ESEE X, where X < 5

[AStone]

Day 2 - the second 24-hour period with the E 3 - has begun.

I've started a new thread here on neck lanyards (rather than taking up space here with it).

I'm not only just as happy with the E3 as I was yesterday, I'm more so. One could say exceptionally pleased.

Or I could just cut to the chase and say,
I totally love this knife!

Here's a slightly edited version of what I wrote to someone earlier - a subscriber of this thread - in a PM.
____

I'd been warned in another thread about handle materials that micarta smells like burning electronics. But mine didn't smell too bad to begin. I opened the package outdoors, and stayed outside with it most of yesterday.

By night, I could barely smell it.

Also, I had read that the scales would get darker with use, but I didn't expect so quickly. By day's end yesterday, it had picked up oil from my hands and was spotty. At first I was a little bummed - I liked the light foliage color - but then decided, what the heck, and hit the whole thing evenly with a light coat of mineral oil, then wiped it down well with an absorbent cloth.

I like it a lot. Also improved the feeling. I think it's part of the break in.

 

[AStone]

Izula 2

Well, something very strange occurred last night.

This morning, when I checked email,
I found a confirmation mail for purchase of an Izula 2.

HOW'D THAT HAPPEN?
I'm just sure I didn't do it.

Obviously, while I slept, my credit card crawled out of my wallet, booted my laptop and placed the order.

This is both a blessing and a curse. A curse because it's likely to wreck my budget for the month.
Dang, dang, dang. Bad credit card!

A blessing because ... well, I guess I don't need to explain that one, do I?

 

[mdauben]

Obviously, while I slept, my credit card crawled out of my wallet, booted my laptop and placed the order.

I've had that same problem! Darn sneaky credit cards...

 

[AStone]

Here is one of the more interesting video reviews of the Izula 2,
comparing it to the Becker Necker and Kabar TDI.

Not all will agree with the reviewer, but that's OK:
the point is to motivate discussion.

 

[AStone]

Here's another review of the Izula 2 by a different reviewer.

Probably the most interesting part of the review is just after 1 minute in when she says,
"[unintelligible]... going to get up closer so you guys can take a closer look."



OK.

 

[22-rimfire]

Honestly, I went with a Condor blade for a necker since I am not sold on that carry method and for the price, you can't go wrong. Yes, that means you need another necker.

 

[conw]

Does that accept small tek lok? I've got some sitting around. You should give that system a try.

 

[AStone]

I'm pretty sure the sheath on the 3 will take a tek lok. I think I read (or saw a video) about that. I'll double check. I'm not sure about the Izula. I'll check.

I hope so, because I think I'm interested in trying it out.

I've bookmarked (weeks ago) this description of their small, but I can't get a sense of scale from those pics (no enlargement possible). So I can't get a sense of the scale relative to, say, an Izula 2. Is it overkill for an Izula, meaning just ridiculously large for OWB such a small knife?
_____

Added by edit : I did some research during lunch.

ESEE sells a tek lok specifically for the E 3 sheath. Go here, scroll down to the third product.

However, it seems that the standard small tek loks do not fit Izula sheath, ostensibly because the stock screws are not long enough (though one video I watched suggested that the shape was wrong for the sheath). I found this post on Survivalist Boards claiming that one company (at least) - Rocky National - is now offering the tek loc with longer screws that explicitly fit the Izula sheath. I checked the link on that page : it goes to an active page indicating an in stock product. Kinda pricey ($16), but ...
___

Second edit: The plot thickens. ESEE sells a tek lok specifically for the Izula sheath for $12.
It appears there's been some evolution going on, and some web pages haven't caught up.
____

Yet more posts about the small tek lok on Izula.

One.

Two.

 

[conw]

It's really the best carry system in my opinion. Well, actually I'm not a big tek-lok fan; I like the Spyderco G-clip even more (sorry, no time to link currently) - it was designed by Mike Sastre I believe, of whom hso has spoken highly.

I would say for me: G-clip > tek-lok > static cord (but I suck at setting these up) > molle > belt clip (hate belt clips).

I want the ability to cant it. I would probably go with a slightly below horizontal cant just because it makes the knife very accessible and handy with less chance of cutting yourself or a nearby object, and it's more sound from an IFWA (in-fight weapon access, a southnarc term) perspective. Particularly carried at 11 o clock for a right-hander.

Anyway, the G-clip may not be suitable for the heavier ESEE 3 but the Izula will certainly be right at home with one; the tek-lok would be suitable for either.

A rough estimate: the tek-lok is probably 1x1.5". So, it's really not overkill. It barely fits on a 1.5" belt though. Depending on how you set it up you will probably find it a much sleeker option than you had imagined OWB could be. Doubly so for the G-clip since it doesn't require a belt, but again, it's not really suitable for more than a 3 oz knife/sheath combo in my opinion.

The large tek-lok is definitely overkill for anyone not rocking a 1.5-2" web belt and doing some serious outdoor activity IMO.

