Sorry, my experience with the 911 is the opposite of what you say Def, there have been 2 versions of the 911 one with fine teeth and a deeper blade the other, the present one with the deep serration's, you may have had one of the early design but I know I had no trouble out of the one I had. I got mine just after the design was changed.
Plastic (Glass reinforced Zytel) handles seem to be a design idea that Blackie Collins uses often because my other knife designed by him is the same a plastic handle with a single steel liner (the Meyerco Paradox) I may not be fond of that tool but there is nothing wrong with that handle. Both lock up well with no play because there is an adjustment screw to make sure.
As I have no use for a tool of this type now I was not going to replace the 911 but after I get a few other things out of the way I now think I will get one to just see how things have changed.
Dave