esee 3 long term lasting

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chadsims44

Joined
Jun 18, 2011
Messages
97
thinking about esee3,pretty pricey and was wondering how long one would last.I would like to hear from some of you owners out there about long term durability and edge retention,to help make my mind up.Pictures if you can
 
I thought that the ESEE 3 was my top of the list favorite knife for a long time.
Then I tried out the Izula II and sold both my 3's.
The 1095 takes and holds an edge great.
For day to day stuff, and for yard work and light woods work, the Izzy II just seems a bit more practical to me.
I don't think you can go wrong either way, though.
As far as "how long one would last," as long as you don't break the 3 I'd imagine it could last you your whole life.
And if you do break it they'll send you a new one...


 
You might not get a lot of replies to this request. It's no falt of yours, but I find that the ESEE 3 to be a knife that is carried a lot, but used very little. And that's Ok - it's kinda like my EDC pistols (Glock 26 or Kel-Tec PF9) - carried a lot, and used very little.

If I need a knife that I'm gonna use - I mean really use - for the long haul, then I'm going with something that has a more rounded and fuller handle.

That's just my take on it...
 
chadsims44 said:
thank for the replys,still hoping for more with years of use on them those look brand new
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Um, if by brand new you mean stripped with a nice patina then yes they look brand new.;)

But seriously, Esee does a great job with their 1095. They have a forever no questions asked transferable warranty. The knife will likely outlive you. I have an izula, 5, 6, and Junglas and have had the 4. I have literally beat the hell out of the junglas and used the 6 fairly had as well. No problems whatsoever.
 
chadsims44 said:
thinking about esee3,pretty pricey and was wondering how long one would last...
Click to expand...



Kind of a strange question, How Long?

The EESE knives and are pretty much Bullet-proof.

Sure, there are knives with better steels and fancier handles, but in it's price range the 3 is one tough customer.

I expect my EESE knives to last longer then I will by a long shot; unless your going to use that 3 as a jack hammer bit, I suspect you will have the same experience.




Big Mike
 
chadsims44 said:
thank for the replys,still hoping for more with years of use on them those look brand new
Click to expand...

The thing is, if used within reason, you shouldn't see more than some scratches on the finish, perhaps a little wear on the tip.

It's a slab of 1095 with micarta scales, not much can go wrong with it.

I bought a RAT-3 back when ESEE had their knives made by Ontario. I carried it for years on my SAR and flood relief gear. It held up quite well, back then it was made out of D-2 which has better edge retention than 1095 but it won't take as much punishment.

Here's my old RAT-3 with my newer ESEE-3. Sorry for the crappy picture, it's cloudy and dark today. Anyway, the handle scales have changed colour a bit from sweat, and other stuff (oil and so on). The finish on the blade is a little worn (I batoned a bit with it), but that's it. I guess if you compare it to a brand new RAT-3 the edge might look a bit different, too.

20141121_173053.jpg
 
Unless used hard everyday, there's no reason any overbuilt knife like an ESEE won't last a lifetime.
 
I was just thinking on if you used that knife everyday out living in the wild would it last me, sounds like the everybody including the owner has summed that up for me, thank you and I will be placing my order soon
 
Go to the ESEE Knives/Jungle Training company website > Resources > ESEE Field Photos. The first pic to appear shows three 3's. The top one being one which was given to a South American gent who helps with the training classes down there. It has been used/abused daily with minmal care for many, many years. It's still quite usable, if a bit ugly. Even being carbon steel, it's done very well in constant high humidity jungles.
 
Had mine for 3 years. I have done everything from shave wood to baton with it. Still going strong.
 
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