OT: Imports

[Roger Hicks]

From the U.S. . . Les Baer 1911 handguns

Dear Tim,

Ah, yes indeed. I have my late father-in-law's 1934/35 Colt National Match.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Paul Fierberg]

One of the best USA made products are Dexter Russell knives if you never have used one in the kitchen get one of their 6"blade white plastic handle food processing knives...You won't believe how wonderful they are to work with sharp as a razor and easy to sharpen.Used them all the time on my boat and then brought them in the house after my boating days.http://www.dexter-russell.com

 

[MacDaddy]

Hmm! USA only products for me include Sterzing's Potato Chips out of Burlington, Iowa and Boetje's Horseradish Mustard made in my old hometown of Davenport, Iowa. None better, as far as I'm concerned!

 

[JohnTF]

I want 'very good': good Greek olive oil, Mephisto boots, Levis jeans, Leatherman and Wenger or Victorinox pocket tools. My wife feels the same. I'm 12 years older than you; possibly balder; certainly terminally married (26 years last June); and my wife is, for me, part of 'the best'.

Cheers,

R.[/quote]

You shock me for the first time, cannot imagine you think that Wenger could be near the quality of Victorinox. ;-)

John

ps-- any chance of picking up a spare ham?

 

[amateriat]

You shock me for the first time, cannot imagine you think that Wenger could be near the quality of Victorinox.

The knives, maybe, but everything else? ('Specially the watches...!)

Which reminds me, tangentially of course, of something I left off my list:

Lamy fountain pens (Germany, preferably piston-filled). 😀


- Barrett

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Wenger is a division of Victorinox. Victorinox bought them out in 2005

http://www.wenger.ch/knife/Company/History/History.html

 

[amateriat]

Wenger is a division of Victorinox. Victorinox bought them out in 2005

http://www.wenger.ch/knife/Company/History/History.html

A fact which I (in)conveniently forgot. Thanks for the reminder, Chris. 🙂


- Barrett

 

[amateriat]

One of the best USA made products are Dexter Russell knives if you never have used one in the kitchen get one of their 6"blade white plastic handle food processing knives...You won't believe how wonderful they are to work with sharp as a razor and easy to sharpen.Used them all the time on my boat and then brought them in the house after my boating days.http://www.dexter-russell.com

Thanks for the tip, Paul. I've been prodding galfriend about getting a second knife for the kitchen when we're working together on dinner, but can't agree on what to get (I wanted to get an 8" Wusthof to match the one we have; she doesn't want to spend that much, but wants a good knife with a similar heft and "feel").

And, our toaster-oven just died...(kitchen implements...worse than cameras, but lots of fun watching one's significant other deal with GAS for a change!) 😀


- Barrett

 

[KoNickon]

Barrett, check out Lamson & Goodnow Lamsonsharp knives, made in Shelburne Falls, MA.

I would miss Volkswagens (I doubt a Porsche Cayman will ever come my way; Audis are just more expensive VWs; BMWs and Mercedeses are too expensive to own).

I'd miss Italian wines and olive oils, Swiss watches, British loudspeakers, Deutsche Grammophon/Philips/London/Hyperion CDs (and all other European labels).

We're currently renovating our kitchen, so it'd probably make decisionmaking easier if some of the high-end Euro ovens, cooktops, sinks etc. weren't available.

 

[amateriat]

Barrett, check out Lamson & Goodnow Lamsonsharp knives, made in Shelburne Falls, MA.

Now look what I've started! (I'll check it out, thanks.)

I'd miss Italian wines and olive oils, Swiss watches, British loudspeakers, Deutsche Grammophon/Philips/London/Hyperion CDs (and all other European labels).

Ditto. (I'm thinking of Chandos, Nimbus, Bis, and a bunch of smaller yet wonderful labels, putting out great music.)


- Barrett

 

[oscroft]

Apple Mac computers

 

[robert blu]

I agree with oscroft : my mac and I add my boots ! (Timberland) but I know both are not produced in usa ! )
rob

 

[Paul Fierberg]

Thanks for the tip, Paul. I've been prodding galfriend about getting a second knife for the kitchen when we're working together on dinner, but can't agree on what to get (I wanted to get an 8" Wusthof to match the one we have; she doesn't want to spend that much, but wants a good knife with a similar heft and "feel").

And, our toaster-oven just died...(kitchen implements...worse than cameras, but lots of fun watching one's significant other deal with GAS for a change!) 😀


- Barrett

Barrett, You are welcome....It's the carbon steel the Dexter knives are made from that makes them work like magic and sharpen so well.Once you try one you will never use anything else.Also made in massachusetts.In my opinion they put Westhof knives to shame.
Paul



Paul

 

[JohnTF]

Wenger is a division of Victorinox. Victorinox bought them out in 2005

http://www.wenger.ch/knife/Company/History/History.html

See, I told you Victorinox was better, I hope they improved the Wengers.

Do they use the Wenger name?

