I think by their nature or culture, the staff and owners of knife companies in the US (elsewhere too, of course) might tend to be a bit isolationist and mistrustful of foreigners. It's my own predjudice, I know, but a vivid one that seems to explain a lot. I have been here since 2007. Of many dozens imported, only one knife (a little trad Northwoods slippie) didn't make it in all that time.