Paul, is your knife the antelope ll with phenolic ( black plastic) handle? the knife shown by James is the Deer hunter with a choil ( half circle) cut out of the blade belly with upgraded cosmetics ( your paying for pretty.). AUS 8 is a good stainless steel used in many knives. I could dazzle you with a % rundown of the materials and why it's 'better' than 440 C or less than ideal vs S30V. It's a nice steel, 'nough said. Your knife is more of a dedicated hunting knife for butchering. The classic drop point for skinning and avoiding puncturing organs is happily also very good at most chores in the field. The fingergrooves are a design concept to reduce hand slippage when your up to your elbows in blood, gore and guts. It does limit the ways you can regrip the knife for various jobs and if your hand radically differs in size from the factory 'ideal' will prove uncomfortable. The deep sheath is excellent. Overall Kershaw makes quality products. How much did you pay? For the domestic price they are a good deal and vastly superior to a baker's dozen competitors I can name offhand. The salesman? well, he was selling his product. I would have addressed the qualities I covered and asked what YOU need. He just might have put you into a more expensive knife. You did O.K. The knife will work.
