ESEE 5 Complete Review

[stabman]

On February 23rd, a neat knife showed up in the mail. It was an ESEE 5 that ESEE sent me to beat the crap out of and review.

Here it is new:

It showed up just in time, as the next day I was headed to the woods with my brother, and three other people who came along as well.

I made a baton to beat the hell out of the ESEE 5 with. It is about the weight of a baseball bat.
Cut a groove around it with a saw, then used the ESEE 5 to shape the handle. With it having that thick saber grind, ended up stabbing in and splitting the wood off to do the majority of material removal, then shaped it the rest of the way with normal cutting.

Initial piece of wood batonned:

Then it was time to go nuts with it.
Since Imgur only allows short videos, made the leap to YouTube to film it.

Music added to cover up the surrounding conversation...

 

[stabman]

Here it is after the batonning:

Decided to see how it did at chopping.
It turned out not to chop all that well (length and type of grind); I tried stabbing and prying as well.
With alternating between chopping, stabbing and prying, got the tree down:

A lot of effort.
Better to cross-grain baton it down if you need to fell a tree with the ESEE 5.

On a rock:

Batonning a longer section of the surprisingly tough wood:

 

[stabman]

Night time meat:

Knife by firelight:

Here it is back at home after full cleaning.
Scales had shifted just the slightest bit from the stupid batonning (never bother with bashing that hard outside of testing...batonning should save energy), so I removed the scales to look underneath.

Full tang with no extra cutouts:

Now for the fun stuff.

You all know that the ESEE 5 was designed as a survival knife for downed pilots. Part of what it should do is help you get out of a crashed aircraft.
As no one I know has an old plane (asked a dentist friend if she knew anyone who had one), I had to create a simulation.

0.234" thick Polycarbonate.
0.060" thick 6061 aluminum.
Turns out light aircraft can have canopy thickness of as low as 2mm
Aircraft skin can be as thin as 0.030" on light aircraft. Some spots on big jets can be around 0.060" thick.

I present to you, Discount Airlines

But how well did it go?
Here, see for yourself.

Yeah, turns out that thickness of polycarbonate is really damn tough.

Edited on March 12th to add the follow up simulated aircraft escape attempt...with Plexiglass.

 

[stabman]

The aluminum was less tough, but still very tiring.
I hope I NEVER have to cut my way out of an aircraft.

And in a stump:

Okay, so it can bash through wood and pry through a plane...but can it cut food?
Video evidence to help you decide:

I also used it to cut some cardboard, and on normal thickness stuff it worked surprisingly well. No pics.

Here it is cleaned up after all the use and abuse:

Final thoughts:

I like it.
I like it a lot actually.

It did all that with the factory edge, and it still cuts paper easily with no snags.
I did not touch up the edge at all. Not once.

Dutch Bushcraft Knives said the edge of their ESEE 5 got dinged and nicked from batonning a single piece of wood, but given what I experienced, I think they must have hit an inclusion in the wood. I have encountered embedded barbed wire when chopping at the edges of a wooded area, and have seen pebbles in wood. Weird things can happen.

Given the Rockwell hardness range for the knife (55-57) I thought I might have to touch it up. Brought a sharpening stone to the woods just in case; never had to use it though. Guessing my ESEE 5 must be closer to 57 Rockwell.

The sheath is great.
I'm not a huge fan of the clip plate though. I attached the Kydex sheath to a piece of leather and attached a shoulder strap to that for carry. The sheath retention is perfect though. You could hang it upside down and not have it fall out, but it draws without too much effort.

Thickness behind the edge is 0.050"
Given the type of grind, it thickens up pretty quick as you go up towards the spine.

As ESEE said though, it was meant as a tough beater knife, not a slicer, and it excels at that.
If you want it to slice better, I have seen where people ground it to be a zero grind at the edge; no secondary bevel. Seemed to cut better , but the edge will damage more easily than how it comes from the factory.

I would be happy recommending this knife, but just keep in mind what it is.
It is a relatively heavy, nigh on indestructible knife that you can use and abuse without worry.
Do not buy it if you want a sushi knife.

 

[luethge]

Good review. I like the Esee 5. Kept one in my car for years.. definitely a great emergency tool.

 

[stabman]

Good review. I like the Esee 5. Kept one in my car for years.. definitely a great emergency tool.

Thanks!

Definitely a good choice for an emergency tool type of knife.

 

[hhmoore]

I always intended to put the Esee5 up against the BK2; but never got around to it. Ended up selling the Esee5, unused, after a few years. (Never used the BK2, either; but that's still tucked away in a bin.)

 

[jfk1110]

Nice job!!!!! Beast of a knife....... And good looking too!

 

[stabman]

I always intended to put the Esee5 up against the BK2; but never got around to it. Ended up selling the Esee5, unused, after a few years. (Never used the BK2, either; but that's still tucked away in a bin.)

Well, you still have the BK2 so you're halfway there...

Nice job!!!!! Beast of a knife....... And good looking too!

Gets a neat distinctive look with use.

 

[EngrSorenson]

I always loved the look of the ESEE 5. Good review and well worth the read.
I think it confirms that I always wish it was something different than what it was designed to be: Less prybar, more finesse.
If I had my way, I'm sure the result would never survive all the tests you put it through.

 

[stabman]

I always loved the look of the ESEE 5. Good review and well worth the read.
I think it confirms that I always wish it was something different than what it was designed to be: Less prybar, more finesse.
If I had my way, I'm sure the result would never survive all the tests you put it through.

