Looking for the perfect bush/survival knife for me. Going with ESEE most likely.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1412370070.863316.jpg Heres my Becker BK-9 and Survive GSO 4.1. I don't think you can wrong with any of the knives mentioned in the thread, but these were what I ended up going with.
 
I'm going to echo the Tops BOB Fieldcraft recommendation made earlier in the thread. The micarta handle versions can be found online for ~ $110 bucks, and that gets you a nice kydex sheath with belt attachment. While I like my Becker BK-7, I'd prefer to carry something a little smaller and lighter. And with the Beckers, once you factor in buying micarta handles, you end up paying that much or more.
 
I'm of the opinion that in this situation, you have two options. Either get a 4, or get a 6 plus a para 2 for smaller tasks

Personally, I love the 4. Very capable as an all around woods blade, and plenty thick enough to take serious abuse. No need for the 5, IMO

I just read the OP, not the whole thread. So my response is to that
 
Well.... why we had this conversation the gso 5.1 where all sold so go with an esee 6. Or the sykco knives i have no experience with them but tjeybare light and not expensive.
 
subver said:
(in the chance I need to survive, it will most likely be in the woods.. upstate NY)
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Do you know the first thing about surviving in the woods?

How are you with:
- shelters and stovecraft?
- water purification?
- foraging for wild edibles and other sources of food?

The truth is that no knife can make up for a lack of primitive survival skills. The other truth is that there is no wilderness survival in highly populated regions. The fish have all been fished, the animals slain, and the land is spoken for.

If you want to practice primitive survival get yourself a nice comfortable camping set up and go out into the wilds to forage for food and water. Practice preparing food with different kinds of stoves in all kinds of weather. Have multiple ways of purifying and carrying water.

Then realize that you are just as dependent on society as society is dependent on you.

Pay off your debts, save your pennies (so you can afford to stay at a motel in an evacuation). Put in 3 weeks worth of food and water (you can build on this later if you feel so inclined) and acquire the skills and tools required to keep society at large running.

Depending on the kind of stove you are using to prepare your food get a:
swiss army knife/mora/opinel/fiskars hatchet/folding saw

Bring toilet paper and a can opener.
 
Best shelter I know of is my house even without water and electricity. Have all the stuff already there and I don't have to haul or carry it anywhere.

Anyone that spends time in the outdoors needs a knife they can depend on. Survival? Just being able to cut a weine stick is nice.
 
sideways said:
Do you know the first thing about surviving in the woods?

How are you with:
- shelters and stovecraft?
- water purification?
- foraging for wild edibles and other sources of food?

The truth is that no knife can make up for a lack of primitive survival skills. The other truth is that there is no wilderness survival in highly populated regions. The fish have all been fished, the animals slain, and the land is spoken for.

If you want to practice primitive survival get yourself a nice comfortable camping set up and go out into the wilds to forage for food and water. Practice preparing food with different kinds of stoves in all kinds of weather. Have multiple ways of purifying and carrying water.

Then realize that you are just as dependent on society as society is dependent on you.

Pay off your debts, save your pennies (so you can afford to stay at a motel in an evacuation). Put in 3 weeks worth of food and water (you can build on this later if you feel so inclined) and acquire the skills and tools required to keep society at large running.

Depending on the kind of stove you are using to prepare your food get a:
swiss army knife/mora/opinel/fiskars hatchet/folding saw

Bring toilet paper and a can opener.
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The OP didn't ask about all that other stuff. He asked about a knife since this is the General Discussion area of a knife forum. There are lots of other places to grandstand about survival techniques. This is a knife forum.
 
craytab said:
The OP didn't ask about all that other stuff. He asked about a knife since this is the General Discussion area of a knife forum. There are lots of other places to grandstand about survival techniques. This is a knife forum.
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I gave some specific knife recommendations in addition to my grandstanding. Or were you too butt-hurt on OP's behalf to notice? :)

My main point is that hoping for one knife to be the perfect tool for every wilderness task is folly. This is what the OP was asking, which of the ESEE knives will be his perfect do everything tool. He also stated he was a bit of a newbie. To the newbie I say it's better to have an assortment of tools to play with, to play with them, and then to select one that fits their style of "survival".

Anyways, carry on. I'm going back to watching Gladiator. :thumbup:
 
craytab said:
The OP didn't ask about all that other stuff. He asked about a knife since this is the General Discussion area of a knife forum. There are lots of other places to grandstand about survival techniques. This is a knife forum.
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Knife usage forum or knife survival fantasy forum.

The most knife this guy needs for safe backcountry travel in upstate New York is a Leatherman PS4 Squirt. Some people do it with even less.

This thread could go one of two ways. The OP could tell us more about his outdoor skills and goals and then people who actually travel in the deep woods of the northeast could tell him what they find actually works there.

