- Joined
- Dec 1, 2007
- Messages
- 3,798
I wrote this post for those of you who don’t own a Junglas. Maybe you already have a bunch of analogous knives or just don’t see the point in getting one. I hope this gives you a reason to reconsider.
I have a lot of small blades, which I consider to be anything roughly 6 inches or shorter. I also have a few large blades, which I consider to be anything roughly 18 inches or longer.
I use blades in these ranges quite often. I also use saws and axes for heavy work. And I rarely find myself in a situation where I wish I had something that isn't a saw, isn't an axe, and isn't 18+ or 6- inches long.
But it happens from time to time. And when it happens I always wish I had a decent chopper. So I decided I should bite the bullet and get one.
I decided I wanted something that was light, tough, and at an easy-to-justify price.
I decided that maybe I needed to buy the Busse Bushwacker Mistress, since it seemed to meet my criteria of “tough and light.” But I would definitely get my pants pulled down over the price. And I would have to buy a carry system separately. I wasn’t looking forward to spending about $500 (circa mid-2010, destined to escalate in the near future) for a knife and a carry system only to get something with lumpy handles and one of those cursed choil cut-outs that only really work for me on a hunting knife.
I like Busse and own a few. But this clearly wasn’t one of the models I needed.
I also looked at a few other models from Becker, Saji, Bark River, Ontario, and some custom makers. None really fit the bill (wood handles and cord wrapping are no-no’s, prices weren’t right, carry systems sucked, dimensions were odd, ergonomics were awful, etc).
I decided to go with the ESEE Junglas. The moment I got it and started using it, I wondered why I didn’t just skip the whole decision process and buy this knife in the first place.
Here’s why:
1. Design
The Junglas has simple lines, no choil, handles aren’t bulky, and there are no odd grinds or a spiky pommel. The blade is a good chopper length and width, the thickness isn’t too fat or too thin, the handle is long but not unwieldy.
The ergonomics are comfortable and safe. I can use the knife without feeling like my hand will slip off the blade on a misplaced cut or up onto the blade if I hit a "snag."
2. Manufacture
It is made by Rowen. These guys know how to turn plain 1095 steel into a blade that has excellent edge retention and lateral toughness, and can be returned to razor sharpness with minimal effort. There are plenty of reviews and videos out there that will attest to this.
3. Warranty
It has the forever+1 ESEE warranty. No worries about this.
4. Carry System
Holy crap, this is a nice system. The kydex is nicely made and fits the knife perfectly (and the tightness is adjustable). The nylon attachments include a handle snap, a belt loop, an attached dangler loop, and a butt “sleeve” to protect both you and your knife. The attachments are also fully reversible for left-handed use.
5. Price
You simply aren’t going to get a knife that meets these specs, has this nice of a carry system, for a price that is modest and even borderline cheap (depending on your budget of course). I could have bought an RTAK II for about $90 and I almost did. But I paid a “premium” to get the Junglas because I knew, after paying a sheath maker to build and ship me a decent RTAK II sheath, that I would end up paying about the same price anyway, with a longer time delay, and for a knife that isn’t designed as well (in my opinion and I am guessing in the designers’ opinion as well).
While I may only use the Junglas 2-3 times per year, I know I could not have possibly picked a better tool for the occasional odd job that I will use it for. And I know that I have several hundred dollars in my pocket that I didn’t end up spending on something more expensive that won’t be any more useful to me in the short or long term.
That’s why I bought a Junglas.
I have a lot of small blades, which I consider to be anything roughly 6 inches or shorter. I also have a few large blades, which I consider to be anything roughly 18 inches or longer.
I use blades in these ranges quite often. I also use saws and axes for heavy work. And I rarely find myself in a situation where I wish I had something that isn't a saw, isn't an axe, and isn't 18+ or 6- inches long.
But it happens from time to time. And when it happens I always wish I had a decent chopper. So I decided I should bite the bullet and get one.
I decided I wanted something that was light, tough, and at an easy-to-justify price.
I decided that maybe I needed to buy the Busse Bushwacker Mistress, since it seemed to meet my criteria of “tough and light.” But I would definitely get my pants pulled down over the price. And I would have to buy a carry system separately. I wasn’t looking forward to spending about $500 (circa mid-2010, destined to escalate in the near future) for a knife and a carry system only to get something with lumpy handles and one of those cursed choil cut-outs that only really work for me on a hunting knife.
I like Busse and own a few. But this clearly wasn’t one of the models I needed.
I also looked at a few other models from Becker, Saji, Bark River, Ontario, and some custom makers. None really fit the bill (wood handles and cord wrapping are no-no’s, prices weren’t right, carry systems sucked, dimensions were odd, ergonomics were awful, etc).
I decided to go with the ESEE Junglas. The moment I got it and started using it, I wondered why I didn’t just skip the whole decision process and buy this knife in the first place.
Here’s why:
1. Design
The Junglas has simple lines, no choil, handles aren’t bulky, and there are no odd grinds or a spiky pommel. The blade is a good chopper length and width, the thickness isn’t too fat or too thin, the handle is long but not unwieldy.
The ergonomics are comfortable and safe. I can use the knife without feeling like my hand will slip off the blade on a misplaced cut or up onto the blade if I hit a "snag."
2. Manufacture
It is made by Rowen. These guys know how to turn plain 1095 steel into a blade that has excellent edge retention and lateral toughness, and can be returned to razor sharpness with minimal effort. There are plenty of reviews and videos out there that will attest to this.
3. Warranty
It has the forever+1 ESEE warranty. No worries about this.
4. Carry System
Holy crap, this is a nice system. The kydex is nicely made and fits the knife perfectly (and the tightness is adjustable). The nylon attachments include a handle snap, a belt loop, an attached dangler loop, and a butt “sleeve” to protect both you and your knife. The attachments are also fully reversible for left-handed use.
5. Price
You simply aren’t going to get a knife that meets these specs, has this nice of a carry system, for a price that is modest and even borderline cheap (depending on your budget of course). I could have bought an RTAK II for about $90 and I almost did. But I paid a “premium” to get the Junglas because I knew, after paying a sheath maker to build and ship me a decent RTAK II sheath, that I would end up paying about the same price anyway, with a longer time delay, and for a knife that isn’t designed as well (in my opinion and I am guessing in the designers’ opinion as well).
While I may only use the Junglas 2-3 times per year, I know I could not have possibly picked a better tool for the occasional odd job that I will use it for. And I know that I have several hundred dollars in my pocket that I didn’t end up spending on something more expensive that won’t be any more useful to me in the short or long term.
That’s why I bought a Junglas.
