I have a Model 6 filet with a 9" blade that has the blue/red micarta and is my principle user for kitchen projects. I've had it for 5-6 years. It looks the same today as the day the Capt sent it to me. Obviously it never goes in the dish washer, and gets dried off and sharpened at every use. Like a lot of other things in this world, the quality of the product depends on where it is made. I've never heard of any Randall micarta handle molding or coming apart. Some do have color differences when aging, but only the lighter colored ones.

Pap