ESEEBlack Izula II w/Survival Kit & Sheath

This is now my daily carry blade. Hands down, it is my go-to knife for heavy duty cutting. Caveat emptor; The knife is made of high carbon steel and will rust if you don't keep it protected from moisture. Esee coats the blade with a resilient finish, so you don't have to worry about rust except for the edge. I used this knife over an extended weekend of heavy usage including cutting tape, cutting plastic straps, cutting down heavy cardboard boxes, and one event of slicing vegetables. The edge retained its sharpness as is expected of a high carbon blade with correct heat treatment. The kit came with everything shown and also came with the sheath that allows for the clip to be reversed. Also not shown with this kit, it came with a couple plastic business cards with emergency tips printed on it and a few sticker decals. Out of the box, the edge was sharp, but I touched it up with about 50 swipes on each side on a ceramic rod which gave it a hair-shaving edge. I carry it inside my pocket with the clip facing outward, just like carrying a folding knife. The knife pops out by pushing the sheath with your thumb. Sheathing the knife does need visual inspection to insure that the knife is properly seated in the sheath, but it snaps into the sheath fairly easily. I've tried doing it blind, but I'm worried about shearing a hole in my pants since the blade is extremely sharp. I was worried about water accumulation in the sheath, but the bottom part is actually open where the large ring hole is; I was pleasantly surprised at Esee's thoughtfulness. The micarta handle is wide and very comfortable to hold, with jimping on the spine of the blade for extra grip when your thumb rests on it. The micarta scales will pick up oils from the palm of your hand (which is typical of the material), but stays relatively dry even when my palms are sweaty. The entirety of the edge seems to be very evenly tempered and have not experienced a "dull tip" according to a couple reviewers.If you're looking for one tough SOB of a pocket knife, then get this gem. Esee guarantees their knives no matter what: "If you break it, we will replace it. 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." Check out Esee's warranty page and look at the knife that withstood various rifle and pistol rounds before it broke. Yes, they did replace the knife, probably out of sheer stupefaction. I'm not one to drop of a lot of money on a small knife, but I'm glad I did.

I just received this item an hour ago. This is a high quality item, in a very high value package.I bought this knife for use on ultralight and lightweight backpacking trips. I have been using a Gerber Bear Gryll's Ultimate Survival Knife, and even carried a machete on a recent trip. (I was in more of a bushcraft state of mind) I have recently changed to a more lightweight/ultralight approach. I have switched to Alcohol and Iso-pro stoves and have less need for a knife or machete for wood processing.I purchased this along with the Kabar BK24 for a proper comparison and also to add highly regarded neck knives to my collection.In my opinion the D'eskabar is the better knife. It is the D2 Steel version of the BK14 Eskabar which combines the BK11 Blade with the Izula Handle, giving you a blade which is 3/4 of an inch longer and still maintains the ergonomic handle shape of the Izula for a mere 2.5 oz total weight of the Skeletonized knife. The Izula 2 comes sharp out of the box, but it does not come as sharp as the BK24 which is so sharp it is actually HAZARDOUS. (Cut my self twice, it cut deep even with the lightest touch of the blade.)The BK24 which is around $60.00 suffers from a faulty sheath which causes it to dull over time. A sheath I have not and will never use. I purchased a custom kydex by AZwelke which cost $40.00 shipped (and a 14 day waiting period, still waiting on it). I also purchased a $15.00 small Tek Lok which drove the entire package up to $115.00. I did not bother to purchase the optional zytel handles and simply wrapped the handle with 550 paracord.After receiving the Izula 2 with Kit, I can easily see that this is a much better value, between the two. The textured powder coat is excellent, and did not rub off even after some stick sharpening. I have no doubts regarding the toughness of this knife, as I have watched many videos where they are able to baton piles of kindling with this little giant of a knife.The included Micarta handles are exquisite and feel good in the hand. Although, I actually prefer the paracord wrapped handle of my D'eskabar, as it provides sufficient comfort without adding too much weight to the knife. 5 feet of 550 cord weighs a mere 0.4 oz. compared to the 1.0 oz of Micarta Scales. Paracord has many uses and always come in handy in an emergency situation. It is one of the 5 C's of survival while Micarta handles are obviously not.That being said after receiving this package, I believe that if one shares my preference to a paracord wrapped handle, I would seriously consider buying the Izula 1 with kit for around $60.00. Both Izula 1 and 2 kits come with a versatile injection molded plastic sheath and belt clip which is absolutely genius in design. The clip has very positive retention and should stay very secure on any standard sized belt. There is also the included feature of the two split rings for use with a plastic clip which can easily attach to molle webbing or retention loops on any standard hydration compatible backpack. This clip can easily be replaced by a small carabiner for added security.There is no rattling with this sheath and it seems virtually impossible for this knife to fall out of the sheath, even when carrying it as a neck knife, or clipped upside down to your pack.The added whistle, is a more than welcome accessory and is loud and very lightweight.The magnesium and firesteel are a little awkward to use with the heavily powder coated spine, which leads me to believe they'd want you to use the knife blade edge. I am honestly not too happy with this accessory. All in all this a great value and I cannot wait to take the D'eskabar and Izula II out in the woods for adventure and field testing, I have no doubts that this knife will accomplish essential tasks when out camping or backpacking...