It's buy once cry  once purchase. The shears were replaced with  high end American made counterparts. The Japanese, Swedes, English, Americans, and even the French and Koreans can and do make some fabulous steel alloys. For cutlery and wood working blades the German steel is some of the finest available. German canon barrel steel is also insanely tough steel too. These knives take and edge and keep it really well. There are some steels that seem to keep an edge a little longer. I don't know what Wenger used, but that steel is incredible. That is a Swiss made alloy. If you pay for the Zwilling forged steel knives you will have knives that will last you a lifetime, with reasonable care and proper use.