I have a friend, Mike, who I've known for a long time. He's currently active duty in the Army. He's been to Iraq twice, and is currently re-training for a different job after his former service cost him much of his hearing. He asked me about making a knife like one he'd seen a fellow soldier carry. The knife is designed to be carried on the MOLLE vest, without a sheath, in between the vest and a magazine. Mike requested a "gut hook" on the back for cutting paracord. Naturally, the handle is a paracord wrap as well.
Steel on this one is 3/16 D2 tool steel, heat treated and cryogenic quenched by Texas Knifemaker Supply. The blade came back from heat treat with a nice even black scale. I wanted black anyway, so I waxed the blade and called it good.
