My 5 Showed up...LONG discussion (updates)

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the comments. I am enjoying this knife as much as I can in doors (which is kind of tough to do). I have been working some longer hours lately, but I really hope to get out tomorrow and tear some stuff up (I like daylight with a new blade).

Anyway, the sharpness is coming along. As I said I got it pretty good and sharp in little time, but now (in my frustration with being cooped up indoors) I have decided to refine the edge a bit and polish it some. It is a bit sharper now, but I am still not decided how sharp and polished I want to take this considering I am going to beat on the edge the first chance I get.

As is, it will shave and tree top hair on my arm.

Since all threads need pictures:
The goods:
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The money shot:
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(couldn't pry the good camera away from my wife, so I used my phone to get these)


I decided to work on the looks of the knife this morning. While not a patina, I am working towards a "patina", but this blade coating is really resisting the character I am trying to add...
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adaman04 said:
No, no, no. The 5 was built to cut through the tire AND the RIM. :D
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How do you think I got the tire off the rim? Or the rim off the truck? ;)

Oh and BTW, I have my fire starting issue solved with the 5. I got it so sharp that now all I have to do is wave the blade around and is splits the oxygen atoms in the air. The energy release usually results in a warming effect;)
 
unit said:
How do you think I got the tire off the rim? Or the rim off the truck? ;)

Oh and BTW, I have my fire starting issue solved with the 5. I got it so sharp that now all I have to do is wave the blade around and is splits the oxygen atoms in the air. The energy release usually results in a warming effect;)
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Haha. Glad you're enjoying the 5. You kind of had a bumpy start with your edge issues, but I bet the next one you buy is good to go. :D
 
adaman04 said:
Haha. Glad you're enjoying the 5. You kind of had a bumpy start with your edge issues, but I bet the next one you buy is good to go. :D
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Yeah, I have no idea what I will get next. Probably going to go smaller, but not sure how small.

Can you or someone else explain the difference between the 3 and the 3mil? Probably either going to be one of those or the I-2...
 
I have the 3, and love it. I think the difference is the serrations and glass breaker tip on the 3 mil. I am ordering a 5 with serrations after the holidays. Loved your review.
 
Good review - I, too, was surprised to hear of the factory edge on your 5... mine came QUITE sharp.

Either way, glad to see you enjoy the knife - too many poo-poo this model having never put it through its paces. It's a tough knife, certainly not a straight-razor. Once you use it, you'll at least appreciate it, if not love it.
 
tarditi said:
too many poo-poo this model having never put it through its paces. It's a tough knife, certainly not a straight-razor. Once you use it, you'll at least appreciate it, if not love it.
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Ahh yes, those who spew forth with oral diarrhea having never so much as seen the item in real life...they hold a special place in my heart.

In truth, there was a time not too long ago that I might have thought (and perhaps said) that thick heavy knives are kind of silly. And they are if your basis for knife use is slicing things. I still say some stupid stuff once in a while, but I try to read/listen more than I type/talk these days (I realize this may come as a surprise to anyone who read my OP...but trust me, I used to type/talk even MORE...and that OP represents a fraction of volume of text I read researching this blade prior to purchase). There is much to learn...and much fun to be had.

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After this and the tires, it still shaves cleanly. I must admit I am a little surprised at this steel...I know you guys spout about 1095 and the great HT from ESEE, but I really did not expect this sort of retention....as I said, I am learning all the time.
 
Yeah the HT they put on these things is amazing. I was talking to a buddy of mine who insists that if he picks one up a RAT/ESEE knife he'll get a RAT from Ontario because of the D2 steel. Now, I've no experience with D2, I look forward to trying it one day to be honest. However the 1095 with Rowen HT is just great it holds and holds and holds an edge, yet it sharpens quick.

God bless,
Adam
 
Yeah, my Izula had a little recurve near the choil, and I thought the grind was a little coarse looking as well. The thing about it which was weird was that the peaks of the furrows and scratches looked rather polished, as if it had been ran on a buffing wheel in the last step. It whittled hair on a hair-hang test, but it wouldn't really shave arm hair the way I like it.

Oh, and real quick on the semantics... Hair Popping > Hair Shaving? I thought hair popping was when the hair kind of "clicks" off and lands on the blade grind, whereas shaving there was no friction or sound of the hair cutting, and it just falls onto a neat pile the blade pushes forward. Just to clarify what I mean about hair-shaving and hair-popping before there's any confusion. The Izula did pop arm hair from the factory.

I've no experience with the 5 (I've got my eye on it though), but as far as Rowen's 1095 goes I was impressed with the balance between edge holding and ease of sharpening. It grinds away like butter, yet it holds its edge so well you would think it would be harder to sharpen. With my factory edge I batoned through a couple of feet of 2x4 pine, about a dozen feet of carpet and 12" through a steel-radial tire. It wouldn't pop arm hair after that; it would cut them off with a little extra effort and skin scraping though, so it was far and away from being dull. Then to reprofile it and sharpen it to hair whittling was much faster than the knives I typically sharpen.
 
