ESEE 5 or the BK2

B

bfbisa

Joined
Jan 15, 2007
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I love the specs on both knives and what i've seen on both. No questions asked guarantee on the ESEE is great. BK2 is a lot cheaper in price though. What is the better choice?
 
I am a great ESEE /RAT fan. And though the RC5 seems like a great knife, I just don't seem to trust my grip on the handle when chopping. And even though it is not a chopper, sometimes you just gotta chop. On the other hand, the BK2 handle is very comfy and provides a very secure grip. So since specs are almost the same, I went with the BK2. Though I must say, that the fit and finish on the RC5 was much better.
 
I bought a BK2, my friend has an ESEE-5.

Both knives, as you know, are nearly the same. Almost the same steel (1095 cro-van vs 1095) although I've heard wonderful things about Rowen's heat treatment of the ESEE blade. The handle slabs are flush with the blade on the ESEE, while the Beckers can be a little less exact. Both knives perform in mostly the same way. The handle slabs on the Becker have a palm swell, while the ESEE's are flat. ESEE's handles are micarta, while the Becker's are grivory (i think you can buy the micarta replacements and still be under the ESEE price, however - not sure). Both are fairly comfortable, but I don't really have a preference either way. Not sure what the Becker/KaBar warranty is, but the ESEE one is definitely a major selling point.

I guess in short, you can't go wrong with either knife. The Becker might need a little work to get to the ESEE level of fit and finish, but not tremendous amounts. Although, buying the Becker gives you remaining money for something like an Izula..
 
....Or a Becker Necker ;)

I personally do not like the look of the ESEE 5 very much.
That's my only dislike. Otherwise it is a great knife.

Though the fit and finish on the BK2 may not be as high as the ESEE 5 so I've heard. But I can't honestly tell you that my BK2 came perfect in that aspect.

IMHO I think you get more bang for your buck with the BK2. So in that reguard I would buy the BK2.
Then down the road if you want to make it more purdy you can upgrade to the micarta scales.
Plus the BK2 was just upgraded with a new Kickin Kydex sheath.

Kabar's warranty (tho not as great as ESEE) in my experience and from what I've read is great.
More or less if the knife wasn't purposely abused they'll look after you.

Most people that come to such a forum know how to use knives properly with out abusing them.

Becker1.jpg
 
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Razorsharp1986 said:
I am a great ESEE /RAT fan. And though the RC5 seems like a great knife, I just don't seem to trust my grip on the handle when chopping. And even though it is not a chopper, sometimes you just gotta chop. On the other hand, the BK2 handle is very comfy and provides a very secure grip. So since specs are almost the same, I went with the BK2. Though I must say, that the fit and finish on the RC5 was much better.
Click to expand...

It's not a chopper? What is it, then?? Because it weighs like 14 oz and it's .25" thick....
 
oguruma said:
It's not a chopper? What is it, then?? Because it weighs like 14 oz and it's .25" thick....
Click to expand...

Sure they will chop, and chop well, if they need to.They both really are well rounded.

But to me a chopper is a BK9 or a ESEE Junglas.
 
I've never owned a becker but I do own Esee and I will say they are great blades. Excellent F&F and the warranty is the greatest around. It might cost a little more but the life time warranty will pay the extra shall you ever need to use it. Go with the Esee. :thumbup:
 
They are both great knives from great companies, I see nothing wrong with having both. :D
 
frontline29 said:
....Or a Becker Necker ;)

I personally do not like the look of the ESEE 5 very much.
That's my only dislike. Otherwise it is a great knife.

Though the fit and finish on the BK2 may not be as high as the ESEE 5 so I've heard. But I can't honestly tell you that my BK2 came perfect in that aspect.

IMHO I think you get more bang for your buck with the BK2. So in that reguard I would buy the BK2.
Then down the road if you want to make it more purdy you can upgrade to the micarta scales.
Plus the BK2 was just upgraded with a new Kickin Kydex sheath.

Kabar's warranty (tho not as great as ESEE) in my experience and from what I've read is great.
More or less if the knife wasn't purposely abused they'll look after you.

Most people that come to such a forum know how to use knives properly with out abusing them.

Becker1.jpg
Click to expand...

