BK2 Versus ESEE 4

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fuzzwuzz133

Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
288
I've been looking at a heavy sharpened pry bar lately and I find that the BK2 and ESEE 3/4 are up to par for my standards. Though after a little research, I found that the BK2's sheath dulls the blade due to high glass content. ESEE's just a tad bit more pricy though they have a good warrentee. Which would you guys pick?
 
Toooj said:
jzmtl,

All of our sheaths that are GFN (Glass filled Nylon) have had the glass content lowered. (Not complertely eliminated) If we totally pull the glass from the mixture, the nylon would not have the strength and rigidity that we believe is necessary for the sheath to
protect the user from the sharpened edge (The primary reason for a sheath) Nylon without glass: think Nylon stockings and toothbrush handles; not very reassuring. Interestingly, we lowered the glass content because the sheaths were too stiff and made insertion and removal of the blade very difficult, not the dulling issue. We started last year sometime. It was a running change so there will be both in the stream for a while. How do you tell high from low glass? Hit the sheath on a hard surface; if there is a "clacking" sound it is high glass; a dull "thunk" means low glass. We are working with our contractor to redesign the sheaths so if the blade edge is dragged into the sheath, it will not be dulled. Until such time, ingress and egress of the blade should be straight and not angled. Not a hard thing to do....or an aftermarket sheath.
Hope this helps.

Best Regards,


Paul Tsujimoto
Sr Eng
Prod Dev and Qual
KA-BAR Knives
Click to expand...

I went and dug this up for you.
 
i've used the bk-2 and esee-4 heavily for over a year and prefer the esee-4 hands down. it cuts/slices/feathersticks/carves traps way better although the bk-2 fits my hand better though. for the weight of the bk-2, you can take a victorinox hiker or folding saw with that esee-4 and be that much more efficient at wood processing.
 
The BK-2 and ESEE 4 feel very different in hand. The way a knife feels in hand gets overlooked too often (especially since so many of us buy knives online now). You should handle and decide based on how they feel in your hand.

I like the BK-2 more, because of the way it feels. But you should not let that count towards your decision because your hands are different than mine.
 
After reading some great threads, I think a small hatchet or folding saw and a good all around knife is the way to go.
Mora Robust and a belt axe may be the answer.
 
I'm not sure the 4 is quite a sharpened prybar. The Esee-5, though... That's definitely a prybar. Oddly enough, it's still a great cutting tool even at 1/4" thick. Feels great in the (large, strong) hand, too.
 
Thanks guys for the input. My question is if the extra forty dollars for the ESEE is worth it. I know they have a good warrentee but the chances of me somehow breaking this knife is somewhat small. :)
 
Thanks guys for the input. My question is if the extra forty dollars for the ESEE is worth it. I know they have a good warrentee but the chances of me somehow breaking this knife is somewhat small. :)
 
Grease said:
I'm not sure the 4 is quite a sharpened prybar. The Esee-5, though... That's definitely a prybar. Oddly enough, it's still a great cutting tool even at 1/4" thick. Feels great in the (large, strong) hand, too.
Click to expand...
I'm inclined to agree here. The 5 is much more comparable as far as size/ruggedness are concerned.

In regards to the warranties/price...if you somehow did break the Becker, they would likely replace it just as fast as ESEE. I would see about being able to handle them both, and also take into consideration things like: Would you want nicer scales for the becker? A different sheath perhaps? etc. You may end up spending about the same on either one in the long run.
 
In terms of the companies, they are both great quality knife companies that will stand behind their product and honor their warranties. They offer similar types of knives, which means that they frequently get compared.

That being said, the BK2 is much more closely matched by the ESEE 5 than it is by the ESEE 4. Between the ESEE 5 and the BK2 the BK2 should slice a bit better (slightly higher grind). I own a BK2, and its a great knife that can do anything. It might not be the best knife at anything (other than maybe batoning), but it can and will do most anything you throw at it. I find the handle very comfortable, and actually really like the grivory handles.

When I first got my BK2 the sheath was one of those that had problems dulling the knife. I contacted Kbar and I told them about the problem and they promptly shipped me out a new sheath with less glass. I can say that the sheath is no longer an issue. Also, even when it was an "issue" the problem would clear away after enough sheathing and un-sheathing of the knife as the contact points are worn away.

I would compare the ESEE 4 more to the BK16, although if you're looking for a prybar, the BK16 is probably not ideal (its 5/32 thick) whereas the ESEE 4 is 3/16 thick.
 
Between the 2, If you want a sharpened pry bar the BK2 is the way to go.
Plus at the price those Beckers go for you can't go wrong. :thumbup:
 
Like some people said, the BK2 is closer to the ESEE 5 than 4. I think the ESEE 4 is a better, more practical knife than both. At that length I don't really see the point of the heft of the BK2, although it has plenty of fans who will disagree with me on that. Personally I've never understood the appeal, for something heavier I want a longer blade. In shorter blades I would have thought slicing ability was more important, also the ESEE 4 will still be robust enough that it will hold up to just about anything you need to to with it.
 
BK2 compares more favorably to ESEE 5.

I would hope that cutting with the knife will
be the main factor in it dulling regardless
of the provided sheath.

I replaced my BK2 sheath with an aftermarket
Kydex sheath.
 
Two quite different knives as others have noted. Fit and feel in the hand are very different, as is the weight if you are going to be carrying it around any length of time. Both companies are great, produce fantastic products and back them up with pretty bullet proof warranties. If you are looking for something to beat the living crap out of, the BK2 is your go. However, for mine, if I had to be released into the wild with just one knife it would be my ESEE-4.

esee4_bk2.jpg
 
ESEE 4. Lighter, better sheath and better all around knife. Yes, their worth the extra money.
 
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