For the longest time I've been looking at ESEE with a ho hum attitude as their offerings were just AUS 8 steel and the Avispa was just a RAT 1 with a drop point (which I modified my RAT 1 to look like) but what turned me on to the RAT 1 was the upgraded steel of D2.
That's where this knife, the Zancudo comes in. Everyone wanted the RAT 2 in D2 since the Rat 1 got done up and now they finally offer it but I couldn't nab one through my normal outlets but was lucky enough to get a D2 Zancudo. My first ESEE from the same designer as the RAT 1 and 2, so why the hell not? Gets me into the house of ESEE as well.
The fit and finish of this budget small knife is actually really impressive. Centering was spot on and really Randall kept to the same quality as when he designed the RAT series. The zytel scale is a bit whatever, maybe a G10 one would really make this pop.
The blade shape and style is phenomenal, I love the thin stock and it makes for an amazing slicer! The stonewash on the blade is super nice, probably one of my favorite applications of it ever! I seriously can't stop thinking about how nicely this thing even push cuts through stuff. Really a top notch blade on a budget friendly knife.
The handle in general people seem to have aesthetic problems with, which is fine, this isn't a show knife but to me it makes a practical using knife which is what it is made for. I buy knives to use them and this one feels good in my hand and does the job it needs to do. The ergonomics albiet small seem to fit my three and a half finger grasp really well.
For the price point you'd be silly not to get your hands on a D2 razor! Pick one up and try it for yourself.
