Esee 4 vs Ontario Ranger Falcon

O

Ontario/Esee Knives

Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
9
Hey,
So I came across these 2 knives the Esee 4 and the Ontario Ranger Falcon and I can't decide which to get. I like both of these knives but I realllike how the Falcon has a 1/4" thickness, while compared to the 3/16" of the Esee 4 and also the Falcon is a slightly smaller than the Esee 4 which is what I was looking for but what's really preventing me from purchasing the Falcon is the Esee 4's no questions asked warranty.
 
Besides ESEE's sick warranty, impeccable QC, razor sharp factory edges and perfect HT, I would think it would depend on the size of your hand. Did you come across them online or in person? If online I would buy the ESEE and just resell without losing anything if the handle is too small. Some folks with larger hands have issues them. I've heard alot of these problems apparently evaporate with the addition of these after market scale sets: http://www.the-knife-connection.com/esee-4-series-custom-sporting-field-handle-kits.html
The ESEE 4 is one of favorite knives of all time, I've had some comparable Ontario models, like the 3 and the grinds were way off and crappy fit (my experience, I know they're a well loved company). I'm not a fan of the blocky handle scales either, and their warranty can't stand up to ESEE's by any stretch.
The ESEE 3 is only about an inch or 1.5 smaller than the 4 I think and is one of the best all around/EDC able productions knives of time, I think.
 
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Find a place to hold them both and see what ergonomics suit you best.

My choise would be the Esee.
Esee has hardened the steel some more (Ontario 53-55 HRC, Esee 55-57 HRC), so should hold a better edge.
The Esee 4 is plenty thick for any task a knife this size should handle imho...
Also the thinner stock of the Esee provides a better geometry for cutting (the main task for a 4" knife if you ask me)
Esee has a better choil, Ontario's choil is too small to put your finger in without getting cut.
The Esee has a very nice kydex sheath, choice for g10 handles, linnen or canvas micarta.
Note: the Esee 4's my favourite fixed blade so I'm biassed. ;)

Goodluck making up your mind.

Here's my 4 warming up :)

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Go with the ESEE 4. It's proven to be a great performer in many conditions.
 
ESSE 4 is a fantastic knife. Cant go wrong with it.

Ontario also makes some fantastic knives. The RD 4 is the one i would be considering. I like the extended pommel. It is also 1/4" thick. That-in itself-raises issues for many. It seems most either love thick knives or the hate them, not much in between. Mostly because it comes down to slice-ability. Thick knives generally come with thick blade edges, more akin to chopping. I reprofile mine & thin them out some. It will never slice as good as a thin kitchen knife but, it is what it is. You have to decide what will serve you best. I have MANY 1/4" blades. I love em. I also have many thinner knives, i love them as well. Pick the right tool for the job.
 
Hello everyone,
I am new to the forum, so please bare with me if I ask anything redundant :) I am from the Caucasus region (Georgia in particular), and we don't have Ontario, Becker, or Essee at stores here. Unfortunately I can not hold them in my hand to choose the best out of them, so I have to go through online ordering. I was hoping to get some user's advice on choosing between the Ontario Ranger Falcon and the bk2 (actually I looked at the Esse 4 and really am considering that option as well). I did my online homework and found that the 1095 for BK2 is probably the best steel (better than the Esse 1095 I think, please correct me if I am wrong), but what attracts me to the Ontario Ranger Falcon is that it is 5160 spring steel. I have seen some of the other Ontario 5160 (RTAK 2 in particular) failing with various users, it chips or breaks, but I couldn't find the same issue with the Ranger Falcon on the net. Could you please advice, which steel is more dependable, and which one would hold a better edge. I would greatly appreciate if you could share your experience.
 
I can not speak to the Falcon but can tell you the heat treat on the ESEE knives is incredible. I have sold a ton of them and the only time I hear of chipping or breaking is when people are using the knife for a task not meant for a knife.
 
I don't think you will have a problem with any of the listed steels. The handle and sheath is what you should think about. Becker has a great handle & good sheath. ESEE has what might be a better sheath but some will say a small handle. Some will also say the Ontario has a large handle.
 
LG&M said:
I don't think you will have a problem with any of the listed steels. The handle and sheath is what you should think about. Becker has a great handle & good sheath. ESEE has what might be a better sheath but some will say a small handle. Some will also say the Ontario has a large handle.
Click to expand...

Thanks for you input guys, I appreciate the promptness. I like all three knifes very much, but the designs are more appealing in the Ranger Falcon and Esee. The Ontario being half the price I would go with it, plus I own 1095 blades, but never had a 5160 spring steel. I want to use it for the all bushcraft purposes with small to medium batoning if and when needed. I like the design, think with a little customization both Ontario Falcon and Esse 4 would would fit me perfectly, but I would be satisfied with purchasing the first (due to the price), if the blade is dependable and does not chip while batoning or chiseling. Thanks again guys
 
I look at some of the knives I've beaten the crap out of, and most have been mystery steel, or 440C at best. Comfort has really been the deciding factor when it has come down to picking between two knives made of similar materials for a specific sort of task. Same thing when it comes to guns. Because of that, I've taken a chance with the unknown or lesser known alternative pretty frequently. I rarely see the Falcon mentioned on forums, but based on comments about the handle in various reviews, I think it'd be my first choice.

Of course, that is from the perspective of a knife as a tool. I have several Ontario knives myself, and I'll be the first to admit that the attention to detail is about what I would expect from a "workhorse" tool, not a high(er) dollar premium one. If I spent $110 on an ESEE and got the same fit and finish as on a $60 Ontario built from roughly the same materials, I'd feel like I overpaid. Then again, if I bought the Ontario and it held up fine over a long period of time, I'd feel like I got a great deal, especially if the fit and finish were good.
 
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