If it was a rant, it was one among many in this thread ozziejohn, and fitted right in. Obviously I share your view that it was an excellent idea to buy imported tools at world prices back in the old days, if you had the opportunity. Even now, we are stuck with some fairly awesome markups in the importing, distributing and retailing system here - a hangover from the old days that will fairly quickly be "cured" now by direct consumer imports via the internet. In most cases the beneficiaries will not be US producers though, due to most of their sales outlets having extraordinary shipping charges compared with Asian sources. I think the outcome will mostly be a matter of US tool production continuing to be shifted to China, and Chinese tool producers will raise their standards to suit, then set up their own global sales channels with their own brands.
