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?
You damn sure have not used any Buck Knives lately. 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.