A visit to Lab-Gear’s sewing shop on Friday yielded a very interesting conversation. We were asking about making some bags, courier style for the new line, as we knew that the shop had done a large variety of work in the past. On showing the sample we asked not only if they could do it but if they were interested. While the ability was there, the want to do it was not as more often it’s not worth the effort as people don’t want to pay what it costs citing ‘we can get it done off shore for a fraction of that’. When asked if they knew any places that could do work like that, the answer that came back was that they have all closed down over the past few years.

Why? The answer was solidly - ‘China’. (more…)

In the first few opening minutes of Metallica’s documentary ‘Some kind of Monster’ James Hetfield roars down a Bay Area freeway in his bucket hot rod. He and his passenger sit awkwardly in the open wheeler, dangerous stick shift vibrating, chrome ‘German’ style helmets shining in the sun and noise roaring from the straight pipes coming right off the block. (more…)