Esee 3 sheath retention is ridiculous.

[chorpie]

I don't see any people with actual customer service experience in this thread, and I don't recall many in any threads. It's almost exclusively, "They have a great warranty. If you ever need it they'll fix you up, but I never have/you never will."

Mike Perrin is a jerk.

I'd bought a used ESEE-6 that came with a clip plate but no mounting screws. When I emailed him asking to buy screws for the clip plate, he sent me a whole envelope full of them for nothing. I believe he sent me another clip plate as well with it.

Jerk.

 

[wensynch]

I have lots of Esse's ,including 4 -3"s. The retention on the 3 seems to be where the front finger nub on the knife "bounces" over a plastic ridge when it clips into the throat of the sheath. Try taking a small file or fine sandpaper to the area where that knife choil/finger projection contacts it and see if you can smooth it out a bit and try sanding/fitting a few times. Maybe that'll help out. :thumbup:

Didn't read through the entire thread, but this is the answer.

Get a flashlight, look inside the sheathed to figure out what is acting as a stopper. Usually, it'll be s nub on the top-bottom/sides inside the opening.

Sand/file it to your liking.

 

[B.F.U]

Mike Perrin is a jerk.

I'd bought a used ESEE-6 that came with a clip plate but no mounting screws. When I emailed him asking to buy screws for the clip plate, he sent me a whole envelope full of them for nothing. I believe he sent me another clip plate as well with it.

Jerk.

Mike perrin is not who I was dealing with

 

[Marmaladejim]

I agree the retention is insanely way too much on this knife. Now I’ll be the first to admit when I do something stupid, but I bought this knife for bail bags for the family so everyone had a knife/ 72 hour bag they could keep in the car for emergencies, so this knife isn’t even intended for me. And while theres no excuse for a lapse in saftey this sheath simply doesn't add to it. I tried breaking this sheath in for multiple days leaving the knife semi sheathed like suggested to loosen up the retention but after that still ended up having put a lot of pressure on the sheath with thumb release or otherwise so much that the blade jumps out uncontrollably. I ended up slicing my left thumb because I choked too much on the scabbard and recoiled back and forward in an attempt to control the release of the blade. The blade needless to say, (I know from first hand experience) it’s extremely sharp. So all the toughy wanna be knife aficionados out there, consider this: even with military training or otherwise, would you put that much retention on a gun holster and not expect bad things to happen? That’s without someone making a mistake? My Chris Reeve knive in the spec op sheath? Loose, but I can shake the knife violently and it stays retained until simple thumb snap and the blade drops free. Benchmade bushcrafter? Has a loose leather sheath, I can shake that violently and it retains the knife, until a simple thumb snap releases the blade. The esee knife is great but maybe they ought to relax their retention boner and have a sheath that isn’t dangerously hard to pull the knife from. And those other sheaths? No break in, no jolting knife release, butter smooth. Maybe esee should get the sheath rivets a few thousands longer or put a tension adjusting screw in all their sheaths. Just saying. Anyone considering buying this knife? It appears to be an impressive moderately price winner. The sheath? If its got a retention stiffy, throw it in the garbage and look for other options. Don’t risk your safety or worse, someone else’s, I don’t care how strong or trained you are. Needlessly dangerous is needlessly dangerous.

 

[MolokaiRider]

Man, all this talk about the Esee 3 makes me want to go buy one.

I am super curious to see how the retention is for myself.

 

[Dadpool]

Today's decision process: I don't know what I want to carry > Is it a jeans day? > Hinderer XM-18 3.5.

 

[craytab]

I agree the retention is insanely way too much on this knife. Now I’ll be the first to admit when I do something stupid, but I bought this knife for bail bags for the family so everyone had a knife/ 72 hour bag they could keep in the car for emergencies, so this knife isn’t even intended for me. And while theres no excuse for a lapse in saftey this sheath simply doesn't add to it. I tried breaking this sheath in for multiple days leaving the knife semi sheathed like suggested to loosen up the retention but after that still ended up having put a lot of pressure on the sheath with thumb release or otherwise so much that the blade jumps out uncontrollably. I ended up slicing my left thumb because I choked too much on the scabbard and recoiled back and forward in an attempt to control the release of the blade. The blade needless to say, (I know from first hand experience) it’s extremely sharp. So all the toughy wanna be knife aficionados out there, consider this: even with military training or otherwise, would you put that much retention on a gun holster and not expect bad things to happen? That’s without someone making a mistake? My Chris Reeve knive in the spec op sheath? Loose, but I can shake the knife violently and it stays retained until simple thumb snap and the blade drops free. Benchmade bushcrafter? Has a loose leather sheath, I can shake that violently and it retains the knife, until a simple thumb snap releases the blade. The esee knife is great but maybe they ought to relax their retention boner and have a sheath that isn’t dangerously hard to pull the knife from. And those other sheaths? No break in, no jolting knife release, butter smooth. Maybe esee should get the sheath rivets a few thousands longer or put a tension adjusting screw in all their sheaths. Just saying. Anyone considering buying this knife? It appears to be an impressive moderately price winner. The sheath? If its got a retention stiffy, throw it in the garbage and look for other options. Don’t risk your safety or worse, someone else’s, I don’t care how strong or trained you are. Needlessly dangerous is needlessly dangerous.

Jeez. Joining up and with your first post replying to a 6 year old post to insult others when you are the one who can't safely get a little 3" knife out of a plastic sheath? Okay bud. Hope you stick around but maybe think a little more before posting. Lots of good info to read!

Man, all this talk about the Esee 3 makes me want to go buy one.

I am super curious to see how the retention is for myself.

I think everyone should have an esee 3. Great knife!

I've had a bunch of them. Currently I have a DT in 1095 and one in S35VN. I can even get them out of their sheaths safely!

 

[sharp_edge]

It's a great fixed knife. Mine also requires much strength to get the darn thing out of the sheath. I'm hoping that over time it will loosen up a bit. My ESEE 6 is much easier.