10 Great Companies RUINED by Corporate Greed

Check out Knafs here: www.knafs.com/
Learn about 10 great companies ruined by private equity firms, including Filson, Sorel, Oakley, Dr Martens, and Craftsman Tools. Find out how these once-thriving businesses fell into decline and the impact of private equity on their downfall.
Like that hat? Get one here: exlsv.com/collections/carl-mu...
-Coffee With Carl Newsletter: rebrand.ly/CoffeeWithCarl
- Patreon: bit.ly/3CgauCW
-Merch: exlsv.com/collections/carl-mu...
-Website: www.carlmurawski.com
-Instagram: bit.ly/2qIHzaB
-Discord: / discord
-My other channel: / @coffeewithcarl1
PRODUCTS IN THIS VIDEO:
Gerber: bit.ly/3xeVrvB
-Leatherman: bit.ly/4ba0pr2
-Victorinox: bit.ly/4exFocP
Dr Martens: bit.ly/3z9FjvS
-Solovair: bit.ly/3KQGjHR
Woolrich: www.woolrich.com
-Weatherwool: bit.ly/3N2W9Qg
-Heat Straps: rebrand.ly/xhojsgf
-Vermont Flannel: rebrand.ly/mt1bqwr
-Duckworth: www.duckworthco.com/
Sorel: www.sorel.com/
-Duckfeet: rebrand.ly/r41kj16
Brooks Brothers: www.brooksbrothers.com/
-Spier & Mackay: imp.i317572.net/Y9ZxAR
-J Press: jpressonline.com/
-United Arrows: store.united-arrows.co.jp/bra...
-Rowing Blazers: rowingblazers.com/
Craftsman: www.craftsman.com/
-Knipex: amzn.to/4bbRjdJ
-Proto Tool: amzn.to/4b8eHZy
-Wright Tool: amzn.to/4ba8Zq1
Filson: filson.sjv.io/1r43Bd
-Weatherwool: bit.ly/3N2W9Qg
-Heat Straps: rebrand.ly/xhojsgf
-Bradley Mountain: ktku.co/19
-Freenote Cloth: ktku.co/1a
Oakley: www.oakley.com/
-Randolph Engineering: bit.ly/3rYZUJV
-American Optical: aoeyewear.com/
-Gatorz: amzn.to/4exGbKP
-Maui Jim: amzn.to/3Rv16V9
Vise Grip: www.irwintools.com/
-Malco: amzn.to/3RzIgMz
-Facom: amzn.to/3xr2t09
#Carlmurawski
BEST OF THE BEST (affiliate links):
1. Beard care: bit.ly/3MXMkB4
2. Work boots: bit.ly/3T2FA8f
3. Sunglasses: bit.ly/2IykfS4
4. Casual boots: bit.ly/3LHIRWT
5. Work jacket: carhartt.pxf.io/QOr5Ez
6. Flannel shirt: bit.ly/3PDtBxj
7. Made in USA Tee Shirt: bit.ly/3yAma1p
8. Casual jacket: bit.ly/3RlNOJv
9. Leather jacket: bit.ly/3LAKOUZ
10. Wool Socks: bit.ly/3WyzQpW
11. Outdoor Hat:
12. Flashlight: bit.ly/473dNvq
13. Hoodie: bit.ly/3qXvhV1
14. Leather Briefcase: bit.ly/3dpPkHt
15. Duffle Bag: shrsl.com/4cdjk
16. EDC Pen: bigidesign.com/carlmurawski
17. Work shirt: bit.ly/48deO4P
18. Work Pants: bit.ly/3JEn834
19. Wool Coat: bit.ly/3N2W9Qg
20. EDC Knife: bit.ly/3RBGM4R
21. This thing is AWESOME: rebrand.ly/puoyvgi
Timestamps:
0:00 Private Equity
1:08 Gerber
2:10 Dr Martens
6:16 Mountain Equip Co op
7:45 Woolrich
8:30 Sorel
9:14 Brooks Brothers
10:01 Craftsman
11:07 Filson
12:14 Oakley
13:26 Vise Grip
Reviews of high quality workwear, boots, and clothing for men to help you own better and own less. I've been working with my hands for my entire life as a mechanic, tow truck driver, and eventually a licensed electrician. Being a blue collar guy, I look for certain elements in a product: is it durable? Is it high-quality? Will it perform well over its service life? Whether boots, pants, jackets, or tools I believe it's best to buy once and cry once by getting the best you can afford. With so many options these days, choosing the best product can become a difficult decision, but that's where I come in. Helping you stay stylish, rugged, and handsome.
I don't care where it's made as long as it's made well and allows you to own less and own better.

