I can't say I would be too interested in an uncoated blade, unless I was going to coat it with something else like Guncoat, Duracoat, or Cerakoat. OR perhaps adding a Patina in a pattern like my Dereg, but other than that, for a serious user knife like this one will be for me, crinkle coat it is. especially showing all the dings from the forging process, it would add more work to get it cleaned up before adding any finish I intended to anyways. It's easier to just strip the knife of the factory finish and proceed from there.