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guntram

Joined
Oct 4, 2010
Messages
276
first of all, hello to all of you. i've been researching knives the last few days and i keep running into useful information on these forums, so i thought i'd join in and see if i can pull from the knowledge here more effectively. i look forward talking to all of you in the future. i'm a huge fan of blades and other primitive weaponry.

so, i'm off to the sandbox early next year and i'm looking for a good knife to carry. i've been doing lots of research and i've pretty much got it narrowed down to a few options. the three i'm considering are the ka-bar becker bk2, esee 5, and the esee 3 mil. please don't inundate me with millions of other options. i'm not looking for anything more expensive than these, but i'm open to a few other contenders if you can think of any.

ok, now for what i know and what i want...

the esee 3 mil is much smaller than the other two, making it much more comfortable to carry and maybe even concealable. i LOVE the many carry options and the somewhat tactical nature of the knife. i like the fact that it has the glass breaker pommel and the molle system. i'm not really thrilled by the size, but i'm not sure that i'll even be allowed to carry it at all, let alone one of the larger options.

the esee 5 has the same tactical features that i love in the 3, but in the larger, prybar-like dimensions. that's really what i want. i want something thick and indestructible. the 5 would be exactly what i'm looking for, except for the fact that it doesn't have all the same mounting options as the 3. also, based on seeing videos on youtube, the 5 isn't the best for chopping. i'm not the biggest fan of the handle or the blade shape.

that brings me to the bk2. i'm thinking that i'll want this knife with micarta scales regardless of whether i get one of the other two or not. it's a beast of a knife and it seems like exactly what i wanted. the only problem with this one for me is the sheath system. doesn't seem very good to me. i like to have a horizontal scout carry option. i'm not sure if you can do that with the kydex sheath or not. enter hedgehogleatherworks... i'd love to get one of these when they come out, but i don't know that i'll be able to carry it like that in the desert and they are super expensive.


ok, so in summary...
i'm looking for a beast of a knife that is like an indestructible prybar with micarta scales and multiple carry options. i want it to be a good option as a tactical knife, but also a good knife for outdoor adventures beyond this specific 'trip'. i'd like something that i can say that i carried and used over there that will last long enough to pass on to my son. i want it to hold an edge and sharpen well.

i think i'd lean toward the becker, but i'm not sure that the pommel can be used to break glass since it's not pointed. what do you think?

also, i'm not sure i can carry such a large blade. anyone here know the rules by any chance? i'm af, so that may change things if you're in a different service.

would the esee 3 mil make a good second blade to the becker?

would the esee 3 mil be redundant considering the fact that i carry a sog flash ii folder that is basically the same size?

please feel free to answer any or all questions, address other concerns that i may not have thought about, and/or just say hi to a new member. thanks, all. i appreciate your help in advance.

guntram
 
Welcome to BF. I was USAF back in the days when a Swiss Army Knife was a good choice for daily carry. :)

If you're not happy with the BK2 sheath, you can get custom Kydex pretty reasonably priced around here. Ask on our Sheaths & Such forum.

I felt the ESEE-3 was a little small for my hand, but it would still make a fine concealable backup. I prefer the Izula and HEST, though.

Research a good multitool for backup if you don't have one already.
 
Hi, i may not be able to answer them all but the RC-5 you metion is definately indestructible, I dont have the 5 but i do have the Izula 3,4 and 6 GReat knives made here in USA by great people with a great warranty. Can you tell i like ESEE knives?lol They are really tough, hold a great edge ,easy to sharpen. Pick any ESEE and you wont be disappointed, besides if you are like the rest here it wont be your last esee....:D
 
Believe it or not if you're looking for an indestructable knife than the Izula is probably a better choice than the ESEE 3 Mil. The Izula has a thicker blade stock at .156 while the ESEE 3 is at .125. Go figure :confused:. I think your best bet is the ESEE 5 which looks just beastly and has double the blade thickness of the ESEE 3 Mil at .25.
 
