IZULA or SWAMP RAT WARDEN

cut it out

cut it out

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Apr 11, 2010
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these look verry similar and was wondering what you guys like better. I just got the IZULA and love it! best neck knife I've owned so far.
 
Izula seems to pack a bit more blade in front of the handle compared to the Warden.
 
Picture borrowed from Oeser:
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If you like the Izula, try a Swamp Warden. Its very comfortable, and SR-101 gets razor sharp and stays that way.
SW gets my vote hands down.
 
Izula blade length is 2.88 inches with a total length of 6.25. Swamp Warden blade length is 3 inches, but the handle is 4 inches.

2.88:3.37 blade to handle ratio for the Izula versus a 3:4 ratio for the Swamp Warden.
 
I have both, though I haven't used the Swamp Warden much. They're pretty similar, and I don't think one would dissatisfy you if the other wouldn't.

One thing I like better about the Izula is your first finger is closer to the blade for delicate work.
 
I think the SW is the better of the two, but for around $50(or less,shipped) feel the Izula is a better value. Both great little knives IMO.
 
I have both, and they are both fantastic small fixed blades that can be worn as a neck knife or carried in a pocket. They make excellent, discreet fixed EDCs.

I give the edge to the Swamp Warden because the SR-101 holds an edge longer than ESEE's 1095, which is no slouch itself. I also like the longer handle on the SW.

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I like the Swamp Warden better because that little bit of added handle length help me out a ton. I can also get the Warden sharper than my Izula. The Izula is a bad little knife but the Warden wins this one in my book.

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thanks alot guys! I love my Izula but gotta get the warden now. lol the pics are great to see side by side. really helps. any tips where to get the warden? and how about a sheath pic of the warden if any one could.
 
What does the warden run? Is it like other and you have to buy post production mark-ups? The bootom knife in the pic Iboschi posted was what I came up with on Google?? :confused: That's why I said it looked smaller in the blade.

The last pics by rmc85 show it to have an ample blade, love the handle size but the curvature kinda gives no pronounced choil (or jimping).

Guess you have to heft it to really make an informed decision.
 
with the swamp warden you have to buy a sheath from a custom maker, the izula comes with a sheath, but if you want to both neck carry it and belt carry it you should have 2, i have 3 :eek: as for which one to get i say get which one YOU like more. keep in mind the SW wont be around forever, the izula is available at low prices year round, when that SW goes outta production for awhile the prices will rise. just something to keep in mind ;)
 
cut it out said:
on there web site it says $58 and sheath not included? is that right?
Click to expand...

Yea, but you can't order it that way. Swamp Rat uses a preorder system. EDIT: If you want a Swamp Warden, get on the preorder now. They are currently in limited production. You'll get an email confirmation once the knife is finished and ready for shipment.

You can find all the information here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7944493&postcount=1

FWIW, I've owned an Izula and a Swamp Warden. I thought the Izula was sharp...until I got a Swamp Warden.

It will run you more. 58.something and with shipping it's gonna be 68.something. Add to that a kydex sheath for 20 - 25 bucks and you're close to 100 bucks. If you're tight on funds, you can't go wrong with an Izula which you can have for 46.something shipped from the-knife-connection.com

Personally, I give the edge in cutting performance to the Swamp Warden, but in hand, the Izula feels more secure to me because of the deeper choil (if you can call it that) that the handle forms. With the Swamp Warden, especially when you cord wrap it, there's little choil formed by the handle...which just means you have to be more careful.
 
Truly, how many neck knives does one man need? Izula or swamp warden would make a great necker, but both of them? Why?

I like a necker for EDC purposes, but I really don't get the fascination. They are awesome, this until you try to use them for prolonged cutting. I EDC the izula often enough. The few times I attempted to shape a bowdrill kit with it I kept thinking, why didn't I bring my RC-3 or one of my good (read with a handle) knives along? That is my take on it. But I do a lot of whittling, bushcrafty carving type things with my knives and forced cuts. I suppose if you don't need to do that then skeleton blades are nice. I think the companies recognize this - hence Becker, Izula, Bark River necker's starting to sport after market scales....
 
Truly, how many neck knives does one man need? Izula or swamp warden would make a great necker, but both of them? Why?

why not? lol Idk I'm a knife junkie since I was 8 years old. thanks guys
 
My Izula is abundantly comfy w/o gloves. I was out on Thurday - very warm here and fizzed up some dead apple tree twigs for kindling. Then gathered more & more of increasing size. Made a little pile of the fizzed/fuzzed up twigs over top of a cotton ball.

I used the RAT included fire starter which is pretty lame. I shaved the magnesium right off the stick with the Izula and struck the sparks with the blade too. This Izula is stripped bare but the back still wouldn't strike a spark. Made a little fire for fun.

The blade dulled a bit but 3 or 4 minutes on a course/fine diafold and it's slicing paper like a laser again.

I wanted to try it and probably would have died if it was freezing or wet. That's why my fire starter kit has a bunch of cotton balls and 3 bic lighters in it, besides the firesteel. :D

Yes I agree, you need 2 or 3 neckers in case you need extras!!
 
Isnt the Swamp Rat warden INFI steel? If not whats the smallest blade one can buy to get a taste of INFI?
 
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