[@CarlMurawski]

Products in this video: Knafs Lander 2: rebrand.ly/jahed96 Gerber: bit.ly/3xeVrvB -Leatherman: bit.ly/4ba0pr2 -Victorinox: bit.ly/4exFocP Dr Martens: bit.ly/3z9FjvS -Solovair: bit.ly/3KQGjHR Woolrich: www.woolrich.com -Weatherwool: bit.ly/3N2W9Qg -Heat Straps: rebrand.ly/xhojsgf -Vermont Flannel: rebrand.ly/mt1bqwr -Duckworth: www.duckworthco.com/ Sorel: www.sorel.com/ -Duckfeet: rebrand.ly/r41kj16 Brooks Brothers: www.brooksbrothers.com/ -Spier & Mackay: imp.i317572.net/Y9ZxAR -J Press: jpressonline.com/ -United Arrows: store.united-arrows.co.jp/brand/ua/?wovn=en -Rowing Blazers: rowingblazers.com/ Craftsman: www.craftsman.com/ -Knipex: amzn.to/4bbRjdJ -Proto Tool: amzn.to/4b8eHZy -Wright Tool: amzn.to/4ba8Zq1 Filson: filson.sjv.io/1r43Bd -Weatherwool: bit.ly/3N2W9Qg -Heat Straps: rebrand.ly/xhojsgf -Bradley Mountain: ktku.co/19 -Freenote Cloth: ktku.co/1a Oakley: www.oakley.com/ -Randolph Engineering: bit.ly/3rYZUJV -American Optical: aoeyewear.com/ -Gatorz: amzn.to/4exGbKP -Maui Jim: amzn.to/3Rv16V9 Vise Grip: www.irwintools.com/ -Malco: amzn.to/3RzIgMz -Facom: amzn.to/3xr2t09

[@Lochlann13]

It's been brutal watching the slow motion sellout and fall of Filson. The quality to price ratio of their modern gear is just ludicrously bad.

[@CarlMurawski]

I know, that's the one which affected me most.

[@MatthewBradwell]

In the immediate weeks Post-Christmas they do a huge dump for up to and over half off, that's the only time the rubber ever meets the road with them anymore

[@highdesertforester]

Another addition to this list is Eddie Bauer. As a Seattle native, I remember going to their store in the 1970's and it was filled with men's expedition quality down clothing, boots and high quality guns. It was acquired by General Mills and now is a shell of its former self.

[@EssenceofPureFlavor]

Almost not even the same company...

[@food2430]

Another prominent addition to this would be Tom Ford's acquisition by Estee Lauder, while not Private Equity, Estee Lauder is known in the fragrance community for destroying and diluting previously good, long-lasting perfumes.

[@paololololol]

No please god no

[@eoinmiller5620]

They've already done it with a lot of classics. Oud wood has been reformulated and watered down for sure. A few others too

[@Stridewise]

SPICY god damn what a stupendous video and a great idea

[@CarlMurawski]

Thanks amigo!