Unit, that was a great review. I can particularly relate to the surprise you had when you used the ESEE for finer tasks. Everyone should know that there is a big difference in performance with these brutish survival knives. The edge is kind of obtuse and the blade behind the edge is very thick -so they just won't bite into wood the same way that other knives will.

Sharpening is the best way to adjust the performance to individual preferences. After convexing a ESEE it may become more delicate, but is sure does bite a heck of a lot deeper into wood. I can see why such a thick edge would be desirable if you had to cut, rip, and shred your way out of tough situation:thumbup:.

I am sure that the tire was honored to have been involved:D.
 
Once again, thanks guys for the insightful and kind responses!

Well, even after sharpening the hell out of this knife and getting the edge VERY sharp (for a quarter inch thick knife), I still SUCK at shaving curlies, but I was able to get some and make fire with my fire steel. It was work though...so I decided to see how this bow divot works out.

I went out to the patio out back and used only the 5 to strip, and form a stick into a bow. I chopped and hacked some notches into it to retain the para cord, and this knife made really short and easy work of the task (score a thumbs up). Then I whittled a spindle and fire board (again an easy task). I went to town forming dust, then smoke...then I gave 'er hell and went for broke. Success on the first try!

[youtube]qx7WqpJE6zY[/youtube]

If you look close you can see the smoldering and glowing coal and a stream of smoke rising in the middle of the image.

Now I got a nice scorch mark in my divot! BONUS!!!
 
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unit said:
Well, even after sharpening the hell out of this knife and getting the edge VERY sharp (for a quarter inch thick knife), I still SUCK at shaving curlies, but I was able to get some and make fire with my fire steel. It was work though...so I decided to see how this bow divot works out.

Now I got a nice scorch mark in my divot! BONUS!!!
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1) Good job with the bow drill kit - I have used my divot as well, but prefer a wooden bearing block still - I just find it a bit more comfortable, personally. Certainly easier with 1 less part to make, though.

2) For feather sticks, I use the "big knife" method (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q95l0nsO5OQ) and it seems to work well for the 5 - stick the tip into some wood (spine closest to you) and pull the stock back against the blade - this makes decent curls for me. One extra tip is to make sure you're drawing against a shoulder on the wood (corners are best) - otherwise you almost burnish it with the blade.
 
tarditi said:
1) Good job with the bow drill kit

2) For feather sticks, I use the "big knife" method.
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Thanks! Actually, I think I like the divot because I have always had trouble making a decent cup (and refuse to carry a separate one around with me).

I have seen this big knife technique (also seen guys use the knife stuck in the stump to allow one handed steel striking in the event of injury/or loss of dexterity in cold)...never tried it though. I will add that to my list though:thumbup:

Thanks again...today has been a good day!
 
I took my 5 and my two boys on a day hike.

Clip the knife to my belt (MOLLE back and pouch still not arrived...I am eagerly awaiting these). Surprisingly, the ONE POUND knife seemed to disappear on my hip (I am not a big guy...about 6' 2" 170lbs). This (perhaps cheap looking) clip attachment works VERY well in spite of how some may perceive its appearance. Even when moving briskly, and crouching to pick stuff up, or build a fire it never seems to be in the way.

Next order of business, my two boys must have walking sticks. No problem, dead fall cedars are everywhere, I just chop them to length and remove all the little spiky (stub) branches. The knife made short work of this...previously I used "bushcraft" methods to remove the branches and stubs...and slowly beaver cut the trees to length...this 5 strips the stubs and cuts then to length in perhaps a minute each...simplicity and speed. Here is the finished product.
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We hiked down to the lake which took a while and the sun was starting to get low....
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We stopped near this location to have a seat and hopefully get a fire going (bow drill). One boy had a snack while the other started making pointy sticks with his folder.

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I started foraging for sticks and such to make the apparatus (spindle, board, bow, and a tinder ball once I get the ember). Found these items quickly, and the 5 made construction simple also. What used to take an hour with a small knife took about 10 minutes with the 5 due to its ability to chop, baton, and whittle/carve (if you practice). My 7 year old videoed my efforts with my phone...I will spare you the constant intrusion of his fingers into the frame, and my failed efforts of getting lost of smoke and dust, but no ember. No worries...we really did not need a fire anyway as we were dressed for the occasion...this was just a practice run.

After a snack and several failed attempts with the bow drill the sun was getting lower, so I thought we better head back. It is safe to say that the knife was more capable than me.

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Sorry there are no knife pictures here...but I think that is somehow fitting since the knife stayed in the sheath so much of the time (when the thing makes every job so quick, it stays hidden most of the time)....now I have to get used to the idea of enjoying my time among nature instead of my time with the knife LOL.
 
In response to 3 vs 3MIL.

The 3MIL comes with a pointed pommel like the 5 does, has a black blade and canvas micarta scales and comes with the molle back and molle locks. I’ve got a 3MIL and love it. I would recommend it highly.

The standard 3 has a pointed or “modified” rounded pommel, your choice. Both knives are available serrated or plain edge.
 
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