MI is pretty soft material, and is not very tough. As such, it can abrade easily. Although the MI is pretty well protected in its recessed pocket, it can also crack from a really nasty fall. I've always been pretty careful when I've handled my MI CRKs, and so far have never had such a mishap.
I've EDC'ed three ivory CRKs -- the first and second were a MIB Mnandi and a MI classic Seb. I faithfully carried them clipped in a pocket, suspended above any coins and the like. Accordingly, I believe the knives didn't ever colide with hard objects. After a year or so, however, the high polish that Lisa so expertly applied to each knife was gone, and the finish was more of a matte finish, simply due to pocket abrasion. I believe the knife was always rubbing against the pocket material, and any dirt/debris embedded in the fabric acted like fine sandpaper. The cool thing is that Lisa was able to later restore the finishes to their original shine.
The third was another MIB Mnandi. This time, without fail I kept it in the standard CRK calfskin pouch. This time, the knife moved with the pouch, so significantly less rubbing of the knife took place. After a couple years of EDC, the finish of the MIB was not noticeably degraded.
Best of luck locating and using your new knife!
