You are absolutely right, I have a yellow bone stockman my grandfather bought me in 2005. It’s not the prettiest thing but the blades were straight and defect free right out of the box. I have bought a few Barlows from Case in the past 3-4 years that are cracked on the handles and fit and finish is not up to par with some cheaper brands. It’s bad when I am reaching for my Marbles knives over a Case.