[@krazmokramer]

In 1975, I bought an Early 1963 Corvette Roadster to restore. For my birthday, My mom and step-dad bought me a Craftsman tool set in a Craftsman toolbox to help with that restoration. Everything in there was made in the USA. I've bought lots of hand tools since then. But I still have all of those made in USA Craftsman tools, except for the 1/2" (3/8 drive) socket which I was stupid enough to loan to my neighbor who "lost it" and never replaced it. Sad story about all of these failed/failing USA and Canadian companies. Us old timers still remember what quality was. THANKS for this video, Carl!! Stay well!!!

[@TylerSnyder305]

The biggest problem with Gerber is that most of the knives are Chinese garbage, and the introduction of the Bear Grylls line is when they decided to start offering mostly garbage. Instead of buying Gerber , just buy Buck knives. They're the greatest American knife company. Still multigenerational family owned and doing it right. They are committed to having at least 75% of their knives American made and have stuck to it. They still have to offer the Chinese budget knives because of Walmart, but even those are going to be better than almost anything from Gerber.

[@igrowdrugs]

Benchmade

[@redstone31]

thanks for all of this information and especially the links in the description! that makes it super easy to head over to those pages.

[@CarlMurawski]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jrnichols]

Private Equity just adds layers of management that just want to make money off of a brand. The brand always loses its heritage because PE just wants the money. I try to find small brands and when I learn they have been consolidated into other companies, I try to find new small brands. I worry about Tom Bihn even though they are much smaller. I am also concerned about Mystery Ranch and Butter Pat Industries after being purchased by Yeti. The Oakley story sucks. It is how I learned to hate Luxottica. Luxottica is shady, they corner people out of the market until they have to concede.

[@EastofVictoriaPark]

It's like a parasite that the host believes is good.

[@bngr_bngr]

Every companies primary goal is to maximize profits. Those that don’t, either fold or are taken over by someone that can.

[@heiner71]

@@bngr_bngr That's a very American thing. Only important goal is to make the shareholders happy, i.e. give them short term profits and then walk away. Grow or die. The company I used to work for in Germany is now 50+ years old and very steady in size with about 250 employees. They are happy with what they and do and who they are. Everybody goes home with enough money and there are enough profits. Key is, it's a private company, not sentenced to eternal growth by shareholders.

[@bngr_bngr]

@@heiner71 earning profits or increasing shareholder value is not an American concept. Germany has very large and profitable companies.

[@gaberoo9099]

Spot on!

[@robbielee1127]

Unfortunately sog is another company ruined, grew up near their HQ and loved their knives and a huge fanboy of the powerlock but they no longer make anything in house and when they were bought out they stopped supporting their warranty

[@CarlMurawski]

Damn, I didn't know that. What a shame.

[@gaberoo9099]

Thanks very much for posting this video. I detest private equity and the tremendous amount of damage they have wrought over our manufacturing sector. The financialization of the US economy has caused atrophy in most other sectors of the economy leaving us critically dependent on other countries for indispensable items ranging from medicines/personal protective equipment (including N95s) to weapons systems. We have to take back the country from these financial vultures.

[@clandry156]

The loss of Mountain Equipment Co-op was heartbreaking. When you bought a MEC product, you knew it was good quality and affordably priced. I still have a 1999 MEC knapsack. It has been through rain, snow, & sunny hot summer days and it is still in one piece and solid. You cannot say the same for their bags now.

[@RLSteffler]

I love that J. Press is in here, they offer exactly what you want from Brooks Brothers but no corners are cut. I need to invest in some more stuff by them

[@vic2_o]

That's wild I was not expecting to find out that the founder of Oakleys is the creator of Red cameras.

[@Waldemarvonanhalt]

This is why "acting in the shareholder's best interests" shouldn't be the only thing holding companies do. They shouldn't be allowed to go against the common good, which includes not selling you worse quality goods at higher prices.

[@gaberoo9099]

Read Rana Faroohar's "Makers and Takers" for a look at how the US became a shareholder capitalism model instead of a more equitable stakeholder capitalist model (where all stakeholders--the common good--are represented). These private equity guys are vultures, plain and simple.

[@trah666]

That's capitalism

[@gaberoo9099]

@@trah666 Capitalism was not always like this here.

