ESEE 4 and BK16, are they low maintenance fixed blades?

[csisland]

They are both coated, am I right? Also, without the coating, they are prone to rust?

 

[Cereal_killer]

Well they're both 1095 so yes they will rust, you can leave them coated or just keep them oiled. Also forcing a patina would help with rest resistance (however it's not going to prevent rust, just make care a little easier).

 

[csisland]

I was looking at these two knives because they are talked about highly on the forum but not sure about the rust issue. What are a few other knives to look into that are in the same price range as the ESEE4 and BK16 and reliable, but don't pose a rust problem??

 

[dopenerd]

esse makes a stainless model don't they?

 

[benchwarmer380]

Maintaining them is much easier than you think.
I foolishly stored my Esee 4 in it's sheath and all it did was form a slight patina on the edge.
My brother has a stripped Izula and all he does is put a little CLP (anything similar will work) on the blade when he stores it and it doesn't rust at all.
This is with Florida's humidity.
Dry it off after it gets wet and occasionally oil as needed and you should be fine.

 

[Cereal_killer]

I don't believe so, 1095 is a very good steel, it's not going to rust away like a car body in Ohio or anything, they only require very slight care, it takes 5 seconds to wipe it down with a oil soaked rag once a day when you get some using it. Really unless you get an H1 spyderco your going to have to do some preventative maintenance anyway.

 

[bcknives]

I personally don't worry about it that much. After use just clean them properly and wipe down with some mineral oil (as you should most knives). You can always force a patina, as stated by some other guys here. That will slow down stain but not rust. Just use your best judgement, and they should be fine.

 

[fielder]

Don't worry too much about rust. Wipe it dry and oil it. If you want stainless, look at Fallkniven F1 or Entrek Bravo or Javalina.

 

[greens]

Becker's 1095 has a little chromium/vanadium added making it slightly more stain resistant than regular 1095. My Esees stain very easily. Beckers less so.

 

[upnorth]

Wiping off and a little mineral oil now and then, not much to it really. If you come in from extreme cold steel often ''sweats'' as moisture forms on it. Just get it to room temp, wipe off and oil. I had an ESEE Izula rust up on me a bit from forgetting it after an ice fishing trip. It still wasn't that bad.

 

[Bob W]

ESEE 4 and BK16, are they low maintenance fixed blades?

Yes, they are very easy to maintain knives, both of them. Overall though I'd give the 'winner' nod to the Becker on account of the hard molded handles; the rough ESEE handles are easily stained (especially noticeable on the lighter colored grips) and hard to clean.

They are both coated, am I right? Also, without the coating, they are prone to rust?

Being carbon steel, they can be prone to rust. Regular use will erase any rust though, and rust can mostly be prevented entirely will proper maintenance and care.

 

[billygoat162]

They can rust either way and are made out of some of the least rust-resistant steels you will find in quality knives, but that doesn't mean rust will be a problem. Maintenance really isn't much more than giving the blade a quick wipe with mineral oil before storage and trying to keep it dry when out using it. I don't bother to oil my knives when camping, and I've never had a problem as long as I dried them off after they got wet, even on multi-day trips. Removing the coating does increase the surface area that can rust, but it basically means you just have to oil the entire blade instead of just the edge. Now cheap knives that require constant sharpening are what I consider high-maintenance--they get annoying real quick when you are really using them.

 

[22-rimfire]

Even stainless steel rusts. It just takes a bit longer. Use the knife and when you get home wipe it down with oil. No big thing. You don't generally need to wipe these carbon steel blades down if you are not using them. Just pay a little attention and wipe it down after use, or when you feel like it when it is sitting idle. Keep it sharp and it will make you happy.

 

[FTR-14c]

I'm not crazy about Coldsteel in general... but In that size and price range the Master Hunter is hard to beat.
I prefer the handle and blade design over both the ESEE 4 and BK-16.
San Mia VG1 is stainless, holds a good edge and gets crazy sharp. It also comes with a nice sheath.

 

[whitty]

I understand your apprehension about rust. I used to feel the same way. I have an ESEE 3 that I have owned for 5+ years now. This knife goes with me on every camping trip and most fishing trips, I have seen very little rust. It is easy to clean up and does not effect the overall integrity of the knife. Trust me you will be happy with an ESEE!

 

[1066vik]

I haven't had any issues with rust from any of my ESEE or Becker knives, but if you're REALLY worried about it, you could always try a D2 Ontario TAK.