I have seen some folks regrind it so it becomes a bit more of what you are thinking.
Or the exact same design, but in 3/16" thick stock say, that could be interesting.

ESEE SERE Lightweight, or something like that.

Digging it the way it is, but I'd be down for a 3/16" version too.

 

[EngrSorenson]

I have seen some folks regrind it so it becomes a bit more of what you are thinking.
Or the exact same design, but in 3/16" thick stock say, that could be interesting.

ESEE SERE Lightweight, or something like that.

Digging it the way it is, but I'd be down for a 3/16" version too.

Out of curiousity, did you try the glass breaker?

 

[stabman]

Out of curiousity, did you try the glass breaker?

I tried it on the 0.234" thick polycarbonate, which turned out to be too mighty for me.
Going to see if I can get some plexiglass to try it on.
Was designed to help you get out of an aircraft, but I'm thinking they may have been thinking plexiglass rather than polycarbonate.

 

[EngrSorenson]

I tried it on the 0.234" thick polycarbonate, which turned out to be too mighty for me.
Going to see if I can get some plexiglass to try it on.
Was designed to help you get out of an aircraft, but I'm thinking they may have been thinking plexiglass rather than polycarbonate.

I gotta be honest, knowing what little I know about aircraft, I've never been sure exactly how one is supposed to extract themselves from a cockpit when so many fuselages can withstand bird strikes. Seems like it might be a last ditch extraction tool.

 

[stabman]

I gotta be honest, knowing what little I know about aircraft, I've never been sure exactly how one is supposed to extract themselves from a cockpit when so many fuselages can withstand bird strikes. Seems like it might be a last ditch extraction tool.

When I was researching what thickness to use, light aircraft canopy started as thin as 2mm polycarbonate.
There were also plexiglass options, including for side windows.
So I'm thinking that perhaps the idea was bashing your way out of a side window made of plexiglass, maybe on a helicopter, hence I will test that out when I get a chance.
Probably be a couple of weeks till I can though.

 

[Grizzly3]

I copied this from https://travelinglight.com/can-you-bring-a-knife-in-checked-luggage/#:~:text=TSA – All knives must be packed in,whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint. Seriously though, it doesn't sound like a knife I would have that much use for. Very overbuilt for those who may need that and so it does serve a purpose. Sort of like the old 5" Air Force survival knife. Which would be better for that purpose?

TSA – All knives must be packed in checked luggage! You cannot take knives in carry on luggage. Any sharp objects in checked bags should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and inspectors. The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.

To be honest, I don’t advise taking a flat rounded metal butter knife even if the TSA say that you can.

It’s just asking for trouble and delays when you go through security. I’m quite sure the agents will want to investigate that knife to check that it is not sharp or dangerous. Packing a butter knife in hand luggage will probably mean it takes more time to get through airport security.

And then you’ll have to stand there and explain how how you really prefer spreading butter with a good flat rounded metal butter knife. I think it’s better to just leave it at home or take a plastic butter knife if you must.

 

[EngrSorenson]

I copied this from https://travelinglight.com/can-you-bring-a-knife-in-checked-luggage/#:~:text=TSA – All knives must be packed in,whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint. Seriously though, it doesn't sound like a knife I would have that much use for. Very overbuilt for those who may need that and so it does serve a purpose. Sort of like the old 5" Air Force survival knife. Which would be better for that purpose?

TSA – All knives must be packed in checked luggage! You cannot take knives in carry on luggage. Any sharp objects in checked bags should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and inspectors. The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.

To be honest, I don’t advise taking a flat rounded metal butter knife even if the TSA say that you can.

It’s just asking for trouble and delays when you go through security. I’m quite sure the agents will want to investigate that knife to check that it is not sharp or dangerous. Packing a butter knife in hand luggage will probably mean it takes more time to get through airport security.

And then you’ll have to stand there and explain how how you really prefer spreading butter with a good flat rounded metal butter knife. I think it’s better to just leave it at home or take a plastic butter knife if you must.

I think it's important that I mention it was developed for the United States Air Force (supposedly!), who often don't have to abide by TSA regulations

The question is really, could a serviceman break themselves out of their confines with this knife?

 

[Grizzly3]

Thanks, I didn't know that. I used a Airman's 5" survival knife once after I squirted some talcum power into a fan cooling off one of the medics. He came flying out of his bunk with a hypodermic needle in his hand and chased me around the barracks. As I went by an airman's bunk, I unsheathed his knife hanging from his belt on his bunk. Said stick me with that and I'll stick you with this. He proceeded to squirt me with some sugar water he had in it. Fun times. I think I used a sharpened bayonet for about a year and the most I did with it was to open the beer cans when the cheap pop tops would break off. When you ran the knife all the way through the bottom of the can, you knew it was time to go to bed. I did get really good at throwing it though. But that ESEE 5 would have been a great knife for me 50+ years ago. You never know when you may really need something as stout as that one is.

 

[fielder]

I have seen some folks regrind it so it becomes a bit more of what you are thinking.
Or the exact same design, but in 3/16" thick stock say, that could be interesting.

ESEE SERE Lightweight, or something like that.

Digging it the way it is, but I'd be down for a 3/16" version too.

A thinner version would be great. Especially in 3v or Aeb-l.
(runs for cover)

 

[stabman]

What about after you cut your way out of the plane/helicopter/etc., you are making a shelter?
Leaves are lame; not very water resistant.
How about...tire shingles?
Well, can the ESEE 5 cut out the side wall of a tire?