Help me pick an ESEE...or another survival knife.

[ryan3030]

The time has come where I'm ready to drop a fair amount of cash into a good knife I know isn't going to fail me when I need it. Primary usage will be a hiking/camping tool. I'd prefer to spend no more than $150 as that's about what I have available - but I might go as high as $200 with some more savings.

ESEE seems to the best 'bang for the buck' knife around this price point, but my question is, which model? 3? 5? 6? Which one, and why? If the option is presented, would you get half serrated or not, and why?

If you know of a brand/model that you think would fit my needs better around this price point, please feel free to recommend it. I've seen a lot of talk about Busse and Benchmade - do they have any solid candidates around this price point?

Thanks!

 

[ISP 5353]

You can have several choices for around $150-$200. ESEE and Becker make pretty good hard use knives. Model choice is kind of up to you depending on what you like for length. I prefer a plain edge on an outdoor knife. Try to get your hands on several of the ones you are interested in and see what feels best to you and what would meet your needs.

 

[TopDog]

You are going to get a lot of response that will basically just depend on your preference.

I dont like serated blades. For an outdoor all around fixed blade knife I like six inch blade. I prefer ESEE over all other fixed blades as I think they are the best value for the dollar. That is why I have a ESEE 6 with a straight edge. ESEE are made with carbon steel so keep some Tuf-Cloth around to wipe them down.

 

[dhnorris]

I'm going against the grain and return to the classic full size ka-bar. For the money and utility you can't go wrong with a full size ka-bar.

 

[danielocean03]

You are going to get a lot of response that will basically just depend on your preference.

I dont like serated blades. For an outdoor all around fixed blade knife I like six inch blade. I prefer ESEE over all other fixed blades as I think they are the best value for the dollar. That is why I have a ESEE 6 with a straight edge. ESEE are made with carbon steel so keep some Tuf-Cloth around to wipe them down.

All great points, I agree 100% with this suggestion.

The ESEE 6's blade is long enough and just thick enough to handle chopping tasks well, and yet still thin and manageable enough to handle more precise tasks, such as food prep. My go-to kit is an ESEE-6 coupled with an Izula. I've found there are very few tasks that can't be adequately addressed by that pair of blades.

As already mentioned, the 1095 high carbon steel rusts more easily than some steels, but it comes right off with use, and is easily preventable.

 

[TopDog]

All great points, I agree 100% with this suggestion.

The ESEE 6's blade is long enough and just thick enough to handle chopping tasks well, and yet still thin and manageable enough to handle more precise tasks, such as food prep. My go-to kit is an ESEE-6 coupled with an Izula. I've found there are very few tasks that can't be adequately addressed by that pair of blades.

As already mentioned, the 1095 high carbon steel rusts more easily than some steels, but it comes right off with use, and is easily preventable.

Apparently great minds do think alike. Those are both the knives I have in my pack. One addition in my pack is the cold steel bushman, serves as a spear head.

 

[Knife Lady]

Esee knives you will get the bigger bang for your buck. You did leave out the ESEE 4 . It is a great size and a little more weight to it than the 3 but not near the weight or thickness as the 5. You really have to hold each and every one of them in your hands to get the true feel of them. You can get 30 different opinions but it all comes down to what you like and what feels good in your hands. It's like buying a car without test driving it. Go to a gun show that we will be at and I will let you fondle all of my ESEE knives.
But then again I am a little partial to the ESEE knives. I wonder why?

 

[M67]

Well, since you said other survival knife too, Scrapyard and Swamp Rat have a lot of knives in that price range as well.

 

[danielocean03]

Well, since you said other survival knife too, Scrapyard and Swamp Rat have a lot of knives in that price range as well.

+1, Busse/Bussekin (Scrapyard / Swamp Rat) are not to be overlooked in the slightest, I was going the ESEE route as he mentioned them specifically.

 

[ryan3030]

I guess I'm going to just have to attend a gun show where the knife lady is and test drive some good blades!