[@trah666]

@gaberoo9099 yea, but this is the inevitable result of unregulated "free markets". The concentration of capital in the hands of a smaller and smaller group of people. They will outsource jobs for cheeper labor, artificially inflate prices, while selling lower quality goods, all so the line keeps going up.

[@gaberoo9099]

@@trah666 Agree. All the more reason we have to push back...harder than ever.

[@DonLarsen-cm5rm]

Thank you for this, the more people that understand how destructive these private equity parasites are the better. Every industry touched by these creatures is degraded and compromised for the benefit of corporate greed. An aside, the photo used in the segment about Woolrich supplying clothing to the U.S. Army is of the Soviet Army in WWII.

[@billystpaul8907]

You will soon be putting Red Wing, Carhartt, Thorogood and Allen Edmunds is this group of brands going down in quality. Nice video Carl, glad there are other brands that make up for the companies that downgrade their products and quality.

[@coseymo3437]

thank you for addressing these issues! You're a life saver!! 🙏

[@CarlMurawski]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kinslowrainer3982]

Very, very good video! Probably part of a series that needs to be done every couple of years.

[@robertgallagher2226]

Yeah...Sorel really hurts. I lived in those.

[@DaBoomz13]

Fiskars used to make quality tools, but their own quality has gone down to the drain. Fiskars also bought many other Finnish manufacturers and switched their production to China.

[@dejaydavisson9938]

Fiskars Chinese made stuff is just plain Crap ! Not worth bringing from the store , even if you got it for free.

[@starkparker16]

Craftsman was the no brainer choice when I was young. Back when I had a fresh pair of Mumbos.

[@snowg4953]

I am so glad i have 3 pairs of real sorel boots. Wish New England still got the winters to use my dominators.

[@dimi7055]

Great video! I have a mackinaw cruiser from 2019, buffalo plaid, and i have the workhorse v6. I have to say the v6 is head and shoulders above the cruiser! Love the thing!

[@WillMoon]

I was a professional knifemaker for about a decade, and I know a bunch of the guys over at Gerber personally. You're KINDA on the mark, I think there's a lot of frustration at the ownership by the rank and file, but the design team DO actually try their best to churn out good stuff. Gerber suffers from their constant use.of mystery steel, which people think is maybe 420J... it's not exactly a great knife steel. Their multi-tools are respectable on the higher end, but like you said, Leatherman pretty much has them beat on the multi-tool game pretty consistently. Wouldn't do Victorinox for anything but SAKs, SOG suffers from a lot of the same issues Gerber does with low end manufacturing. Gerber's tactical knives... nothing they make currently draws me to add any of them to my lineup. IMO the best current sub $250 American-made knife company is going to be Spyderco or Protech if you live in a state where you can own an auto. Also, that's called an Omega spring.

[@krazmokramer]

Gerber lost my business in 1985 when I returned a 6 month old Paul Knife to them for repair of the locking button which was failing. They refused to repair it citing some corporate bs about returning that style of knife. Instead, they sent me a Japanese made smaller and CHEAPER pocket knife and a cheap set of 3 kitchen paring knives as replacement. Today, that Paul Knife is worth a significant amount of money. The crap they sent me is worth zero. It thrills me that they are failing!!!! It's called KARMA.

[@gaberoo9099]

What irks me is how Buck can produce a US-made/manufactured 110 model folding knife (yes in basic 420J steel, but with really good heat treat) for 20-30$ and Kershaw can make quite a few US-made models in premium Magnacut steel for prices comparable to many Chinese knife companies, and we have so few other US knife companies able to do the same. Hogue is another such brand (and I almost forgot TRM: three rivers manufacturing) which offers great value (I've seen their Deka model in Magnacut for under 100$ with optimal heat treat for this steel).

[@88sstraight]

Thanks for the ‘run down’ Carl! Baffin is a company that still manufactures quite a few of its boots in Canada, in a similar style to Sorel. Shuron is an eyeware company that still makes all (?) of its frames in the US, with styles that haven’t changed in forever!

