Casting titanium is a difficult and expensive process. It's a refractory metal that is reactive and attacks the crucible in which it is melted. It also must be cast in a vacuum with an inert atmosphere, usually argon. That's why it's so much easier to slap together a sandwich with some flat stock and G-10 scales than keep on casting and finishing those channeled handles.

I know a little about casting Ti from my jewelry days, but I know nothing about the scandium alloy other than, 1. It's an Al alloy with around 1-2% scandium, 2. That small amount makes the Al really hard and, 3. It's more expensive than Ti.

It's seems that the days of cast channel handles are gone, but I wouldn't mind seeing a sandwich construction that doesn't use scales. In other words, I'd like to see the handles made from two pieces of Ti instead of two pieces of flat stock with G-10 scales. But that would require either casting the handles (too expensive, which was the problem in the first place,) or milling them (again, too expensive concerning the milling process.)

And I wouldn't mind a plain, smooth or matte finished sandwich handle with no slots or drilled holes to wear out a mill.

I would like to inform everyone that I learned something from this.

I did not know that the 42 handles were cast Ti.
I did not know that liquid Ti was highly reactive.

Thanks.