RC-5 Question

mr2blue

mr2blue

Joined
Feb 27, 2008
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I am weighing the options of 2 knives. ESEE RC-5 and Fehrman Last Chance.

Can anyone who has knowledge of both give me the pros and cons. I know the RC-5 is 1095 and the Last Chance is CPM3V but what are the differences I would notice out in the field.

Any thoughts are appreciated.
 
I have neither but the fehrman has a slight down wards blade angle.

And I really like the faith and values of there sight.

But ESEE is cheaper.
 
I do not have the Fehrman, but I do have 2 ESEE-5's (one partially serrated, one plain-edge).

To me, the ESEE-5's just fit perfectly in your hands. Its handles are great, and when you hold the knife, it just feels right. There's heft to it, you know it will stand up to almost ANYTHING you put it up against, and the heft helps with any chopping tasks. But the weight is not overwhelming.

I thought I would miss a finger choil on the 5, but surprisingly, I don't anymore. The rougher canvas micarta on the handle gives you really good traction and grip even when wet, and even though it lacks any "designer grippy/traction treads" machined into the scales, I am very confident that the 5 will always stay in my grip. The semi-sharpened pommel is also a very nice feature. The jimping on the spine is also very well placed, and is comfortable, yet grippy. The 1095 is a no non-sense great steel. It's easy to sharpen (from what I can tell so far), and keeps an edge pretty good. And at a 1/4" thick, you've got yourself a VERY sturdy knife. I don't think I will ever hesitate to use it to pry things, or wedge it into something and use as an impromptu step, and I weigh over 200 lbs.

I have recently acquired a ZT-0100 in 3V steel, but have not yet been able to really put it through its paces. Like anything else, Harder may mean keeping an edge longer, but also means harder to sharpen. I do think the canvas micarta on the ESEE-5 will give you a better grip than the linen micarta of the Last Chance, but the linen micarta may be smoother and look better. Do you need its extra strength over the 1/4" 1095? The 3V may take a rifle round better than the 1095, but... is that more important to you than the ease of edge maintenance? The 3V knife may make a better pry-bar. It is 1oz lighter than the ESEE-5. It's also $100 more than the ESEE, and the sheath costs extra ($25?) still.

It's a personal choice, but I think I would prefer the ESEE-5 simply because it's built like a tank, and its edge is still going to be easier to maintain. Did I also mention ESEE knives' unbeatable warranty?
 
I have an ESEE as well, and it is by far one of the best "big" knives I have ever handled. It just feels good in the hand, and gives off the impression that there is very little in existence that you couldn't handle with the knife. It is built like a tank, but still maintains a good balance in my opinion. Blade is sharp out of the box, and stays that way for a long time, despite some abuse on my part.

Not to mention the warranty, and the fact that the makers of the blade know how to walk the walk, so you can bet they know exactly what needs to go into a knife to make it work. And if your the type of person who buys based on the values, standards, and goals of a company I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better group of people to support than Jeff Randall and the ESEE team.
 
Thanks for the comments so far. I am leaning toward the RC-5 but still would like to hear from someone who has a Fehrman.
 
Both are excellent blades, for me the Fehrman fits like a glove in hand, really comfortable and probably the sharpest V Beveled knife I have owned. Even though they both are .25 thick the Fehrman feels lighter, that said they are both awesome, the RC5 is my favorite of the ESEE line and you can't go wrong with either. Practically speaking the RC5 is cheaper cost wise, the grind on the Fehrman lends itself to more slicing/wood working camp chores. The 3V is a lot more corrosion resistant than most carbon steels. Since you are considering the more expensive Fehrman one can assume money is no issue for you so I would say buy both :D
P1010351.jpg
 
In size and thickness they are for the most part equal and only slightly differ in shape. The 1095 is not a stainless steel and will rust. It's easy to sharpen an edge and take care of, just wipe it down once in a while. The CPM3V is also a great steel for knives but it differs in that it's more corrosion resistant. It's very strong and has great edge retention, but that strength is what can make it pretty tough sometimes to sharpen. Also that steel comes with a premium price. For the money you cannot beat the ESEE 5, it's indestrucable and comes with a great kydex sheath and is very well priced. Fehrman makes some great blades that's no doubt.
 