[@Alotafajitas]

Love your videos, you save me a lot of time and money. Any chance for some FR clothing content? I'm in Oil and Gas, I know you were a electrician so I'd love to hear your inputs about various FR suppliers/manufacturers. Hardhats, heavy duty gloves/impact gloves? Thanks.

[@CarlMurawski]

Definitely. I've gotten a lot of requests for FR gear, so that's definitely coming soon.

[@Alotafajitas]

@@CarlMurawski rock and roll. Thanks for all your effort, duder.

[@jdlackey88]

Skip a knife ad? Never. These look nice

[@johnmoon9562]

Carl, we're all looking forward to a deeper dive on Filson. And not in an attempt to ostracize Filson, but I bet it's a really interesting study on the subject. We've all seen their quality to price ratio deteriorate over the years. I will say, I sent for repair. an old, cared for but well worn tin cloth packer coat, and the customer service was very good, the repair was done extremely well and beyond expectation, and they didn't charge me a dime. Credit where credit is due.

[@MattSeesGray]

I’m no mathematician, but I’m pretty sure $178 to $495 is more than a 64% increase 😉 All in good fun, Carl. Love the content!

[@Jkorchak]

A great video about once great companies that went down hill! As a Canadian it saddens me about Canadian companies that went down! Keep up the good work!

[@robertcyr6811]

Great video a lot of good information

[@andresrosalesgonzalez8161]

You think you could make a video on classic tools alternatives for brands that have gone down in quality?

[@bolandjd]

Great video Carl. Well researched and very informative. I appreciate you recommending alternatives instead of just kvetching about how everything used to be better. Fortunately, we do have alternatives and we can vote with our wallets for the best goods. Thanks.

[@CarlMurawski]

Thank you sir!

[@iradi8fortheusa1]

It is really sad to see companies lose their loyalty to both their employees and their customers. If you build or create a quality product that lasts, people will keep coming back. Loyalty over the long term works both ways and creates monetary success.

[@snowg4953]

Carhartt may not have been bought out but quality is not the same in my opinion. My union usa made jackets, bibs and flanel pants are awesome decades later.

[@thatSparky00]

ANOTHER great video! Keep it up

[@CarlMurawski]

Thank you so much!

[@RandomGuy-qm3mg]

Late 70's bought a Filson Mackinaw Cruiser for 1/2 price at a local REI sale, heavy wool jackets didn't sell that well in Southern California. Gave it to my brother who'd just moved to Bremerton Washington and he was the envy of every guy he worked with. Thing weighed a ton and was built like a Caterpillar. Sad to see so many great brands die out. Glad a lot of Pacific Northwest work boot companies are still around, guess exposure on KZbin helps their sales.

[@UserLev]

Loved this one boss. Glad you called out the ones that needed it. Extremely sad though, in particular to Filson. That’s the one that has affected me the most personally, the change has been more rampant recently. Keep it up though Carl!

[@annahenderson1730]

Wow this was a good one

[@renangaidheal1320]

Of course, JPress is now owned by a Japanese holding company but in this case saved Press by committing to the original sourcing and manufacture. They have also retained Press's high quality but not too too expensive price points. The retailer O'Connell's based in Buffalo, NY retains the Press/Brooks Bros traditionalism and their "house" branded shirts and wool are made by US and Canadian factories. On another note, Abercrombie and Fitch once a renown OUTDOORS company (much like the original Filson, the current another loss to PE), is now the crap that it is and is owned by PE Sycamore Partners (which owns The Limited Co., which owns Zara, etc.) What a shame.

[@TheKillWizard]

Very accurate list.

[@kennethchrzanowski6165]

Paolo Corinaldesi used to be CEO of Woolrich and is currently CEO of Filson.

[@markusayt]

A Filson Mackinaw cruiser that cost $178 in 2001 would be $315 with inflation in 2024. Anything in the 300s might be reasonable but $495 ?? I do love mine that I found on clearance for $180 😊. Good video.

