diff --git a/Godeps/Godeps.json b/Godeps/Godeps.json
index 9803360f6..b473d6b72 100644
--- a/Godeps/Godeps.json
+++ b/Godeps/Godeps.json
@@ -131,8 +131,8 @@
 		},
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "github.com/jbenet/go-multihash",
-			"Comment": "0.1.0-5-g1976046",
-			"Rev": "1976046c2b0db0b668791b3e541d76a38b7c1af7"
+			"Comment": "0.1.0-19-g8ce5cb1",
+			"Rev": "8ce5cb1b82e1b4c1bea1fdf3cd467ef49301734e"
 		},
 		{
 			"ImportPath": "github.com/jbenet/go-peerstream",
diff --git a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/io.go b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/io.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cdd234c4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/io.go
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package multihash
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+)
+
+// Reader is an io.Reader wrapper that exposes a function
+// to read a whole multihash, parse it, and return it.
+type Reader interface {
+	io.Reader
+
+	ReadMultihash() (Multihash, error)
+}
+
+// Writer is an io.Writer wrapper that exposes a function
+// to write a whole multihash.
+type Writer interface {
+	io.Writer
+
+	WriteMultihash(Multihash) error
+}
+
+// NewReader wraps an io.Reader with a multihash.Reader
+func NewReader(r io.Reader) Reader {
+	return &mhReader{r}
+}
+
+// NewWriter wraps an io.Writer with a multihash.Writer
+func NewWriter(w io.Writer) Writer {
+	return &mhWriter{w}
+}
+
+type mhReader struct {
+	r io.Reader
+}
+
+func (r *mhReader) Read(buf []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	return r.r.Read(buf)
+}
+
+func (r *mhReader) ReadMultihash() (Multihash, error) {
+	mhhdr := make([]byte, 2)
+	if _, err := io.ReadFull(r.r, mhhdr); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// first byte is the algo, the second is the length.
+
+	// (varints someday...)
+	length := uint(mhhdr[1])
+
+	if length > 127 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("varints not yet supported (length is %d)", length)
+	}
+
+	buf := make([]byte, length+2)
+	buf[0] = mhhdr[0]
+	buf[1] = mhhdr[1]
+
+	if _, err := io.ReadFull(r.r, buf[2:]); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return Cast(buf)
+}
+
+type mhWriter struct {
+	w io.Writer
+}
+
+func (w *mhWriter) Write(buf []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	return w.w.Write(buf)
+}
+
+func (w *mhWriter) WriteMultihash(m Multihash) error {
+	_, err := w.w.Write([]byte(m))
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/io_test.go b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/io_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..44da78e1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/io_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package multihash
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"io"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestReader(t *testing.T) {
+
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		m, err := tc.Multihash()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		buf.Write([]byte(m))
+	}
+
+	r := NewReader(&buf)
+
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		h, err := tc.Multihash()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		h2, err := r.ReadMultihash()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if !bytes.Equal(h, h2) {
+			t.Error("h and h2 should be equal")
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWriter(t *testing.T) {
+
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	w := NewWriter(&buf)
+
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		m, err := tc.Multihash()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if err := w.WriteMultihash(m); err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		buf2 := make([]byte, len(m))
+		if _, err := io.ReadFull(&buf, buf2); err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if !bytes.Equal(m, buf2) {
+			t.Error("m and buf2 should be equal")
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/multihash.go b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/multihash.go
index a56bc162b..9dbe7fd7f 100644
--- a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/multihash.go
+++ b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/multihash.go
@@ -2,43 +2,67 @@ package multihash
 
 import (
 	"encoding/hex"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+
 	b58 "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-base58"
 )
 
+// errors
+var (
+	ErrUnknownCode     = errors.New("unknown multihash code")
+	ErrTooShort        = errors.New("multihash too short. must be > 3 bytes")
+	ErrTooLong         = errors.New("multihash too long. must be < 129 bytes")
+	ErrLenNotSupported = errors.New("multihash does not yet support digests longer than 127 bytes")
+)
+
+// ErrInconsistentLen is returned when a decoded multihash has an inconsistent length
+type ErrInconsistentLen struct {
+	dm *DecodedMultihash
+}
+
+func (e ErrInconsistentLen) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("multihash length inconsistent: %v", e.dm)
+}
+
 // constants
-const SHA1 = 0x11
-const SHA2_256 = 0x12
-const SHA2_512 = 0x13
-const SHA3 = 0x14
-const BLAKE2B = 0x40
-const BLAKE2S = 0x41
+const (
+	SHA1     = 0x11
+	SHA2_256 = 0x12
+	SHA2_512 = 0x13
+	SHA3     = 0x14
+	BLAKE2B  = 0x40
+	BLAKE2S  = 0x41
+)
 
