I've been using Gun-Kote for special situations, for a several years now. My experiece started when I was searching for a way to keep my Damascus Pen barrels durable and good looking. Its been very effective in that application.
When it comes to blades, it has potential drawbacks mentioned in your article when it comes to hard use knives. That being said, my test bed for Gun-Kote was a 416 laminate hunter, that I went through a Montana hunting season. After 2 elk, 2 mule deer, and a single whitetail, the finish remained flawless.
One particular segment that I've found Gun-Kote very useful in, is higher end/collector grade Mosaic Damascus and 416 laminate blades. Using satin clear on these materials has proven very effective in minimizing maintenance, paticularly with 416 laminate blades, which have a very fragile etched finish. After introducing it to some of my clients, most of those (collectors) now specify a clear Gun-Kote finish.
Having worked with Gun-Kote, I've discovered that its durability is greatly dependent on how its applied. Based on the questions I've fielded on the subject, I assess that the biggest problem most individuals have with almost all these types of coatings is that they OVER apply them. The old mindset of "more is better" doesn't work with these coatings, but rather "less is more".
