I find it interesting that folks believe that Black Wood is all elegance and no grit and that somehow Ironwood is the wood of the "working class".
Some of the hardest working knives in history have been clad in some black wood or another. I think it stands to reason that a knife clad in Blackwood/Ebony can work all day and night and look darned good doing it. You can be assured that any Ironwood knife that you put to any serious work, with all the sweat, oils, weather, and what not, will simply darken and lose a good amount of its luster. Especially with brushed hardware.
So the point being, if you think voting for Ironwood because it will be the better working knife is the way to go, I feel that sentiment is somewhat misplaced. Blackwood and polished hardware will age and patina far better and more gracefully than Ironwood and a brushed/unpolished finish will. The numerous aged examples that folks have in their collections are a wonderful testament to this.