Best all-around 5" blade: Ratmandu, Fallkniven S1, or Esee 5

I don’t own the Fallkniven S1 or the ESEE 5. I do have the Ratmandu, and it’s a great all purpose blade.

Someone mentioned the Scrapper 5. I don’t have that but I own the Scrapper 5 LE. That’s the same knife, but in uncoated INFI. INFI is far less eager to rust than the Ratmandu’s 52100. I like my Scrapper just as much as I like my Ratmandu. Ergonomics are great for both. The Scrapper is lighter because Res-C weighs less than micarta.

The downside is you’d have to score either of the Scrappers on the exchange.
 
RMD.

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I also love my War Dog. Not easy to find, probably not as good an all-rounder, but a great buschcrafter, and INFI.


I couldn't find an S1, but the ESEE5 was really heavy and not particularly ergonomic (not bad, but not as good as the Rat.)

Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. If I was made out of money I'd have all 3, along with my Dog, a Bravo 1, and a BK2.
Good luck!
 
If you're interested in a RMD, I would once again try SYKC 511. They're about $40 cheaper, made out of the same steel, near identical specs, and made by the same people with the same heat treat.

I know that when compared to each other (511 vs RMD), that it seems people lean towards the RMD in terms of ergonomics, but I don't think you'd find anyone out there that just flat out doesn't like the 511.

sykco.jpg
 
Here's some follow-up questions for all you RMD lovers:
(1) How does it do at precise cutting/slicing tasks? Have you done things like thin-slicing food prep, or skinning game, or trimming/slicing thin pieces of meat, and found that you could make it perform comparably to smaller knives? When you do that, do you have to use the choil and choke up on it to get good slicing/trimming control?

(2) How does it do at chopping? Let's assume for sake of argument that you do some thing to compensate for its shortness as a chopper, say you add a lanyard, and grip it farther to the rear. How does it chop compared to other mid-size (4" to 6") knives you have?
 
Go with the RMD... cheap and worth every penny. You will pass it on to your kid one day. No bad knives in the group, but the RMD is the best of the bunch by far.
 
I would go with the ESEE 6. About the same length of the 5, but a little thinner and a better knife. I have owned the whole line up from esee, but a friend owns the 5, and after playing with his I decided I didn't want one. I paired the 6 with the izula 2 and love he set for all my camping uses.. I eventuly sold all my esee knives, with the exception of the 6 and izula 2, those will never go anywhere. In fact, I still buy customs cause I like them, but I always reach for those two when I go camping or on a day hike.
 
Maximus,
Here are some pics of your choices with some others thrown in.

I did not have a S1, but there is a F1 and A1 in there. Hope it helps.

In order from top to bottom,
Custom by Tobin Smith, a great maker
Fallkniven F1
SwampRat Ratmandu
Esee 5
Scrapyard 511
Scrapyard Wardog
Esee 4
Fallkniven A1

red2.jpg


red1.jpg


red3.jpg


All except the Wardog are available now.

The esee 5 is a Hell and back knife, but for that durability you pay in weight. The Fallkniven are good but I dont have the one in your size so I cant comment. The 511 is light, solid and very durable. The choil is a little small for me but the res c handles are very comfortable. The Tobin SMith is great and handles a variety of chores with ease, but its a custom knife and not on your list so its kinda a sneak peak.:)

Out of all of them The Ratmandu is my choice.
I like each of them and they have their place, but for a hiking or camping one knife trip the Ratmandu is my choice. The Ratmandu has a working size choil, enough thickness to get the job done, not overly heavy, and has a great blade profile. The micarta handle is solid and will not tear or rip if you miss a baton strike.

I hope it helps and let us know what you get!!:)

Sar5
 
Good looking group of knives, particularly the RMD. It even looks a little familiar! Paired with an Armoralleather sheath it absolutely cannot be beaten!!!!!
 
I recently got a RMD in a trade and I can understand most of the praise but the ergonomics seem off to me. The peak of the thumb ramp seems to be right under the middle of my thumb when I pick it up and hold it naturally. Are my hands too big or is this "correct" and I am just missing something (or holding it wrong)?
 
RABII said:
Good looking group of knives, particularly the RMD. It even looks a little familiar! Paired with an Armoralleather sheath it absolutely cannot be beaten!!!!!
Click to expand...

Yeah that particular one has been around some cool cats! or should I say Hogs!:D
 
Chocula said:
I recently got a RMD in a trade and I can understand most of the praise but the ergonomics seem off to me. The peak of the thumb ramp seems to be right under the middle of my thumb when I pick it up and hold it naturally. Are my hands too big or is this "correct" and I am just missing something (or holding it wrong)?
Click to expand...

Yes its just you and your sausage fingers, normal people dont......:D

Just kidding, I have med large hands and your right it does go right in the middle of the thumb. But for using your thumb slides over the ridge and rests above it. So the point rests in the "joint of fold" of the thumb.

And when you use the choil you naturally go above the ramp so it should not be an issue.

Hope it helps and you got a good trade knife!!
Sar5
 
You know what would fit the bill very well, an NWA sierra scout. Its a custom, but can be found on the secondary market. Do a search or look on his sub forum here, you will love them. I have had four, but sold three of them. I kept the four inch scout and might be putting it up to trade for a 5 inch version soon. I like a 5 inch blade over a four inch model.
 
maximus83 said:
Here's some follow-up questions for all you RMD lovers:
(1) How does it do at precise cutting/slicing tasks? Have you done things like thin-slicing food prep, or skinning game, or trimming/slicing thin pieces of meat, and found that you could make it perform comparably to smaller knives? When you do that, do you have to use the choil and choke up on it to get good slicing/trimming control?

