Your favorite "Made in the USA" things

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My only problem with Maglites:

1) They really aren't that bright. I took my 5 "D" cell battery Mag (and my LED strap on head lamp) when we went old railway tunnel exploring in Canada. The mag was simply under candlepowered.

2) Kinda heavy for the photon output.

3) Never ever let a battery corrode in one (happened on my 2X "AA" model). Just throw it away.
 
"3) Never ever let a battery corrode in one (happened on my 2X "AA" model). Just throw it away. "

All the major battery mfgrs will repair or replace any device damaged by their product.

Bob
 
"we went old railway tunnel exploring in Canada"
.
.
. Yeah, Pabs, you say I WANT A LIGHT LIKE THAT GUY'S GOT... and you realize it's a CPR train coming at you !!
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Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
"we went old railway tunnel exploring in Canada"
.
.
. Yeah, Pabs, you say I WANT A LIGHT LIKE THAT GUY'S GOT... and you realize it's a CPR train coming at you !!
shocked2.gif



As he finally thought he saw the light at the end of the tunnel, he realized it was attached to a locomotive.
 
Originally Posted By: alreadygone
"3) Never ever let a battery corrode in one (happened on my 2X "AA" model). Just throw it away. "

All the major battery mfgrs will repair or replace any device damaged by their product.

Bob


I just regifted it.
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Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
"we went old railway tunnel exploring in Canada"
.
.
. Yeah, Pabs, you say I WANT A LIGHT LIKE THAT GUY'S GOT... and you realize it's a CPR train coming at you !!
shocked2.gif



As he finally thought he saw the light at the end of the tunnel, he realized it was attached to a locomotive.


The keyword is old. There are no tracks.
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Originally Posted By: Pablo
Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
"we went old railway tunnel exploring in Canada"
.
.
. Yeah, Pabs, you say I WANT A LIGHT LIKE THAT GUY'S GOT... and you realize it's a CPR train coming at you !!
shocked2.gif



As he finally thought he saw the light at the end of the tunnel, he realized it was attached to a locomotive.


The keyword is old. There are no tracks.
thumbsup2.gif



It might have been a trap. Locomotives are sneaky
 
Originally Posted By: jmacmaster
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl

I know we are not supposed to mention cars, but the Ford Ranger has to go on my list as one of my favorite made in the USA things.


Ditto on that. I also have a Ranger, and think that its a great small pickup. And what do you mean that we aren't supposed to mention cars? I thought that the no-no's were sex, politics, and religion!

The original poster said to leave cars out of this thread, but I had to throw the Ranger in there.
 
I keep 2D cell Maglites in each vehicle as the switches and contacts don't seem to oxidize and result in flickering like they do on lots of other lights. I've carried two AAA Maglites in a pouch for years as a light source in my backpack when I need something more than my Photon light (another great US product), as it's just slightly more weight to carry another flashlight than extra batteries. In each glove compartment I have either the two AAA Maglites in a pouch, or recently the AA Maglites with an LED bulb.

We've had US cast iron frying pans for years, mainly Lodge, and have recently started using a Lodge dutch oven and pizza pan. Lodge is another great US product.

I don't know where they're made now but Coleman fuel and propane stoves are nice products for car camping, as are the lanterns. For lots of light it's hard to beat a Coleman lantern.

I have an Eddie Bauer made in the US down jacket which is nice, but they aren't made here anymore. I also have an older Woolrich made in the US Goretex / Thinsulate jacket, but they aren't made here anymore either. I've worn Pendleton shirts and sweaters since I was a teen, but they aren't made in the US anymore either so I treasure the older ones that I have.

In my 'man purse' I also have an original Leatherman, which is another great US product, but not all of them seem to made in the US anymore. In my truck I carry a small SOG multiplier, also made in the US. I do like the Swisstool, not to take anything away from Victorinix.

In my pack I also have a Benchmade folder with a blade of M2 steel. Benchmade is another great US product but not all of their is being made in the US. I have a Bark River knife of A2 steel, an excellent US product, my one blade that I would want with me if I were dropped into any situation anywhere. My dad gave me a Dozier skinner in D2 steel, another superb US product. I also like Cold Steel Carbon V knives, but Camillus went out of business recently. I like Schrade carbon steel Old Timers, but they went out of business when they couldn't handle a large Walmart product return. I like Case carbon steel folders, and carry an old Boker carbon steel stockman as a pocketknife. The Russell Green River carbon tseel kitchen knives that I have are like razors, trimming fat better than other kitchen knives. My son like an old thin blade carbon steel Dexter chef's knife that I found in an antique store, as the thin. sharp blade chops very well. I have what may be a life long supply of Xacto blades that I bought 30 years ago, I just sharpen the ones I have, which is another great US product that I suspct isn't US anymore.