The ESEE 5 is about all the knife one should need if he is looking into it. If you use your blades, than maintaining it should be no issue to you. It will rust a bit easier, but it will also sharpen a bit easier. (From my understanding, on the sharpening part)
 
Most of the choices with regard to this knife or that knife all come down to personal preference. Each knife will fit another man's hand differently than it will fit yours. Frankly, I'd just buy them both. Eventually your curiosity will lead you in that direction. :thumbup:

I have some Fehrman's. I stared off with the Last Chance and bought two more... They are very impressive performers, as Mr. Fehrman definitely does his heat treatment properly. Here is a link to some testing I did on my Last Chance. It is impressive. here

I've never done a head to head comparison between the two knives in question, but can say this: ESEE also makes a very good knife with a tremendous following on this forum. That speaks volumes about a company and it's products. :thumbup: I consider their knives to be an excellent value.
 
kdstrick said:
Most of the choices with regard to this knife or that knife all come down to personal preference. Each knife will fit another man's hand differently than it will fit yours. Frankly, I'd just buy them both. Eventually your curiosity will lead you in that direction. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Along the same lines I had a Busse NO-E which was one of my favorite mid-sized knives. But as soon as I held the ESEE RC-5 it just felt so much better in hand. Both awesome knives. But I went what felt better in hand to me. So personal preference won out. And for about 1/2 the cost. ;):thumbup:
 
I've owned both and they are probably the best you'll find in that size range this side of something in INFI. The Fehrman is a beast, but feels a bit lighter in hand (I think bc it has a skeletonized tang) and comes RAZOR sharp. The ESEE comes with a great edge as well, but the Fehrman is a better slices bc of the full flat grind. I never had rust problems with either and the coating held up really well both. I was really impressed with how well the tip on the Fehrman has help up to drilling and batoning tasks as it comes to a really fine point for such a thick knife. The Fehrman is also a little better for chopping due to the downward angle, FFG and slight advantage in length. I will say that I have to use a glove with the Fehrman to avoid blistering due to the checkered pattern of the scales, but the liners sort of make up for it with a cushioning effect. You can't really go wrong with either, but if you have the money and patience to wait 3 or 4 weeks, I'd go with the Fehrman.
 
I have an ESEE as well, and it is by far one of the best "big" knives I have ever handled. It just feels good in the hand, and gives off the impression that there is very little in existence that you couldn't handle with the knife. It is built like a tank, but still maintains a good balance in my opinion. Blade is sharp out of the box, and stays that way for a long time, despite some abuse on my part.

Not to mention the warranty, and the fact that the makers of the blade know how to walk the walk, so you can bet they know exactly what needs to go into a knife to make it work. And if your the type of person who buys based on the values, standards, and goals of a company I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better group of people to support than Jeff Randall and the ESEE team.
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I could take this quote and change ESEE to Fehrman and it'd still be true. :) They're both great companies, very well made knives. Both are great at taking care of their customers. While I have some ESEE knives I don't have the SERE, so can't comment directly. I do have a Last Chance, it's a great knife that feels great in the hand, great user. Never had any problems.
I didn't like the sheath that came with it (I ordered the leather sheath) at all though. I ended up getting a Spec Ops that fits it great, the leather one was just way to big and unwieldy.
 
Price will always be a factor. But just looking at design, I like the full flat grind on the Fehrman, and I also like the choil area. That recess both allows you to choke up and to sharpen/use the entire cutting edge.
 
silverbullets said:
Both are excellent blades, for me the Fehrman fits like a glove in hand, really comfortable and probably the sharpest V Beveled knife I have owned. Even though they both are .25 thick the Fehrman feels lighter, that said they are both awesome, the RC5 is my favorite of the ESEE line and you can't go wrong with either. Practically speaking the RC5 is cheaper cost wise, the grind on the Fehrman lends itself to more slicing/wood working camp chores. The 3V is a lot more corrosion resistant than most carbon steels. Since you are considering the more expensive Fehrman one can assume money is no issue for you so I would say buy both :D
P1010351.jpg
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I dont have either of these blade's but by this pic the RC5 looks to have a more comfortable handle
 
ESEE guarantee: "No Questions Asked Warranty. If you screw it up, break it, or cut it in two with a cutting torch, send it back and we'll replace it. Warranty is transferable. In other words, we warranty the knife no matter how many times it's been traded, sold or given away. We don't ask for a sales receipt, date of purchase or where you bought the knife - No fine print and no hassles. If you have a problem, contact us. "

Ferhman guarantee: "If you unintentionally damage your knife, we will recondition or replace it."

I love my 5 - I got it as my "SHTF/Heavy-duty" knife.
The Ferhman is a nice looking knife, but after a ton of research, I chose ESEE and haven't looked back.

The 5 feels heavy - in a good way... like a .44 Magnum way.
The 5 also has a smasher pommel, which I like for SERE/urban use.
 
The 5 also has a smasher pommel, which I like for SERE/urban use.
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From a SERE or just basic outdoors standpoint I've always prefered a flat pommel, makes it easier to pound stakes, etc. Never quite figured a good use for the smasher on my knives. Breaking glass possibly, but not something I plan to do that often.
 
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