(2) How does it do at chopping? Let's assume for sake of argument that you do some thing to compensate for its shortness as a chopper, say you add a lanyard, and grip it farther to the rear. How does it chop compared to other mid-size (4" to 6") knives you have?
Click to expand...


In the kitchen, or making fuzz sticks, I prefer the Scrapper 5. But the difference is small. The Ratmandu is also a capable task knife.

If you want to snap cut twigs off a branch, sure. Much more than that, no. The Ratmandu is no chopper. I’ve never used it, chopping with a lanyard. Now the Scrap Yard’s 7” SOD is a great chopper for its size.

To take down a tree with either, ask Iawoodsman. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=B_ZZj-5A9u0 This is an area where the Ratmandu is better than the Scrapper 5. Res-C will stand up to being hammered. But not as well as micarta.
 
maximus83 said:
Thanks Ging. Since you're the main person giving some info and advocating for the ESEE 5, I'll ask you another follow-up about it. Have you personally put an RMD in your hand, and compared the two for grip, balance, weight, or even beyond that, for things like slicing, chopping ability, etc? I would be fascinated to hear if you had tried both and ended up actually preferring the ESEE 5. There's a pretty clear pattern in this and other threads I've seen discussing both knives, where a good majority ends up preferring the RMD. Now, I have yet to hear anybody speak badly of the ESEE 5, almost everyone seems to respect it and think it's a well made knife. But the common consensus appears to be that the ESEE is wonderful quality, but overbuilt and too heavy for the job of a 5" knife, and therefore, it is compromised in some of its "knife-like" tasks such as being a slicer. It's great at being a pry-bar, the argument often goes, but it's not as good (compared to say the RMD, or the ESEE 6) at being a slicer, chopper, etc.

I'm not trying to debate you, I actually WANT to make a well informed decision so am interested to hear all your reasoning for preferring the 5. I get that a majority prefers the RMD, but in this case I may not end up following the majority, there may be something about the ESEE 5 that is a better fit for how I will use it.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately no, I've not held a RMD so for comparison purposes, I'm useless to you. :D

As to the ESEE 5's shortcomings... Well, it won't be as good a slicer as a ESEE 6 (or BK5, for instance). It won't be as good a chopper as a Junglas (or a BK9, for instance). It might not be as convenient for small work as a ESEE Izula (or a BK11 / 14, for instance). On the other hand, like the BK2, it's a better all-rounder than any or all of the others I mentioned. It will do (pretty well to very well) the tasks you mentioned - just not as well as knives specialized to those tasks.

ESEE 5 is a great knife and it's rare to hear anyone that owns one complaining about it. Is it better than the RMD - no idea. The RMD is certainly getting plenty of support in this thread. I'll have to figure some way to get my hands on one of those one of these days. :)

---

Beckerhead #42
 
Of the 3 you mentioned, I only have the RMD, but it's certainly a nice knife, and not one I think I'll ever get rid of. I also think the BK2 or BK10 if you can source one would be a good choice. But, you might also consider going full custom. Maybe a fiddleback forge, for instance. I drool over Andy's knives a lot, and they're pretty close to the same price point. There are plenty of other great makers on here who could make you exactly what you want for a reasonable price.
 
RMD is probably the best all-around knife for the money in today's marketplace. Made in America by Americans, and the best warranty in the business. The ergos are only surpassed by the amazing heat treatment on the SR101 steel (52100). It holds an edge better than any steel I know of, yet is also easy to sharpen.

Here is a review I did a couple of years ago. Batonned the hell out of the RMD through very hard, very dry mesquite wood. For those unaware of mesquite, it is about 50% harder than hickory.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...Rat-Ratmandu-use-and-abuse?highlight=ratmandu

IMG_0305.jpg





When I was done, the RMD still shaved arm hair. Very impressive... you cannot get those results out of 1095 no matter how you heat treat it.



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Thanks for all the input in this thread.

For those interested, I did finally end up ordering a Ratmandu--they just had some come available on their site today. The lighter weight (just a bit over half the weight of an ESEE 5), the perfect 10" length, and the many recommendations on the thread, convinced me. Also got a kydex sheath from Mashed Cat.
 
My two cents.

Out of the three , I own the S1.

I own a lot of fixed blade knives , I have one custom from a very talented and in demand maker with a long waiting list.

If I grab only one before TEOTWAWKI took place it would be the Fallkniven , you bet your bottom. My reasoning ? I have used the S1 extensively , camping , fieldwork , yardwork , the shop. I have cut and chopped and dug and gouged and even pried with it. It has taken place in butchering two boar and a number of fish. It has helped me clear unwanted plants and vines from the property and done all of that with a smile. The 'hammer' has even been used as an impromptu nut cracker and of course , a hammer. :)
I would readily stake my life on that knifes ability to do whatever I need of it. The VG10 is a proven steel and one of my top choices in a knife, even over such lauded steels as S30V for the simple reason that ( in my opinion of course ) that VG10 outperforms the others when I take into consideration edge retention and ease of sharpening. That is my opinion , as stated.
I can use it over and over with no worry about corrosion , being stainless.
The sheath is nothing to write home about and yet it does it's job perfectly ! Seriously what do people expect for the price ? custom leather ? Aint gonna happen unless you pay for it , that said the supplied sheath is more than adequate. I bought leather to make my own custom for it , just havent done it yet and if your not into that there are a lot of very nice custom sheath options available for the Fallkniven.
The handle can be a bear on your hand ,as is. Which is why I spent about 15 minutes sanding it down to a comfortable level , since then the handle is well fitting , non slipping joy to work with.

I love my S1 , it is one of the best gifts I have ever received and a knife I will keep till I part this rock and my spirit has no longer has need of material items until then I will use it and I have absolute confidence it will serve me as well as any knife ten times it's price.

Tostig
 
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