ESEE Knives Izula-II Fixed Blade Knife, Micarta Handle, Molded Sheath, Clip Plate (Black)

I have made a resolution to purchase only the finest American steel for personal use from here on out. What follows are my first impressions of this choice little blade in my hand now:The Izula-II is a serious working knife, small and light enough to slip into or out of a pocket with ease, but stout enough to withstand the punishment due its namesake, the Amazonian Bullet Ant, and dish it right back out to whatever you set it to. I’ll admit I’m no survival guru or blade expert. The craziest I’ve gotten with it is batoning and feather sticking thin oak branches and piercing steel soup cans, and it has yet to chip or dull beyond use. It's stout enough that I'm sure I could use it to pry the jeweled eyes of an ancient cult statue from their sockets without worry. Rowen is widely renowned for their attention to the details in their 1095 high carbon steel, and ESEE’s no-questions warrantee grants peace of mind in the case it does break while I’m still within range of civilization and not stranded in, say, the Peruvian Amazon. I’ve seen enough Youtube videos of dudes twice my age brutalizing its siblings with logs and rocks to feel assured that this knife will endure anything I can throw at it, or throw it at. That said, I have so far repeatedly tested it on a few easy tasks likes clothes tags, pet food bags, nylon rope, cardboard, plastic bins, etc, and I can at least attest to the manufacturer’s attention to the sharpness of the blade, which is easy enough to restore with any number of retail sharpening solutions.A smooth black oxide coating on mine, everywhere but the sharp factory edge and the quality laser etching with no discernible tool marks on either side. I understand this makes the blade more susceptible to rust than the standard powder coat, but a little Remoil on the reg or any kind of waterproof sealant will protect it. I can always force a patina or rub it down with gun blue if it starts looking a bit too bare. The reduced friction versus the usual ESEE powder coat I think is very useful in a small EDC-style blade like the Izula.The plain black plastic sheath, again a matter of taste, is functionally fantastic, the blade soundly popping in and out with very strong feedback and a variety of carry options given some creativity on the user’s part. The detachable belt clip is stiff and holds to a regular 1.5 inch men’s belt securely enough. The clip sits flush with the top of the sheath, which is great for carrying with the sheath in your waistband and only the handle sticking out. The clip also secures comfortably to the outside cuff of an 8-inch combat boot.The Micarta scales are truly a matter of taste. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the material knowing it absorbs moisture, but I'm glad I went with the longer old-school furniture on the second iteration of the world-famous Izula. It gives decent grip even when wet and dries efficiently. If one chooses not to smack it with some kind of sealant, then the semi-organic material of the handles will take on character the more you use it as it absorbs the oils from one's hand. When wearing the knife on my belt or on my boot, the fine canvas feels like just another layer of clothing, as opposed to the synthetic rubber handles or aggressively-textured plastic on some knives. The rounded pommel doesn’t poke or grab my shirt as I move around. The profile is such that it appears more as a tool than a weapon when it does print under clothing with the flat oval handle, or pokes up out of a pocket with that big lanyard hole, or even when when drawn with its fairly short blade and utilitarian demeanor.All in all, it’s a pretty little thing that I am sure will last the rest of my life if I don’t lose or abuse it.

Great smaller knife, that lives up to the hype. I probably own + 50 personal working knives, mostly fixed blades. All of them get USED, as I'm wearing/using a fixed blade +18 hrs a day, every day. No "pretty-boy" display knives. Most of my knives tend to be bigger than the Izula 2, but thought I'd give it a try, after reading/watching a bunch of reviews here/YouTube. I gotta admit, I was pleasantly surprised. The handle has a nice feel to it, the blade has nice coating, and it came razor sharp. Sheath is actually pretty good for a 'stock' sheath, and has a nice small profile. I was concerned about the belt clip, as most 'stock' belt clips might work okay for the casual knife person, but usually don't hold your knife in place (very well). But for this Izula 2, I have been able to use the belt clip attachment that came with the knife, as the spring tension of the clip is really strong. I was impressed.I like the sheath that came with it, as it has nice retention to it, with no rattle. But for folks who buy the Tan or OD Green colored blade, the sheath tends to leave a dark black mark on both sides of your blade, whenever it's inserted/extracted from the sheath. I found 2 little nubs on the inside top part of the sheath, that holds the blade in. But they tend to rub on the blade, leaving a small black smudge mark. Easy to clean off, but will probably continue to leave those marks, and eventually wear away the protective coating.For many of my fixed blade knives, I buy a custom sheath, as some 'stock' sheaths are sub-par. While waiting for this knife, I started looking for a custom sheath. Found a great double-layered, two-tone kydex sheath, made for the price that most folks charge for a single layer kydex sheath. DeepCreekCustoms did a great job on it, and very inexpensive (about 1/3 the cost of the knife). Nice part is, I now have two really good sheaths that I can use, and each has their purpose. My 'stock' sheath works nicely if wearing my knife on pants, etc., and my custom one works great if attached to my pack or work gear.I've only owned this knife for a week or two, so I won't go into assessing how functional it is. Most of the other reviews here have covered most of that pretty well, already. I will say that I am very satisfied with my purchase, and for a smaller, utility knife, it will handle almost anything I throw at it. Try one .... you'll be glad you did.

Solid construction, great feel in the hand and a nice one piece kydek sheath with a solid “snap” into place. Best part is this knife is made in the USA! I like that they include two laminated cards with basic survival instructions. Seems very sharp out of the box but we will see how it holds up.

I absolutely love this knife. Super sharp, and high quality 1095 steel. Weight is perfect and the sheath holds it in place well but you can draw quick. Best knife for the money

ESEE makes great knives for the outdoorsman and survivalist. This model is good for small knife duties. I really like the ergonomics. If they had done a 3D job (coke-bottle shape) they would have gotten five stars. As a small knife goes, I think this knife is as sturdy as ESEE knives are meant to be. The blade shape is great for a variety of tasks. It is fairly thick blade with a full flat grind. A variety of color combinations are offered.P.S. I was not a fan of the kydex sheath. The tension is very high, but it is serviceable. If you want a kydex sheath, I recommend the Armatus Architect. There are also a variety of good leather sheaths available for it. Mine is custom made to my specifications.