Esee Izula Survival Knife Review 2018/07/22
A neck knife makes the difference when out and about in the woods. It
is so convenient to be able to access an outdoor tool when it’s worn
right in front of you. In this review we will look at the Esee Izula.
Introduction to the Esee Izula
A neck knife is always there when you need it, your tool for opening
packets, carving notches, scraping tinder, chopping vegetables, dressing
game and so on. Neck knives are not normally used for the harder tasks
like splitting wood, that would be where your main knife would take
over. Esee make one of the most popular neck knives, the Izula. Let's
have a closer look.
Specification
The weight of the Esee Izula is small and very manageable and when worn
around the neck it doesn't make itself known. Weighing in at 57g it is
certainly lightweight. The size is subtle and unobtrusive.
The Esee Izula comes in a wide
selection of versions but for this review I will focus on the barebones
model, the one supplied with a sheath and optional belt loop but without
any handle scales. The blade metal is continuous through to the handle,
it is a full tang knife.
The steel on this Esee Izula is 1095
Carbon Steel. It has a textured powder coat to prevent against excess
corrosion but will still need maintenance in the field to prevent
rusting. The grind is a full flat design.
Use
Using such a small neck knife, the Izula works best at fine tasks but as
the blade is made of 1095 carbon steel it certainly packs a punch. One
of my favourite ways to use the Izula is to directly hold the sides of
the blade and use it scrape tinder. The amount of control afforded by
the dimensions of the knife make this task very easy to perform,
especially when compared with a larger knife.
The carbon steel versions, like mine
are coated in a texture powder to prevent excess corrosion. It is
possible to remove just a small section on the spine to allow you to
strike a firesteel however.
Out the box the handle of the Izula is
way too thin for my liking but adding a paracord wrap to the tang makes
it feel completely different and I think more comfortable in the long
run. It does however make the knife larger in volume, so if you are
using the Izula in a survival tin then you could always leave off the
paracord if space is at a premium. Of course having cord with you is
always handy.
Sheath
The sheath has a nice firm grasp and muted ‘click’ with the knife is
pushed into the held position. You can use the pre fabricated holes in
the sheath to attach a neck lanyard or the included belt loop accessory.
It is made of a strong feeling plastic and there is no lock present on
the sheath.
When using a neck loop it’s vital that
the cord can be easily broken. Therefore the user is protected from
strangling themselves by getting it hooked on a branch.
Conclusion
Really handy knife that has a great variety of carry options. Steel
holds a good edge but can rust if left untreated. The tang as a handle
is unusable without a paracord wrap at the very least. However without
any wrap to the handle the knife is very low profile and would fit
easier inside survival tins for example. So this option is really down
to the user. I use my neck knife often so a larger more comfortable
handle makes sense to me.
The blade geometry is very
multifunctional and can handle challenging tasks. It is too thick at the
spine to make a great chopping knife for vegetable prep but for peeling
tasks it is great. The Esee Izula is one of the most versatile knives on
the market. The plethora of options ranging from steels, sheaths and
scales you can pick out your favourite with ease. I like the simplicity
of the barebones Izula package as it allows the user to use imagination
to customise it in an exact way.
Warranty
All Esee knives are backed up by an amazing complete lifetime warranty.
From Esee’s Warranty Page: “This means if you break it, we will repair
or replace it. We will not question the validity of your warranty claim
for a broken knife. Warranty is lifetime and transferable. In other
words, we warranty the knife no matter how many times it’s been traded,
sold or given away – no sales receipt or proof of purchase required. We
must have the knife returned to validate a warranty claim.” For one of
the most comprehensive and multi disciplined outdoor training schools
one can visit
Randall’s
Adventure & Training School. Highly Recommended. More
information
HERE
