Well said. No doubt the best knives for the money. Mass production keeps the price down, basically all the effort goes into the blade whereas the handle and sheath are as cheap as possible while still serviceable.

That said, there are much better finished Scandinavian knives out there. Handmade grips and sheaths, beautifully finished blades. They cost more but still less than most US "high end" knives (not even custom).

I have a Frost laminated blade that I mounted myself and that thing has the best edge I've ever seen in a field knife. Sharpens very easily and keeps the edge well. If maintenance is a concern, pick stainless. But if you don't mind periodically oiling the blade, by all means go for a laminated blade.