Esee Junglas, Cold Steel frontier bowie

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gdoolittle

Joined
Mar 27, 2016
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I currently own two esee knives (3 and candiru) and I am looking to add a big blade to my pack before I go on a week or two long hike building shelters and heavily using all of my 3 knife combo.. I love esee knives but I love the look of the bowie knife as well. I am debating specifically on an esee Junglas vs. a Cold Steel Frontier Bowie, but I'm open to any suggestions in this price range as well. I love the look and length of the bowie, but am a little concerned of the lesser steel quality (1095 vs 1055) and I know that no one will beat esee's heat treat. Edge retention and blade strength is a must for me. I don't purposely torture any of my knives, but i expect them to preform no matter what i need to put them up against, whether is building a shelter or fighting off a grizzly bear, and still be ready for more afterwards. Thanks for the help everyone
 
Cold Steel Frontier Bowie is not made of 1055 anymore but 1085 now I believe, would rather have they stuck to 1055 since it's a tougher steel.

I am to hear you are also an adherent of the three blade system, I usually carry a folder, medium sized fixed blade and large fixed blade/chopper.

Variety is the spice of life so it's great to see you looking to expand beyond Esee, my advice would be to look into the Becker BK9, it's a very nice large fixed blade that has earned the moniker "The King" by it's many fans, either that or look into a nice khukuri/kukri, king of choppers, very nice companies that make amazing models are Himalayan Imports, Tora Blades, KHHI, EGKH(ordered by quality highest to lowest). Some companies also make modern interpretations of the khukuri/kukri such as Cold Steel, Becker, and Condor.
 
IV got a Junglas ad it's a great blade it also comes it's a fantastic sheath which is something to think about aswell.
 
Thanks for your suggestion! I had looked into the bk9, but was worried about slippage on the handle if for some reason i needed to use it to stab (hopefully will not need to) what are your thoughts? Thanks! (Not that it makes a difference on this topic but i will also carry either my leatherman charge tti or my sak swisschamp with me on this trip) i can never seem to make myself cut back on blades for weight because if you have it, you will use it and if you dont have it, youll wish you did at least once
 
I was worried about the same thing before I got my 9 but now I really can't see that happening, the handle is very well designed. And if your still worried after handling it you can upgrade to micarta handles and it would still run you cheaper than the junglas or you could just go the cheap way and wrap athletic tape on the handle, stipple the handle, or wrap it in some inner tube.
 
Becker handles aren't the best material but the design lock them in hand. If you like bowies for choppers look and the Ontario Marine Raider. It's awesome.
 
gdoolittle said:
Thanks for your suggestion! I had looked into the bk9, but was worried about slippage on the handle if for some reason i needed to use it to stab (hopefully will not need to) what are your thoughts? Thanks! (Not that it makes a difference on this topic but i will also carry either my leatherman charge tti or my sak swisschamp with me on this trip) i can never seem to make myself cut back on blades for weight because if you have it, you will use it and if you dont have it, youll wish you did at least once
Click to expand...

This might put your mind at ease about handle slippage

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1372971-Video-I-May-Have-Gone-Too-Far
 
I don't find becker handles to be slippery at all. A bk 9 or a jungles is my suggestion. Never have I heard anything bad about either. Still, I prefer an axe/hatchet/saw to a large chopper.
 
I have both. The Frontier Bowie dwarves the Junglas. With that, the Junglas is my go to large outdoor knife. Insanely comfortable handle, and tough as nails. I have beaten the proverbial crap outta mine, and it just shrugs it off. I keep mine with the molle back mounted for left hand carry, mounted upside down on my day pack, on the right hand side (I'm right handed). I can easily reach back, unsnap the retention strap, and with my palm facing out away from my hip, draw it.

On the same pack, I also keep an ESEE 6 mounted upside down w/ no retention strap, on my left shoulder strap-edge facing out, for easy draw as well, and keeping all that weight off my belt (which carries a .357 on the right hip, and if I'm hunting quail or other small game, a 5 shell mini leather bandolier for 12ga on my left hip.)

The Frontier Bowie is a nice knife as well. But if I had to pick one, I'd take the Junglas.
 
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