I have an older Al Mar knife and the this one doesn't compare to the quality, fit or finish, but its also four times more. I didn't realize that this one was made in China. Not saying all stuff from China is bad. You get what you pay for. The knife is decent for the price.
Nomad627Al Mar Knives changed owners in 2019, going from Japanese to Chinese manufacturing. Most reports, like yours, testify to the fact that quality has gone down as prices have gone up.