H.E.S.T once more

udtjim

udtjim

Joined
Sep 4, 2007
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Not trying to be a wise *^# but when looking at a knife in that size range, Why should I buy a HEST over a RC-3? I see no use for the bottle opener and I can't see the wire breaker being very efficient at all, What if anything does it offer over the RC-3, If you had only one of the two, Which one would you choose?:confused:
 
I really like the HEST to be honest if I bought it, it would be to satisfy some sort of Terminator ego trip, or my never ending lust for knives. I bought a Stanley mini pry bar for $8 the other day and can combine that with another knife for a much less expensive option that yields the same capabilities.
 
HEST & RC3 have the same length blade, but the HEST is thicker.
RC3 has a finger choil, which is a preference for some & detraction for others.
HEST has a slightly longer handle which some might find more comfortable.

I have an RC3 and find it very user friendly, but have never held a HEST, so can't compare anything other but their raw specs.
 
I just went through that EXACT same dilemma. And I came out with the HEST (or at least ordered it :rolleyes:). Why?
  1. In terms of form and function, they're basically the same.
  2. Price: the HEST is a bit cheaper.
  3. It does have the pry bar at the end - to me it would be useful.
  4. The HEST has an easy to take apart handle, with the ability to store stuff in there. Though I yet have to see how useful that will be for me.
  5. The bottle opener is utterly silly and basically the only problem I see with the knife, but I think I can live with it. I hope.
 
well, if you dont like the wire breaker, the bottle opener or the pry bar tab, you probably should go with the RC3...:D no sense in buying something that has features you do not want. ;)
 
Get the RC-3.It's thinner and the handle looks more comfy :) For an outdoor knife the RC-3 looks awsome !
I'm going to buy one soon - RAT makes good stuff - I love my little Izula :)
 
I like them both for their designed uses. The RC 3 is more of a camping blade, while the HEST is more suited for urban type chores. I do not think one is better than the other, as they are for different things.
 
buy them both, that way you have woods & urban covered. After all one should never leave the house with less than 20 knives for the day. :)
 
I have done that approach for to many years already:D Unless I am in the Jeep or the boat, I never carry more that a fixed, a folder and the Silky saw. While I still can't quite convince myself that it takes a different knife for Urban survival unless it is just for concealment. I kinda thought the old marine knife was a good urban/rural survival knife.:o
 
Personally — and this is just me — I can't see anything about the H.E.S.T. that would attract me. There are too many good knives on the market — many for less money — that suit me far better. YMMV.
 
The standard Ka-Bar is a very effective "survival" knife without a doubt...just leaves a little to be desired in the areas of discretion and sheeple friendliness :) I was a book store earlier today looking for a copy of The Worlds Most Danger Places and the clerk is a big Pelton fan having read the earlier version and a couple of other books he's written. I asked if he'd seen the knife and he said no but would like to so I handed it to him there at the register and no-one said anything or gave me any funny looks. I think had it been a much larger knife that wouldn't have been the case. I really do like the looks of the RC3, looks like a great size for urban carry, I even thought about a serrated one for working with some synthetic materials in an urban environment but went with the HEST because of the Thicker steel. Aaaaaand after I saw the first one I got I had to get another one. I then decided I wanted and Izula...primarily for it's length..or rather lack there of, but once again I like that it is thicker than the RC3. Also I found out today...the reason for the Izula order...that the RC3 wouldn't have worked for my chosen carry option anyway.
 
udtjim said:
I have done that approach for to many years already:D Unless I am in the Jeep or the boat, I never carry more that a fixed, a folder and the Silky saw. While I still can't quite convince myself that it takes a different knife for Urban survival unless it is just for concealment. I kinda thought the old marine knife was a good urban/rural survival knife.:o
Click to expand...

You know you need an urban knife, you must go to the big city about as often as I do....at least once every two years or so. ;) I haven't handled either but Bob summed up my feelings well and between the two I'd definitely pick the RC-3.
 
I don't own a HEST, but the RC-3 is one of my favorite little blades. I won't give up either of my two RC-3's.
 
As I said, I really liked the looks of the RC3 for what I needed, but now I'm sort of glad it is 1/8 steel as that helped me skip a step. If it were 5/32 or 3/16 I would have bought it, then learned that I needed and ordered the H.E.S.T. only to learn that I needed the Izula. Now as it is I got the HEST only to learn I needed the Izula and ordered it. Now I'll just get an RC4 or RC5 later on for other times when I'm in the woods...or a worse scenario urban environment.
 
It would have to be the RC3.

In my opinion all knives are compromises to some extent but the RC3 is less so of the two. That HEST thing just strikes me as one of those try to do it all solutions that simply offers huge compromises at everything, and looks like it would do nothing I prize very well. Step outside the childish “you can only have one” mentality, because it is a constraint that in reality lays somewhere between extraordinarily improbable and bugger all and the problem can be framed more usefully. Which would excel over the widest range of tasks an RC3 and a pair of pliers or a HEST?

When I considered a multitool vs HEST in that urban survival thread I had to concede there may be something the HEST could do better simply because of the properties of it being a fixed blade of such thickness, but the multitool still won easily. Stack it against an RC3 coupled with a pair of pliers and I don't believe there is anything it would be better at. In fact, I'd expect it to drag its arse a long way behind at everything. It would take an ungrounded leap of imagination or a gross impairment in reality testing for me to come to any other conclusion. I simply do not live through the contorted window of “you can only have one...”, and that's prerequisite to me accepting there is anything good about the HEST.

Still, I do rather hope you get to play with one because of some of your posts concerning real world use before. I've also seen your deliveries mention that you judge irrespective of price, maker, country of origin blah blah, and just on usefulness. Accordingly I take your word as having a bit more clout, so I would be very intrigued as to what you found better, an RC3 and pliers or a HEST.
 
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