Honestly, with the current CNC machines, there is really NO reason for an integral like the 781 to cost more money than say a similar knife made with two separate scales. In fact, looking closely at the photos of the 781 and the parts it takes to assemble, I'd bet that it takes LESS time to assemble than a similar multi-scaled knife. So with less labor, that's even less reason for the increased cost!
Let's play this out; the 781 has for parts:
- the handle
- the blade
- the main pivot screw
- the stop pin
- Phosphor bronze washers
- the Axis lock bar
- the two end studs for the Axis lock bar
- the two halves of the thumb stud
- the Axis coil spring
- the shaft for the coil spring
- the anchor bar for the coil spring shaft plus the two screws that hold it to the handle
- finally, the pocket clip and associated screws.
That's what,
maybe 17 or 18 separate parts, TOTAL? If you count the screws???
Now, if this were a multi-scaled knife, the parts count easily increases by 8-10, plus likely longer assembly time fidgeting with the Omega springs, liners, and handle scales before getting the blade into place.
I don't know, but I've had plenty of shop / CAD / assembly experience in my 15 years working with wind tunnel models for the aeronautics and space industry, and the integral handle design not only looks simpler to me, but with less wasted material during machining, and easier to assemble. How does that equal more expensive???
