Belt knife shootout - featuring BK16, ESEE 4, and Matt Tackett custom

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Jun 12, 2013
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Is I arrived back from the Spring Gathering, I found myself with two more blades, the Bk16 from Ethan, and I Custom from Matt Tackett. This morning I decided to go out and do a proper shootout.

The contestants were the BK16 with a striped and convexed blade- An ESEE for with liners and I striped and convexed blade - and A Custom Scandi form Matt Tackett, with Jade green G-10 scales.

The test were thus: (in order) Handle comfort, Chopping, cross-grain batoning, with-grain batoning, feathersticking, carving, and edge retention/ ease of sharpening.

Group shot:
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First Test: Handle comfort

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The pics don't say much, but I do.

The Bk16 feels the best in my hand, very, very, closely followed be the Tackett, and then the EsE 4.

Second: Chopping (I like my blades to get a chance to get dull before I de carving)

The test was a Poplar sapling, about 2.5" in diameter. Counting the strikes
10395855_1489813374583957_1948608151189968320_n.jpg


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First strike, BK16:
10299067_1489813944583900_8886298943653664310_n.jpg


First 40:
10345930_1489813747917253_7545258424333266936_n.jpg


First 100:
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Aaaaaand done! At 153:
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First strike E 4 (well, second but the first wouldn't stick :D)
10397842_1489814371250524_9051277189027952653_n.jpg


First 40:
10376822_1489814207917207_6886923108641171872_n.jpg


First 100:
10309206_1489814461250515_8485068912019195307_n.jpg


Aaaand done! At 152!!!! :eek:
10297590_1489814624583832_3513237875540471740_n.jpg


First 3 strikes (first two didn't stick)
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40:
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Aaaand done!!! at an astounding 121!!
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That was a very interesting test. The ESEE 4 has more weight to it than the 16, but there's nothing to grab with the 4. The Tackett usually isn't very good for me because the scandi doesn't want to bite deep.

Winner: Tackett, the 16 coming in second, and the 4 in last, the 16 is much more comfortable.

Third: Cross-grain Batoning.

First whack for Tackett:
10376833_1489815224583772_1904709073479391318_n.jpg


12th:
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Aaaaand done! At thirty.
10302501_1489815634583731_388615609470531107_n.jpg


First whack, 16:
10409693_1489815671250394_3225617472591512814_n.jpg


12:
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Aaaand done! At 18!!
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First whack, ESEE 4:
10337708_1489816034583691_4008788617684472508_n.jpg


12th:
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Aaaand done!! 21 whacks of the batton.
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The Tackett was at a disadvantage because the scandi didn't want to sink in as well as the FFG 4 and 16. The 16 did better than the ESEE because of thinner stock me thinks.

The 16 wins this, if I was doing this a lot, I'd pick the 4, tougher.


Fourth: Battoning

No in-progress picks.

Done with ESEE 4:
10276991_1489816037917024_2954096350831821698_n.jpg


Done with 16:
10173714_1489816447916983_2746385528227822288_n.jpg


The Tackett:
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The 4 took two whacks a piece, the 16 took two whacks a piece, and the Tackett took two whacks a piece.

If I was doing this a LOT, I'd pick the 4, toughest. They all did just fine though.

Five: Feathersticking/ carving.

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The wood I was using was wet-ish poplar, not very good for feathers, but easy to bite into.

ESEE 4 feathers:
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4 shavings, as deep as I could make them:
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16 Feathers:
10389361_1489817224583572_7957371188995787898_n.jpg


Bites:
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Tackett feathers:
10303743_1489817031250258_7335505931419181111_n.jpg


Bites:
10390541_1489817301250231_9099252086823611273_n.jpg


The ESEE didn't do to well, I don't know why. I felt the 16 wanted to curl better, but the wood was wet and didn't want to. The Tackett was the best, It was designed for this task specially.

Sixth: Edge

The ESEE 4 held the best edge, I think because of the best HT and thicker edge. The 16 and Tackett were still shaving.

My favorite: The Tackett, very closely followed by the BK16, and then the ESEE 4. The Tackett chops better, and carves better. That's what I do most, second is Cross grain batoning, but to have to chop a baton first.

Enjoy!
 
Last edited:
Very thoughtful review..... ESSE gets my vote.

How's come? It depends on what for a suppose.... The ESEE is barley comparable to the Scandi, because it has a very strong Convex grind, and it is a 1/16" thicker. Also the tang isn't drilled out. I can tell you you're not going to brake any of these knives. I've severely bent a BK16 through gross abuse. If I was doing that to the ESEE, I'm sure it would have bent also. Don't get me started about the warranty.

I'd like to hear your opinion(s).
 
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