In my case, a good whack on the tip when splitting a log pivoted the knife sharply downward, driving the guard into the log I was splitting. If there was metal in front of the guard, like on the SOD, to keep the guard from mashing into the log, there would have been no damage.

If you are careful about it, you can probably prevent the guard from ever rubbing against or hitting the wood you are working with. But I don't buy Scrap Yard knives to be careful with them. If I wanted to be careful, I can baton with a $25 mora. I buy SY blades exactly because I don't have to baby them.