ESEE-3 vs ESEE-4

B

BiggDaddy485

Joined
Jun 29, 2010
Messages
53
Trying to decide between the ESEE-3 and ESEE-4.. Leaning towards the 4 as a good all around camp knife for batoning and food prep and basically everything i throw at it.. For the guys who own both, what are your thoughts on the size difference? Does the extra inch matter?

Also, I want the black blade with the orange G10 handles.. Any problems getting those handles and making them fit on either model??
 
Alot of people love the 4 and im one of them, the thing is that the 3 is just a much better slicer its wide and thin making food prep and carving abreeze, and i have no doubt you could still baton it through whatever you needed batoned. You really cant go wrong either way, but if you only carrying one knife id go with the 3 to make the things youl do more often a little easier. and if your really worried about processing lots of wood thats just an excuse to get a jungalas too :)

There shouldnt be any problem swapping handles out but if there was you could look at the makers section im sure that they could make you custom scales that would circumvent any problem yo might have.
 
razorsdescent said:
Alot of people love the 4 and im one of them, the thing is that the 3 is just a much better slicer its wide and thin making food prep and carving abreeze, and i have no doubt you could still baton it through whatever you needed batoned. You really cant go wrong either way, but if you only carrying one knife id go with the 3 to make the things youl do more often a little easier. and if your really worried about processing lots of wood thats just an excuse to get a jungalas too :)

There shouldnt be any problem swapping handles out but if there was you could look at the makers section im sure that they could make you custom scales that would circumvent any problem yo might have.
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Yup I have the same three knives. I love my RC-3MIL most for all around camp duty, the 4 is definitely tougher but my gosh it's flipping thick for such a small knife. A better splitter but I wouldn't want to process more wood than the makings of a fire with it - which the 3 does quite well enough on the small stuff (shaving dry limbs for kindling etc.)

I love the Junglas mine is #22 (ol' 22 :)) and F&F plus sheath combo are simply amazing for the price point. I would baton thicker stuff with that. The RC-4 would be a pain despite it's thick, tough blade. Just my $.02 :D
 
where do you all camp that you must use a knife for making big wood into kindling wood? where i go theres always smaller stuff to be had for fire starting. to me it seems like an exercise in exercise. a great way to break knives and create blisters. but back to the knives, i have the esse 4 and think its a decent blade i probubly will try it out on camping tasks this summer. dont see much use for the 3 as i already have the 4 and more than a few nice folders to use in the shorter lengths.
 
i like the 4 more for woodsy type chores, the 3 is nice, but is more difficult to baton with (if thats your thing) it doesnt have enough "flat edge" near the choil and every time you baton it, the 3 wants to pivot... handle up, right out of the wood. this lack of flat edge also makes some carving chores a real PITA (making fire boards/hearths) i havent experienced this problem with the 4 yet...unless youre really beating the snot out of her to split something and it has enough "flat edge" to shave a flat plane on wood and still slice decently. i have to thin the edge bevel on every esee knife i get, theyre plenty sharp, but not slicing sharp IMHO. The handles are another problem for me, i eliminated the choil on my 3 and the handle now almost has a tear drop shape, but fits my meathooks a bit better, i havent decided if im going to go that route on the 4 just yet (shes still in too nice a condition for that)
 
shockjockey24 said:
i like the 4 more for woodsy type chores, the 3 is nice, but is more difficult to baton with (if thats your thing) it doesnt have enough "flat edge" near the choil and every time you baton it, the 3 wants to pivot... handle up, right out of the wood. this lack of flat edge also makes some carving chores a real PITA (making fire boards/hearths) i havent experienced this problem with the 4 yet...unless youre really beating the snot out of her to split something and it has enough "flat edge" to shave a flat plane on wood and still slice decently. i have to thin the edge bevel on every esee knife i get, theyre plenty sharp, but not slicing sharp IMHO. The handles are another problem for me, i eliminated the choil on my 3 and the handle now almost has a tear drop shape, but fits my meathooks a bit better, i havent decided if im going to go that route on the 4 just yet (shes still in too nice a condition for that)
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Pics of that modded ESEE 3 or it doesn't exist. :D
 
Love them both, but "if" I had to go with just one for some reason, I'd take the ESEE 4.

The 3 is definitely good, and it's a great slicer, but don't write off the 4 on that count, it did just fine in some simple testing I did.

