DPX HEST/F Qeustions

[EMT_Lee]

Coatings protect the blade, make it slipperier, harden it (in the case of TiC and other bonded coatings) the edge is not coated and depending on your taste can have a toothy edge, smooth razor edge or polished delicate edge. You can change the angle and type of tooth by choosing different tools (file, stone, rock, diamond, steel etc)
Its personal taste and can change depending on what you are doing (skinning, hacking, shaving etc) The thinner you sharpen the more likely you will get nicks or dings, the thicker, the less cut but the longer the life of the edge. Its pretty common sense stuff.

I chose D2 because I go out for a couple of weeks at a time and after a week or so I just need a quick strop on a fine stone to get the edge back

What? Coatings protect the knife blade, that's true. But, D2 is a pretty stain-resistant tool steel, anyways. A little care and it doesn't need a coating. If anything, coatings on steel increase friction when cutting through different materials, as opposed to bare, finished steel. Again, it does not increase -relevant- hardness, i.e. the edge.

... did you say "shaving"? Show me the field-sharpened knife you're shaving with.