I'm knife ignorant!

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byteblock

Joined
Jul 13, 2012
Messages
37
Heya new guy here!

Just wondering what compells people to buy Esee or Tops over Ka-bar when all 3 manufacturers use 1095 steel and all 3 are made in the USA?


I'm looking to buy a knife this week.....
 
Assumption fail....

first, people choose lots of things.... tops is not a bad manufacturer but it's certainly not generally preferred over Ka-Bar... (around here at least)

Esee is only a MARGINAL improvement over Kabar, in that esee usually comes with better sheaths, and ofter has better handle material

also, with Ka-bar, you need to make a distinction, since Ka-Bar owns Becker, which is generally agreed upon as the best budget hard use knife company out there (budget being key here)

Esee, Ka-bar, Becker.... these names will come up together often.... Topps, much less so. It's a different market, and not one i get into...

If you are buying a knife and you want to know what you would be advised to buy, tell us what you're going to do with it

Also, note, becker (and kabar) are famous for their awesomely heat treated 1095 crovan steel... it takes a serious beating and keeps on cutting
 
Rowen, the company that manufactures the knives for ESEE, has a great heat-treat and a great blade coating. ESEE also has some of the best sheath options and I also like the Micarta/G10 options.

If you want a good value compared to ESEE, check the Becker line out. Apparently, Rowen makes Becker knives as well and they also use 1095. They also sell micarta scales to replace the grivory ones with.
 
If you are comparing the traditional KaBar military Bowie then the difference is substantial. The KaBar is a stick tang meaning that under the handle is a thinner, skinnier piece of metal than on the Esee. When done correctly a stick tang is fine for 98 percent of knife uses and KaBar does a great job. However some people want darn near bullet proof knives that are full tang...like Esee and Tops. Becker, now associated with Kabar also makes full tang knives and they are tough as nails as well.
TC
 
Just buy them all! They all make great knives. It depends on YOU and what you want in your pack. Get a BK2 if you want to cut you Ford F150 in half--or a EESE Izula for an EDC fixed blade. The choices are endless!! :D
 
I have little experience with Kabar, but there are plenty of them out there. I hear glowing praise of Becker knives and their value and durability is on constant display at the BKT forum here. I have many ESEE knives and can say they are outstanding in every way. Fit and finish, steel and heat treat, handles, sheaths, top notch all around in all categories. I agree with the above about the standard stick tang (USMC) type knife vs. the full tang of ESEE and Becker. Many just prefer the full tang. Everyone has their preferences. What you'll find is that many here have all three brands you mention and like them all. I suggest you go ESEE because I have personally seen the knifes tortured, yet unphased. But, I know well that Beckers are capable of the same. Usually it comes down to ESEE getting the edge in sheath, handle materials, and fit and finish, but this comes with a price. You'd be thrilled and well armed with either one. You'd probably be happy with a standard Kabar as well, I just don't have as much experience with them. One other thing, I believe ESEE is the only one with a written "no questions asked" warranty. Chopsaw your knife and ESEE will replace it. Period. I hear no complaints about the Becker warranty as well. Good luck.
 
byteblock said:
Just wondering what compells people to buy Esee or Tops over Ka-bar when all 3 manufacturers use 1095 steel and all 3 are made in the USA?
Click to expand...

Welcome to Bladeforums. I'm curious why you think people buy ESEE or TOPS over Ka-Bar. Are you looking at some sales numbers we don't have?
Or is this just a hypothetical? As in: given the choice between the three brands, why would you buy these two over this one?
 
I own some from ESEE, KaBar, and Becker -- no TOPS knives yet, but they have a new necker coming out I'm curious about.
As to why someone would buy one over the other, it comes down to intended use, price point, aesthetics, and how it feels in hand.
 
Ka-Bar/Becker probably has the best budget options of the three, ESEE offers 'better' handle material and an unbeatable warranty, Tops offers a much wider selection of models and collaborates with many designers. Personally, I will probably pick up a Becker more often due to the bang for the buck, but the other two companies are pretty solid options.
 
perfectstorm said:
Go with the Esee or tops.. even the old rat line ......wouldnt use a becker if it was gave to me.
Click to expand...