Craftsman and SnapOn hand tools, Milwaukee and Skill corded drills (I have a 4000 rpm 1/4 Makita that like a lot), Vaughn / Stanly hammers, etc., I have lots of US tools, many of which aren't made here anymore.

Canadian Polartec is great, not US but at least North American. The great thing about the original Polartec is that it breathes well, the bad thing for some is that it breathes well :^), but I like it best for a synthetic layer. US made ECWS layers are also great, as are a variety of US made wool socks. I like US oiled cotton hats in the rain, I have a Mcalister, but also like real English and Aussie waxed cotton gear. I used a Barbour suit for years when riding in the rain on a bike.

HP RPN calculators are great, and am still using an HP41 that is probably 20 years old now. I have an HP analog scope that is over 30 years old, which will be hard to replace when it dies.

I like Sierra HPBT match bullets, and would buy seconds when the factory was still in the LA area. I probably have enough to last my life, unless commie paratroopers start dropping ..... oh wait, cold war is over :^) Federal 210M benchrest primers are another standard of sorts for high quality 30 cal ammo, another great US product. Winchester M70 and M52 rifles are a great US product, but they don't make them anymore. S&W .22 match pistols and their revolvers are great, and I like Ruger too. The Remington 870 and 1100 are kind of a 'working' standard for shotguns, and are other favorites.
 
Right now all I can think of that I have that is made in USA that I like are:
- Philips Sonicare toothbrush
- several of my waxes and sealants

the list is quite short.
 
A backpack is a man purse, full of masculine manly things.

Other great US made products are high end audio products, where most seem to be made in the US or Britain, although moving coil cartridgs seem to typically be Japanese. Entry level gear can some from anywhere. Stereo is old fashioned these days as most seem to want some sort of surround system, but it's funny that a fancy surround system needs a center channel while good stereo dosn't. One test tape for a good system had white noise start at the right speaker, go up a few feet above the speaker, shoot back on right behind the listener, move to left behind the listener, move above the left speaker, and drop to the left speaker. All with two very good speakers, very good everything else, proper room placement, and if needed room treatement. With a decent system and music the speakers should disappear, and one should have a sense of width, depth, and height. No center channel needed, with technology introduced in the 1950s.
 
Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
Some of the best LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are made by Cree and Lumileds ... both American companies.

Lumileds, started by Agilent, isn't really an American company any longer. They have an R&D center on the west coast, but they are now owned by Philips. Most, if not all, manufacturing is done in Asia. It could be argued that Lumileds is less American than Chrysler was when owned by Daimler.

Cree is US based, and grows their silicon here. However, I believe most, if not all, their packaging is done in Asia.
 
Originally Posted By: moribundman
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Originally Posted By: moribundman
Anything made by Litton.


Please elaborate. I'm quite curious.


My Litton is the best microwave oven I've ever owned.
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Did you break-in and enter again?
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I sure wish mine was a Litton!
 
Originally Posted By: moribundman
Pelican (also made in USA) makes excellent polycarbonate flashlights that are used by the military, police and emergency services, expedition outfitters, divers etc. My Pelican will burn your retinas.
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I have two Pelican Super Sabrelights, made in the USA. I forgot about those. The ones I have arent LED and are still brighter than any flashlight I have ever used. I have a maglight at the house for protection, thats about all its good for anymore.
 
'burn your retinas' is a good description, as lights too bright result in varying stages of 'night blindness'. Even a very bright day can hinder good seeing ability at night with a telescope. If you need a 'tactical' light to deal with suspects at night, a very bright light for search and rescue, etc., then bright makes sense, but bright merely for brightness sakes doesn't always work well. Once the light is off you can't see very at night with a dimmer light, so you need more bright light. Some tradeoffs might be a light with a good spot beam so that a lower output light can be used, or a brighter light for longer range and a smaller one for up close. Some of the halogen bulbs that I've pulled out of 2 D cell lights advertised to be bright were drawing over 1 amp, which will kill a couple of D cells fairly quickly. Some 'tactical' lights will kill expensive lithium cells in an hour or less. If bright is really important then carrying a 12V car battery with a gazillion power spotlight might be warranted.

My most used light is a yellow Photon on my keychain, as it's all that I need up close at night. It's rated for something like 200 hours continous use with a lithium button cell. My wife has used her white Photon in an emergency situation when the lights at a large mall went out, and she lit the way for the store personnel to find their lights.
 
Originally Posted By: 1sttruck
'burn your retinas' is a good description, as lights too bright result in varying stages of 'night blindness'.


Once again, I must never underestimate the lack of common sense. Obviously a blindingly bright light isn't proper for every application. For those stealthy, night vision requiring cloak and dagger ops I'll use something else, for example a couple IR Night Hawks and a Litton. Or maybe I'll wear blinds for two hours before sneaking around in the woods at night.
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