I just stopped looking at the Wengers many years ago, I thought the quality difference was huge.

I bought my last few in Prague when the dollar was better to the Crown, and in a post 9/11 environment, I feel slightly put out when they make me put my money clip with the 3/4" blade in my suitcase, which seems to eat things that size. I got to the gate in Prague with the "Champ" model clipped to my belt, told security when I noticed it, who let it go through xray to see if his friend would find it, then put it in a large envelope at the gate, with my name on it, and it arrived in its own tub in NY. They took far better care of it than my luggage.

They had another good one with a leather case and key chain with a lcd so I could find the key hole in foreign apartments in the dark.

Czechs make good kitchen and table knives, I had to buy several sets as my friends kept claiming them from me in Paris and here. Actually, they look like good copies of Swiss knives I have seen, but they have a good thickness, and seem to hold up rather well.

They also had some pre-revolution great stainless developing tongs that just would not rust and had just the right tension to avoid marks. Low cost and great.

I tried to get Roger to put together a group to buy the Neobrom factory in Brno, they had a huge variety of great papers, from Carton Weight Chamois, to Silver Iodide contact paper, and photo linen. I imported 5000 sheets custom coated and shipped by air. Factory is probably still sitting there if RFF wants its own brand. ;-)

Regards,
John

 

[radiocemetery]

I would miss from the USA: sweet corn, Blues music and it's artists, Snap-On hand tools, and WWHP radio station, wide open spaces, and my farm girl wife.

from Japan: Gran Turismo IV and V (if it ever gets released), Samurai Jack, Takumars.

from the EU: Ducati, London, Stilton cheese, Owd Roger, Sauna in Finland.

PS: WWHP can be heard here:

http://www.wwhp.com/

Steve

 

[charjohncarter]

From the US: Allen-Edmonds Shoes, Kodak Films and Developers (maybe not made in the US now), Gibson Guitars, Ernie Ball Guitar Strings, Fender amps, Tabasco Sauce.

From EU: Donegal Tweed, Ilford film, I used to want a Ducati but gave up on that, Leica stuff, Discs by Christopher Hogwood.

I know that isn't exactly what was asked, but those are things I like from both places and seconds won't do.

 

[Beemermark]

Parts for my BMW motorcycles! Egads, how would I keep 3 running.

 

[Roger Hicks]

A really silly one

Reynolds' Cut-Rite wax paper.

We stock up on this each time we visit the US.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Paul T.]

I"m all for keeping the transatlantic trade burgeoning, sitting here in me Levi's with an old Epiphone sitting next to me and a pile of Tri X on the mantelpiece.

But I'd also like to extend a digit all the owners of legendary US and Euro marques who've trashed the brand to bring in a little more $$$. like Converse, now made by sweatshop labor, or Bass Weejuns, the cool cat's staple that have plummeted in quality and reputation since they moved production overseas. And any Brit will know about M&S underwear - once legendary, now their socks and boxer shorts fall apart after a few months like any other cheap crap.

And worst of all, Belstaff, the archetypal biking jacket, the one with a Union Jack on the label - which is now being made in italy and turned into an effete fashion item with a pricetag to match. The last place you'll see them today is in a motorbike shop.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I"m all for keeping the transatlantic trade burgeoning, sitting here in me Levi's with an old Epiphone sitting next to me and a pile of Tri X on the mantelpiece.

But I'd also like to extend a digit all the owners of legendary US and Euro marques who've trashed the brand to bring in a little more $$$. like Converse, now made by sweatshop labor, or Bass Weejuns, the cool cat's staple that have plummeted in quality and reputation since they moved production overseas. And any Brit will know about M&S underwear - once legendary, now their socks and boxer shorts fall apart after a few months like any other cheap crap.

And worst of all, Belstaff, the archetypal biking jacket, the one with a Union Jack on the label - which is now being made in italy and turned into an effete fashion item with a pricetag to match. The last place you'll see them today is in a motorbike shop.

Dear Paul,

Belstaff? Heresy! Burn the buggers at the stake! (The wax should help),

M+S: yes. Egyptian cotton is one thing. Chinese is quite another.

What depresses me is how hard it can be to buy a half-decent product at a fair price, when the manufacturer wants to sell you rubbish, cheap. I've just had a new sink put in. The bottle-trap was silly-cheap (under 4 euros). Then I had to install another, at the same price, because the first was so bad (= leaked). For 8 euros I could have bought a top-quality bottle-trap -- IF anyone made them...

Likewise, the 700-quid 'reconditioned' gearbox (8 months old) for my Series III now needs a lot of work. I'd cheerfully have paid 1000 or more IF the damn' thing had been reliable, not lease because it was several hundred quid more to install it. But more and more, prices are set by the bottom end, not the top.

Thus, instead of saying, "Kobayashi-san is brilliant for working out how to make very good RF cameras for a quarter of the price of a Leica, even though they aren't as good," people say, "A Leica costs four times as much as a Voigtländer, so a Leica is too expensive."

Cheers,

R.