[@jasonpinckney299]

Hey I was wondering why I don't see any berne work wear or wolverine workwear or boots?

[@CarlMurawski]

No reason in particular. I actually got a Berne work jacket for a comparison I’m doing in the fall. There are just so many brands, so little time!

[@Bryanzin_105]

Looks like you need Ben to send you a tool burrito to better organize those screws when changing the scales. /j

[@mikethomasmcm]

Great video, small piece of pushback though: I don't think companies that went bankrupt and were then purchased should be included (MEC and Sorel for example). Unfortunately, their business models were proven to not work prior to private equity so change was clearly needed or they should have just disappeared.

[@CarlMurawski]

Fair point!

[@alexcastanon6149]

Hell yeah

[@justicebinder6544]

Rip woolrich 😢 it’s such a shame. Their old vintage stuff is so good though.

[@dto7321]

It would be cool to have a time machine just to go shopping for some real American made goods lol.

[@DemeterDesigns]

Unfortunately, Carl, SOG got bought out by a company called GSM. They also own Cold Steel and a few others. Same kind of quality dip has been the talk around the industry since the buyout

[@CarlMurawski]

Damn.... another one bites the dust

[@disoldsoul]

Tell it like it is 👊🏼.

[@daianspahava8279]

I would put Levi’s high above, the quality decline from the 70-early 2000s Levi’s denim and how built they were, how much they were coveted by many people and how much they are now, now I life Levi’s 501, 505s and 514, but the quality isn’t as good as my wrangler cowboy cuts and the denim feels better but won’t last as long and Levi’s bag out weirdly on some jeans

[@klugtrane]

Half of these aren’t private equity sales, but the point still stands

[@CarlMurawski]

Yeah, more corporate greed than anything.

[@jonuiuc]

I'm sorta suspicious of Allen Edmonds too.

[@CarlMurawski]

Yeah, since their Caleres buyout things have changed. I visited their HQ around that time and they had a lot of strange things going on. It was also when they introduced five different names for their welts and began changing things from the old days.

[@JavaJunky]

Can Filson be turned around? Or is it to late?

[@aaronporter2180]

The eagle grip pliers are no longer being made.

[@nathanwhite5602]

Good video

[@floatingstonerecords7749]

Hey now, I love my Paraframe. It's a great little knife

[@brgulker]

Even the cheap stuff offered by the gutted companies is too expensive and unaffordable for most people nowadays. So unfortunate.

[@henkrpe3249]

A headline from Fortune magazine this April: "Gen Z favorite Dr. Martens is struggling as its CEO steps down-and it might be because the shoes last too long".

[@mikekirby2085]

Ah yes. The famous ‘no its the kids that are the problem’ line of thinking. The CEOs can act shocked when a cash strapped generation doesn’t want to blow money on crap

[@paulmcgrew2932]

Could it be that Dr. Martens is less crappy than the other crap?

[@lt3880]

Their boots are so trash people buy one and know not to buy any more

[@commentsonthetube14]

I feel like Gerber and Fiskars both make decent stuff. Not high end. But I really like the Fiskars hatchet. And Gerber has some decent knives and tool designs. Leatherman is higher quality but also more expensive.

[@dejaydavisson9938]

Ya get what ya pay for ! Gerber was good before Fiskars acquired them.

[@jls1337]

oakley hasn't innovated a dang thing in years, their quality is subpar and their customer service is just awful. If you're looking for ski goggles do yourself a favor and buy Zeal or splurge on Smith. I was especially dissapointed after I bought some oakley 'flight deck' goggles and they started fogging terribly after 1 season. oakley uses this antiquated anti-fog coating that is incredibly delicate, rubs off easily and can't be reapplied. Smith on the other hand has bonded the anti-fog with their lens plastic so it can't be rubbed off. I've had smith 4D goggles for 3 years and they're as perfect as day 1.

