BTW, that wood is Salmonwood. If you read up on how Rick Von Hagen makes his knives you will find that he really overbuilds them. He mills anchors into the tang and key ways in the scales so the handle is bombproof - without pins. He tempers the blade every which way possible and hardens to achieve a balance between strength and toughness. His sheaths are individually formed of really nice leather. This is a sleeper!