The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
The hole is there to allow the slab to be machined, a pin goes through it in the jig.
On the 25, a new process eliminated the need for a locating pin in the jig so it does not have a hole in the handle slab.
The 25 has been growing on my tremendously. The ergonomics are much better than the 21 (for me) and the blade grind is excellent. Not to mention, the ceramic ball interface. If I see a Micarta 25 on The Exchange I'm going to try it out for sure.
I used to think the lack of a pivot bushing was a con. After dissasembly/reassembly, I found out that there's no blade play when the male pivot screw is out.