I'm not sure what the coating is. Doesn't scratch off too easily tho. No butt cap and nothing plugging the opening at the front where the handle meets the blade. The paracord I have jammed in there stays because of the way I wrapped the handle with it. I suppose if there were a butt-cap I might have been tempted to fit a small fishing kit or other items that would have fallen out otherwise. As I have been moving to a more modular approach I have been considering establishing wilderness / urban microkit modules and a large fixed blade with a fishing kit in the handle might be just the thing to grap when heading into the wilderness that could be left at home during a walk to the convenience store. (I live where the walk to the convenience store doesn't require the large fixed blade for protection and the .45 is adequate anyway)