I would add that Ethan Becker/Ka-Bar considers batoning "intended use," and not abuse like some makers. I have micarta handle scales for my BK-2, and it is a huge upgrade. I still came in at $50 cheaper overall than the ESEE-5/RC-5. I also like the looks of the BK-2 a little better.

Good luck breaking either one of these knives. Their both beasts from great companies who won't do you wrong.
 
Honestly, I think if you chose either one, it would serve you well.

That said, I have the ESEE RC-4, Izula and Becker BK-2. As far as knife makers go, both are great, IMHO.
 
They can't be beat. Well, actually, they can... over and over and over. They're really tough all purpose knives.

Which one am I talking about?

Both.

Either one is tough as nails (tougher, actually), and will last you for a very, very long time. As far as the warranty thing, ESEE's is more explicit, but, in practice, the Becker/KA-BAR warranty works out the same.

Personally, I favor the BK-2, but then again, I'm (arguably) the world's biggest Becker backer. The steels and heat treat on both knives are about as good as it gets, which makes the choice even tougher. To me, the BK-2 has it over the ESEE 5 because I like the blade and handle shape better, and the BK-2 costs less, even with the micarta handles.

If I couldn't have the BK-2, though, the ESEE 5 would be my first choice.

If I sound like I'm being wishy-washy here, I'm not: they are both outstanding knives from great companies, and you simply can't go wrong either way.
 
I've been sold on ESEE / Rat knives since I found them over a year ago. Outstanding fit and finish, practical designs, impeccable quality, best warranty in the business - I was sold. I didn't care for the 5 so much, though. For me it is too short, too heavy, too thick, and a little too much $ for what I needed. I bought a 6 and it is everything I want and need in a hard-use, no nonsense field knife. My recommendation is to jump ship and get the 6 and wear it out! Or try to :). If you just want to stick with either the 5 or the BK2, I'd go with the 5 just for the quality and warranty aspects. Simply the best.
 
i have both and have beaten the crap outta them. the esee-5 has a better finish and sheath. the bk-2's handle shape feels way better in my hands and i like the blade shape better (fuller belly rather than the esee-5's pointer shape). i couldn't care less about micarta. esee's warranty covers deliberate abuse. if i had to pick one, i'll take the bk-2 hands down because of the comfy handle shape.

with that said, i haven't used them in a long time and wish i didn't buy them. i prefer the esee junglas. it can do everything they can do and more, short of prying a car door open. 1/4" thick 5.25" blades are more like novelty knives to me now.
 
JV3 said:
i have both and have beaten the crap outta them. the esee-5 has a better finish and sheath. the bk-2's handle shape feels way better in my hands and i like the blade shape better (fuller belly rather than the esee-5's pointer shape). i couldn't care less about micarta. esee's warranty covers deliberate abuse. if i had to pick one, i'll take the bk-2 hands down because of the comfy handle shape.

with that said, i haven't used them in a long time and wish i didn't buy them. i prefer the esee junglas. it can do everything they can do and more, short of prying a car door open. 1/4" thick 5.25" blades are more like novelty knives to me now.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but what about those times you really have to pry a car door open?
 
I own the RC/ESEE 5, but I do not own the BK2. So I can tell you about the 5, and hopefully it will help.

It's a tank. Tougher than any knife I've ever owned (and I own a BK9 that I call "Sweet Lucille"). It doesn't chop well, for the simple fact that it was designed as a last ditch knife. A "do it all" knife. It's 1/4" thick, with a sabre grind and ~ 5" blade. It's heavy for a 5 inch knife.
It can be made to chop if you choke back on the handle with the help of a lanyard. But it still won't be a machete. But if you combine it with a baton you don't need to chop.
I've batoned mine through some crazy tough wood and it was still sharp. The grind acts like its own wedge, taking the pressure off the edge of the blade.
The handle is nice and comfortable no matter how you hold it. I've used the bowdrill divot on mine several times (which requires a different grip on the handle of the knife than most people are used to) and it's great.