How much are you willing to spend?
 
guntram said:
first of all, hello to all of you. i've been researching knives the last few days and i keep running into useful information on these forums, so i thought i'd join in and see if i can pull from the knowledge here more effectively. i look forward talking to all of you in the future. i'm a huge fan of blades and other primitive weaponry.

so, i'm off to the sandbox early next year and i'm looking for a good knife to carry. i've been doing lots of research and i've pretty much got it narrowed down to a few options. the three i'm considering are the ka-bar becker bk2, esee 5, and the esee 3 mil. please don't inundate me with millions of other options. i'm not looking for anything more expensive than these, but i'm open to a few other contenders if you can think of any.

ok, now for what i know and what i want...

the esee 3 mil is much smaller than the other two, making it much more comfortable to carry and maybe even concealable. i LOVE the many carry options and the somewhat tactical nature of the knife. i like the fact that it has the glass breaker pommel and the molle system. i'm not really thrilled by the size, but i'm not sure that i'll even be allowed to carry it at all, let alone one of the larger options.

the esee 5 has the same tactical features that i love in the 3, but in the larger, prybar-like dimensions. that's really what i want. i want something thick and indestructible. the 5 would be exactly what i'm looking for, except for the fact that it doesn't have all the same mounting options as the 3. also, based on seeing videos on youtube, the 5 isn't the best for chopping. i'm not the biggest fan of the handle or the blade shape.

that brings me to the bk2. i'm thinking that i'll want this knife with micarta scales regardless of whether i get one of the other two or not. it's a beast of a knife and it seems like exactly what i wanted. the only problem with this one for me is the sheath system. doesn't seem very good to me. i like to have a horizontal scout carry option. i'm not sure if you can do that with the kydex sheath or not. enter hedgehogleatherworks... i'd love to get one of these when they come out, but i don't know that i'll be able to carry it like that in the desert and they are super expensive.


ok, so in summary...
i'm looking for a beast of a knife that is like an indestructible prybar with micarta scales and multiple carry options. i want it to be a good option as a tactical knife, but also a good knife for outdoor adventures beyond this specific 'trip'. i'd like something that i can say that i carried and used over there that will last long enough to pass on to my son. i want it to hold an edge and sharpen well.

i think i'd lean toward the becker, but i'm not sure that the pommel can be used to break glass since it's not pointed. what do you think?

also, i'm not sure i can carry such a large blade. anyone here know the rules by any chance? i'm af, so that may change things if you're in a different service.

would the esee 3 mil make a good second blade to the becker?

would the esee 3 mil be redundant considering the fact that i carry a sog flash ii folder that is basically the same size?

please feel free to answer any or all questions, address other concerns that i may not have thought about, and/or just say hi to a new member. thanks, all. i appreciate your help in advance.

guntram
Click to expand...
Are you in houston, texas by any chance? If you are who I think you are, I can help you.
 
esee 3 and 4 have smaller handle then 5 and this is problem for me , I like my knifes to be comfortable in my hand , and 3-4 kinda thin and short , it really depends on what you want, smaller blade 3-4 will be fine , full size knife then 5 or 6 ,but they are heavy . any way esee great knifes you cant go wrong :thumbup:
pic of my rat4 , great "small" knife
1032568527_gAdGj-L.jpg
 
guntram said:
that brings me to the bk2. i'm thinking that i'll want this knife with micarta scales regardless of whether i get one of the other two or not. it's a beast of a knife and it seems like exactly what i wanted. the only problem with this one for me is the sheath system.
Click to expand...

There's two problems with the BK-2:
Firstly, the handle bolts are too short to be able to use micarta scales.
Secondly, it is now a skeleton tang.
 
Hi there, and welcome to Bladeforums.

I think the E.S.E.E. knives will suit you best. Great company, great knives, and very well liked on here for a damn good reason. If you are looking for something with a meatier handle that can pry, then the RC-5 might be the best choice. It is a very sturdy knife, and you can feel completely confident that it won't fail you even if you do things to it that aren't tasks intended for a knife.
 
I have a Kabar fighting knife, the Becker BK 7 an ESEE 5 and a 3 as well.

I do NOT like the grip on the 3-it is not very long, shorter than the length of my hand-and the boat tail design causes it to be pushed upward during use as my palm exerts pressure on it. This makes it a pain when it comes to extensive use.

The BK2 and ESEE 5 are both very large knives. The blade length does not do them justice. They are very hefty, and simply unbreakable. They aren't the best slicers in the world, though if you do a good job of sharpening, they can be used to do so. Steel, fit and finish are all superb, and practical for combat utility knives. The Becker and ESEE 5 grips are quite different based on materials alone, but both offer very full secure grips.

