No, there's a profit motive.
The cheaper the stamp the bigger the profit. That's the reason we lost the good tang stamps of old. Most of the current "stamps" look either a little different or a LOT different.......and it's because they cut cost--thus higher profit.
I really doubt you know squat about the inner workings of Buck and why any decision is made. Why be a drag...?
I think the knife looks great. Buck's patterns can be the same but different, like people, they're all good