Benchmade Contego Finish?

[knife2Agunfight]

I'm becoming more interested in the Contego and I really like satin blades, but the finish on the "satin" model looks like more of a bead blast from the pictures I've seen. I hate bead blast finishes because they rust so easily and when you try to remove the rust, you scratch the finish up. But when I look on some sites, it says that the finish is actually a "clear cerakote" or something like that. What's cerakote?

EDIT: Okay, so I looked it up and I found a few threads that have been posted about cerakote, but not how it holds up and it's rust resistance. I hear that it's supposed to be a good coating, but I've never heard of it and there doesn't seem to be much feedback on it since the Contego seems to be one of the first production knives to have cerakote.

 

[michaelm466]

I have the "Clear Cerakote" version, seems to be more of a grey cerakote, its a little rougher feeling than say BK/painted type coating and seems tougher too, can't comment on the rust protection as I have several CPM-M4 uncoated blades that have been used even more/I've had longer with no rust problems with them. I will say though that the part of the blade that is inside the handle/contacts the lock, is uncoated so if you had it submerged in salt water you still have that to worry about, but as long as you dry it out with canned air or something if you submerge it in freshwater I don't think you'd have a problem at all. Overall its one of my favorite 3 knives right now.

 

[NeverMore1701]

I've had mine since shortly after they came out, and it hasn't even thought about rusting, even when exposed to blood, rain, and sweat. Just give it a rinse and wipe it dry if it gets nasty.