Scott I agree with you that the knife isn't as good looking as it once was.....but that's beside the point. I don't care for the shape of the blade but I really like the guard. It functions better for Joe now. It may even look better to Joe and that's all the matters. Because in the final analysis it doesn't make a hill of beans what we care. It's Joes knife and he is happy. Can't.....cannnn.....can't we all just get along?