Woops, proof positive that no one should be posting stuff at 4 am. Should have been what you said Mindgame. Billet crank and titanium rods.

 

Thoughts on Chinese steel.

China is the single largest producer of steel in the world. They now produce about 25% or the world's total, twice what the US produces. Their production grows about 300% faster that the world average.

My point is that getting a crank which has no Chinese steel product content either in pig iron or the final alloy, is more and more difficult to prove.

Like any producer, good stuff and bad stuff comes from China. Buyer beware applies, of course. In some things China produces world class products and very low prices. In our manufacturing business we constantly compete on larger orders.

My unsolicited advice: Buy the crank by total quality and reputation of the manufacturer wherever the steel, the forging, the casting or the total product was produced. Supporting US sourced products is great, and I'm all for it because I am a manufacturer, but I want the BEST product for my application. That takes into account everything including cost. If Scat 9000 cranks are made in China, as the markings on the actual cranks suggest, I have been very impressed with their strength and especially with the precision machine work we have measured on new 9000's. I'm envious that they can do it so cheaply. Maybe the producer actually does it at a loss and "China, Inc." subsidizes. I don't know that for sure, but I don't like it if it's true.

My $.02

 

You are right Jon.

There's no escaping the global economy. The wheels have been turning for some time now. There are a great many things I don't like about that shift but I try not to think too much on economic paradigms. Change is inevitable.

We just have to be smarter consumers.

-Mindgame

 

You are correct John

But there is also an "opinion" behind this... As i said before, i remember cutting a schedule 40 tubing american vs chineese... it was so easy to cut the chinese one vs the american.. and the american lasted easily 3x longer...

I bought my "american" made crank and it made my chinese one look cheap.. of course it was cheaper. Now this doesn't mean that my eagle crank is not worth the $. its a matter of preference...

Another thing.. ever heard of "slavery" on china? That is why its cheaper most of the time among other things... Overhead is another thing that american business has to pay, and many more.

One of the reasons many pharmaceuticals where in PR was because of tax exemption!!!!! now that doesn't exist though, but still... tax is another thing that cuts you in half.

 

Can't really comment on quality unless you know where all the manufacturing components were made. If the dies for a crank are made in the USA then sent to China for them to bang the cranks out..... who is at fault on "quality"?
Furthermore, who is to know the quality of the steel used? You definitely cannot tell from looking at the thing. And who is to say the Chinese manufacturers are not held to the same (or better) material class specs as American manufacturers?

It's just not that simple.

It very well could just be a matter of labor. Labor costs are a big part of running a business, especially with insurance costs the way they are these days. You can really appreciate this if you've been in business before.

I can argue the issue both ways but that's because I choose to look at it a certain way. Like it or not.

-Mindgame