 

[dayhiker]

Tec-locs and kydex are a decent way to carry a fixed, but I prefer leather. This is what I use for my F1.

JRE Industries Cricket



Mine was made for SOB carry, but you can have them made for 11 o'clock carry.



It needs a 1.5" belt, and the loops are spaced apart enough to pull the knife tight to the body. No flopping,sagging, and the but or tip doesn't noticibly poke out under a t-shirt.

" they also make them for the ESEE 3 "

 

[AStone]

Thanks for input to Conwict and Dayhiker (nice rig).

More to add later, but for now - confession : I've never learned the "o'clock" orientation for weapons. (Yeah, I know, I'm a slacker; I've looked for explanations or graphics, but never found one.)

What is 12 o'clock, and where is 3? With those, I can figure it out.
_____

Added later: G-Clip. Wow, thanks for pointing that out. Had not heard of it before.

I can't quite see yet how it interacts with belt or fabric. Is it as secure as a tek-lok,
especially when pulling up in a way that would make the clip tend to slip off?

That could be perfect for my Izula 2, given that around the house, I'm not usually wearing a belt - sweat pants, instead, and have been thinking of options for neck carry in another thread. This could be a fine solution. I'll research it more.

Question for Conwict about this:

it's not really suitable for more than a 3 oz knife/sheath combo in my opinion.

The Izula 2 with scales is 3.2 oz. Add another ounce (or less?) for the sheath. Does that rule out the G-Clip in this case?

 

[Magoo]

12=front
3=right hip

 

[AStone]

Thanks, Magoo. Now, I've got it.
_____

Found this interesting thread about G-Clips v Tec Loks, etc, on another channel. Post 6 is by Michael Janich listing pros and cons of the G-clip.

 

[AStone]

My ESEE fever has spiked again.

This time, it's an Izula strain.

My Izzy II is scheduled for delivery tomorrow.

 

[AStone]

I also predict that I'll be replacing my Manix 2 with one of these
to fill that "extra folder blade in the pack, just in case" option.

That is, if they are actually produced.

Which raises a question I've been meaning to ask here.

What folder has a blade and handle geometry as close to Izula II as possible?
_____

Edit: I may have found an answer to my question : HEST.

 

[AStone]

My Izzy II is scheduled for delivery tomorrow.

Using the amazing tool called the Internet, and a tracking number,
I just learned that it "departed from" a "processing center" south of Portland
half an hour ago on route here. It's somewhere on I-95 going north.

Projected delivery is still Thursday.

Q: How do you know if you're a blade freak?

A: You track delivery of your next one before bed, then
sit on the front porch the next day with coffee and laptop waiting for it to arrive.

 

[AStone]

New arrival

Señor Izula arrived about an hour ago.

Quite pleased so far. More after work.

Hand held cell image. I'll do better later.

 

[DAdams]

Nice knives Nem. I like my new Izulu II. My hands are a medium so it wears me well.
An interesting benefit of using some corrosion inhibitor the knife eases in and out of the sheath much smoother and with less effort.

Tell me what a Tek Loc does. Hopefully it rotates so I can carry canted or horizontal. what is the width limit?

Think I'm going to order the Molle mounts too.

 

[AStone]

DA, I'm pretty sure the tek loc does rotate to multiple angles, from horizontal to vertical,
but I don't own one yet, so I'll leave that for others to confirm.

I'm leaning pretty strongly right now toward a G-clip; I've got one bookmarked.
But I hope to read a bit more opinion about it v the tec lok.
______

I just spent about 2 hours (when I should have been working :banghead: )
devising a way to carry the Iz 2 OWB vertically at 3 o'clock with paracord.

Searching the web, I found only ways to rig it for horizontal carry (which won't work for me right now - fanny pack waist belt obstruction, and the handle sticks out in front of me in a weird way). The challenge for rigging for vertical carry: that slot on the 'top' (or front) of the sheath, the one that runs parallel to the spine of the blade. One vertical piece of paracord can string between the holes on the 'bottom' (or back) of the sheath, but the vertical slot doesn't allow one to do that easily on the other side.

{I'm still confused about what that slot is for anyway. It's too short to thread my 1.5" belt through, and makes rigging paracord harder (than just having two holes on that side). Anybody know why it's there? What it's used for and how? }

After a lot of putzing, I finally found a way to rig it for vertical carry with two vertical paracord belt loops. I'm fairly happy with it so far, but need to wear it a while to see how it works. If it holds up, I'll post pics. Of course, it requires unbuckling a belt to get it on and off.

But it'll get me by until I have a few extra $ for another system. This knife broke the budget for at least this week.

But so far, it's worth it.
_____

One thing I'll note right up front that is a potential danger for those of us who own an ESEE 3, or any knife with effectively two choils, one in the handle, one in the blade just fore of the handle. (I guess technically, the rear one is not a 'choil' per se, but a finger hold in the handle, but I don't know its true name.) With the E3, even after only a week's use, I have a tendency to automatically choke up onto the choil in the blade when slicing stuff; allows greater control for fine work.

