ESEE Izula - Review/Thoughts

Here's a simple and honest review of my little Esee Izula. For the last year, this knife has served me well. If you're on the fence about buying one, hopefully this will help. Thanks for watching!
Amazon Associates paid links ⬇️:
S35V Stainless Steel ESSE IZULA:
amzn.to/3Xoi5bz
1095 Carbon Steel ESSE IZULA:
amzn.to/3RKfWGe
ESEE IZULA handle scales:
amzn.to/3jDMLbn
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

[@RandallsAdventureESEE]

Glad to hear it's working out for you! We appreciate the kind words...Our box has been upgraded BIG TIME since then too!

[@hillbillydude]

I bought this izula, but feel free to send me an Esee 5 anytime 😉😂

[@ironwallaby8189]

I appreciate a top quality, well maintained box!

[@ashleygovender4104]

Excellent. I have been carrying one for about 2 years. No complaints. Durban, South Africa

[@KB-rt5fo]

I just bought one for kayaking trips and heavier duty EDC days. I pointed that out specifically about the kayaking and canoeing just as you did. Another channel went on a rant about how neck knives suck but he doesn't appear to ever leave his backyard. Dumbass was trying to baton with it. That's why we have hatchets, machetes, bushcraft knives, etc. In a pinch, this would work for small wood though. Always entertaining to watch people treat screwdrivers like hammers and then complain about it.

[@phaseboundary5323]

Great review, covered all the key points. I've been carrying the Esee Xancudo, just a tad longer blade thn the Izula but still slides into my 5.11 pants pocket completely hidden. Thinking of getting the Izula so I can carry it easier in my dress pants pocket, probably get the bare knife and paracord wrap it. Their polymer sheaths work great with that thumb ramp you demonstrated, just slide your hand in your pocket and pop the sheath off to draw it, no clips needed, no tension screws needed, just simplicity.

[@dionysus6892]

I got a Izula II and have loved it for 2 years now

[@gregknight293]

Nobody does a more enjoyable and informative gear review than you . Always look forward to your new postings and watch your older ones multiple times. Good show, man. .

[@hillbillydude]

Much appreciated, my friend!

[@fgallogallo7]

Thanks for the review. Straight up and honest. I’ve been looking at that blade for years haven’t pulled the trigger. Maybe sometime soon. Stay safe.

[@armorvestrus4119]

I have one just like it and I carry it around my neck when I go camping The metal is very good hard steel and dependable. I wear it around my neck when going on long walks around my neighborhood just a bit of handy protection.

[@glbwoodsbum2567]

Get little knife. Rockwell (1095 steel) is low enough to sharpen on a river rock. Strike a spark with flint, do game, and make feathersticks.

[@gorillahd9247]

Good review. I just picked up the ESEE 3 and the ESEE 4 in S35VN.

[@R65-j5k]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video!

[@hillbillydude]

My pleasure! Hope it helps

[@thepipensparky7127]

Thanks for the info pal! Flirting with the idea of picking one up.

[@armorvestrus4119]

I have one just like it. They are best suited for neck carry with a piece of paracord. Warning do not carry by the clip unless you want some guy like me to come along and find your knife laying in the woods. It is a great back up knife for camping easy to carry in your pocket but best around the neck. Stays sharp.

[@Pavia1525]

Warning… if you carrying it around your neck with paracord, make sure your paracord is setup to breakaway easily so you don’t end up strangling yourself if it gets hung up. The plastic spring loaded cord holder that comes with it works well.

[@fgm1197]

I love this knive and the sheath. I have a black skeleton one. I would have liked the stainless version but everything is sold out in Europe(march 2024) No stainless version no handles no nothing...😭ramp up production ESEE!😉

[@WeTheArmed]

It really is a fantastic little blade!

[@rustyknifelover4463]

Just ordered an Izula

[@OriginalOwner777]

I have bigger hands too however I would go for the skelitonised version then make a handle with a tight paracord wrap to make a good comfortable handle should have 15-20 foot of cord on the hilt. Can never have too much cord if SHTF :)

[@jessemurray1265]

I’m sold!

[@jacobsebastien3910]

I luv my izula s35vn with black g10 handle scales'

[@ShivSilverhawk]

Nice presentation! I have a fake izula from China that I bought for $10, to see if I like the shape. The question I have is how do you feel about edge retention vs ease of maintenance on your stainless version?

[@hillbillydude]

In my opinion the edge retention is good. I haven't had any complaints with it. Obviously it's and $80 knife and not a $200 knife, so it not anything to write home about. But Ive been hard on it, and I'm still very happy with the performance.

