diff --git a/embed_test.go b/embed_test.go
index 77b821f0..eda72b43 100644
--- a/embed_test.go
+++ b/embed_test.go
@@ -95,7 +95,11 @@ func TestEncodeDemo(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		{PubName{Foo{"pub-foo"}}, &PubName{}, "Foo: pub-foo"},
 		{PubName{Bar{7}}, &PubName{}, "Bar #7"},
+
 		// Note these fail - if you can figure a solution here, I'll buy you a beer :)
+		// (ebuchman is right, you must either break the reflection system, or modify go-wire)
+		// but such a mod would let us make REALLY sure that no one could construct like this
+
 		// {PrivName{Foo{"priv-foo"}}, &PrivName{}, "Foo: priv-foo"},
 		// {PrivName{Bar{9}}, &PrivName{}, "Bar #9"},
 	}
diff --git a/encode_test.go b/encode_test.go
index 71b7b3ae..9a8e5902 100644
--- a/encode_test.go
+++ b/encode_test.go
@@ -82,25 +82,21 @@ func TestKeyEncodings(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {
 		// check (de/en)codings of private key
-		priv2 := PrivKey{}
+		var priv2, priv3, priv4 PrivKey
 		checkWire(t, tc.privKey, &priv2, tc.keyType)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, tc.privKey, priv2)
-		priv3 := PrivKey{}
 		checkJSON(t, tc.privKey, &priv3, tc.keyName)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, tc.privKey, priv3)
-		priv4 := PrivKey{}
 		checkWireJSON(t, tc.privKey, &priv4, tc.keyType)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, tc.privKey, priv4)
 
 		// check (de/en)codings of public key
 		pubKey := tc.privKey.PubKey()
-		pub2 := PubKey{}
+		var pub2, pub3, pub4 PubKey
 		checkWire(t, pubKey, &pub2, tc.keyType)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, pubKey, pub2)
-		pub3 := PubKey{}
 		checkJSON(t, pubKey, &pub3, tc.keyName)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, pubKey, pub3)
-		pub4 := PubKey{}
 		checkWireJSON(t, pubKey, &pub4, tc.keyType)
 		assert.EqualValues(t, pubKey, pub4)
 	}
@@ -115,17 +111,17 @@ func toFromJSON(t *testing.T, in interface{}, recvr interface{}) {
 
 func TestNilEncodings(t *testing.T) {
 	// make sure sigs are okay with nil
-	a, b := Signature{}, Signature{}
+	var a, b Signature
 	toFromJSON(t, a, &b)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, a, b)
 
 	// make sure sigs are okay with nil
-	c, d := PubKey{}, PubKey{}
+	var c, d PubKey
 	toFromJSON(t, c, &d)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, c, d)
 
 	// make sure sigs are okay with nil
-	e, f := PrivKey{}, PrivKey{}
+	var e, f PrivKey
 	toFromJSON(t, e, &f)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, e, f)
 
diff --git a/priv_key.go b/priv_key.go
index 5aa2d05a..d21bdf45 100644
--- a/priv_key.go
+++ b/priv_key.go
@@ -11,7 +11,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire"
 )
 
-// PrivKeyInner is now the interface itself, use PrivKey in all code
+/*
+DO NOT USE this interface.
+
+It is public by necessity but should never be used directly
+outside of this package.
+
+Only use the PrivKey, never the PrivKeyInner
+*/
 type PrivKeyInner interface {
 	Bytes() []byte
 	Sign(msg []byte) Signature
@@ -36,11 +43,13 @@ func init() {
 		RegisterImplementation(PrivKeySecp256k1{}, NameSecp256k1, TypeSecp256k1)
 }
 
-// PrivKey handles all encoding and exposes methods
+// PrivKey should be used instead of an interface in all external packages
+// unless you demand a concrete implementation, then use that directly.
 type PrivKey struct {
 	PrivKeyInner `json:"unwrap"`
 }
 
