I don't know if these are all custom Svords or what, but they all seem to either have differently shaped handles or tangs from my Mini Peasant, or both. I'm quite happy with mine, and I am going to get a regular 3" Peasant Knife to round things out, although it will probably be a bit cumbersome to carry in pocket. The 2.5" blade version carries like a 5" folder, with that tang sticking out! The only real issues I had with quality are that the handles were rough, as if they had been treated with a single coat of poly and shipped when dry, without any sanding. A few minutes with sandpaper and some oil fixed that, although I debated leaving it. After all, many manufacturers go to great lengths to roughen their handles for extra grip! The second issue is that the holes for the rear screw/post are slightly misaligned, so the handles don't QUITE line up. Not a real problem, but it annoys me to no end. I tried opening the holes up a little, but it didn't seem to help.
As for the blade hitting the rear post when closed, I hadn't noticed or had a problem with that, since I have always kept my rear screw tightened right down (finger tight only), so when you close it the blade is wedging between to two handles, which keeps it closed very well. It would be very difficult to close it far enough to hit the brass post unless I loosened the screw, and then it would flop open in my pocket. Only drawback is that this tends to leave brighter score lines where the handle rubs it when closed. Don't know about some of these other types of handles though, can't speak for those. The rubber O-ring sounds like a great idea.
The blade came pretty sharp, and sharpened up without much trouble. The edge certain FEELS sharp, although it doesn't seem to actually cut through things a well as I'd expect. I may just be spoiled by getting an Opinel at the same time though. Those are so scary sharp that other knives seem dull in comparison. I suspect some of the problem is the "special grind" on the blade, which as far as I can tell is just a convex kind of "spear point" edge grind (I'm sure there is some official name for it that I don't know). Great for strength, less great for delicate slicing work (there is an article I saw somewhere on the original Peasant Knife that shows him chopping through a mild-steel 3/8" bolt with one, supposedly without damaging the edge. As well as being bent 90deg in both directions before snapping off when straightened again). The steel is supposedly carbon steel, with "special heat treatment". It certainly gives a carbon steel taste to food when you cut it, but when i tried to force patina it with mustard overnight, all it did was leave two black freckles on the blade, and blacken a cm or so of the edge near the tip. Odd. That an it had kind of darkened and splotched in general since I got it.
I like the simple handle and design. You can adjust the pivot tension with the front screw and the open/closed retention by tightening the rear screw. You have to fiddle with them to find the right balance every time you take it apart, but itsn't hard, and you can adjust it however you like. You do have to take it apart to really clean and dry/oil the blade, but it's cheap enough that if you don't, it's not a huge deal. The handles are comfortable and well shaped, at least on mine. I assumed this was the "traditional" Svord shape, curved, tapering, with pointed heel and rounded head. It's almost a "pistol grip" shape, which gives good blade positioning for cutting.
The tang is the heart of the knife, and the greatest advantage and greatest drawback. With the tang, when the blade is opening, the tang wedges itself between the two handle halves (friction force adjustable). When properly adjusted, the friction fit is quite firm, and the knife won't close unless you make it close. When gripped in the hand, not only is the friction increased, but with the palm in the way, it is physically impossible for the blade to close accidentally. It is quite safe and effective, apparently taken from antique farm/craftsman's tools designs (the overall look is suitable primitive and organic, to be sure, down to the blade which seems to be trying to appear hand-forged). When closed, the tang protrudes an inch or so from the handle, which makes the overall length a lot longer than a modern knife of the same size. This is a bit cumbersome, but not a deal breaker. This tang is also a useful tool when closed, being very handy for prying and poking at things. It would also work as a non-lethal weapon in the event a user just wanted to drive an assailant/animal away rather than stabbing or cutting them. If you gribbed the closed knife, tang down in your palm, and hammered at a person's head and body with that tang, you can be sure it would hurt a great deal, all that force being focused into that blunt-ish tang tip. Would leave nasty bruises, but probably wouldn't do any real penetrating. Just a thought I had, although I don NOT advise anyone try to do such a thing. The tip of the tang of my knife is rounded, with a small hole drilled in it, which apparently can be used with a clip to hang the knife from a belt, keychain or wall hook. However whatever ring you install will be right under your palm when the blade is open, so thing small or use a string. It prevents the knife from opening fully, but it works just well (however the prying tool function is impeded by the ring being in the way). I am not sure it's worth it and am probably going to remove mine. The tang is more handy as a pipe-tamping/stirring tool than as a way of hanging the knife, IMHO. Another good point about the tang is that if you were ever stuck in the wilderness and the handle broke for some reason, the tang leave enough handle for the knife to be usable, or to allow it to be fixed to a handmade rough handle with string or bark. Good to know one COULD do this, if it came to it. This would be harder with most folding knives.
