You know what, I don't blame China for any of the crap they make. You know who's really to blame? The US companies that are trying to save money by sacrificing quality. Yes, that's right, corporate America. You know that cliche about leading a horse to a trough? If the US companies are more diligent and critical of the quality, then these issues wouldn't be as prevalent. Where something is made is not the problem.

Agree with jscout. I was trying to figure out how US politicians could be taking the rap for private-sector peddling and consumer's purchasing of inferior goods made in China. Is the thinking that they are not protectionist enough? Not enough regulation?

Also agree with gr8day and (I think) lynn's message that you are better off spending a bit more for quality in the long run. Not that I always manage to remind myself of this at the time of purchase, but I am getting better!

"agree with gr8day and (I think) lynn's message that you are better off spending a bit more for quality in the long run."

this

Thanks! I was hoping that if anyone else here as found sources that they would please post them too. I still haven't decided what knobs I want to use and would love to see more options!

GAH I cannot remember where my knobs and pulls came from but it is a place in NJ where they cast them. I love em.

Mine were custom made. They are glass, they were $15/knob and they were made by a wonderful company called Designer Glass Mosaics which is run by a husband and wife in Charlotte North Carolina. They will do anything you want in glass (mine were designed w/ my hydrangea mural in mind) and I cannot recommend them or their work more highly:

What beautiful knobs! They have so many beautiful things! Did you have to give them a picture of the design you wanted? I didn't see a section for the knobs/pulls on their site?

I just sent over pics of the kitchen and they had something similar done already so we worked from that. Knobs are a new venture for them I guess. They also did a mural for me for a bathroom so I was already familiar w/ how beautiful their work was.

I cannot believe how gorgeous their stuff is. Beagles, I think you should post a separate thread about them .... maybe you have already. I guess I remember seeing it awhile back. I wish I had thought about how I could use them earlier. So gorgeous.... I wonder if they could make a surround for a bathroom mirror that wouldn't require a mortgage?

I posted the knobs, but not a separate thread. I don't want people to think I'm advertising for them :)

The stuff is even more beautiful in person, that is the amazing thing. I didn't even realize before I ordered my mural (Path to the Beach) that it would be textured. You can't really tell that well from the website, but there are actually raised reeds in the glass. It takes my breath away when I look at it.

I'm sure they can do a bathroom mirror surround. I've sort of lost sight of "affordable" in this project because everything has been so expensive, but I think that we got a reasonable deal on our mural. It is three separate panes of glass (total = 36 x 24) plus two accent tiles and it was $1200 + shipping.

Try nottinghillknobs.com. Their pulls make me drool. I am pretty sure they are made in usa because I was also on a quest for no "made in china". That will send a project over budget fast.

we tried to buy american-made as much as possible with our remodel. our kraftmaid cabinets came with pulls from their catalog. i got excited to see that they are "liberty" brand (with a very nice picture of the statue of liberty head) and then below saw the little words "made in china." shouldn't there be a law about using a picture of the statue as a logo for something made in china??

We can't, and shouldn't legislate every aspect of our lives. Caveat Emptor. . . .

oops. . didn't mean for that to sound snarky. It just that I think we need to do more of what you did, kawh707,. . .read the fine print, do the research, ask questions. . .rather than looking for a law to absolve us of that responsibiltiy.

Thanks for the additional information on the glass knobs. I hope others can also list more USA made knobs/pulls here. I have found that when talking to kitchen stores or others who sell knobs many of them are not even aware of many of the made in USA manufacturers.

I 'm with you gr8day. I try whenever possible, i.e. go out of my way to NOT but products from China. And if we tried to buy American made products - the companies would listen and jobs would come back!!!

" You know who's really to blame? The US companies that are trying to save money by sacrificing quality. Yes, that's right, corporate America. "

I disagree with this almost entirely.

While corp. America certainly has a hand in the process and many can do more to manage their offshore opps better - sometimes their partner just cuts corners and slips in a cheaper ingredient or process before the designer/specifier can find out. You don't think someone in the U.S. specified all that crap going into the pet food they were going to sell - do you ?

THE REAL CULPRIT is the majority of people around here that just don't want to pay the going rate for a domestic made product. "Why pay $100 for that wodget when XYZ corp. has the same thing for $65 ??? I mean they look the same, and I'll only use it for a few years , so why spend the xtra $$$ ?

Corporations are fairly malleable and not altruistic by nature. They are profit driven just like you. If you're not buying enough wodgets to keep them open and a profit in their shareholder's pocket - then they will figure out a way to compete.

They can keep production at home and "specialize" while trying to convince you their product is worth more than their competition's Made in China version - or - they can find a cheaper method of production and sell more units. Few are going to sit around watching their sales decline because of cost.

I wish folks would quit whining about this. MADE IN the USA was not always a symbol of quality. At the turn of the century, 2 back , America was the source of cheap labor. Droves of English and European companies wanted to set up shops in the USA to take advantage of cheap labor - it's what fueled the industrial revolution and made many Americans prosperous and wealthy.

"We can't, and shouldn't legislate every aspect of our lives...Caveat Emptor "

Do you wish to Caveat Emptor your way onto airliner? Do you hold that philosophy when you breathe air and drink water? Regulations are absolutely necessary to protect people from corporations who will, and do, stoop to incredible lows for their love of profit.

Buying Made is USA is what people who care about America do.

The problems with some goods from China remind me of Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle." Early in its industrial revolution, the USA had its problems with quality including sometimes dangerous product from less honest companies. It seems like China is now where we were in the early 20th century. It doesn't affect all of their products - some of it is very good, but the bad eggs give them a bad reputation. They will figure that out and clean it up in time.

The knobs for our new family room cabinets, will be made in the USA - my DH is turning them on our lathe from walnut harvested from our neighborhood.

Antss I agree that US consumers' desire or preference for inexpensive items has led to the proliferation of goods made elsewhere and sold here.

My DS had a school project where he picked items from different categories (clothing, shoes, basically stuff with labels) and did a chart listing where they were made. Many of the items, especially clothing, were made overseas (most were Indonesia IIRC.) This is a pretty good lesson for kids, IMHO.

We used this lesson when we went to a local market in Kauai. Our kids really wanted a 'local' souvenir. We flipped everything over and most of it was made in China or Indonesia! We decided that we didn't sit 10 hours on a plane to buy a trinket or tee shirt made in China and that our best souvenirs are pictures and memories.

Wells aid, gr8day!

Thank you for posting this, lynn, I hate buying things from China too, but had not even thought about the possibility of lead in the knobs. I'm grateful you shared that.

Here are some made in France and Germany -- sorry not USA, but at least not China. They are very pricey, I had the rusted Iron French ones in the last house **during the bubble** (when still spending like a drunken sailor), and they looked gorgeous with my glazed white cabinets. This time around I'm more careful with money (maturation process?), but the point about spending a little more to get quality (and not something possibly poisonous) is well-made, and I'm gonna do it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Whitechapel cabinet hardware

I am repenting of posting my French knob website, after seeing the video clip from ABC News, "MADE IN AMERICA," -- all about a new house in which everything down to the nails is made in America. Beautiful. Hope it's OK to post here.

Here is a link that might be useful: MADE IN AMERICA

You know who's really to blame? The US companies that are trying to save money by sacrificing quality

People want clean air, and water and employment regulations but don't want to pay for anything made under those conditions.

What vexes me are places like Restoration Hardware who used to use American manufacturers for their furniture. Now they don't, but it isn't as though they passed those savings on to us the consumers. It's the same overpriced crap, just made in China rather than North Carolina.