 

[Cru]

I have an ESEE 4, perfect size for me. Not huge, not tiny. Cuts like a champ and is extremely strong. Great knife and won't blow your budget.

I also plan on getting an ESEE 5.

 

[irishfan]

ESEE 4 is a great camp/bag knife. I have an ESEE 5 and out of the knives I have it would be my knife if I couldn't have any of my others. If you are wanting a good chopper then get a longer blade but for survival then the 4 or 5 would be my choice but the 6 is great as well.

 

[ryan3030]

I should have mentioned I have a selection of hatchets/tomahawks for chopping.

 

[irishfan]

I should have mentioned I have a selection of hatchets/tomahawks for chopping.

Then I would recommend the ESEE 4 as my choice. The 3 is to small for a lot of things but the 5 is a hefty beast as well. I can also say that they are very sharp knives as well and cut clean

 

[ryan3326]

BHK

Blind Horse Knife Co - Bushcrafter is an awesome blade.

 

[tyler34]

Blind Horse Knife Co - Bushcrafter is an awesome blade.

+1 blind horse. dan and LT are great guys and make great functional blades. for your price point look at the pathfinder knife, it's a big hunk of scandi ground steel that will be easy to field sharpen as well.

Blind Horse Knives

 

[MeatyBacchus]

I would go with the 6 since it will be for camping and not carrying every day.

 

[drbarnes]

I will put a vote in for the scrapyard scrapper 5. It is my goto blade for most tasks that arent chopping. It is a large enough blade to be substantial but small enough to be comfortable and agile. Just about any grip is comfortable with the textured resiprene c handle. The steel is sr101 I believe @ 61 Rc. I bought mine at the 1500 for $100. Great value.

With that said i also have a blind horse bushcrafter with a flat grind, o1 steel is nice and it just fits good in my hand.

I would also vote for esee because i know they are a great company with a great product, i have a 3 and izula. Izula is around my neck daily and the 3 is just about perfect but doesnt get used because my busse sar3 usualy finds its way to my pocket instead. I have heard nothing but good things about the esee 6, and will be visiting knife lady at the next show to check one out. After meeting her at the chop in i will buy my esees through her from now on.... A little birdie said something about being a benchmade dealer too?

 

[Knife Lady]

I will put a vote in for the scrapyard scrapper 5. It is my goto blade for most tasks that arent chopping. It is a large enough blade to be substantial but small enough to be comfortable and agile. Just about any grip is comfortable with the textured resiprene c handle. The steel is sr101 I believe @ 61 Rc. I bought mine at the 1500 for $100. Great value.

With that said i also have a blind horse bushcrafter with a flat grind, o1 steel is nice and it just fits good in my hand.

I would also vote for esee because i know they are a great company with a great product, i have a 3 and izula. Izula is around my neck daily and the 3 is just about perfect but doesnt get used because my busse sar3 usualy finds its way to my pocket instead. I have heard nothing but good things about the esee 6, and will be visiting knife lady at the next show to check one out. After meeting her at the chop in i will buy my esees through her from now on.... A little birdie said something about being a benchmade dealer too?

Thank you and yes Brad is a Benchmade dealer.
HMMM good stuff.

 

[BSUrugger]

All great points, I agree 100% with this suggestion.

The ESEE 6's blade is long enough and just thick enough to handle chopping tasks well, and yet still thin and manageable enough to handle more precise tasks, such as food prep. My go-to kit is an ESEE-6 coupled with an Izula. I've found there are very few tasks that can't be adequately addressed by that pair of blades.

As already mentioned, the 1095 high carbon steel rusts more easily than some steels, but it comes right off with use, and is easily preventable.

The disclaimer at ESEE's site states they will "stain". If the rust stains the blade, can it still be removed by Tuf Cloth/Tuf Glide?

I have dipping in the knife-aid/tomahawk-aid. I currently have an Ontario Air Force Survival knife because my dad got one as a paratrooper and I have always loved his. This knife feel great in my hands, but I'm looking for something like boot knife sized and ESEEs have been catching my eye!