+// Names maps the name of a hash to the code
 var Names = map[string]int{
-	"sha1":     0x11,
-	"sha2-256": 0x12,
-	"sha2-512": 0x13,
-	"sha3":     0x14,
-	"blake2b":  0x40,
-	"blake2s":  0x41,
+	"sha1":     SHA1,
+	"sha2-256": SHA2_256,
+	"sha2-512": SHA2_512,
+	"sha3":     SHA3,
+	"blake2b":  BLAKE2B,
+	"blake2s":  BLAKE2S,
 }
 
+// Codes maps a hash code to it's name
 var Codes = map[int]string{
-	0x11: "sha1",
-	0x12: "sha2-256",
-	0x13: "sha2-512",
-	0x14: "sha3",
-	0x40: "blake2b",
-	0x41: "blake2s",
+	SHA1:     "sha1",
+	SHA2_256: "sha2-256",
+	SHA2_512: "sha2-512",
+	SHA3:     "sha3",
+	BLAKE2B:  "blake2b",
+	BLAKE2S:  "blake2s",
 }
 
+// DefaultLengths maps a hash code to it's default length
 var DefaultLengths = map[int]int{
-	0x11: 20,
-	0x12: 32,
-	0x13: 64,
-	0x14: 64,
-	0x40: 64,
-	0x41: 32,
+	SHA1:     20,
+	SHA2_256: 32,
+	SHA2_512: 64,
+	SHA3:     64,
+	BLAKE2B:  64,
+	BLAKE2S:  32,
 }
 
 type DecodedMultihash struct {
@@ -50,8 +74,12 @@ type DecodedMultihash struct {
 
 type Multihash []byte
 
-func (m Multihash) HexString() string {
-	return hex.EncodeToString([]byte(m))
+func (m *Multihash) HexString() string {
+	return hex.EncodeToString([]byte(*m))
+}
+
+func (m *Multihash) String() string {
+	return m.HexString()
 }
 
 func FromHexString(s string) (Multihash, error) {
@@ -88,21 +116,21 @@ func Cast(buf []byte) (Multihash, error) {
 	}
 
 	if !ValidCode(dm.Code) {
-		return Multihash{}, fmt.Errorf("unknown multihash code")
+		return Multihash{}, ErrUnknownCode
 	}
 
 	return Multihash(buf), nil
 }
 
-// Decodes a hash from the given Multihash.
+// Decode a hash from the given Multihash.
 func Decode(buf []byte) (*DecodedMultihash, error) {
 
 	if len(buf) < 3 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("multihash too short. must be > 3 bytes.")
+		return nil, ErrTooShort
 	}
 
 	if len(buf) > 129 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("multihash too long. must be < 129 bytes.")
+		return nil, ErrTooLong
 	}
 
 	dm := &DecodedMultihash{
@@ -113,23 +141,22 @@ func Decode(buf []byte) (*DecodedMultihash, error) {
 	}
 
 	if len(dm.Digest) != dm.Length {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("multihash length inconsistent: %v", dm)
+		return nil, ErrInconsistentLen{dm}
 	}
 
 	return dm, nil
 }
 
-// Encodes a hash digest along with the specified function code.
+// Encode a hash digest along with the specified function code.
 // Note: the length is derived from the length of the digest itself.
 func Encode(buf []byte, code int) ([]byte, error) {
 
 	if !ValidCode(code) {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown multihash code")
+		return nil, ErrUnknownCode
 	}
 
 	if len(buf) > 127 {
-		m := "multihash does not yet support digests longer than 127 bytes."
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf(m)
+		return nil, ErrLenNotSupported
 	}
 
 	pre := make([]byte, 2)
@@ -142,7 +169,7 @@ func EncodeName(buf []byte, name string) ([]byte, error) {
 	return Encode(buf, Names[name])
 }
 
-// Checks whether a multihash code is valid.
+// ValidCode checks whether a multihash code is valid.
 func ValidCode(code int) bool {
 	if AppCode(code) {
 		return true
@@ -155,7 +182,7 @@ func ValidCode(code int) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-// Checks whether a multihash code is part of the App range.
+// AppCode checks whether a multihash code is part of the App range.
 func AppCode(code int) bool {
 	return code >= 0 && code < 0x10
 }
diff --git a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/multihash_test.go b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/multihash_test.go
index fac9f721b..dfa858e4f 100644
--- a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/multihash_test.go
+++ b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/multihash_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package multihash
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/hex"
+	"fmt"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -31,6 +32,19 @@ var testCases = []TestCase{
 	TestCase{"0beec7b5ea3f0fdbc9", 0x40, "blake2b"},
 }
 
+func (tc TestCase) Multihash() (Multihash, error) {
+	ob, err := hex.DecodeString(tc.hex)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	b := make([]byte, 2+len(ob))
+	b[0] = byte(uint8(tc.code))
+	b[1] = byte(uint8(len(ob)))
+	copy(b[2:], ob)
+	return Cast(b)
+}
+
 func TestEncode(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
 		ob, err := hex.DecodeString(tc.hex)
@@ -63,9 +77,28 @@ func TestEncode(t *testing.T) {
 		if !bytes.Equal(encN, nb) {
 			t.Error("encoded byte mismatch: ", encN, nb)
 		}
+
+		h, err := tc.Multihash()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err)
+		}
+		if !bytes.Equal(h, nb) {
+			t.Error("Multihash func mismatch.")
+		}
 	}
 }
 
