I have an AL Mar Skrike that I bought on E-bay for about $120. Show me a knife that compares to it for less or the same price and I will buy 10 of them right now.
1. VG-10 steel, the best SS for knives.
2. Matte black linen Micarta grip scales, tough, good looking and care free.
3. Flat ground blade, nothing cuts like like a thin flat ground blade.
4. SS liner, adds strength.
5. SS pocket clip
6. Duel thumb studs.
7. SS pins, screws and other hardware.
8. Smooooooth operation!
9. SHARP!
10. FIts your hand like it was a custom knife.
This is the most I have paid for a folding knife but I know I got my money's worth out of it. I have had it for a few months and it still looks like new and is as sharp as when I got it. I have only had to strop it a few times and not put it to the stones.
It is not the cost of the knife that determines the quality but if you want quality, you are going to have to pay for it. A $7 knife is probably not going to do everything as well as a $100-200 knife but it may well do ONE thing as well or even better. If that ONE thing is the most important thing you need a knife for, it may be a good deal for you. For example, if all you need a knife for is to open boxes, a $7 box cutter with replaceable blade is probably going to out preform ANY other knife at at any other price.
Find out what you need a knife for and pick a good match based on your needs, it is like anything else that way. There are so many knives that if you don't what you want, you can get something that is not suited to your needs.
Do I NEED an AL Mar Shrike? Probably not. It is the only knife I have ever owned that brings a smile to my face when I hold it or operate it. That counts for something. It is a wonderful piece of steel and I have no doubt it is better than some knives costing several times more. Be a smart shopper and you will get your money's worth. Don't buy based on name alone.