Rob, I totally dig the subdued 18. I may have mine blasted now. The handy thing about that type of finish is, when you muck it up, you can just have it re-blasted to look like new again.
Rick, your sons 18 is also very cool. Did baking the finish effect the epoxy bond in the handle at all?
Here is a little experiment I did with my model 18 I bought some brown micarta tubing, 1 inch inside diameter and 1.25 inch outside diameter and made a slip on cover for the handle of my 18. I put some finger grooves in it too. There is no permanent alteration to the knife.
Who knows, there could be an ironwood cover in the future too
Peter
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Peter Kaufman NRA Life GOA SAF RKCC CM-023 RKS #5642 SHAG # 005 Ironwood Nut Life is too short to have ugly knives