On Sat, 6 Sep 2008 01:22:54 -0400, with neither quill nor qualm, "Tom
Gardner" quickly quoth:


Most all of the products that were our bread and butter...and a nice portion
of jam, are made in China now so we had to develop niche products that are
too few or too difficult for the Chinese to make. Wal-Mart buys a
shoe-handle model wire scratch brush for 19 cents delivered, that they sell
for 99 cents. It costs me 25 cents to buy the wire in coils that have to be
cut yet. Hard to compete even though mine would out-last the China model by
ten to one. The consumer doesn't care.

The consumer DOES care. I purchased a set of 6 wire brushes from HF a
couple months ago. I used one last week and all the wires (steel) bent
over on the first pass or three. sigh Their brass BBQ brush died on
the third use, but the scotchbrite pad on the other side is holding in
there all this year.

I need to get up a small list for you, Tawm.

--
Who is wise? He that learns from every One.
Who is powerful? He that governs his Passions.
Who is rich? He that is content.
Who is that? Nobody.
-- Benjamin Franklin