Post by Shorttime on Feb 3, 2018 17:45:58 GMT -8
This is the Izula knife.
At 6" OAL, with a 3" blade, it rapidly became the fixed blade for everyday carry.
So, it made sense for the Randall Adventure Team to try and work out a folding version.
A small batch were built and distributed to the most hardcore of fans on ESEE's forum for testing, which revealed that the pivot pin was either poorly located, or not physically strong enough.
The design was tweaked, and re-revealed at either SHOT or Blade, in '15 or '16.
Since then, we've heard occasional news about RAT needing to expand their machine shop, troubles with heat treating, and although there was a pre-order list on BladeHQ, most people have given up on the Izula folder. Even some on ESEE Forum chuckle about it when it's brought up.
So, along comes Expat. He's a die-hard ESEE guy, and he decided to do a little knife-making, himself. Jeff and the boys were impressed with his work, and put some of his designs into production in their facility.
Since then, Expat has decided he's going to do something really wild:
The "Medellin" folder, announced at SHOT, and scheduled to come out in 2018. No, wait. I've just heard that they're changing the pocket clip a little, so maybe 2019. You get the idea.
I wanted the Izula folder for a long, long time. So when I heard rumors of a folding version of the ESEE 3, I thought "Finally! It's what we've been waiting for!" Maybe not a true Izula folder, but as close as we're probably ever going to see.
I checked Youtube and Knifenews twice a day, all week, looking for pictures. And when I finally found a picture, I realized something marvelous: I wouldn't have to buy a Medellin!
Because I already have a Kershaw Cyclone.
Here's Expat's knife, again.
Yes, you're right, they don't match perfectly. But they're going to feel almost identical. And the Cyclone's tip is down lower, for easier starts in flat cutting.
Full Flat Grind (like the Medellin's blade) is a deal-breaker for me. Based on the fact that the Cyclone is so similar, but better (IMO) in several ways, I just don't want the new one, because the old one works for me.
I've been seeing this, more and more. One of the lessons is that if you get too well-informed on a subject, you start to lose interest. I'm not advocating ignorance, I'm just observing that it takes something damn special to get my attention, and with the story behind the Medellin, I was hoping for something different.
At 6" OAL, with a 3" blade, it rapidly became the fixed blade for everyday carry.
So, it made sense for the Randall Adventure Team to try and work out a folding version.
A small batch were built and distributed to the most hardcore of fans on ESEE's forum for testing, which revealed that the pivot pin was either poorly located, or not physically strong enough.
The design was tweaked, and re-revealed at either SHOT or Blade, in '15 or '16.
Since then, we've heard occasional news about RAT needing to expand their machine shop, troubles with heat treating, and although there was a pre-order list on BladeHQ, most people have given up on the Izula folder. Even some on ESEE Forum chuckle about it when it's brought up.
So, along comes Expat. He's a die-hard ESEE guy, and he decided to do a little knife-making, himself. Jeff and the boys were impressed with his work, and put some of his designs into production in their facility.
Since then, Expat has decided he's going to do something really wild:
The "Medellin" folder, announced at SHOT, and scheduled to come out in 2018. No, wait. I've just heard that they're changing the pocket clip a little, so maybe 2019. You get the idea.
I wanted the Izula folder for a long, long time. So when I heard rumors of a folding version of the ESEE 3, I thought "Finally! It's what we've been waiting for!" Maybe not a true Izula folder, but as close as we're probably ever going to see.
I checked Youtube and Knifenews twice a day, all week, looking for pictures. And when I finally found a picture, I realized something marvelous: I wouldn't have to buy a Medellin!
Because I already have a Kershaw Cyclone.
Here's Expat's knife, again.
Yes, you're right, they don't match perfectly. But they're going to feel almost identical. And the Cyclone's tip is down lower, for easier starts in flat cutting.
Full Flat Grind (like the Medellin's blade) is a deal-breaker for me. Based on the fact that the Cyclone is so similar, but better (IMO) in several ways, I just don't want the new one, because the old one works for me.
I've been seeing this, more and more. One of the lessons is that if you get too well-informed on a subject, you start to lose interest. I'm not advocating ignorance, I'm just observing that it takes something damn special to get my attention, and with the story behind the Medellin, I was hoping for something different.