Esee Izula Knife Modifications

[@miniaturegard3n258]

Really appreciate this video, I just got an izula 1 after falling in love with my izula 2 and have been playing with the stainless and 1095 versions. Once my coating starts looking pretty bad I'll go ahead and do this. Also for people commenting on how it will be a rust magnet now, yeah it will be if not taken cared of but having used 1095 for so long (uncoated) It's an issue that can be easily fixed if it happens. If people in south american jungles can get by with high carbon machetes/knives I think I'll be fine in the west and northern states. Great job.

[@SamkoTradBow]

Thanks! I agree completely! 1095 is my favorite steel and I never leave them coated. Just a patina on all of them. Rust has never ever been an issue.

[@richroc7]

I just rewatched this video after watching it 6 months ago and it’s still awesome. I wouldn’t patina it but I respect your decision because some guys love patina. I’d oil it with Ballistol and enjoy the mirror polish. I have one Izula with the TKC extended scales and ofc I love it. I’ve had Bark Rivers for $300> that I didn’t value as much as my Izula. I want a few more but I want the Izula 2’s in green, one in tan and one in dark earth. I carry a few scrapers for ferro rods so I never use the knives for that but they are awesome. I’m getting a laser strike next week 🙌

[@SamkoTradBow]

Yep the izula is amazing as is the Lazer strike

[@CleanshaveChris]

Nice. I was thinking about stripping the coating off and adding some custom handles. This was just the video I needed. Looks great!

[@SnoozerIIVMMXIV]

Those scales are pretty, remind me a native pattern

[@SamkoTradBow]

Thanks

[@nyinfamous2k2]

man that was an awesome video. thanks so much for making and posting this. love my izula too. had it for a few yrs now. wanted to change it up a bit. love what you did here. great work bud.

[@SamkoTradBow]

thanks! I'm the same way. I have changed that izula a few times.

[@cfltitan]

Also if you're ever going to do ANY kind of food prep cutting (like at camp sites or survival situations) you want to keep it oiled with mineral oil so you don't poison yourself with something like WD40 or whatnot.

[@SamkoTradBow]

another good call. Although I have always oiled all my knives with wd40 and also do a ton of food prep with them and so far im still kicking...lol but great point and most people already have mineral oil.

[@cfltitan]

Traditional Bowhunting And Wilderness Podcast yeah I definitely don't think it would kill you or honestly even make you sick in that small of an amount but I always just use mineral just to be safe and I already have a big bottle of it for oiling my cutting boards.

[@TheSeanCoffey]

Walnut oil is also a good choice as well. Its anti-fungal and good to eat. I use it on wooden cutting boards and handles too.

[@cfltitan]

@@TheSeanCoffey I’ve never even heard of that before. Where do they sell that at? I’ll have to keep my eye out for it. Thank you

[@kakashi1234777]

I would not use we40 with food that stuff is toxic use food grade mineral oil or ballistol

[@LegBuilder]

Why do you prefer to strip the coating off. I have this knife coming and want to decide if I should do it.

[@SamkoTradBow]

simply because the coating gets beat up and looks rough and you can feel the coating as you cut stuff. But if you are unsure leave it coated until the coating gets beat up then do the strip and patina.

[@bigjsknives]

Those turned out really good

[@SamkoTradBow]

Thanks

[@MrJayt0625]

Oh man that was great! I know what my next mod is!

[@seanwhite304]

Yeah I'm an Esse fan as well .

[@SamkoTradBow]

Great knives

[@seanwhite304]

@@SamkoTradBow I was using the Benchmade Steep Country Orange and Havalon Hydra for 5 years as my primary hunting knives. ESSE came out with ESSE 3 or 4 S35VN. The Esse 3 S35VN is my new primary hunting knife. I will always use Havalon of some sort . Esse Izula II , Esse 3 , Esse 3 S35VN , Esse 4 Esse Gibson HATCHET and Havalon Talon are the only knives I use now . I don't think I can live without the Izula II or Esse 4 .

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@seanwhite304 agree. The izula and a 4 are such a perfect combo. Love my havalons for working animals in the field as well.