The one time I tried that with the Izula, I was reminded quickly - and bloodlessly -
that there's no choil in the blade, just a very sharp blade!

I need to build a solid mental model for the Iz - there is no choil forward of the handle!!!

 

[DAdams]

There is a You Tube with a PC method of belt looping that was clean and slightly aesthetically creative. Another fellow cut up a blackberry swivel holster and mounted it to the sheath. Thinking back on those I like that idea but it would stand off a bit more than I would like. The clicking detent would be a bought right.

Tek-Lok, anyone have experience with them?

Ok I get it.
http://www.google.com/search?q=how+does+a+tek+lok+work&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari

 

[AStone]

I saw that vid with a blackberry part. Not for me. (No blackberry, even though they're my fav fruit.) I'd like to see that paracord (not politically correct; made me stop for a second) wrap method if you run into it again.

Tec Lok's look pretty cool. Be sure to note that not all the small ones (mini's) fit the Izula, though there's some confusion still out there about it. Some companies have modified them with longer screws, and ESEE sells one on their Izula accessories page that's bound to fit.

Be sure to check out the G-clips, though. You'll find a discussion and some links just upstream from here.

 

[conw]

Large Tek-Lok might be suitable for something like serious camping or wilderness excursions in the brush/forest for days. The sheath will NOT be coming off and the lg tek lok is not prone to breakage. But it's pretty huge; probably a bit big even for the ESEE 3.

The small tek-lok is decent but a bit touchy to fit to a belt. It's really hard to get it onto some 1.5" belts. It's also kind of fiddly to get closed or open sometimes, and it will eventually break when you are taking it off since there are some parts put under serious stress. This should be noticeable well before it actually happens. Anyway, they're quite uncomfortable and while they work, I'm glad there's an alternative.

My favorite is the G-clip.

Pros: made of kydex rather than molded plastic. No moving parts or excessive tension. Very light. More comfortable. Lots more flexibility (can't really go over a 1.5" belt but it WILL fit any 1.5" belt or smaller. If it fits your belt, it's as secure or more secure than the tek-lok. It sits a BIT closer OWB than the tek-lok but still gives the stand-off necessary for a solid draw - I find it more concealable as a system. It would work much better (i.e. at all!) for IWB although I don't like IWB one bit for fixed blade carry. Can be used on any elastic waistband that's reasonably sturdy. A bit cheaper than tek-lok.

cons: if you mistreat it (pry it off a belt) it's more prone to breakage. Might not be as robust if you literally have frequent, repeated vertical or back-and-forth stress on the knife system (IMO in a fight it's not a problem - I am talking repeatedly abusing it, maybe if you like to run through clusters of South American foliage as a hobby it would be an issue). Has torx screws (neither a positive or negative, unless you have no torx driver).

 

[AStone]

Great overview, Conwict. Thanks as always.

Based on all I've read, including from you and Michael Janich,
I think I'm going to go with a G-clip to start.

If it doesn't work for me, I can always fall back to tek lok.

... although I don't like IWB one bit for fixed blade carry

Dude, that's two of us. I'd never tried it before a few days ago
when I rigged up my E3 with the belt clip in way to try it.

No way, no how, never again.

 

[AStone]

Izula sheath paracord wrap for vertical carry

OK, here's that paracord (PC) vertical carry arrangement I stumbled on earlier today.

I hope the images come out in order, which should be (left to right thumbnails):

* sheath, no belt, outside (has red numbers on it - key to making it)
* sheath, no belt, inside (belt side)
* sheath, belt, outside
* sheath, belt, inside

Using the image that has the red numbers, 1 - 4:

1 - lower hole
2 - upper hole
3 - upper end of slot ('hole' created by PC)
4 - lower end of slot (as above)

Start by running PC into hole 1 from outside,
then up to hole 2, where it comes out the front,
then across to 'hole 3' (top of slot).

Wrap the outer post of the slot from top (3) to bottom (4)
then loop PC back to the top along the back (creating a belt loop),
where you then loop it through the hole (3) created by the PC, then down to the cord lock.

When you wrap the post, put one more loop of PC around it than you think you need.
Make it tight (by pushing the PC down to force another loop).
Then, go over the cord coming from hole 2.

I left a few inches of PC to loop through the bottom hole on the sheath,
then tied the ends into a simple knot. I clip my necker clip to that loop when not on the belt.

The 2-hole cord lock is used to easily adjust the tension on the belt loops.

I found that this system keeps the sheath tight against my belt (1.5")
even with heavy activity and a large fanny pack belt pulling down on it.

Hope this makes sense. Ask questions if not.

Nem

 

[DAdams]

http://www.google.com/search?q=para...gc.r_pw.&fp=f36052c937300cec&biw=1024&bih=672

This first one is for a horizontal lash up I see no reason why it wouldn't work vetical.