+// WrapPrivKey goes from concrete implementation to "interface" struct
 func WrapPrivKey(pk PrivKeyInner) PrivKey {
 	if wrap, ok := pk.(PrivKey); ok {
 		pk = wrap.Unwrap()
@@ -48,6 +57,7 @@ func WrapPrivKey(pk PrivKeyInner) PrivKey {
 	return PrivKey{pk}
 }
 
+// Unwrap recovers the concrete interface safely (regardless of levels of embeds)
 func (p PrivKey) Unwrap() PrivKeyInner {
 	pk := p.PrivKeyInner
 	for wrap, ok := pk.(PrivKey); ok; wrap, ok = pk.(PrivKey) {
diff --git a/pub_key.go b/pub_key.go
index 8373eb34..a763688f 100644
--- a/pub_key.go
+++ b/pub_key.go
@@ -13,7 +13,14 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/ripemd160"
 )
 
-// PubKeyInner is now the interface itself, use PubKey struct in all code
+/*
+DO NOT USE this interface.
+
+It is public by necessity but should never be used directly
+outside of this package.
+
+Only use the PubKey, never the PubKeyInner
+*/
 type PubKeyInner interface {
 	Address() []byte
 	Bytes() []byte
@@ -31,11 +38,13 @@ func init() {
 		RegisterImplementation(PubKeySecp256k1{}, NameSecp256k1, TypeSecp256k1)
 }
 
-// PubKey add json serialization to PubKeyInner
+// PubKey should be used instead of an interface in all external packages
+// unless you demand a concrete implementation, then use that directly.
 type PubKey struct {
 	PubKeyInner `json:"unwrap"`
 }
 
+// WrapPubKey goes from concrete implementation to "interface" struct
 func WrapPubKey(pk PubKeyInner) PubKey {
 	if wrap, ok := pk.(PubKey); ok {
 		pk = wrap.Unwrap()
@@ -43,6 +52,7 @@ func WrapPubKey(pk PubKeyInner) PubKey {
 	return PubKey{pk}
 }
 
+// Unwrap recovers the concrete interface safely (regardless of levels of embeds)
 func (p PubKey) Unwrap() PubKeyInner {
 	pk := p.PubKeyInner
 	for wrap, ok := pk.(PubKey); ok; wrap, ok = pk.(PubKey) {
diff --git a/signature.go b/signature.go
index ba40166c..bb3e8f11 100644
--- a/signature.go
+++ b/signature.go
@@ -9,8 +9,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/tendermint/go-wire"
 )
 
-// SignatureInner is now the interface itself.
-// Use Signature in all code
+/*
+DO NOT USE this interface.
+
+It is public by necessity but should never be used directly
+outside of this package.
+
+Only use the Signature, never the SignatureInner
+*/
 type SignatureInner interface {
 	Bytes() []byte
 	IsZero() bool
@@ -27,11 +33,13 @@ func init() {
 		RegisterImplementation(SignatureSecp256k1{}, NameSecp256k1, TypeSecp256k1)
 }
 
-// Signature add json serialization to Signature
+// Signature should be used instead of an interface in all external packages
+// unless you demand a concrete implementation, then use that directly.
 type Signature struct {
 	SignatureInner `json:"unwrap"`
 }
 
+// WrapSignature goes from concrete implementation to "interface" struct
 func WrapSignature(pk SignatureInner) Signature {
 	if wrap, ok := pk.(Signature); ok {
 		pk = wrap.Unwrap()
@@ -39,6 +47,7 @@ func WrapSignature(pk SignatureInner) Signature {
 	return Signature{pk}
 }
 
+// Unwrap recovers the concrete interface safely (regardless of levels of embeds)
 func (p Signature) Unwrap() SignatureInner {
 	pk := p.SignatureInner
 	for wrap, ok := pk.(Signature); ok; wrap, ok = pk.(Signature) {