thanks man. this blade and i have been through all kinds of shit together haha. that's an all natural God-given patina right there (the blade is clean compared to normal...it's actually wiped off with some oil on it). and the handle is nothing special, standard 550 paracord lanyard and grip tape you get a sporting goods store. both help with control in the muck. oh and the sheath is a spec ops survival sheath (
http://www.onestopknifeshop.com/store/spec-ops-brand-survival-sheath.html ) with a leatherman blast, bic lighter, mini flashlite (can't remember the model right now) and a eze-lap sharpener. anything else i need i improvise ;-)