IZULA or SWAMP RAT WARDEN

If you have extra large hands you may prefer the Swamp warden. It is a little heavier due to the extra length although the Izula is thicker so better suited for abusive digging and prying. IMO the Swamp Warden is the better knife due to the SR-101 steel, thinner blade for slicing, and better handle. That's in no way meant to belittle the Izula which is great as well.
 
rc3mil said:
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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No, its SR101.


The smallest INFI that I am familiar with is the HACK Bear Cub...but good luck finding one.
 
If you were looking for your first necker then I'd say go for the Swamp Warden because of it's slightly longer handle and SR101 steel. If you already have an Izula and just want another great necker then I think you'll also really be happy with Swamp Warden. OTOH, If you are interested in getting the Warden because it offers something the Izula doesn't then I'd say save your money for something different. I have an Izula and a couple Busse Game Wardens and really don't see a big enough advantage in the Busse (or SR) knives to warrent the extra cost. Between my Izula and my Skeleton Warden (exactly like the Swamp Warden) I actually preferred to carry the Izula. It's only a tiny bit smaller than the Warden but somehow that difference is very noticeable to me in pocket. I simply found that the Izula carried more comfortably than my Skelly Warden and the shorter handle length didn't make any difference to me. I ended up trading the Warden and keeping my Izula because of that. I still have a Black Tie Warden but that's a much cooler knife than either the Izula or the Swamp Warden. ;)
 
I have a Izula and it is a great little knife. Easy to sharpen and takes some hard use. I do have a SW RMD and the edge is taking some serious re-profiling to get to anything even close to 40 degrees inclusive. Nice steel but I would want to see how much wourk a Warden would take to get the edge into a good angle.
 
rc3mil said:
Isnt the Swamp Rat warden INFI steel? If not whats the smallest blade one can buy to get a taste of INFI?
Click to expand...

That's probably going to be a Busse Hack, but it'll be over $100.00 with out a sheath. I don't think the hack will be as stout as a Busse GW though. There is a GW in the comparison pics back in this post. Alittle bigger than the SW or the Izula too, and more expensive.
 
Skeleton Warden is the Busse INFI. Swamp is SR-101. There are some small Busse knives out there. I own a Boney acrive Duty which is about .130 thick. The Culti is another small dude. Now the SAR-3 is out, but good luck getting one of those for awhile. The HOGS got that sh*t on lockdown. There are other small Busse and Swamp Rat as well.

The Swamp Warden and Izula are comparable in price (close), but the INFI will cost you. And INFI is AWESOME stuff. Almost supernatural really. The Swamps can be bought fairly cheap these days $60-80 or so.

SB
 
The Swamp Warden is the finest piece of steel I've ever used/owned. I have a RAT RC-3, and while it is a good knife, IMO no comparison to SR-101. I find both to be difficult to sharpen but SR-101 just cuts and cuts and cuts. I would say that the RAT needs 5 sharpenings to the SRKW Warden. With my examples, piercing a tin can, the RAT's edge rolls and the SRKW just laughs.
 
I could never stand a damaged edge long enough to take pics... GOTTA make it right!!! I will say that I did not do it. I was camping and one of the girls asked to use my knife to open a can... she handed it back with a chipped/rolled edge around 1 1/2" from the tip. It really did happen. I HAVE made stoves out of tin cans with a Rat Warden, then batoned firewood with it and it was still shaving sharp... Like I said... the finest piece of steel I've ever owned!

PS... I still like my RAT... It's a GREAT beater!!!
 
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