shecky - I agree with everything you say. All of it is true but one little point.
Had it been any other American knife, I would be pounding on my desk giving you a "hell ya' " in agreement.
But... a small point. The CASE sodbuster has always been an inexpensive, work knife. I first saw these in the 70s, and they were hit and miss on the fit and finish then, too. The way I understood it, the intent of CASE was to put a reliable, sturdy work knife in the hands of everyone that needed it. To me they succeeded.
I have seen these used for everything to the work knife in the nail bags of carpenters (like me! ) to hunting/fishing/camping knives. Always reliable, I have never seen one fail. But for the price point 40 years ago, they still weren't the quality fit and finish of their other knives. This knife was purpose built to be affordable, and to me, they didn't scrimp on the materials, but they probably let the new apprentices build most of them.
It has never been an expensive knife, and that probably won't change. i have seen these knives look just about perfect, and some that looked like gas station quality. The worst ones (back then bought at a hardware store) were simply returned/exchanged if it was really bad. They were made as cutting tools, for people that used them, not as collectors or trophy knives.
If we were talking about a copperhead, jack, a whittler or any other of the CASE line, I would be right there with you. Just not on this model. It is what it is, and that is a real workman's knife. A tool. It would be lovely if CASE could make these as well as their other lines and styles AND sell them cheaply, but they never have. Probably won't start now. I don't believe that was ever their intent.
I did like your post, though.
Just my 0.02.
Robert