[@ShivSilverhawk]

@@hillbillydude thanks:)

[@glbwoodsbum2567]

Esee puts their Rockwell hardness between 55 and 57 for their 1095 Steel. Which is slightly on the softer side, but the great part about that is it can be easily maintained in the field. If you are in the woods long enough you are going to have to sharpen your knife. 1095 steel with a RC hardness between 55 and 57 could be sharpened using a river rock. The 1095 steel version can also be used to make a flint and steel fire. Go with high carbon steel if possible. Jmho

[@ShivSilverhawk]

@@glbwoodsbum2567 thanks for your advice! I have an ESEE 4 in carbon steel and I like it. As you say, it’s versatile and easy to sharpen. I just wanted to know if the stainless izula is any good, because it would be exposed to sweat at all times. That’s why I don’t want high carbon as a neck knife.

[@glbwoodsbum2567]

@@ShivSilverhawk No problem my friend. Being born and raised with carbon steel pocket knives, it takes A LOT of moisture (from sweat) to get rust on a carbon blade. Eventually the carbon steel will take on a patina and thus prevent most rust issues. Many people seem too overly concerned these days with rusting on carbon steel knives. Jmho

[@abnergaldos8695]

Excellent video

[@DangerDad29]

When esee came out with the izula i bought sooo many and gave them to a lot of people . Everyone still has them. I bought the izula 2 and have carried it for around a decade. Stripped the sheath down to just cover the blade for pocket carry. Almost 10 years later on cheap plastic and me being fidgity no real loss in retention. Ive stripped the coating and convexed the edge. Biggest issue is rust. It rusts very easily on the 1095. Didnt pit like my O1 knives but kept degrading. Didnt pull the trigger on the 440c but definitely will on s35vn. Have a survival knife in s30v at 60rockwell that i made and had heat treated and tempered. Beat it through keystone blocks with a 2 lb sledge and its fine. S35vn with less rust and not too bad to sharpen. Yes please, make more of this

[@hillbillydude]

I agree! Love me some 1095, but that stainless will spoil you when it comes to any kind of edc or wet environment use. Thanks for the comment!

[@izulaAlec0369]

The s35vn& Damascus versions are pretty hard to find now. Which sucks because they're such amazing blades.

[@trioultimo]

The success of this knife is exactly due to fact that it can be shoved into a pocket while being full tang. Its a sweet spot, with obvious limitations.

[@dougkidd4799]

Good review om going to pick one up at knife works

[@GAUROCH2]

I have mine for a few years and I love it! I am waiting for the new model of the ESEE 3 which I hope I'll like as much. I own the PR4 with an Armatus sheath, but I really can't get used to the shape of the blade and the thinness / flatness of the scales! stay well

[@cherokeefit4248]

I carry this as one of my edc fixed blades. It’s less scary so the police probably won’t care you have it. All depending on who you are and what you’re doing.

[@DoomOfConviction]

You are so beautiful man, I love your style, let the mullet grow 💪💪💪

[@hillbillydude]

Thanks!

[@richroc7]

Is the S35VN hard to sharpen?

[@hillbillydude]

I haven't had any trouble with mine. Takes an edge really well

[@robertleslie2467]

I have 2 Azula 2's, the slightly longer handled version. Both are the green coated 1095 with micarta handles. Great knives. For work one is always in my back pocket in the sheath it comes with. Otherwise I like to be liking and carry a Buck 112 on my belt as I have since the 70's. On another note...there must be something in the water in Idaho as both of the aforementioned knives are USA made in Idaho. Having said that. America. Fuck yeah!

[@MrBluoct]

Thanks

[@robroberts1473]

👍

[@jamesmcgee2447]

👍🏻

[@spundj]

its an ok blade, crappy edge retention, need to sharpen it ....a lot

[@glbwoodsbum2567]

Their 1095 version has a Rockwell between 55 and 57. Because of this, the steel is slightly softer. The great part about a softer steel is the ability to sharpen it even on a river rock. Randall knives and Ontario knives do this very same thing. Ultimate in survival imho.

[@spundj]

@@glbwoodsbum2567 true that, but on a knife that small, i prefer sharpness, i have one btw

[@glbwoodsbum2567]

@@spundj geometry being equal, 1095 will be just as sharp, regardless of Rockwell hardness.

[@richroc7]

How hard is it to sharpen the S35VN? I’m familiar with the steel from BR but I never got one.

[@JosephAllen-d2e]

You got it in the wrong color. Orange and venom green is the correct color for an Izula. Everyone knows that.