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bada61265 said:
where do you all camp that you must use a knife for making big wood into kindling wood? where i go theres always smaller stuff to be had for fire starting.
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My "campsite" includes my cottage mostly, but also my backyard.. The small stuff gets used up pretty quickly, and trying to use an axe and hatchet gets a little cumbersome for getting really small tinder.. This got me thinking though.. Wood processing is probably more of a secondary task for me.. More than anything, id be using it for general camp duties.. Still though, I will be doing some batoning with it, but just enough to start 2 or 3 fires at a time..

Bear Claw Chris Lappe said:
Love them both, but "if" I had to go with just one for some reason, I'd take the ESEE 4.

The 3 is definitely good, and it's a great slicer, but don't write off the 4 on that count, it did just fine in some simple testing I did.

DSCN3740.jpg


DSCN3741.jpg


DSCN3744.jpg


DSCN3747.jpg
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Very Nice pictures.. I love seeing badazz knives being used for delicate tasks like this..

obee508 said:
im in the same boat, i think the 3 will be better for legal edc most places though
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Legality really isnt an issue for me.. Up here in Canada our knife laws are surprisingly relaxed on this topic.. I could walk around with a Junglas on my belt without breaking any laws.. Mind you, I'm sure someone would call the police regardless..
 
CZIV...ill email it to ya :D i still cant figure out how to post pix here (im a computer caveman) send me your addy and ill send you some pix of my hookless tracker2 as well...cghinky@yahoo.com
 
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do either of these do anything?
 
As a camp knife if I had to choose between those two I'd take the 4 for the heavier tasks and a folder for the lighter/slicing tasks. I always carry my Leatherman Wave 2, Vic Huntsman, small folder like a Mini Griptilian, Delica, Caly3 or ZT0350 so for me it'd definitely be the 4.
 
I like the extra thickness of the 4 - it feels better in my hand.
The TKC scales are a pretty nice addition, too. (if they had come out a couple of months earlier, I might have held onto my 3)
The TKC aftermarket scales are knife specific -- the 4 scales won't fit on the 3 because the little spacer in back is 3/16" thick, likewise the ones made for a 3 won't work on a 4 unless you fill that 1/16" gap with something.

my one piece of advice -- don't do the "make your own" kit, but the complete knife in the blade color you want and the additional set of scales -- that way, if you don't like the aftermarket scales, you still have a complete knife. (it's also slightly cheaper than buying a blade, scales, & a sheath all as separate items)
 
1066vik said:
my one piece of advice -- don't do the "make your own" kit, but the complete knife in the blade color you want and the additional set of scales -- that way, if you don't like the aftermarket scales, you still have a complete knife. (it's also slightly cheaper than buying a blade, scales, & a sheath all as separate items)
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I don't understand what you are saying. Do you mean to not get the aftermarket scales for the 3 and 4 seperately as they won't fit properly? I have a 3 and 4 and was considering getting the scales for the 4. I don't like the handle, and instead of selling the knife, may get the scales.
 
Pilot1 said:
I don't understand what you are saying. Do you mean to not get the aftermarket scales for the 3 and 4 seperately as they won't fit properly? I have a 3 and 4 and was considering getting the scales for the 4. I don't like the handle, and instead of selling the knife, may get the scales.
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I think he's saying don't order the blade with aftermarket scales and not the original scales in case you don't like the aftermarket ones you'll still have the originals. It'll be cheaper in the long run to pay extra for the 2nd scales nor rather than trying to buy the originals later. Both scales fit fine, it's just a safeguard for you in case you don't like the aftermarket ones.
 
Pilot1 said:
I don't understand what you are saying. Do you mean to not get the aftermarket scales for the 3 and 4 seperately as they won't fit properly? I have a 3 and 4 and was considering getting the scales for the 4. I don't like the handle, and instead of selling the knife, may get the scales.
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NaturalMystic said:
I think he's saying don't order the blade with aftermarket scales and not the original scales in case you don't like the aftermarket ones you'll still have the originals. It'll be cheaper in the long run to pay extra for the 2nd scales nor rather than trying to buy the originals later. Both scales fit fine, it's just a safeguard for you in case you don't like the aftermarket ones.
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yup - what mystic said.
if you already have the knife, just order the aftermarket G10 for that knife. (I have a 4 and the aftermarket scales fit it just fine and fill my hand better than the originals)
If you didn't already have a 4, I was suggesting to buy a 4 and the aftermarket scales, rather than bare blade, scales, and a separate sheath.
 
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