Or... People could just use the thread as an excuse to sing the praises of the big knives they think are cool without any real consideration of the local conditions this guy is talking about.
 
sideways said:
I gave some specific knife recommendations in addition to my grandstanding.
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You gave no specific knife recommendations in your post or anywhere in this thread. Perhaps you are confused about that:D

sideways said:
My main point is that hoping for one knife to be the perfect tool for every wilderness task is folly. This is what the OP was asking...
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No, that is the the question you answered. Go read his post again.



pinnah said:
Knife usage forum or knife survival fantasy forum.

The most knife this guy needs for safe backcountry travel in upstate New York is a Leatherman PS4 Squirt. Some people do it with even less.

This thread could go one of two ways. The OP could tell us more about his outdoor skills and goals and then people who actually travel in the deep woods of the northeast could tell him what they find actually works there.

Or... People could just use the thread as an excuse to sing the praises of the big knives they think are cool without any real consideration of the local conditions this guy is talking about.
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Wow, need help with your survivalist soap box? Go read the post again. He asks about some very specific uses and needs. Just because you choose to use a PS4 and an opinel doesn't mean the rest of us should. The knife guys and the minimalist survival guys could go round on this forever, and probably will. Not the first time nor the last. There are specific parts of this forum geared toward the subjects you guys are preaching on. My advice to you would be go hang out there and wait for someone to ask a question about survivalist stuff. Your soap box is much more easily set up there.

And I guess you haven't noticed, big knives are cool!
 
craytab said:
1) You gave no specific knife recommendations in your post or anywhere in this thread. Perhaps you are confused about that:D

2) No, that is the the question you answered. Go read his post again.
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Wrong on both points. 1) "swiss army knife/mora/opinel..." is very specific. 2) I'll highlight the parts where the OP asked about which ESEE.

subver said:
*snip*

Gah, I just don't know! If it came down to one single knife for an extended survival situation, which ESEE knife would you bring along? And same question but for two blades?

*snip*

Also, I'm really sorry if this is a typical newbie post, but I appreciate any replies I can get.
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craytab said:
Wow, need help with your survivalist soap box? Go read the post again. He asks about some very specific uses and needs. Just because you choose to use a PS4 and an opinel doesn't mean the rest of us should. The knife guys and the minimalist survival guys could go round on this forever, and probably will. Not the first time nor the last. There are specific parts of this forum geared toward the subjects you guys are preaching on. My advice to you would be go hang out there and wait for someone to ask a question about survivalist stuff. Your soap box is much more easily set up there.

And I guess you haven't noticed, big knives are cool!
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Or you could stop trying to censor people. I'm sure the OP can decide if replies are helpful without your moderation. ;)
 
sideways said:
My main point is that hoping for one knife to be the perfect tool for every wilderness task is folly. This is what the OP was asking, which of the ESEE knives will be his perfect do everything tool. He also stated he was a bit of a newbie. To the newbie I say it's better to have an assortment of tools to play with, to play with them, and then to select one that fits their style of "survival".
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Yeah, but you have to start somewhere. For general camping and hiking in the woods, not a bad idea to begin with a single good knife that suits a variety of tasks (knowing that it will work better for some tasks than others), learn with that one, then figure out what to try next. For that matter, if someone is a day hiker, you might not want to carry an ax, a small bushcraft knife, and a multitool every time you go out and it would be good to have that single knife choice.

Besides, most people who comes to BladeForums who have decided they want a good knife, and get a good recommendation here, will inevitably end up buying more knives. ;) Might as well let your first one be the best single knife you can. :D

sideways said:
The other truth is that there is no wilderness survival in highly populated regions.
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Well, in that situation where one is forced into the woods in an area that is fairly heavily populated (like much of upstate New York), then a survival knife that is more of a weapon might be a better choice than a bushcraft knife. In that situation, I'd rather have my Cold Steel SRK San Mai than my Tops BOB.

But I didn't get the idea that this was what the OP was about. Sounds like to me he wants to start learning some bushcraft. I'd go for a good 4" to 5" full tang bushcraft knife, although not something as heavy as the BK-2. While the BK-2 is virtually indestructible, I think you can learn to baton wood effectively and learn to perform other tasks without needing that big a hunk of steel. A 3/16" thick blade out of good steel would work very well.
 
sideways said:
Wrong on both points. 1) "swiss army knife/mora/opinel..." is very specific. 2) I'll highlight the parts where the OP asked about which ESEE.
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Let us not change what you said. "swiss army knife/mora/opinel/fiskars hatchet/folding saw". Is that your definition of specific? 5 different things? No specific make or model?

Well, to answer the OP, which Esee would it be for you?

sideways said:
Or you could stop trying to censor people. I'm sure the OP can decide if replies are helpful without your moderation.
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That's me! Mister thought police! Ya got me!

Seriously though, this forum has many sub sections about all sorts of stuff. Pract tac stuff goes in prac tac. Benchmade stuff gets more benchamde attention in the benchmade forum. For sales threads belong in the for sale area. Multi tools have their own sub forum. Political crap goes somewhere. Whine and cheese goes in, well, whine and cheese. Their is a place for the stuff you obviously want to talk about. Go there and preach brother.
 
