Yeah, I gotta jump in here. You said "cheap steel is cheap steel no matter how sharp it comes out of the box" and I felt that. But honestly, I've had the exact opposite luck. I picked up a no-name pair at a local hardware store for like $12 and they've been going strong for a year now. They're not as heavy duty as my old ARS ones but they cut through everything I throw at them without rolling the blade. I think some of these budget brands are actually using decent steel now because they want to compete with the big names. The handles on mine are still tight and not wobbly at all. It's not like my Felcos are junk either, but I grab the cheap ones way more often just because they're lighter and easier to handle.