Buyer beware

fegarex · Sep 25, 2015

I was browsing EBay last night and ran across this item. Brand CRS Mini Block Ball.
The block is a knock off of the GRS mini ball. Heck, they even use GRS artwork in the ad. Besides the engraving blocks there are knock off engraving machines and other items. Usually if it comes from China it is a knock off. I've seen several of these products and they are usually very poorly made. You are much better off looking for a used unit than trying to make one of these work. Like the old motto says... If you think it is too good to be true, chances are it is.

Addertooth · Sep 25, 2015

Will the horrors never stop. Yes, the Chinese tend to knock off almost all high-margin products.

DakotaDocMartin · Sep 26, 2015

Counterfeit items shipped to the USA should be seized and destroyed.

Sam · Sep 26, 2015

People that buy those knockoff engraving machines and handpieces have no idea what they're getting into. When their work suffers they won't know if it's them, the machine, or the handpiece, and no one will be able to help them troubleshoot. A waste of money, time, and effort. You're on your own with that junk.

Ron Spokovich · Sep 26, 2015

Trust your instincts on a lot of this garbage, especially the pricing. Many years ago, while on an apprenticeship, there were 'surplus' items for sale, reduced pricing, that were defective in some way as we found out too late. The Chinese garbage wasn't as plentiful, then, as it is now. I never buy their trash, and they seem to be only adept at making chow mein and babies. Wait 'til a used item comes up for sale, or save up your pennies for a good product.

Archie Woodworth · Sep 26, 2015

Sit up and take a breath....If it is too good to be true then guess what? Supporting those thieving SOBs is destroying our economy...putting Americans out of work....spend your money here where you live...if you can't afford the original right now, suck it up and wait until you can...don't reward a thief, reward the inventor.

Roger B · Sep 26, 2015

Ron Spokovich said:
Trust your instincts on a lot of this garbage, especially the pricing.

Hear, hear. Yesterday's newspaper had a digital safe advertised for .... wait for it .... $29.00. Besides being of a size that you could just pick up and walk out with the only thing I would put in that safe would be worth less than $29- in total

Roger

Brian Marshall · Sep 26, 2015

You got a Harbor Freight over there Roger?

Brian

Roger B · Sep 27, 2015

Brian Marshall said:
You got a Harbor Freight over there Roger?

Brian

Not quite Brian, but Lowes has gone into partnership with one of our supermarkets to try and corner the hardware market - last I heard they were losing money big time.

Doesn't matter where you shop the Chinese have a huge foothold with their exports

Sam · Sep 27, 2015

Roger B said:
Doesn't matter where you shop the Chinese have a huge foothold with their exports

This is so true. It seems like everything in all stores comes from China.

SamW · Sep 27, 2015

I almost bought a couple of power generators a while back...until looking through the manuals I noticed absolutely no "fingerprints" in them, meaning no addresses or phone numbers so one could order parts or warranty. You can tell so many of my tools and kitchen utensils are antiques because they say Made In The USA!!

Brian Marshall · Sep 27, 2015

Here of late, I have been engraving "Made in USA" on a few custom made items at the request of several companies I work for.

That has never happened before...

Brian

Sam · Sep 27, 2015

I wonder if/when China will turn this around. I was told that after the war, Japan knocked off products, and of course I know they produced cheaply made trinkets, pottery items, and transistor radios. Eventually they became a highly respected leader in manufacturing and "Made in Japan" is now a sign of quality as opposed to what it was when I was a kid.

Addertooth · Sep 27, 2015

China appears to be (very) slowly learning the concept of quality control. In the non-engraving markets, negative feedback from foreign (to China) seems to be shaping their efforts. The continued deflation of their currency has put the squeeze on their manufacturing, and has made them more receptive to responding to customer demands and complaints (for fear of losing market segments). I think it will be a decade (or more) before they are equivalent to 1980s Japanese quality. Like you Sam, I remember when Japanese products started to markedly improve, it was usually through the support of US quality control teams, or a US parent company defining standards for production. Heck, that Kamado Joe you bought in 2013 is a prime example of a Chinese produced product, with a US parent company. I would bet it has worked well for you. (As a disclosure, I own two Kamado Joe cookers).

Sam · Sep 27, 2015

My Kamado Joe works exceptionally well and I never looked to see where it was made.

Smoked @ 225Â°F until the meat reaches 200Â°F.

Addertooth · Sep 27, 2015

That is one beautiful piece of Brisket, with a wonderful red smoke ring. Looks great!

DakotaDocMartin · Sep 27, 2015

My son has one of the green American made versions and loves it. At his previous house he had one of the oval shaped American made models. He said both companies started out together and split later. Then, the Chinese got into the market too.

Addertooth · Sep 27, 2015

The American brands of Kamado grills are... Big Green Egg, Primo (oval), Rocket (Galaxy Outdoors in Las Vegas), and the now defunct "Kamado" brand owned by Richard Johnson. The Richard Johnson was the original US patent holder on the design, but had business practices which destroyed his customer base. I still have one of his old Kamado K7s which was made in Sacramento. Big Green Egg is currently made in Mexico.

Archie Woodworth · Sep 27, 2015

DakotaDocMartin said:
Counterfeit items shipped to the USA should be seized and destroyed.

Copy that Brother....

Dani Girl · Sep 30, 2015

I have seen chinese knock off vises up close, they are not as smooth as american ones. It is worth the extra money if you intend to be at all serious.

I can't remember for sure but I think they even put the GRS logo on the vise, don't quote me though I have the memory of a goldfish.

Save up and buy the real gear though for sure.

Thanks for posting this 'buyers beware'.

Buyer beware

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