[@user-dl8pq4ls5o]

As a child I attended Woolrich Elementary School. The fence that encircled our school yard separated our playground from the property on which John Rich's home was built and beyond that the Woolrich company building(s). Little did I know that years later I would work for Woolrich Woolen Mill as a summer employee between years spent as an undergraduate at Penn State University. Nothing is made in those factory buildings these days. The Mackinaw Jacket I bought at a great employee discount during those years I think is still packed away somewhere in my hoard, waiting to be disposed of by the heirs after I give up the ghost, before that coat has seen it's last use! LOL.

[@JoeyDecay]

This video just made me more depressed.

[@itsoffsideref5849]

It really does suck the way things have gone, Belstaff is another brand gone to the dark side, Swann dri is getting there too.

[@TsavoTouring]

What a sad world we’re moving toward. Hopefully the internet will prove beneficial and people will begin coming to their senses.

[@dubya13207]

Didn’t this happen to Allen Edmonds?

[@TheZhere]

Ubisoft ! Oh sorry wrong video..

[@barlotardy]

Are there any companies that actually improved after getting bought out?

[@TylerSnyder305]

It used to be a think that could and would frequently happen 100 years ago, but not anymore.

[@MatthewBradwell]

Check out Comrade Carl over here, I love it

[@willieclark2256]

I’m shocked carhartt wasn’t one of them

[@CarlMurawski]

Still family owned actually!

[@andrewsalazar98]

Creed Cologne also has fallen prey.

[@CarlMurawski]

Aventus was such a staple. I hope they haven't changed that one. Or Green Irish Tweed!

[@food2430]

@@CarlMurawski They've watered them down to a degree where I'll never be buying from Creed again. So many better alternatives, I've also left another comment on whats happening to Tom Ford fragrances too

[@andrewsalazar98]

@@CarlMurawskiYup I own both of those and only buy them when they’re on sale at Costco. I bought the Aventus 3.3 Fl Oz version for less than $250 and the GIT 3.3 Fl Oz version for $199. They just don’t last as long anymore, and the scent I’ve noticed isn’t as impressive as it used to be.

[@Hopeofmen]

Rip Friendly's :(

[@CoffeeWithCarl1]

Filson....

[@chrisdiaz7615]

Omega Spring

[@SteveManCentral]

Malco has gone under now too.

[@TylerSnyder305]

Sort of. They had to shut down the eagle grip factory and sell off to Snapon who has kept them in production, but Malco in general is still alive. I believe they're still manufacturing a number of their HVAC sheet metal tools here in the USA, but they do have a number of Taiwanese tools.

[@SteveManCentral]

@@TylerSnyder305 Oh that's cool to hear, I thought they went under completely. At least someone took over the production & is trying to keep it American.

[@TylerSnyder305]

@@SteveManCentral it is good but just barely. The problem is Snapon was rebranding them with an understandable but excessive markup , now they're making the pliers themselves and still charging the excessive price even though they have no middleman. If Malco was able to manufacture the highest quality locking pliers ever made and make a profit on them at $45, Snapon can do the same without needing to charge $80+ for them. I'm glad they're still being made and to the same quality standard , but while $60 would be understandable due to the cost of a Tool truck $80 is just so excessive. I am hoping they'll decide to introduce a less expensive version under the Williams line, they could make it happen with a cheaper black oxide " industrial finish ".

[@bngr_bngr]

I don’t feel sorry for any of these companies. They forgot why they are in business for.

[@askandyaboutclothes6757]

J Press is fantastic

[@thomashardy1851]

Doc Martin's were never that good of a design, that includes solovair as it's the same design. Traditional fully leather boots is where it's at.

[@TylerSnyder305]

They didn't come up with the only way to make a more comfortable shoe / boot, and definitely not even the best way. It's funny how many people use the " comfort " to justify their lack of quality, even though you can have a properly made boot and use a softer bouncy wedge sole for the comfort. People who love them are the same as people who basically think only a sneaker can be comfortable.

