Buck 650 Nighthawk question

[Ruger 44 Redhawk]

Hi all, just looking at my 650 Nighthawk from 1995 with satin blade and I noticed if you look at the top of the handle guard where the blade goes into the handle, I thought the plastic was cracked. But upon further inspection it appears it is a cut out. Are all of them like this? I'm assuming this is how they get the blade in the handle and then force the cut out part in to hold the blade in place?

 

[jbmonkey]

yep..its in the design of them.