I thought about the Delica/Endura - and just about all the Spyderco line - problem is, they are over the $50 point - with both going around $57 street

As I said, the $50, and preferably much less makes things hard - real hard, to get a first rate knife. There are some good AUS-6/8 (or similar) alloy knives available from CRKT - who is pretty much THE budget knife maker out there. If I know someone looking for a very inexpensive but OK quality knife, that's where I tend to look (or in my stash of 'I used to carry this' knives if it's a good friend, and sell it to them for say $1, but..)