I have some other PRACTICAL suggestions for you. Swamp Rat has some Howling Rats from their last line left over. I took a comparison shot with my ESEE 3 so you can get a general size comparison. It offers a VERY nice full grip-extremely secure and comfortable. The blade is a very practical and durable design- .175 inches thick 52100 steel, which is EXTREMELY tough and wear resistant. The blade has nice belly for slicing performance and a good useable tip. They cost 128 dollars.

P1010619.jpg

P1010320.jpg

Howling Rat/ESEE3 comparison-not much overall size difference, but a 4.5 inch blade versus 3 and a much nicer handle



The DPx HEST, also made by ESEE, is a good alternative to the 3MIL. It is .175 inches thick instead of .125 like the 3, and again-has a very nice slicing belly and a super durable working point. The integral guard on the top and the bottom of the handle makes this knife extremely secure and ergonomic-the thumb ramp just adds to that. Although it doesn't have a glass breaker, I think it would be effective in the role as the prybar should guard your hand in the event you need to bust a window. The HEST performs like a much larger blade... I can't say enough about how many roles this knife has risen to perform, and it does so better than most of my much larger knives.

P1010327.jpg

HEST compared to RC3. Going price is 85 dollars I believe.

The Becker BK11 is another good choice for a small knife, and if you do wind up getting one of the larger options, I would suggest picking one up as a smaller slicing companion. They only cost 30 dollars. They are made from Kabar's spectacular 1095 CroVan steel, another great combat utility steel.
 
Vicarious Reality said:
There's two problems with the BK-2:
Firstly, the handle bolts are too short to be able to use micarta scales.
Secondly, it is now a skeleton tang.
Click to expand...

i'm not sure why these are problems. i heard it's not a big deal about the bolts as they can be replaced and/or locktite can be used and all is well. as far as the skeleton tang goes, i really don't know why that would be a bad thing. i'm sure that with a .25" blade, it's not really compromising the integrity to have a couple of holes. doesn't it just make it lighter?
 
As far as your command rules go, you can contact your wing and ask about the regulations before you deploy. Your division officer or senior enlisted within your chain should be able to give you the reg or point you in the rich direction.
 
does anyone know if the pommel on the bk2 be used to break glass? seems like it would be hefty enough to do so.

also, can the rc5 be carried horizontally? i really want the option to do so. even if i can't do it in the desert, that's how i'd like to carry it later.

in the videos i've seen, the rc5 seems to be sharper than the bk2, but that's not really fair to judge because they can always be sharpened. can the bk2 hold an edge as well as the rc5?

i'm really leaning toward the bk2/rc3 combo since i think it covers a lot of ground, but i'm liking some of these other suggestions. please keep them coming.

i'd probably consider the rc3 with the combo edge and maybe the clip point as well. i know there can be legal issues with that, so i may bypass the clip point, but it seems like a cool idea. this would really be my back-up blade, so it would be nice to have it different from the main knife.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Welcome to BF. I was USAF back in the days when a Swiss Army Knife was a good choice for daily carry. :)

If you're not happy with the BK2 sheath, you can get custom Kydex pretty reasonably priced around here. Ask on our Sheaths & Such forum.

I felt the ESEE-3 was a little small for my hand, but it would still make a fine concealable backup. I prefer the Izula and HEST, though.

Research a good multitool for backup if you don't have one already.
Click to expand...

My first thoughts were along the same line. You can't go wrong with a Swiss Army Knife & Multitool. :) :thumbup:
 
Becker and ESEE use very similar steels and both heat treat them well. No effective real world difference.

Glass breakers do not depend on mass. On the contrary, the way to break glass is to use as small a point as possible, with a short hard blow behind that point. In fact, spring-loaded strikers are the best choice. Look up ResQMe. Under $10, almost unnoticeably light weight, fits on your keychain. Works way better than a big rock. :)
 
so, will the rc3 and the sog flash ii overlap each other? i'm sure that a fixed blade is more durable than a folder, but is there any reason to carry both of them?
 
I've had my BK2 for several months now and I can say it's a tank of a knife. To be honest, a buddy and I went to a local knife store the same day. He purchased the RC5 and I purchased the Becker (limited funds). Both right out of the box would shave an arm so I don't want to say one was more sharp than the other. I can say I like the the way the Rat felt in hand. After a week or so I ordered a set of grips off of fleaBay. Once they came in and I put them on (bolts and nuts were included), I can say that the Becker leaves me wanting nothing else. Super tough and a very good warranty as well. I'll try to post up some pics when I get back to the house later tonight. Good luck and thanks for your service!!
 
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