BK9 vs ESEE Junglas

H

HoosierQ

Joined
Feb 9, 2010
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I come here to you folks for a fully biased recommendation. I expect it in the forum and I want it. I have had a great desire to purchase a BK9. I will, purchase also the micarta handle slabs. So now we are quite even in price BK9+Micarta almost = ESEE Junglas in price. I think it hard to argue (but I will most certainly entertain arguments) that the ESEE Junglas has the better sheath. I was quite un-impressed with my BK7 sheath but I made a nice leather one for it...since that's my hobby, I do not calculate that into the price as some people would (and should do).

The usual argument for the Becker vs ESEE in general (the slabby handles of ESEE vs the very well-done Becker "dog bone" handles) does not seem to apply nearly so much in the case of the Junglas.

The problem with the Junglas is that it is a little too machete in there for a died in the wool machete man like me. Whereas the BK9 is all knife...all bowie knife if you will...nothing halfway about it!

So biased audience, finish this off. How is the current crop of sheaths? Is the new, textured coating good? Why does the BK9 kick the Junglas butt?
 
I like the Junglas. I won mine in a chopping competition using a BK-9. :p
However, I think the 9 handles better as a big knife. For a machete, I love the ESEE Lite Machete (I own two), but for a big bowie, it's hard to beat the 9.
Like you said, the Junglas sheath kicks some serious butt. You're not going to go wrong either way, but I favor the BK-9. I just bought another one, in fact.
 
It probably depends on... wait for it... your intended use.
I tried out both last winter strictly for batoning kindling for the wood stove.
The BK9 was more comfortable and ergonomic, IMO. So I sold the Junglas and bought a second BK9.
I personally would rather use a saw than hack away with the 9 or Junglas at a branch or tree, but I'd guess that the Junglas may be a better bet there.
Junglas sheath blows the BK9 sheath out of the water, but that's not to say the 9 sheath is the worst in the world.

All that being said, I just broke down and bought a Junglas again yesterday... :o
 
And I'm not biased either way.
I own 6 Beckers currently and 5 Esee.
 
I have the BK9, and in my things I encounter it's more than enough to get the job done. The Junglas is too big long, and too heavy, to comfortably wear on my belt all day AND retain the same degree of mobility, which is an absolute must in my line of work.
 
Price aspect (I have never used a junglas before so I can't speak on the use of the knife):

I was looking into picking up a junglas recently and with sheath the price worked out to about $170 shipped. A BK9 w/micarta is about $125 shipped. Better sheath on the junglas apparently so it may depend on if that package it worth it to you. The sheath on the Becker is not bad but also not great. It does function well and has a pocket for an altoid a tin that I like. Mine has held up under heavy use for over a year just fine. I'd rather pay a little less and then spend the $40 for an aftermarket kydex from a custom sheath maker but that just me.

I love my 9 and it's a chopping beast and the new coating is comparable to the ESEE. If money is no object get both and through up the one you don't want on the exchange. :)

Personally I'd choose the Junglas but that's only because I already have a BK9
 
Eero said:
I was looking into picking up a junglas recently and with sheath the price worked out to about $170 shipped.
Click to expand...

You can get one for $152.95 from a certain site that supports this forum.
Or you can totally luck out like I did and be in the right place at the right time and get one barely used for $110 like I did yesterday :D
 
I have both and use both... For most tasks i usually grab the bk9 due to less weight and the same chopping ability. I picked up some handles from tommy the who and now it looks sweet and kick's butt with the best of them. The esee is a great blade but i like the becker a little better and by a little i mean a lot!
 
Well I was looking for subjective stuff. However this very objective observation...weight...may be just to ticket to reinforce my preference. I will chop little with this knife...whichever one I get. I use an axe for that. I prefer not to chop with a Khukuri as well...when I see to it that an axe is there (I am not a backpacker). I have two fine Latin machetes if I need to chop brush and a full sized, brush hook for that work. So my intented use is for that of the Bowie knife...a big knife at my side. Weight is key there even if I don't backpack. That's what so impressed me about the BK7...it is so fast and light and yet tough as nails.
 
I had and used both. I have had my share of ESEE knives, love the 3, the 4 not so much. Like the 6, had the 5 twice, and the Junglas,

Everyone is right, the sheath rocks. But as a chopper it didn't do it for me. To be fair ESEE markets it as a jungle tool. I was not in a jungle. I was in a forest. It did not do anything wrong, i just wasn't wowed. I still have my BK-9, I sold the Junglas.

If I could have figured out how to make the sheath work for the 9, I would have kept it just for that.

I'm sure others will swing the other way, both are great tools,
 
HoosierQ said:
Well I was looking for subjective stuff. However this very objective observation...weight...may be just to ticket to reinforce my preference. I will chop little with this knife...whichever one I get. I use an axe for that. I prefer not to chop with a Khukuri as well...when I see to it that an axe is there (I am not a backpacker). I have two fine Latin machetes if I need to chop brush and a full sized, brush hook for that work. So my intented use is for that of the Bowie knife...a big knife at my side. Weight is key there even if I don't backpack. That's what so impressed me about the BK7...it is so fast and light and yet tough as nails.
Click to expand...

After reading this I would definitely say the 9. And you might want to look into a Baldric rig. I prefer to carry big knives in this fashion.
 
arskrg said:
You can get one for $152.95 from a certain site that supports this forum.
Or you can totally luck out like I did and be in the right place at the right time and get one barely used for $110 like I did yesterday :D
Click to expand...

That's a score. I just missed a few on the exchange over the last couple of months.
 
arskrg said:
You can get one for $152.95 from a certain site that supports this forum.
Or you can totally luck out like I did and be in the right place at the right time and get one barely used for $110 like I did yesterday :D
Click to expand...

if its a site that supports this forum than you can say the name.
 
My choice for a one knife role would be the 9, as I think it does small knife tasks better than the Junglas does. For a chopper I would take the Junglas hands down I am able to chop much better using the Junglas than I am the 9.

Either way you really cant go wrong both are great tools.
 
I have and use both. I prefer the BK9 for most things over the Junglas. The Junglas handles are more ergonomic than most of the Esee knives so thats good. I also like the full spine to the tip of the Junglas for batoning. However the BK9 is by far my favorite knife. The handle and balance are great. By using a lanyard and holding the swelled rear part of the Becker handle it will easily out chop the Junglas. Either one you get I think you will like. However if I could only have one its the BK9.
 
Silverthorn's BK9 will out chop any Junglas, but it's a little "different" :D. The Junglas is a great knife from a great company. I'm partial to the King though.
 
The BK9 is my favorite knife ever. It could just about handle anything you could ask of a knife. (I said knife not a pry bar) I have knives, axes, machetes, and saws for days but the BK9 is my favorite and most used. Everyone knows that it's great for chopping and clearing brush and batoning but every time I see a post about some getting a BK9 for the first time they are blown away at how well it also handles carving and making shavings and small stuff. It's very likely that you will eventually have both.

You need a BK9. You can't not have a BK9.
 
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