becker bk2 vs esee 5

This is how you started this thread. ''Looking for a large camp knife''. The Beckers are good but the grips are as slippery as goose snot. So wrap some tape on the Grivory grips or use a soldering iron to melt spots on it for a non slip surface. My view of a large camp knife is the Becker BK-9 or a BK-5. But if you really want the BK-2, fine, it's a tank.
 
Just got my first knife, which is the Esee-5, very nice knife. The handle is perfect, i dont see why people complain about it. I dulled it tho.. Accidently hit it on concrete lol
 
jessep said:
I bought the esee 5 and i regret it. What they don't tell you is that the micarta sucks all the oil off your hand when you hold it. I bought the og-5p, which is orange blade, tan handle. The handles are now a dark od color, and the first thing i did with it was cut up some cardboard, which noticeably wore he powdercoat. Just get a bk-2 and save $100.
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I've owned an ESEE 3MIL for years and use that knife for everything. With just some hot water, dish soap and elbow grease, I can get the original micarta scales as clean as the day I got it. The coating is hard to understand. I've used that 3MIL for everything under the sun including baton work on some hardwoods and it shows wear but has held up well. Then again, I wouldn't care anyway. I use my knives hard.

I've never owned a BK-2 but I'd like to. I like the shape of the blade. When I do get one I'd like to have the micarta scales. I don't like the feel of the original scales. I'm sure it's going to be an outstanding knife. Both companies build a good product and stand behind them. Can't go wrong with either.
 
Chopping is overrated. Get a saw or ax for that kind of work. Try an esee 4 or 6 or a bk16 and you will see they are tougher than you think.
 
upnorth said:
This is how you started this thread. ''Looking for a large camp knife''. The Beckers are good but the grips are as slippery as goose snot. So wrap some tape on the Grivory grips or use a soldering iron to melt spots on it for a non slip surface. My view of a large camp knife is the Becker BK-9 or a BK-5. But if you really want the BK-2, fine, it's a tank.
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Agree with most all of that actually, I just actually really like the standard grivory. Maybe this is because I use a lanyard, or maybe its because I think that kraton is too "sticky". Whatever it is, I think its pretty much a personal preference if you will or will not like the grivory.

For me I like the fact that I can use the knife all day long without blistering, but they still give me enough traction to hang onto the knife (I don't work with them in wet conditions very often, so maybe that is a factor there).

I also hear the micarta is excellent.

Just wanted to give another opinion :).
 
Isn't the BK-2 extremely thick for its size and thus a lot heavier than the ESEE? I thought the BK-2 was thicker than the other Beckers for some reason, and the ESEE was more the size of a standard hunting knife.
 
The ESEE 5 and BK2 are both .25in thick, almost the same weight, almost the same overall length and almost the same grind. They are very comparable in most every way.
 
I would go with the bk2 if i had to choose. If i didnt have to choose i would go for the BK7 over the BK2 (weighted better, has better reach and looks better in my opinion) or RC-6 over the 5 (weighs less because of the leaner grind and would slice better). I'm just not a fan of the bK2 or RC5 the weight is unnecessary for the size.
 
For me its there is no better. Those knives are too similar. Only personal preferences will decide.
 
Two good knives, as others said you won't go wrong. I think the ESEE though is likely to be tougher, and it has a better sheath and a better handle IMO, I like ESEE products. Granting that you'll do well with either knife, if it were my $$ I'd get the ESEE. Currently I have an ESEE Junglas and that is my favorite large knife that I've ever had. ESEE has really put it all together at their price point better than almost any other fixed blade production maker: good steel, great blade profiles, great grips, maintainable (because of the FFG blades and the removable grips), and great sheaths. Almost nobody gets it as right as ESEE does at this price point. That's why they sell so many.
 
Well after taking some advice of the people here i have started to look more into the bk7 and esee 6 over the first 2 i posted about. I got the chance to handle both the esee 5 and the becker bk2 and i didnt think the weight would be to unbearable but there are some things about both of them that just rubbed me wrong. I didnt like the becker grips to much at all so aftermarkets there would be a must. I also didnt like how the esee had a (for me anyways) a useless glass breaker on the end of the handle. I think as of this point im pretty much set on the esee 6. Any thoughts on the 6 for a good hard use (for me this would be large, being as the only other knife i take with me is my trusted buck 110) large camp knife.
 
I think the 6 is a good choice, and will serve you well. It is certainly more versatile than the 5. I think some forget that the 5 is a more purpose built knife, or sharpened pry bar really, designed as a last ditch survival tool for a downed pilot or the like. It can do a lot of things that a regular knife is not designed for while still performing knife chores reasonably well to get by.
 
From my perspective, you can't go wrong with any of the Esee's or Beckers. They're great hard use knives that should give you a lifetime of hard use. I don't have any beckers (yet) but I do have the Esee 6 and it's a pretty great knife. Between my 6 and a PM2 just about all of my camp needs would be satisfied.
 
PatrickKnight said:
I think as of this point im pretty much set on the esee 6. Any thoughts on the 6 for a good hard use (for me this would be large, being as the only other knife i take with me is my trusted buck 110) large camp knife.
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You have chosen wisely. I love my ESEE-6, and with the scales I picked up from TKC, it is even better. :thumbup:
 
ocnLogan said:
Agree with most all of that actually, I just actually really like the standard grivory. Maybe this is because I use a lanyard, or maybe its because I think that kraton is too "sticky". Whatever it is, I think its pretty much a personal preference if you will or will not like the grivory.

For me I like the fact that I can use the knife all day long without blistering, but they still give me enough traction to hang onto the knife (I don't work with them in wet conditions very often, so maybe that is a factor there).

I also hear the micarta is excellent.

Just wanted to give another opinion :).
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Fair enough for sure. The more opinions the better.
 
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