Unhappy With Izula

[Bighaze51]

Is it a stainless Mora?

Mora edge-angle is ~20 inclusive, stock Izula is probably ~40. I dropped mine to 30 and have no complaints. It's only 1095 @ ~56Rc. Are you gumming up the apex with sticky tape? Folding over a burr (that'd be pretty easy to do)? *shrug*


Is it a purple Izula? If so, I'll buy it off you My eldest daughter has dibs on my green one, so the next one down asked for a purple one. She's 3 Wife says they'll both have to wait a few years.

It's the black one. It also has the black g10 handles and I made a lefty leather sheath for it with a loop for the fire steel

 

[T. Erdelyi]

They make a stainless model now if I'm not mistaken, I have to go look, I'll be right back...

The release date for the stainless was the summer of 2013 but it seems like they're in short supply.

 

[Gone2Fish]

I believe one of the other issues also is the RC. The Izula is at 56 and the Mora I believe is done around 58-60. Closer to 60..??? That can make a huge difference for edge retention. I am only going off memory here and I am a novice. So take my info with the tiniest grain of salt.

Both great knives though in my opinion. Lol.

 

[link2derek]

Lots of talk about the knife, but what do you actually do with the knife that dulls it so easily?

 

[MI-FZ6]

Dont post here much but Ive had really good luck sharpening mine at 40 degrees inclusive. My tasks arent very demanding though- I have used it to skin a few squirrels, make fuzz sticks, some whittling and around the house breaking down boxes.

 

[Bighaze51]

Lots of talk about the knife, but what do you actually do with the knife that dulls it so easily?

Mostly cuttin open boxes and some straps( the black thin plastic ones that hold larger boxes on pallets). Cutting open bags of fittings, stuff like that. And I understand that cardboard is terrible for a blade edge so I try not to cut cardboard with it. But yesterday I cut the lid off of one boxes and it dulled to the point that stropping with CROX wouldn't repair the edge. I know it's a tough little booger but it just requires too much maintenance for how I need to use it

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Is there any difference between the original RAT Izula and the current incarnation?

 

[Gone2Fish]

Is there any difference between the original RAT Izula and the current incarnation?

I don't believe so
They were made by Rowen for the heat treat back then and are still made by Rowen. From all I hear the heat treat Rowen has for 1095 is superb. Maybe a bad fluke. Contact ESEE seriously, I almost never hear of complaints, and their customer care is great. Top notch. Don't give up on it just yet.

If you do decide to go a different route and want a necker style knife, Becker makes a Eskabar in D2 I believe. Izula handle and Becker bigger blade profile.

 

[hughewil]

This is very true. I used my EDC ESEE to open a can of beans recently the Russian way (hammer). Sure, the edge rolled but no chips and no damage I couldn't fix up with a rough steel. I personally would rather have a usable steel that rolls in all temperatures than something chippy that holds an edge longer. I hate chippy steels almost as much as I hate clowns. I'm sure there's some super steel that does it all (my SURVIVE! 3V comes close), but for the money I like properly heat treated 1095. Alot.

does not approve

 

[Tmack]

I keep my esee at a high angle than the super modern steels. My Izula 2, 5 and are about 30° and I keep my junglas a bit higher.
Imo the esee series isn't for delicate precision cuts you need a razors edge for. While my esee's will still shave easily, I maintain them, and set the angles to withstand hard use and abuse. Not even close to the 18-24° I keep my folders because I know the softer steel can't take a super thin edge and hold it like S35vn etc.

 

[bflying]

Has anyone had any experience with the new Damascus Izula? I love the looks of it and wonder how it compares to the 1095.

Personally I have found the true strength of the Izula (et.-al. - I, II, Candiru) is as a backup blade that can be easily stored/carried just about anywhere (no prison jokes please ). And when used, can very easily bring the edge back with a little chalked leather.

But if the Damascus version did have a little better edge retention (and maybe corrosion resistance), I would have to have one sooner than later. Awe crap, who am I kidding? I'm probably going to just go add it to my growing order I'm building, that will probably be going in next week. I'm weak, very very weak.