I think the OP has already made his decision and everything else is just chit chat between us "experts". :D
 
sideways said:
Wrong on both points. 1) "swiss army knife/mora/opinel..." is very specific.

Or you could stop trying to censor people. I'm sure the OP can decide if replies are helpful without your moderation. ;)
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And also boring as hell IMO, but cheap and minimalist, so they've got that going for em.... :rolleyes: Ya know, this IS a knife forum, so sometimes fellas on here are actually looking for A NICE KNIFE to fulfill the purposes they want, or need fulfilled. Pride of ownership, the desire to own something nice and see your own wear accumulate on it, and just flat out better performance all have a play in this. Need vs. want is a moot point on bladeforums. It's academic. Most of us could get by with a 2nd hand opinel and a kitchen knife - if we had to. The thing is, this is a forum specializing in knives. None of us "have to". Sure SAK/Mora/Opinel have their place, but they are NOT the be all, end all. Believe it or not, they cannot fulfill every function ever needed, or wanted, to fulfill.

Jesus H.... Can the "minimalists" and "maximalists" ever get along and just bury the hatchet already? There is nothing intrinsically wrong with either approach! It's not a question of weight - it really isn't. The most my knife combo adds to my gear (as far as weight goes) is a couple of pounds - MAX! If that's too much for you, don't skip "squat day" weenie.... The argument boils down to: who can get by with less vs. who can get by using exactly what they want to use..... I say what's the harm in either approach? Neither one is hurting anything. Carry your Mora and SAK - go right ahead on, with blessings! But, on the other hand, don't get pissed at me and act like I'm some kind of knuckle dragging ogre for carrying a 9" blade big woods whomper and a little slicer. I say again - can we ever just acknowledge each others' approaches are different means to reach the same goal and just get along?

As to the censorship.... I don't think craytab was trying to censor anyone at all. I think he was trying to get to just exactly, specifically what you were recommending. craytab - please correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Heres What Works For Me​
1.Multitool: Leatherman style or a SAK they pack the maximum punch for their weight & volume. To be honest you won't always need some of the functions that they have, but when you do you'll need them bad. Personally I like to think of mine as a traditional folder with a couple doo dads added on.

2.Field Knife: It's basically a medium sized kitchen knife with a 4-5in blade, 1/16-1/8inch thick, carbon steel, synthetic sheath, coated blade,a finger guard (No guard=No thrusting/Can cut yourself when hands are numb), and a round handle that works well in various grips (Everybody forgets about the chest lever :( ).
This is my main blade and gets used for food prep, carving traps, and everything in between.

3.Small Axe/Large Knife/Shortsword:A medium length blade (14-18in), between 1in thick, with a distal taper, a finger guard, carbon steel, a coated blade, and a comfortable curved handle with pommel.
I personally find that a machete/shortsword is the best tool for woodswork. It is lighter and well balanced which allows you to clear brush without too much fatigue. The longer blade allows you to baton through large logs or use as a drawknife. It also works very well as a weapon if pressed into the role.

4.Bucksaw:You can make one yourself with some wood, winged nuts, bolts, saw blade, and free time or buy a ready made one from trailblazer or the like
I personally prefer the larger saw, for anything that I can process with a smaller saw I can do with my field knife or multitool. It is both lighter and more efficient than either a large chopping knife or axe at crosscutting through wood. Combined with my shortsword I can process some substantial logs without difficulty.

5.Camp Axe:A large double bit Michigan axe with one blade for felling and another for splitting
A good axe is always a boon to have in camp and makes processing large rounds quick and easy. I personally prefer the double bit to the polled (hammer backed) axe for I would rather use a baton for my hammer needs. I individually sheath each blade of the axe so i don't have to worry as much about smacking myself in the leg if it rebounds off a tough knot. I prefer the wooden handles to synthetics for they are easily replaced in the field and are customizable to your grip and preference.
 
AntDog said:
And also boring as hell IMO, but cheap and minimalist, so they've got that going for em.... :rolleyes:

Jesus H.... Can the "minimalists" and "maximalists" ever get along and just bury the hatchet already? There is nothing intrinsically wrong with either approach!
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You put the boot in with one breath then request peace in the next. Perhaps a basic impression of the knives discussed by the OP is a better approach ?

To follow the thread theme: My initial impression of the ESEE 4 was that it had a hair more weight than I expected, not bad though, it has a solid feel to it and it is a very compact package overall. The ESEE 6 was actually lighter than I expected and it is on the large side of things. I like them both a lot and had zero buyers remorse later. I usually neck carry an Izula 2 with the 4 or 6. Bringing along a folding saw and axe or hatchet is your call, but they can be tremendously helpful in the cold or wet when you want things to happen faster.
 
Not to get off of the subject: Esee-3 and a BK-9 ... plus maybe also a small Buck Hatchet just in case - one never knows.**
 
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