Best handle mod I have seen was , if my memory serves me well, done by knifemaker Scott Gossman on someones Swamprat M6. It was an awesome wooden handle if anyone can find the pics. Only problem was that he also convexed the blade down and left it a little too thin for tough work and during a knife test it deformed quite badly !!!!
I am pretty sure I remember seeing the knife you are referring to posted over on Bladeforums.
If we are talking about the same knife, I thought I remember the edge chipping out with a pretty significant chip. - One of the VERY few SR-101 blades I ever saw take any significant damage. *** BUT, it was likely due to the regrinding causing temper damage (?????).
I searched, but cannot find it anymore on bladeforums.
It was shown in a chop-off along with a bunch of choppers. I can't remember who did the chop-off, but the chop-off was pretty controlled on 2"x4" or 2"x6" boards or something.
If I remember correctly, the M6 had been (as you said) significantly customized and included a significant regrinding of the blades edge.
I "believe" (if I remember correctly) the knife was sent back to Eric/Swamp Rat. And in spite of it being determined that temper damage had most likely been done to the edge when it was reground, Eric/Swamp Rat/Busse still covered the knife under warranty. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />
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