 

[Rostislav]

Has anyone had any experience with the new Damascus Izula? I love the looks of it and wonder how it compares to the 1095.

Personally I have found the true strength of the Izula (et.-al. - I, II, Candiru) is as a backup blade that can be easily stored/carried just about anywhere (no prison jokes please ). And when used, can very easily bring the edge back with a little chalked leather.

But if the Damascus version did have a little better edge retention (and maybe corrosion resistance, I would have to have one sooner than later. Awe crap, who am I kidding? I'm probably going to just go add it to my growing order I'm building, that will probably be going in next week. I'm week, very very week.

I own a damascus izula, however, I do not own the regular version. What I do know is that the damascus version is a bit thinner since there is no coating on it, which means in theory it should slice better. Not sure how the damascus compares to 1095, however I have owned mine for about a year, and have not oiled the blade once. It has not rusted. The edge retention should in theory be good due to the layered steel, however, that may not actually be the case. Edge on the blade also comes back fairly easily with something as simple as a leather belt. Granted, a strop would do much better. Another important note is that the included sheath is the one for the normal model of izula. Due to the blade not being coated, it does rattle in the sheath. I would recommend getting a replacement.

I would definitely recommend it though, the pattern is very attractive.

 

[HoosierQ]

Your not the only one who isn't happy with the Izula. It's not just edge retention either. It's too thick for the length of the cutting edge in my opinion. Not a great slicer. Too short for committed push cuts. Good for prying staples out of plywood though! I'm not saying it's a terrible knife but in my opinion it doesn't deserve the cult status it's attained. I love the ESEE 3 and 6 however.

I am with you. I wish the Izula was the same thickness as the 3...needs to be in my opinion. Then I'd team it up with my serrated 6 in a combo. As it is, I have a Mora teamed up.

 

[FTR-14c]

You should take a look at the Scrapyard Scrapivore.
Its 1/8th thick SR101 at 62-64Rc.
The blade is 2.75 with an over all length of 6.5
I think there is a little more room on the handle as it is .25 longer than the Izula

 

[Bighaze51]

You should take a look at the Scrapyard Scrapivore.
Its 1/8th thick SR101 at 62-64Rc.
The blade is 2.75 with an over all length of 6.5
I think there is a little more room on the handle as it is .25 longer than the Izula

Wow, wish I'd have known about that knife a month ago. That's more along the lines of what I need

 

[FTR-14c]

Wow, wish I'd have known about that knife a month ago. That's more along the lines of what I need

I thinned behind the edge a bit and rounded the back of the handle.
It takes a mean edge and cuts like a scalpel.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

Check out the BK-24. Same handle as the Izula, but a slightly different blade and made from D2. That should give you much better edge retention when cutting abrasive materials.

 

[bflying]

Check out the BK-24. Same handle as the Izula, but a slightly different blade and made from D2. That should give you much better edge retention when cutting abrasive materials.

Now this is exactly the combination I'd be most interested in. I'm going to add this to my watch list.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Mostly cuttin open boxes and some straps( the black thin plastic ones that hold larger boxes on pallets). Cutting open bags of fittings, stuff like that. And I understand that cardboard is terrible for a blade edge so I try not to cut cardboard with it. But yesterday I cut the lid off of one boxes and it dulled to the point that stropping with CROX wouldn't repair the edge. I know it's a tough little booger but it just requires too much maintenance for how I need to use it

Those straps are, I believe, reinforced with a fiberglass weave. They're even worse on edges than cardboard is. Part of what makes cardboard so bad for edges is both the fact that clay is often used as a binder in it, but also the fact that the box has been all over dirty gritty surfaces over its span of service and fine dirt gets ground into the surface. The black stuff you see on the bottom of boxes is often aluminum oxide from the aluminum floors of shipping trucks. Aluminum oxide is commonly used to make synthetic sharpening stones.