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Comment by MeImCounting | Hacker News Reader

You should look at some USA made pocket knives. American manufacturing is still alive, well and expensive. Three Rivers Manufacturing, Chris Reeves Knives, Oz Machine Co, American Bladeworks, Koenig Knives and others are doing the best machining using the best materials with the finest engineering anywhere in the world.

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Swiss pocket knife manufacturers might disagree on "finest engineering anywhere in the world" with you.

I cant even think of any swiss knife manufacturers except for Victorinox. They are cute and handy but not even in the same world as the knife manufacturers mentioned above. For instance the SAK in my pocket currently has ever so slight side-to-side blade play from the factory and the file has over time created a small scratch on the side of the blade. Both these kinds of faults would get you a brand new knife and profuse apology from the likes of Koenig or TRM.

Dont get me wrong swiss army knives are great but they cant hold a candle to American manufacturers.

> I cant even think of any swiss knife manufacturers except for Victorinox.

The term "Swiss Army Knife" is trademarked by Victorinox. There used to be another manufacturer (Wenger), but they got bought by Victorinox and the brand disappeared in 2013.

Their cards, on the other hand, are a truly useful go-go gadget: https://www.victorinox.com/en-US/Products/Swiss-Army-Knives/...

I'll stay with Spyderco for actual knives.

Not that Spyderco are bad, as they do make quality knives. but after switching to Benchmade … I would highly recommend Benchmade over nearly anything else.

Try a Three Rivers Manufacturing Shadow. Same lock as a Benchmade but better quality control and IMO a superior design as far as ergonomics and practicality go than anything currently on offer from Benchmade. I love my Benchmades but when compared to TRM they almost always end up looking like a worse value proposition.

Switzerland didn't land a man on the moon

Yeah, but they have social healthcare, so I guess they weep all the way to their four+ weeks of paid vacation in their beautiful alpine landscape with drinking-water-quality lakes. It probably crushes their souls that the US landed on the moon over half a century ago.

On a more serious note, it crushes my soul to see that US citizens, given all the US dystopian problems still cling to old (and granted: impressive!) victories, while there seems to be not a scintilla of optimism for the challenges ahead.

This is like worshipping the flame, when you should carry on the fire. The spirit that made the moon landing possible is the opposite of what is displayed here.

>Yeah, but they have social healthcare

The Swiss healthcare system is based on compulsory private health insurance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Switzerland

This is not that different from France.

We have compulsory health insurance which is deducted from our pay slip. On top of that you have an extra insurance which is or not compulsory depending where you work.

We do have, however, a decent basic coverage for people who do not work, immigrants, ...

1- they don't have social Healthcare

2- I'm from Colorado, where there is also "drinking water quality lakes" (ever seen a Coors can?)

3- No one is holding onto this victory, the challenges the US faces are no more or less dystopian than any other country.

I'm tired of people complaining about a country they barely know anything about. Go outside and meet your neighbors, stop watching doom and gloom YouTube videos all day.

Also: only suckers drink from a lake when there's a beautiful spring nearby, and only slightly farther down the valley, a Alp hostel, where you can get not only clean water, but also cold beer and a nut torte.

Yup, we have springs in Colorado too

China will soon. So, Chinese pocket knives then, for you?

I'll wait and see how it goes

China actually does manufacture some very high quality pocket knives, they mainly OEM for American designers but the machining is actually very good.

Great list. Have to throw in a shout out to Dawson Knives - a family business producing some very fine sharp things.

Leatherman is American and makes more sophisticated knives/tools.

I don't own one because I can never tell where in the world I'm allowed to carry one.

Every Leatherman I’ve ever had has broken in short order.

Wirecutter tested them: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-multitool/

I’ve abused and used a leatherman wave+ for 3 years now, and nothing on it has broken… and I’ve been super rough on it. Have you used their more expensive ones?

I was recently gifted a PST from somewhere around 1986 - 1989 Ive struggled to precisely date it. Its been carried a handful of times, retains its leather sheath and still has the shaving sharp factory edge.

Its beautiful and since you brought up Leatherman I shall boast. :)

How do they compare to the likes of Böker and other knives from Solingen?

Boker makes good knives and German knives in general are known to be very high quality. The makers I mentioned earlier are in a different tier though and probably cost twice to 3x as much and have much tighter quality control and generally better/more expensive materials.

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