[@MattKleinschmidt]

Enshitifcation.

[@dawg4135]

I love Knafs too. But I find it funny he designs knives for sh___y Chinese brands that way over charge. I’m sure some will disagree. But that’s just my personal opinion.

[@scsmith4604]

Not necessarily a topic for this channel but this kind of stuff happens in a lot of different industries and I wish there was a video like this for other goods and services. I am sure a lot of people are buying garbage and have no idea. North Face comes to mind. Edit: Does anyone know if Dremel Tools have gone the way of Private Equity?

[@davidlandrum]

This video highlights why made in USA made by American workers is so important.

[@krazmokramer]

Only if those American workers actually do great work. Too many of them believe that mediocre is good enough. Ask Roundhouse. American made but not American quality. Their first quality is no different from their factory seconds. Holes in the fabric. Seams that are poorly sewn or completely missing in areas. There's no reason to buy American if Americans can't make a better product than anyone else. To just buy American because it's American is nothing more than welfare.

[@Dan-lq6dg]

JCrew used be much better

[@TheBlackPeacoat]

Capitalism isn't evil. Lobbyists and private equity firms are.

[@davidlandrum]

Do lobbyists and PE exist outside of capitalism?

[@cheekibreeki9155]

​​​ Do different economic systems inherently introduce individuals or factions holding unequal amounts of power and sway to affect the outcome and life of the common man? Yes. Are they basically lobbyist and private equity under a different name or mode of operation once you look at the paper trail and who gets to profiteer? Again yes. Capitalism simply allows someone not born into the elite to have a chance to rise up and do what the landlords, elites, nobles, or royals of history past once did. Only sometimes in capitalism, the faceless new elites go too far, because even Kings feared eventual revolt from constant cruelty as everyone living under his dominion knew exactly where this hand of inhumane treatment originates.

[@davidlandrum]

@@cheekibreeki9155 Thanks for the response. A better phrase would be: capitalism can be as evil as other economic systems.

[@RSN1748]

Nah capitalism is evil lol. The lobbyists and private equity firms are the byproduct of the system

[@RSN1748]

Nah capitalism is evil lol. Lobbyists and private equity firms are a byproduct of the system.

[@philipmurray9796]

"Corporate greed" is a lefty phrase.

[@TylerSnyder305]

They may use it all the time, but it is a legitimate phrase that can actually mean something.

[@frakismaximus3052]

I think capitalism is the only way, but I'm not real fond of the these mega-corps

[@philipmurray9796]

@@TylerSnyder305 It is meant to stir up hatred of capitalism. Who cares if a corporation is greedy? They still have to compete in the marketplace for the customer's business. The market decides if they stay in business if the service and goods they provide are worthwhile.

[@TylerSnyder305]

@@philipmurray9796 who cares ? Well the consumer should care if a corporation is using the reputation of a company to sell them worthless crap for the price of the quality they're expecting . This isn't about capitalism but about soleless carcass companies, regardless dishonest corporate greed is not the only form of capitalism if that was the point here. Capitalism means being able to get wealthy by selling people things they need and want, profits should matter but that doesn't mean the customers shouldn't matter and can't come first. Most of these brands that have suffered from corporate greed ( corporations and shareholders...etc aren't universally necessary) were originally started for the purpose of offering people high quality products that they needed and could depend on. Profit mattered because they were trying to run a business, but quality repeat customers and new customers through reputation and word of mouth were the most important thing because they were the blood of the company. If quality was bad or the price unreasonable your products didn't sell, they couldn't get away with slapping a reputable brand name on worthless imported crap because consumerism and materialism weren't as rampant as they are today so people cared more about buying domestic goods and the quality of what they bought. Btw it's one thing if a company does it to themselves, but much worse when an equity firm buys them up to rip off the customers by selling them claims of dedication to upholding a reputation that they're secretly stomping on behind the scenes.

[@philipmurray9796]

@@TylerSnyder305 customers vote and choose whether a company stays in business with their dollar.