OK I don't want to keep interjecting here, but these knives in particular are pretty close to my heart--because I was going to make these price point and style knives, and then when the Lamson Factory took it up, I realized they could do it cheaper and faster than I ever could, and shifted gears myself. I really want these to be fantastic and sell well enough that other companies follow suit.
The grinds are being done by machines, not people. The number one most important quality of a knife is the grind. A I would grab piece of un-heat treated steel with a handle made of duct tape and the grind of a Shigefusa over a $2000 custom with a full flat grind, dead-flat profile and no taper. It is unfortunate that the number one reason Japanese knives are kicking western knives' asses is the one thing American Manufacturers just won't do--have a skilled laborer finish the grinding. They don't want to invest in a person, because people are too risky--you lose your one guy, you are screwed, and training new people is not as easy on management as just buying a big, wet robot.
I think it would be a complete game changer if just one factory would get someone in the know to design a knife, and then invest in 1-3 actual human lives to instruct and get even moderately good at grinding, and then do it. The appropriate grinds on a knife are a snap to do by hand, when compared to a giant machine. I'm not talking hire a Bladesmith or anything, just teach employees who are settled in life, passionate about knives, and have few opportunities otherwise to make the magic happen. Even Tojiro has folks with eyeballs, brains, and wrists ensuring the knives are just made right, and they are cheap as heck.
You should write them letters. I have, they didn't listen to me!