[@cfltitan]

Wouldn't it have been smarter to sand the inner part off the scales so you wouldn't have to counter bore the screw holes again?? Good video though. The Izula is great and the original but I prefer the slightly longer hands on my Izula 2. Fantastic little knives! I EDC mine just dropping it in my pocket.

[@SamkoTradBow]

if you have a good flat sander yep doing the inside of the scales would be best. but i only have a 1 inch sander and not sure it would of been 100% flat. But good call and great idea if you have the right sander.

[@cfltitan]

Traditional Bowhunting And Wilderness Podcast yeah without having a piece on a flat surface or a wider sander you could definitely gets some waves in it. You wouldn't notice it until you put it back on the steel then you'd see the gaps.

[@John5.56]

I have a few stupid questions if anyone cares to chime in. Are there any real pros/cons to polishing the blade like this and just letting it patina on its own versus doing a forced patina?

[@SamkoTradBow]

The polished blade is a pain to keep polished. The forced patina keeps rust from forming. Waiting on a natural patina might mean rust beast the natural patina. The forced is a form of rust prevention. And a dang good one!

[@John5.56]

@@SamkoTradBow I appreciate the reply man. Waiting on my izula2 to come in. Best price I found was on an ugly tan colored one so I’ll definitely be stripping that off. Just debating on what I’ll do with the bare steel

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@John5.56 good news is you can change it up anytime you wat. Feel like polished, polish it. Want a patina put a patina on it. Want a different patina steel wool it off and do a new patina

[@John5.56]

@@SamkoTradBow yeah I’m pretty new at doing any kind of “work” with metal. I used to just buy a cheap knife beat on it and buy another when I needed to hahah. I appreciate it, I’m going to have to go back through and watch more of your videos that’s for sure.

[@SamkoTradBow]

@@John5.56 you are gonna love the izula. Such a great knife and 1095 is amazing steel

[@fletchermcghillicutti7945]

How cold do you keep it in your workshop, you blowing smoke with every breath! lol

[@SamkoTradBow]

non heated garage...lol

[@OldBadger1]

He's a knife Dragon

[@zilch7116]

You put the compound on the wheel

[@SamkoTradBow]

Zilch71 I do. Always have.

[@lonestardude6283]

Tom Arnold?

[@cp-jc2784]

Doubles as a signal mirror...

[@SamkoTradBow]

Hahaha. It would!

[@pricetag30]

You should be an auctioneer!

[@80cardcolumn]

Or do ShamWow commercials.

[@cfltitan]

Hi! Billy Mays here! Let me tell you about cocaine, hair grease and oxi clean!

[@zilch7116]

Now it Rust’s in 4.2 seconds!

[@SamkoTradBow]

Zilch71 never had any knife rust. If it rusts is cause you are not using it and any knife not being used should be sold. No safe queens allowed at my house..lol

[@concretegamer5667]

i found one in a river some surface rust but i used a steel brush to get it off and nothing was majorly damaged,and this one had no coating or paint.

[@zilch7116]

Concretegamer probably just fell there, 1095 steel is high in carbon but at the same time the ratio isn’t enough to prevent lots of rusting so it rusts

[@SamkoTradBow]

Zilch71 I have carried uncoated bare 1095 knives for many months continuously and never had one rust. Only way it can rust if it you are not using it. If not using it whip with wd40 before storing. I can not stand coated blades as they drag. I strip the coating off pretty much every knife I have and either leave it raw or I put a vinegar patina on it. In my opinion you can not beat 1095 with a good differential heat treat. It's the best combo of strength easy of sharpening and edge retention. Love uncoated 1095!

[@zilch7116]

tbwpodcast I’m just saying scientifically it’s more easily able to rust it’s not an opinion it’s factual because of the carbon content and etc of the 1095 steel

[@curelin23]

great idea to uncoat a piece of 1095 steel...

[@lunargentleman3750]

curelin23 I’ve never had any corrosion issues with mine.

[@kriskabin]

Clean & oil it after every use, what's the big deal.?.