Here's the thing about this knife:

It kind of requires that you know how to use a knife. I'm not saying that to be sarcastic or facetious. But this isn't a scandinavian grind slicer like some others. It slices and whittles fine, but it's not a detail-maker. It was designed as a "do-it-all" SERE knife for a downed pilot, so it loses a little something in every area as a result of that design. So, it's a big, burly, get it done good enough to do the job knife. Mine came with the Eagle Nylon sheath, and I love it. I think the new ones come with a Kydex or some such.

So if you're looking for a dedicated chopper, or a knife to carry around to slice tomatoes paper thin, or something that will whittle smoother and prettier...you don't want the RC5. You'll probably be looking for the RC4, the RC6, the BK7 (or BK9--which is a surprisingly nimble knife for a big blade), or even the good old Mora.

If you want a knife that just yells "Give me your best shot, Sister!" and laughs at you, Then you want the RC5. There's a reason my location says "Somewhere between Hell and an RC5". If all hell breaks loose, this is the knife I want with me. I don't really even call the RC5 a knife...I call it a machine. Because if you know how to handle a knife, this thing works like a machine.

The no questions asked lifetime warranty is a big plus, too.

Becker makes a fine knife from my experience with the BK9. I still love mine and use it often; the only gripe I have ever had about it is the handle -- and they've made a fix for that.
 
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KEmSAT-Survival said:
I own the RC/ESEE 5, but I do not own the BK2. So I can tell you about the 5, and hopefully it will help.

It's a tank. Tougher than any knife I've ever owned (and I own a BK9 that I call "Sweet Lucille"). It doesn't chop well, for the simple fact that it was designed as a last ditch knife. A "do it all" knife. It's 1/4" thick, with a sabre grind and ~ 5" blade. It's heavy for a 5 inch knife.
It can be made to chop if you choke back on the handle with the help of a lanyard. But it still won't be a machete. But if you combine it with a baton you don't need to chop.
I've batoned mine through some crazy tough wood and it was still sharp. The grind acts like its own wedge, taking the pressure off the edge of the blade.
The handle is nice and comfortable no matter how you hold it. I've used the bowdrill divot on mine several times (which requires a different grip on the handle of the knife than most people are used to) and it's great.

Here's the thing about this knife:

It kind of requires that you know how to use a knife. I'm not saying that to be sarcastic or facetious. But this isn't a scandinavian grind slicer like some others. It slices and whittles fine, but it's not a detail-maker. It was designed as a "do-it-all" SERE knife for a downed pilot, so it loses a little something in every area as a result of that design. So, it's a big, burly, get it done good enough to do the job knife. Mine came with the Eagle Nylon sheath, and I love it. I think the new ones come with a Kydex or some such.

So if you're looking for a dedicated chopper, or a knife to carry around to slice tomatoes paper thin, or something that will whittle smoother and prettier...you don't want the RC5. You'll probably be looking for the RC4, the RC6, the BK7 (or BK9--which is a surprisingly nimble knife for a big blade), or even the good old Mora.

If you want a knife that just yells "Give me your best shot, Sister!" and laughs at you, Then you want the RC5. There's a reason my location says "Somewhere between Hell and an RC5". If all hell breaks loose, this is the knife I want with me. I don't really even call the RC5 a knife...I call it a machine. Because if you know how to handle a knife, this thing works like a machine.

The no questions asked lifetime warranty is a big plus, too.

Becker makes a fine knife from my experience with the BK9. I still love mine and use it often; the only gripe I have ever had about it is the handle -- and they've made a fix for that.
Click to expand...

The same can be said about the BK2 more or less. In this case I think it will come down to which one you like the look of best.

IMO both are equality matched.
 
This japanese guy on Youtube called virtuovice reviewed and compared the micarta handled BK2 and the RC5.

[youtube]6ceiQHd0Q94[/youtube]

(First time embedding wohooooooooooooo! Only took 15 tries :o)


Virtuovice is a serious outdoorsman, hiker and hunter and has alot of vids where he actually uses his knives skinning deer, gutting and cleaning ducks, chopping trees, foraging for edibles and so forth. So his vids are worth watching.

I own the BK2 and i recommend it for the same reasons my fellow BF'ers have stated. Its excellent for the price too. Cant comment on the RC5 as i dont own it. ESSE puts out great products though as i own a few of them.
 
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