Esee model recommendations?

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Cowboyfromhell666

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May 13, 2019
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I am in the market for an esee fixed blade or two. I plan on using it for camping, hiking, bushcraft, around the backyard. There are a lot of models to choose from and would like to get some feedback on these blades from fellow knife nuts. I have been leaning to the esee-6, PR-4, izula/micarta.....
 
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Cowboyfromhell666 said:
I am in the market for an esee fixed blade or two. I plan on using it for camping, hiking, bushcraft, around the backyard. There are a lot of models to choose from and would like to get some feedback on these blades from fellow knife nuts. I have been leaning to the esee-6, PR-4, izula/micarta.....
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I have the Junglas, 6, 5, 4, 3, and Izula. The 3, 6, and Junglas are the most useful, and in that order. Of course, I say that with my own personal use in mind. If I were starting out again, I'd get the six with the new G-10 or micarta and the 3 in s35vn. I think you'd be pretty set for fixed blades.
 
What he said. The 6 is a great size. It’s not overly large, but big enough to accomplish most tasks.
 
I got my ESEEs before the various designations. I have a 4 and a 6... my smaller and larger knife needs are well covered with other brands; so I never felt a need to further explore their lineup.

I like the ESEE 4; but I've always preferred the HEFT 4... in fact, I just sent mine out to @azwelke for a proper sheath. (About time, lol, it's been riding in half of the original sheath for years.)
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Friend of mine recently got his hands on Esee 3, he's using it as EDC knife and so far he's loving it.
 
I think the 5 is the perfect size. The 6 is a very close 2nd for me. I highly recommend getting the 3D G10 handles. I find them much more comfortable then the original ones.
 
The 5 might be the perfect size; but the quarter inch thick blade impacts it's general utility, IMO. *disclaimer* I sold my Esee 5, unused - I'm basing my statement on other 5.25" blades of that thickness. Though the appeal of a virtually indestructible, sharpened crowbar is hard to deny (that's why I bought it in the first place, after all)
 
I've got several Esee knives but the one I almost always use is the PR4.
 
I myself do not care for ESEE knives other than a few small one's. I do not like the full flat grind and slab handles. I do not buy in to the "we are survivalist from south america which makes us knife experts" because to me there is way better survival knives.

I myself would go with a Ka-Bar Beaker BK7 over a ESEE6 and then a Ka-Bar 1117 if you can find one and a good stockman folder in 1095 or d2.

To me flat grind suck in an outdoors knife but you have to get some knives and figure out what you like not what others tell you.

Actually a good Ka-Bar USMC is a good outdoors knife if you understand how it is built and you know its limits but the flat grind and design of the blade and handle are almost perfect designs that work well.

My favorite knives to use.....
Ka-Bar USMC
Ontario SP-10 Marine Raider
BK9
Ka-Bar 1117

Notice how they are all flat grinds, not full flat grinds.

Good luck.
 
JamesofArc said:
I myself do not care for ESEE knives other than a few small one's. I do not like the full flat grind and slab handles. I do not buy in to the "we are survivalist from south america which makes us knife experts" because to me there is way better survival knives.

I myself would go with a Ka-Bar Beaker BK7 over a ESEE6 and then a Ka-Bar 1117 if you can find one and a good stockman folder in 1095 or d2.

To me flat grind suck in an outdoors knife but you have to get some knives and figure out what you like not what others tell you.

Actually a good Ka-Bar USMC is a good outdoors knife if you understand how it is built and you know its limits but the flat grind and design of the blade and handle are almost perfect designs that work well.

My favorite knives to use.....
Ka-Bar USMC
Ontario SP-10 Marine Raider
BK9
Ka-Bar 1117

Notice how they are all flat grinds, not full flat grinds.

Good luck.
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Yeah, Becker offers similar knives as Esee does regarding BK6 and Esee 6 and BK9 and Junglass.

Steel is also a bit different like 1095 vs 1095 Cro-Van. So you could say 1095CV is a bit better (with equally good HT).

And full flat grind does perform better on food so that might be one of the reasons they used it.

But Esee warranty is really hard to beat if we're honest.