+func ExampleEncodeName() {
+	// ignores errors for simplicity - don't do that at home.
+	buf, _ := hex.DecodeString("0beec7b5ea3f0fdbc95d0dd47f3c5bc275da8a33")
+	mhbuf, _ := EncodeName(buf, "sha1")
+	mhhex := hex.EncodeToString(mhbuf)
+	fmt.Printf("hex: %v\n", mhhex)
+
+	// Output:
+	// hex: 11140beec7b5ea3f0fdbc95d0dd47f3c5bc275da8a33
+}
+
 func TestDecode(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
 		ob, err := hex.DecodeString(tc.hex)
@@ -114,6 +147,18 @@ func TestTable(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func ExampleDecode() {
+	// ignores errors for simplicity - don't do that at home.
+	buf, _ := hex.DecodeString("0beec7b5ea3f0fdbc95d0dd47f3c5bc275da8a33")
+	mhbuf, _ := EncodeName(buf, "sha1")
+	o, _ := Decode(mhbuf)
+	mhhex := hex.EncodeToString(o.Digest)
+	fmt.Printf("obj: %v 0x%x %d %s\n", o.Name, o.Code, o.Length, mhhex)
+
+	// Output:
+	// obj: sha1 0x11 20 0beec7b5ea3f0fdbc95d0dd47f3c5bc275da8a33
+}
+
 func TestValidCode(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := 0; i < 0xff; i++ {
 		_, ok := tCodes[i]
@@ -127,7 +172,7 @@ func TestValidCode(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestAppCode(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := 0; i < 0xff; i++ {
-		b := i > 0 && i < 0x10
+		b := i >= 0 && i < 0x10
 		if AppCode(i) != b {
 			t.Error("AppCode incorrect for: ", i)
 		}
@@ -190,3 +235,36 @@ func TestHex(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func BenchmarkEncode(b *testing.B) {
+	tc := testCases[0]
+	ob, err := hex.DecodeString(tc.hex)
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		Encode(ob, tc.code)
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkDecode(b *testing.B) {
+	tc := testCases[0]
+	ob, err := hex.DecodeString(tc.hex)
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Error(err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	pre := make([]byte, 2)
+	pre[0] = byte(uint8(tc.code))
+	pre[1] = byte(uint8(len(ob)))
+	nb := append(pre, ob...)
+
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		Decode(nb)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/sum.go b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/sum.go
index 767be814e..4dc29ee3c 100644
--- a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/sum.go
+++ b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/sum.go
@@ -4,10 +4,14 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha1"
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"crypto/sha512"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+
 	sha3 "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/go.crypto/sha3"
 )
 
+var ErrSumNotSupported = errors.New("Function not implemented. Complain to lib maintainer.")
+
 func Sum(data []byte, code int, length int) (Multihash, error) {
 	m := Multihash{}
 	err := error(nil)
@@ -26,7 +30,7 @@ func Sum(data []byte, code int, length int) (Multihash, error) {
 	case SHA3:
 		d, err = sumSHA3(data)
 	default:
-		return m, fmt.Errorf("Function not implemented. Complain to lib maintainer.")
+		return m, ErrSumNotSupported
 	}
 
 	if err != nil {
@@ -60,7 +64,7 @@ func sumSHA512(data []byte) []byte {
 }
 
 func sumSHA3(data []byte) ([]byte, error) {
-	h := sha3.NewKeccak512()
+	h := sha3.New512()
 	if _, err := h.Write(data); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/sum_test.go b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/sum_test.go
index 3431d6f67..1e5891bbb 100644
--- a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/sum_test.go
+++ b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/sum_test.go
@@ -57,3 +57,10 @@ func TestSum(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func BenchmarkSum(b *testing.B) {
+	tc := sumTestCases[0]
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		Sum([]byte(tc.input), tc.code, tc.length)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/test/foo.go b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/test/foo.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 21d33d658..000000000
--- a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/test/foo.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-package main
-
-import (
-	"encoding/hex"
-	"fmt"
-	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash"
-)
-
-func main() {
-	// ignores errors for simplicity.
-	// don't do that at home.
-
-	buf, _ := hex.DecodeString("0beec7b5ea3f0fdbc95d0dd47f3c5bc275da8a33")
-	mhbuf, _ := multihash.EncodeName(buf, "sha1")
-	mhhex := hex.EncodeToString(mhbuf)
-	fmt.Printf("hex: %v\n", mhhex)
-
-	o, _ := multihash.Decode(mhbuf)
-	mhhex = hex.EncodeToString(o.Digest)
-	fmt.Printf("obj: %v 0x%x %d %s\n", o.Name, o.Code, o.Length, mhhex)
-}
diff --git a/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/test/test b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/test/test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9e5199531
Binary files /dev/null and b/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multihash/test/test differ