IMHO, Buck has been irrelevant for quite awhile now in terms of performance, materials, f/f, etc...
Regardless of where they are making their stuff, why reward mediocrity?
They were the FIRST large scale knife producers to use 154Cm and S30V in sub $100 knife.
Their folders like the Vantage are VERY well made knives, and are made in S30V with G-10 scales for less than $60. Nothing "mediocre" about them.
I used a BuckLite model last year hunting. It's a great design and cost less than $30. It kicked the ass of several European knives at up to twice the price .
Pauls Bos ,who headed Buck's heat treatment shop for over 40 years has forgotten more about heat treating blades than most custom makers will ever learn.
