My real job is in the Building Materials Business...the price on wire (steel) over the last 12 months has been ALL OVER THE BOARD...there have been 100% increases realized in nails. Granted nails are a little heavier gauge than a#18 dry fly hook, but they are made from steel wire regardless...and the basic issue remains in the volitility of the commodity market for steel and steel related products. Mustad can cloak it anyway they want to, but a price increase is a price increase...

Though I appreciate the sentiment behind not being shafted...we have to face the fact that we, as Americans, forged the Shaft ourselves by pricing ourselves out of the steel industry, selling our factories to offshore interests, and deciding to become a society of consumers rather than producers. Buy other hooks...sure! how long before they raise prices too?

BTW, any thoughts on how much a single, 100% American Hook (from ore to sharpening) would actually cost? and how much extra would we be willing to pay for that hook...or reel...or rod...or car...or tv...
we have no-one to blame but ourselves...heck I work for a company that manufactures a completely domestic product from ground to truck, and I'm not innocent....we use foreign energy to make it and deliver it!

Economics for the 21st Century...thik I'll go fishing, this makes my head hurt