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The Tip is 'Don't procrastinate' For years I've been buying ink jet cartridges from a big box office supply store. These cartridges were made overseas and labeled with the well-known brand of a large American printer company. One I remembered a local store that advertised quality cartridges. I had traveled by this local store hundreds of times but never stopped. This time I stopped at the local store. To my surprise I discovered that they carried the cartridge I needed and it was a Made in USA cartridge. Made in Chicago, to be precise, and it was half the price of the imported ones I had been buying for years. The quality is exceptional and they last longer too. Who knew? After that experience, I make a point to stop at every store I can. By doing so, I've been finding more and more Made in America products. Occasionally the clerks don't know the country of origin; this can be discouraging but finding the origin information yourself isn't difficult I've come to realize. Believe it not, there are actually a number of computers made in the US including laptops made in the USA. When the label is not visibly displayed I use the other Made in America buying tips to help me find Made in US. If the store doesn't carry what you are looking for, use Made in America Secrets to find it and tell the manager about your experience at their store. If enough people are asking for Made in America products stores will begin to carry them. Buying Tip Continued - Read more on Made in America Products by HTK James R. Caldwell, a U.S. railway postal clerk, invented the Handy Twine Knife in the late 1800's. In those days, the mail was moved by trains. Railway postal clerks were responsible for collecting and sorting the mail for delivery. While in transit, the clerks would use twine to bundle the mail for the next stop. The clerks carried pocket knives in order to cut the twine. Caldwell's route was from Chicago to Pittsburgh and back again. Often, there was not much time between stops, so the pace was fast. That quick pace along with the constant movement of the rail car, made it impossible for him to keep track of his pocketknife. One day after work, Mr. Caldwell went home and came up with a better mousetrap. He took a piece of copper, bent it around his finger, and attached the blade from his pocketknife to the copper band with a small screw and nut. That original knife is on rotating display at Smithsonian Postal Museum in Washington D.C. Not Surprisingly, Caldwell soon began getting requests from his co-workers for their own handy and the company had its beginning. After some design changes and a few years of making twine knives in the evenings after Caldwell's regular job, the Handy Twine Knife Company was formed. The first recorded sale of a knife was in 1904. The drawings and application for a patent were filed in October of 1910 and approved in July of 1912. Since then, the name handy and the distinctive design of the utility knife have been protected by U.S. Patent and Trademark Laws. View old newspaper advertisements View old receipt & sizing card We have been manufacturing and distributing the Handy Twine Knife for over 100 years. You won't find a safer, less expensive utility knife anywhere. This ring-type knife can be used to cut twine, ribbon, plastic strapping, pallet wrap, tape, cardboard, even light gauge wire! For many types of jobs, it can increase productivity and at the same time, reduce the risk of repetitive motion injuries. Our ring knives are used extensively in the food service industry from harvesting to packaging, shipping and warehousing. Some of our major customers include Ace Hardware, The Washington Post, Sears, Mead, Fastenal, Monsanto, The New York Times, Kraft, Tyson and many more. |
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