Recommendation? ESEE knife for field/camp purpose

ESEE6(RAT7), ESEE CM6, ESEE 5

  • Total voters
    32
I use an Esee 4
It is more than enough for my basic use (1-2 days hiking)
Compact and provided with a great sheath it is easy to carry and doesn't weight much

A tops BoB may have a better handle but he weight/sheath are great with the Esee 4

In your list I would pick the Esee 6
 
craytab said:
I'll agree with the above two, the Esee 3 is a fine fixed blade. I could get by with the 3 and a junglas and nothing else ever. That wouldn't be fun though :D. That said the 6 is a great all around knife that I would not be without in my collection.
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I miss my 6, even though I never really used it between the 3 and the Junglas. But it has a great look and feel. I suspect I might end up owning one again.
 
I'm a fan of the ESEE/RAT 3, especially the new HM versions, so my vote is for none of the above. I find the 5's and 6's are just too big for small to average work. Heck I have an ESEE 4 that was a Christmas party door gift a couple of years ago that was only out of the box for this photo. Too big for average use and too small for big use. Plus, I don't care for serrations.
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Well thank you guys for a lot of answers.... For me RAT7 /ESEE6 has a full flat grind and maybe it will stick in the wood while batoning...the saber grind of the CM6 may work but has got a sharpened swedge that will damage the baton...........so have narrowed down to esee 5 or becker 7....well lets see what more info comes in my way from you all
 
ronie1988 said:
Well thank you guys for a lot of answers.... For me RAT7 /ESEE6 has a full flat grind and maybe it will stick in the wood while batoning...the saber grind of the CM6 may work but has got a sharpened swedge that will damage the baton...........so have narrowed down to esee 5 or becker 7....well lets see what more info comes in my way from you all
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I wouldn't be so fast to discount a knife because of a sharpened swedge. A little sand paper and about 5 minutes of scrubbing back and forth along the edge can de-sharpen that bad boy in short order. I once did it on my Condor Moonshiner. Wanted to minimize damage to baton and I had no use at all for a sharpened swedge. Got myself a small flat spot along the swedge of the Moonshiner by wrapping sand paper around a wooden dowel and just mindlessly sliding it back and forth on top of the swedge wile watching something on TV.

Speaking of Condor, as an alternative to Becker and ESEE, have you looked at their lineup? The Crotalus looks like it might be a good fit for what you're looking for. Depending on the size you want, there are a few others as well that could be worth a look such as the Swamp Romper and a few more.
 
James w said:
Ditch the beckers and get a bk 16 or bk 7 or bk 9....
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Ditch the Beckers, and get a Becker? You make no sense, sir.

Looking at the HM series, the handle does look more comfortable...it also looks a good bit thinner, which could be a separate issue for some (including myself - but I'd have to try one in hand before judging).

To the OP, of your latest choices - the Esee 5 or the BK7 - I'd have to recommend the BK7...but I don't use it nearly as much as I used to. If I'm just planning on general use, which is most of the time, I carry a 3-4 inch blade; if I have reason to think I'll use/want something bigger I bring something bigger, too, as opposed to trying for a one knife solution. Only you know the tasks for which you be using the knife, and in what situations...without those details, we're just giving generic recommendations. So far, I believe, the only thing you've mentioned is batoning; which the BK7 will manage just fine (or you could get a BK9, lol, because - say it with me, now, everyone - "You can't not have a BK9"). The problem with 6-7" bladed knives is that they're sort of a compromise. They're not large enough to be big knives, and they're too large to be small knives, so you're sacrificing a bit of performance on either end of the spectrum for a sort of jack of all trades (and you know the rest of that saying). Of course, you could get your BK7 for the heavier work; and bring a Mora for the actual cutting tasks...the cost of a Mora is as negligible as the extra weight.
 
Between the ESEE 5 and BK-7, I'd definitely choose the BK-7. ESEE-6 vs BK-7.... more difficult and more similar (a toss up). But I generally prefer the Beckers, so I would and have chosen the BK-7. My problem with knives this size is that they are just fine around the camp, but I really don't want to carry them often in a belt sheath. The majority of the cutting in the field that I do is with a Vic SAK (hence a bunch of dead weight with the big fixed blade) unless I know I will use it. So, from that perspective, I would suggest you consider the BK-9, ESEE Junglas, the Condor Moonshiner, or one of the larger Condor short machetes, and carry a folder for most of your cutting needs. You have a chopper and a slicer. Toss in a Mora for kitchen camp duty (Better too for this purpose).

Added: I think you need to back up and re-assess your needs.
 
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If you're choosing between those three... My advice would be; just stay away from the 5 for a camp and field knife. It's way too thick. Perhaps it excels in other areas but not for a camping/ field knife. Just my 2 cents.
 
I'd go with an ESEE 3 or JG3. The Becker BK16 is a great too and you won't go wrong with it.

If you need something bigger you need something other than a knife, maybe a machete, ax, or chainsaw.
 
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