I took notice of this "because I use reamers to finish taping holes on work like this." and read it as a tapping reamer, which I have never seen before.

My view of the industry going to Al and/or carbon fiber forks is about weight and stiffness. Both very easily measured and felt by the perspective buyer/rider, unlike strength (however the larger in cross section nature of most of these forks surely are perceived as being stronger too). Andy