And handle slabs are here because the knives are full tang, I personally like it, but I also see why some might hate them :D
Also, if I really had to be stuck in nature for a while I'd definitley not option for KaBar USMC as one of my top choices, because of stick tang which is known for bending or breaking. I mean, KaBar USMC is one tough knife, but we will all agree that there are tougher knives. So I agree with you that people should know the limits of the knife.

They are all good knives, so it's a tough choice between those 2 brands... BK2 is also a knife I'd like to own... :D
 
I'd say the 4 in any flavor and maybe toss in the six for good measure. Both are useful, capable tools.
 
Smiling said:
Yeah, Becker offers similar knives as Esee does regarding BK6 and Esee 6 and BK9 and Junglass.
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With all respect, the BK6 is in no way similar to the Esee 6 (well, okay - both have 3/16" thick blades, black coating, and a sharpened edge; but my point was they're VERY different knives)

Smiling said:
But Esee warranty is really hard to beat if we're honest
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Ethan Becker stands behind his knives, as well.
 
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gazz98 said:
. . ...... I highly recommend getting the 3D G10 handles. I find them much more comfortable then the original ones.
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xxGOGOxx said:
ESEE 4 HM is my pick. The handle on this version is so much more comfortable in hand that the regular version.
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I have to agree with the ESEE 4HM. I've been really enjoying mine since I got it and the HM handles IMHO are the only way to go with it. Regardless of the model don't go with the flat slab handles, I found them to be a deal breaker for me.

I also have the Izula 2 with Kydex holster loops that I added to the sheath. The knife is now the perfect cross draw edc/small hiking fixed blade. I can easily remove it from my belt if I need to while out.
 
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JamesofArc said:
I do not like the full flat grind and slab handles. I do not buy in to the "we are survivalist from south america which makes us knife experts" because to me there is way better survival knives.
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They make most of the knives with 3d contoured handles. The bit about being South American survivalist knife experts is completely untrue. You need to get your facts straight.

The Becker/K-bar vs Esee debate is long standing and can be a fun discussion. Where it turns nasty is when people gut upset by other people's choices and make stuff up to further their own argument.
 
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Same with the Ontario RAT vs. ESEE argument

They are both decent knives!!

You could start down a rabbit hole searching for the perfect one for you. It took me a while and a lot of buy/ sell /trade to finally settle on a knife I REALLY liked. Some people want the $300 Carothers or Busse Knives and sometimes it’s a $20 Old Hickory Hunter that does it for you!! It’s fun chasing all these blades!!
 
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I've never had a problem with the thickness of an ESEE 5/6 but YMMV.

You could always go to the KnifeConnection (where I got my 5) and get G10 contoured handles for a Laser Strike. The LS is .19 vs .25 for the 4/5/6 if you want something a little thinner. The Laser Strike is another good choice.
 
I never needed a knife larger than 4 or 4.5”. Nessmuk recommended this size as the most useful. That paired with an Izula or even a Candiru would be a good combo.
 
I have owned:
- 2 izula’s
- izula 2
- esee 3, with TKC handles
- esee 4, with TKC handles
- esee 6

I used every one, but I only kept the 3.

The Izula’s is a fine knife, but on all 3 Izulas, something in the sheath dulled the edge on the middle of the belly. And it was a bit thick for it’s size (for me).

The 4 was a bit too thick and narrow, so it got a wedge shaped profile. Not as good a cutter as I liked. It’s the same spine thickness on the 6, but the 6 is wider, so the primary grind has a lower angle than on the 4.

I kept the 3 for the thin, slicy blade, and switched the 6 for a Skrama 200. To be honest I don’t use the 3 all that much since I use the clip to carry it, and in the winter, with jackets and wool sweathers, I prefer some of my dangler sheath knifes. Also, on sub 0 degrees celcius, I found that I had sharpened the 3 to a too narrow edge for it’s hardness, ao it rolled a bit on frozen spruce and birch. Not the knives fault, but again, know what you will be using it for. The 4, with it’s thicker grind, did not roll on the under the same circumstanses.

As long as you know what you are going to use it for, and getting a model that matches that use (thickness, width, edge angle = geometry and mode of carry), you probably will not be disappointed.
 
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