Do you actually have a reason for this?

I have a hard time understanding why someone would say something like this, considering that Ka-bar has some of the best heat treat in the business, and fantastic customer service, for those who actually bother to see if their problem can be fixed. They've even replaced knives that were broken through user error. I mean, if you just don't like the aesthetics, that's one thing. But your statement seems awfully, well, troll-worthy, especially given the utter lack of detail.

Anyways, to the OP, welcome to BladeForums. I'd say you'd have a tough time going wrong if you pick a classic Ka-bar, a Becker, or a TOPS or ESEE. All make fantastic knives. Personally, I think the Becker lineup is the best choice, because they're tough, much more affordable, and utterly customizable. Also, IMO the handle design is more comfortable and secure. But YMMV.
 
I plan on picking up a Becker for my first "Hard Use" fixed blade. I have an ESEE Izula, and it is very nice, but since I am not a big fixed blade guy, I don't see a reason to spend so much on a larger ESEE when a Becker should fit my needs pretty nicely. Plus I like the Becker Look more, which is of course a critical attribute in Hard Use Knives. ;)
 
I apologize for not making my post more clear. I've been knife shopping for a while and there has been lots of brainstorming to go with it. I want a knife for survival bushcraft purposes, maybe keep it in a bugout bag etc etc. Me and a friend were thinking about taking a bushcraft class, should be fun!

From what I've seen on the market, a knife that is made from 1/4" steel with a drop point is what I'm after such as the KA-BAR Becker Companion. I mentioned TOPS and Esee along with KA-BAR in my first post because TOPS and Esee make knives similar to the Becker Companion but for a lot more money. If all three are made from 1095 and all three are made in the USA, I just didn't understand why the drastic difference in price. But if the added cost is in the quality sheaths and scales from TOPS and Esee then it becomes more clear.
 
The ESEE-5 vs the BK-2 thing really has no clear winner, yes the ESEE is more expensive at first, but if you add a kydex sheath and micarta scales to a BK-2, they end up being pretty much the same price, it really just depends if you want to spend the money all at once, or just upgrade over time.
 
Find the videos of the ESEE 5 being batoned into the BK 2. The guy doing it was an ESEE fan. After that he walked away a fan of both, as did many (or most) of the people who watched the videos. Both are tanks. Different price range, different package, great knives. Good luck.
 
TOPS may have great heat treat and some excellent sheaths, but they charge way too much, in my own, personal opinion, for what is an old, but excellent, steel alloy (not bashing 1095, as I like it) and basic micarta handles. I think too much of the money spent on TOPS goes toward their marketing, such as two or more pages of advertising in cutlery publications; hyping their use in bad places by hardcore guys; and silly names for their products than into simply making a good, affordable product. I own one, little TOPS knife, the Sparrow Hawke because it was the least expensive one the store had and it doesn't get funny looks in places where I've worked. I don't own any ESEE but know that many love their stuff. I do own several Becker products, and take it from those of us who have and use them, they are great knives, even if Kabar charged a lot more.
 
That is one thing to mention is that while they both have a saber grind and are .25" thick, the BK-2 does have a higher grind so it will slice / carve a little bit better since it will be thinner at the edge.
 
Yep, sounds like you about have it. Becker sheaths aren't too popular (although IMO they're fine, and get the job done). Beckers are also great for customization, whereas if you want to rehandle an ESEE, it's a hair more challenging. You'll probably come out about even in the end if you go for custom scales and kydex on a Becker, so it comes down to whether you feel like you NEED micarta or kydex, or if you want to customize, etc. And really, it comes down to whether or not the various blades appeal to you. They're both great value, and very comparable, so at the end of the day, you should pick the design that appeals to you the most. Be aware though, it's very tough to buy only one Becker.
 
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