just put together a new knife kit that I'm very pleased w/- always wanted to try an Esee Izula and when I found an orange one I pulled the trigger, the knife itself is pretty svelte @ just under 2 oz (55 grams)

had a kydex sheath built for it which weighs just under 0.7 oz (18 grams)

added ~ 17' of 2mm Spectra cord 0.3 oz (8 grams)

Fox micro whistle 5 grams
Photon Micor light 7 grams
small firesteel 11 grams
section of inner tube 5 grams
3 firestraws 1 gram

total weight 3.9 oz

I like the ESEE knives and have been eyeballing that one.

Where did you get the sheath?

Looking slick Mike!
Definitely not going to lose that anytime soon.

Is your custom sheath lighter than the stock one? any other reason why you went with a custom kydex sheath? and last but not least...who built the sheath? (i'd imagine it was someone on a knife forum). Thanks!

And whats the thickness of the kydex ?
I was thinking of buying some 1/32 " kydex for my wm1 and was wondering if was thick enough.

thanks Gents, the bright orange should help on the "I laid it down somewhere" scenario :)

sheath was made by "Hoopster" on bladeforums; it's a couple of grams lighter than the molded plastic one- I went w/ the kydex just because it feels a little more secure, that is was a teensy bit lighter was a bonus

the kydex is .08, I think you could probably go a little thinner, 1/32" (.03) might be a little too thin- might be worth a try though if it isn't too costly to source- they do make a .06 and a .04 that might be a little more robust

"the bright orange should help on the "I laid it down somewhere" scenario"

After losing enough knives you do come to appreciate the high visability approach. Evidently losing knives is nothing new though. Last fall I was lingering on a little hilltop with a nice field of view and noticed a simple single edge flint scrapper - a sort of pocket knife for the ones-who-came-before. It stood out against the light sandstone soils because it was flaked out of red rock.

As I returned the relic I couldn't help but imagine it's maker slapping his hand on his pouch to verify the knife's presence only to exclaim in whatever language "dang I think I lost my pocket knife again". I hear you brother.

For small items that are easily lost, I have typically gravitated toward having them be orange or yellow when possible, based on the notion that such bright colors are more easily found on the ground. But I have discovered that these colors actually blend in with a vast number of weeds and leaves and can be as hard to find as if they were painted in a camo finish! Or maybe it's just that my eyesight is not as sharp as it once was.

At any rate, I find that a color like bright NATO blue jumps right out and screams "Here I am!" against the natural forest duff of oak leaves and the like and is very easy to spot. I love the bright oranges and yellows, but might start collecting more blue for little stuff that I don't want to lose.

Michael

David- that's a great story! I evidently don't have the knack for finding artifacts- I've look hard in some pretty good places and still haven't found a single arrow head or any other tool, could be I'm looking too hard :)

Michael- a bright blue might be the "right" color in many instances, bright orange has definitely served me pretty well thus far (knock on wood :))

Mike

kydex is a good product for the standard "indestructible, in-case of Armageddon" ethos of the mainstream "knife" market, but it's really not ideal for our uses.


Ultimately, Carbon Fiber is the ideal material. I have it on good authority that someone amongst us, who happens to be obsessed with knifemaking, will start offering custom CF knife sheaths, as soon as he can get around to it. ;)

mmmmmmm.......... carbon fiber........

looking forward to seeing those :)

I'm perversely attracted to the idea of an uber-expensive CF sheath for a $15 Mora...

Great looking kit Mike. Did you consider the BK11 Becker Necker? I have been eyeing one on Amazon for $33 but have seen these mentioned alot together. Is one heavier than the other? Also where did you find an Orange one?

thanks :)

the 11 is a little heavier @ 2.5 oz, still pretty darn light though :) they also make an Eskabar model- a collaboration between Esee and Kabar/Becker- it's 2.6 oz- I've handled it, pretty nice knife- little bit more blade length than the Izula- same handle

the orange Izula can be found at knifeworks.com (afaik it's the only place offering it in orange- there is another outfit offering it a florescent green though)

Mike

Where might that florescent green one be found?

http://www.bladehq.com/item--ESEE-Knife-Lime-Green-Izula--9059

they show out of stock, not sure if they haven't been produced yet or they sold out of the first run? you'll have to email them to get the skinny :)

Hmmm... I's love to have a carbon fiber sheath for my Izula.

I need to put a kit like this together myself.

Well, I just ordered a orange one as well from knifeworks. I did find a orange kydex sheath on ebay for the Izula, so I think I will order that as well.

good call on the orange sheath :)

Still have a orange kydex sheath on the way. Wrapped the handle today with some green paracord with GITD flecks. I have some of the orange cord from Lawson on the way as well, and may wrap it with that.