Help me make my second ESEE Purchase.

H

hannism

Joined
Jan 24, 2006
Messages
88
Well, about a year ago or longer, I purchased a Rat Cutlery Izula. I've taken it to the field and it's performed well.

I can see that my one Izula will multiply and I'll be filled with ESEE knives.

My priority is to get a really good all purpose knife. I want a good size knife or machete which allow me to not be limited in the field.

So, I'm thinking should I get the ESEE-5, ESEE-6, Lite Machete or Junglas Machete.

In the past I used a Cold Steel Trailmaster. It's fine, but has some chips in the blade, and now the holster is falling apart. I'm thinking this is a good time to increase my ESEE inventory.
 
If you list your planned activities, and environment we could better advise.

Lite Machete, great reach, easy to swing all day clearing a trail or making a new path.
Junglas, less reach, greater thickness than the LM. Good for chopping, cutting down marijuana or coca plants, building shelters.
I don't own the 6, but it seems like a more pratical knife, than the Junglas. The Lite Machete is great, but maybe more for swamps, jungles, etc.. not the northern forests of US.
 
6 and Junglas are both great.
you can make an entire survival camp with an ESEE6 but the Junglas makes some of the tasks easier.
also the Junglas is comparable in size to the trailmaster you are retiring, so shouldn't take much transition to get used to it.
 
The 5, 6 and Junglas are all big.

5 is thicker and shorter. 6 is longer and thinner. Junglas is really big, more machete like.
 
Go for the Junglas. Folks who don't own one yet don't get it, they are just an AWESOME buchcraft blade. I matched mine with a 4 and have never looked back. These 2 knives do it all.
 
6 or 4.

Probably the 6 since you already have an Izula.

If you've gotten along so far without a huge blade (like the Junglas) then you probably don't really need it...
 
foxx said:
If you list your planned activities, and environment we could better advise.

Lite Machete, great reach, easy to swing all day clearing a trail or making a new path.
Junglas, less reach, greater thickness than the LM. Good for chopping, cutting down marijuana or coca plants, building shelters.
I don't own the 6, but it seems like a more pratical knife, than the Junglas. The Lite Machete is great, but maybe more for swamps, jungles, etc.. not the northern forests of US.
Click to expand...

The environment I envision myself to be in is the SE United States, anywhere from Texas to North Carolina. Although primarily my travels will be in Florida, Alabama and Georgia.

My biggest concerns at the moment are to make a shelter and procure firewood.

About a month ago, I went to Byron Kearn's survival school in Central Florida. I noticed all he used was an 18" Panama machete. Other guys in our class used different knives from Kabar to Spartan Blades.

I do have one question though. When I looked on the website, it says the ESEE-5 was designed by US Air Force SERE instructors. Besides the ESEE-6 being a little bit larger, is there really a difference between the 5 and the 6?

After seeing the posts so far, I'm inclined to go with a 6, then followed by a 4. The IZULA would be a backup knife when I'm in the city.
 
I thought the 4 was a great general purpose knife. Not too big and not too small. I alsays had a folding saw with me though. I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong with any of them though
 
Go with the 6. This is the most rock solid all around general use knife out there. It will surprise you how user friendly it is for small and large work alike. I take the Bahco laplander with my 6 and can do anything that needs doin' and really never need another size knife, I just carry more knives for redundancy in the cutting tool department. Good luck man!
 
I was in the same situation as the TS. I bought the 3. Perfect size for me. I might get a 5 some day, but for now the 3 is all I need. I usually take with me an axe (fiskars x7) and even if I need a bigger blade I have a Strømeng 9" Leukku.
 
well i'm in the exactly same spot as you hannism (coming from an izula) and i decided on the ESEE-5 - so i am wondering no one in this thread voted for it. from what i read and saw this knife is absolutely indestructable no matter what task you throw at it. since i'm never just camping out but am on the move alot if i'm outside mobility is a priority for me. i think anything longer than the 5 doesn't make alot of sense as long as youre not in some kind of jungle... so for fine work i would use the izula and for the raw stuff an ESEE-5 will jump in soon for an BK2 (that i don't like that much anymore since i discovered the 5). i know that i really use my knifes and need a sturdy blade that takes abuse (digging and stuff) - the ESEE-5 just seems to be made to hold up under pressure and then some! i hope i can find a dealer that has a black plain one in stock - maybe then i can give some feedback how my impressions hold up to the high expectations i have.
 
The fi e is a tank. But the 6 is more versiTile. I like the "thinner" blade. If you're in the woods, and know how to use your tools, there is no way in hell you're breaking a six. I think it carries and cuts better. I like my five, but it just doesn't have that woods knife feel for me.
 
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