more doom and gloom...

[madmacs]

http://news.scotsman.com/opinion/Lau...?articlepage=1

Reminds me i have to get my parents to send over my horsehair one though...

[tyger]

Lots of stress and strain on artisans, crafters, and the like. It used to be the only way, now it is the byway. Not many seek it. Fewer travel it.

[Nighthawk]

Lots of stress and strain on artisans, crafters, and the like. It used to be the only way, now it is the byway. Not many seek it. Fewer travel it.

That's about the truth of it...

[hootstwo]

Makes me think that I might need to trap some of the game that's running around in my yard constantly and make a bit of money from the pelts! (and sad, that another small heritage industry is failing in order to save a bit of money that will undoubtedly be spent on something as vitally important as the iPhone v15.632)

[Ryan Ross]

That's about the truth of it...

Yes indeed. We are a dying breed.

[rsvpiper]

Yep the times they are a changin BUT having gone to two sporran makers in Scotland this year one of which was in the aforementioned article i must say the apathy with which i was approached and dealt is was disappointing to say the least

[OC Richard]

When will Scotland wake up and ban these imports?

Or at least pass a law requiring every item's country of manufacture to be clearly labelled.

Take a look at the wording on this Pakistani kilt's label:



Scottish Highland Kilt

Authentic woven tartan

Designed in Scotland

Doesn't say where it was made.

[Jock Scot]

When will Scotland wake up and ban these imports?

Or at least pass a law requiring every item's country of manufacture to be clearly labelled.

Whilst not all imported kilt goods are cheap, or poorly made, but until and unless the customer recognises craftmanship when he sees it and is prepared to pay for it, then I am afraid the cheepest option of the poorest quality will prevail in most circumstances.

[tyger]

... unless the customer recognises craftmanship when he sees it and is prepared to pay for it, then I am afraid the cheepest option of the poorest quality will prevail in most circumstances.

Sure. You are quite correct. The natural course of such progressive dimunition exposes a market where there is nothing left to compare the cheap stuff to. There is only cheap, and cheaper, and cheapest. I have seen this in some countries where you simply cannot find what you are looking for!

I looked for a handmade belt buckle and cound not find one. So I made a few.

Tyger's very own personal Scotsman's Thistle Belt Buckle, 3.5 inches, pewter, brass


PS- Matt Newsome, Ronan, Chuck, Kathie, Jim, and Abigail at the Scottish Tartan's Museum Gift Shop in Franklin NC might be able to set you up with one of these.

[Mickey]

It is happening across all crafts, in all places. I have been building custom fishing rods for over 25 years, and have seen the same thing. Cheap imports have always been around, but today, they are being made better than they used to be, at least visibly, so unless a customer really knows the details, it is hard to explain the serious cost differences. Even then, it is hard to break through the concept of having one well crafted item vs. 12 inexpensive ones that, to an untrained eye, aren't much different.

The sad fact is that the majority of people are now living in a disposable world. The idea of having something good to take care of and pass on down doesn't seem to compute, not when they can simply replace something for a fraction of the cost. There are far fewer people today who understand craftsmanship for what it is. More and more, it seems that the only people who seem to appreciate it, are other craftsmen, regardless of their medium.

I don't have an answer. It used to be education, but more and more each year, that fails to be a suitable solution.