Outdoor Smokeless Stainless Steel Fire pits

Breeo makes several sizes of outdoor fire pits, the smallest being the X series, built with portability in mind, to use for outings like camping. They are constructed from stainless steel and they all carry a lifetime warranty, are made in the USA, and come with free shipping.

One of the Breeo benefits that should appeal to campers is the smokeless feature built into all their outdoor fire pits. They say this:

Fires smoke because of 3 reasons: lack of heat, lack of oxygen, or the wrong fuel. The key to a smokeless system is creating more airflow and burning a hotter fire. So, what does smokeless mean exactly? Simply, it means less smoke. Our fire pits are engineered to drastically reduce their smoke output - saving your eyes and the environment simultaneously. https://breeo.co/products/x-series-smokeless-fire-pit

Source: https://breeo.co/products/x-series-smokeless-fire-pit


Sources For USA Made Stuff

It is becoming easier and easier to locate high quality USA made stuff, thanks in large part to various websites that have compiled lists of businesses that make their products right here. In the few short years that we have been doing this net, I have found several new sites that have become excellent sources of USA made gear. Here are some:

1. Adventure Tool Company - https://adventuretoolcompany.com/
2. Made In USA Forever - https://madeinusaforever.com/
3. Hunting Waterfalls Made in USA Coolers - https://huntingwaterfalls.com/best-cool ... n-the-usa/
4. Duckworth Outdoor Clothing - https://schnees.com/brands/Duckworth.html?page=2

Until the point is reached when we recover a great deal of our manufacturing capabilities, made in USA products will not be as plentiful or as easy to find as they once were. What this means is that for those who wish to buy American goods, it may be necessary to spend a little extra time to find what you want. With few exceptions, when I am looking for outdoor gear, I start with an internet search for x product, made in the USA. One note of caution however. Either due to the relatively small market that some USA products occupy, or due to the prejudices of the particular search engine you are using, I have noted a disturbing trend. When there is a USA made product, it seems that the mention thereof in your internet search often occurs on the 13th (or is it the 15th) page, if it shows up at all. No names here, but use good judgement, or try another search engine that isn't so selective. But, don't give up easily, as the rewards of high quality, great customer service, actual warranties that will be around when you need them, and the satisfaction of supporting American companies and the American economy, are well worth the effort.

This particular post is meant to only make these points. Explanation on the net.

Can Opener




Glassware



Coffee Mugs



Lehman's USA Made (https://www.lehmans.com/product/heritag ... minicart_a)



Black Stallion Welding Gloves - Made in the USA

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As for made in USA…

Here is a picture with an example of “made in USA”….

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