Supplies to buy if China takes Taiwan

[Mountain trapper]

It takes a little searching to find products made in US but they are available. So far I've never found anything made in China that comes close to being as good as American made. Some people are fine with Chinese made products and that's their choice. I just think they don't know anything about quality. Maybe I'm harder than some are with tools and equipment. When I spend good money on something I expect to get a lifetime of use from it. I inherited a lot of tools from my grandfather and father. All are American made, and all are still in good condition.
I would also rather put an American to work than some communist Chinese slave.

 

[lonewolf]

or maybe your just biased? nothing wrong with wanting your own countries products over a foreign competitor, I just wish I could find more British goods in the stores, food is fairly easy as I live in a rural farming area but non food stuff is not that easy, in fact its damn difficult.

 

[Mountain trapper]

or maybe your just biased? nothing wrong with wanting your own countries products over a foreign competitor, I just wish I could find more British goods in the stores, food is fairly easy as I live in a rural farming area but non food stuff is not that easy, in fact its damn difficult.

What, me biased? That I have to agree with you on BP. Back in my past life I actually worked for a Chinese company in the middle east. I worked for a couple British oil companies plus Italian, Russian and Kazakh oil and gas companies. A couple years ago I bought a couple Chinese knives for cutting bailing twine while feeding cattle in winter. I have to admit that they turned out to be pretty good knives. Don't tell anyone, but I carry one of those knives on me every day now.

 

[lonewolf]

I got a few lock knives cheap when the British airports started banning people from carrying pointy instruments, some guy in one of our markets got to buy a load and I bought quite a few off him.

 

[DrHenley]

On balance the Chinese made stuff is garbage because they don't have a concept of quality control. If somebody will buy it, they make it as cheap as possible.
But there are a few companies that are the exceptions, and make some very well made products. We knives (and their subsidiary Civivi) produce knives that are made with the precision of a Swiss watch. They aren't cheap in any sense of the word. Their "budget knives" start at around $50.

 

[user 7691]

I agree it is difficult to not buy Chinese made crap. Not everything, but much of what I buy is made in the US. It costs more, which is to be expected, it will also last much longer. Our furniture is over 30 years old, made in the US, and still looks like it's brand new. I have some American Made boots that are over 25 years old, etc. My tractor was made in India but all my implements are made in the US, one snowblower was made in Canada, the other in US.
I admit that sometimes I'm in a hurry and will buy something made in China knowing that I'll end up replacing it.
IF for some reason the US stopped importing everything from China I'd say that would be a good day. Other countries and the US would start manufacturing whatever we now get from China.
I really don't have a problem buying from foreign countries. But I do have a problem buying inferior junk from a communist country which is also our enemy.

It's inferior for a reason, right? If people demand higher quality and don't buy junk then markets have to accommodate the wishes of the buyers. If people are happy to buy a new whatever every few years then the market will provide them with that. If only more people were more discerning... One day, presumably, we will return to craftsman making high quality goods. Pity it will take a global collapse to get back to common sense. Imagine what people could create if the purpose was quality and craftsmanship instead of a quick dollar.

 

[Survivor_316]

Just thought of something else. I was watching something on youtube that made me think of this, but bicycle tires, chains, and rubber belts. You can build all sorts of things with those.

 

[lonewolf]

It's inferior for a reason, right? If people demand higher quality and don't buy junk then markets have to accommodate the wishes of the buyers. If people are happy to buy a new whatever every few years then the market will provide them with that. If only more people were more discerning... One day, presumably, we will return to craftsman making high quality goods. Pity it will take a global collapse to get back to common sense. Imagine what people could create if the purpose was quality and craftsmanship instead of a quick dollar.

that may have been the case in the past but Chinese stuff these days is well made.
I only stopped buying from China because of 1.Covid originating from China and 2. the length of time anything took to get from there to here.
now I stipulate "made in England" where possible.

 

[rainingcatzanddogs]

So...prepare for electronics prices to go up and supply, down.
China says their decision to restrict the sale of ingredients needed to make chips is due to "National security interests"

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/com...p&cvid=68517506b6244034915e1499d3eff854&ei=22

 

[user 7368]

Also prepare for higher gasoline prices, Russia will no longer export diesel or gasoline immediately because Russia says it needs the stuff itself to lower prices within Russia.

Good night Europe and good night industry here.

 

[Helen Back]

Plenty of lumber and fasteners is always an answer. Free pallets, the good ones, heavy duty. Break them down and use for many things, including boarding up your windows. When China takes Taiwan, everything will be a mess.

 

[DrHenley]

I have been told many meds are made in China, if true many will die!

Not just the meds themselves, but the precursor chemicals, without which the pharmaceuticals made in the US would dry up. This coming from a chemical engineering classmate of mine from Taiwan who just retired from a major pharmaceutical company. He said there is no alternative supply currently. They just assume that supply train will never stop.

 

[DrHenley]

A bigger issue is fuels.
Australia no longer has the ability to refine an adequate quantity of fuels (petrol, diesel) from crude oil, even if it had access to adequate crude oil supplies. We depend upon shipments (principally) from the Singapore and Malaysia areas.
Being short of fuels will be far more devastating to Australia than many other supply shortages: without diesel fuel, most of our transport (e.g. trains, trucks, vessels) cease to operate, agriculture grinds to a halt.
If someone wanted to cut off Australia's fuel supplies, it would be very easy to block the channels through Indonesia and other islands.

Fortunately we are blessed with abundant natural gas which doesn't require nearly the amount of processing as petroleum to produce fuel (LPG, like propane). I am trying to use propane as the primary fuel (besides wood) at BOL2. Propane genny, propane furnace, stove, hot water heater, even propane refrigerator. I'd like to also convert vehicles to propane.

 

[Oddcaliber]

Pretty much anything and everything.