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This Thread is For the ESEE 5 pass around Reviews only
NO CHATTING / COMMENTS / TALKING
Thanks
TTD
NO CHATTING / COMMENTS / TALKING
Thanks
TTD
Esee 5 pass around reviews only
- Thread starter texastonydobbs
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2009
- Messages
- 1,120
well the beast and i have returned to the city
after a weekend of playing
and a little knife lusting
took a pile of sharp things with me to the farm
and just had a generally good time putting em to use
had to keep a serious eye on my pal caveman vic
or he mighta tried to run off with that esee5
he was in love the minute he held her
do have to mention i didnt get all the chores done i wanted to with this knife.
even tho we were camping at a friends farm
and most of the folks there use knives daily
there was LOTS of partying going on
and i tend to put the sharp things away once the drinking gets heavy.
im not really a worry wart but have seen my share of fun turn bad over the yrs
let me put in right here that the esee5 came as sharp as could be
i never touched the edge at all
tho i typically do that upon obtaining a new blade
thought id just leave this one alone for the duration
get an idea just how well it would hold up
one of the first bits of "work" i put to the 5 was chopping some wood
this limb is from a peach tree
some hardass wood there
the 5 has the weight to chop well
tho i found it feeling a tad "short" for the job
to be honest, in my experience
the esee 6 was the better chopper
most likely just that longer blade made it "feel" easier
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as you can see after chopping, batoning(these both seem so cliché.
but in a survival situation, which this knife was designed for,
that would be just a cupla the uses it would see)
the esee5 sliced this tomato as thin as bout any knife i own
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after a weekend of playing
and a little knife lusting
took a pile of sharp things with me to the farm
and just had a generally good time putting em to use
had to keep a serious eye on my pal caveman vic
or he mighta tried to run off with that esee5
he was in love the minute he held her
do have to mention i didnt get all the chores done i wanted to with this knife.
even tho we were camping at a friends farm
and most of the folks there use knives daily
there was LOTS of partying going on
and i tend to put the sharp things away once the drinking gets heavy.
im not really a worry wart but have seen my share of fun turn bad over the yrs
let me put in right here that the esee5 came as sharp as could be
i never touched the edge at all
tho i typically do that upon obtaining a new blade
thought id just leave this one alone for the duration
get an idea just how well it would hold up
one of the first bits of "work" i put to the 5 was chopping some wood
this limb is from a peach tree
some hardass wood there
the 5 has the weight to chop well
tho i found it feeling a tad "short" for the job
to be honest, in my experience
the esee 6 was the better chopper
most likely just that longer blade made it "feel" easier
as you can see after chopping, batoning(these both seem so cliché.
but in a survival situation, which this knife was designed for,
that would be just a cupla the uses it would see)
the esee5 sliced this tomato as thin as bout any knife i own
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2009
- Messages
- 1,120
the divot for fire piston worked great
never got this fire going
maybe too damp
or just my poor technique
the knife worked flawlessly
tho i did find it took me some time longer to get the hole going
the point of the blade made it take a bit longer and more fenagling to drill
and i had to really choke up on the blade and mostly used the serrations
to carve out the notch
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the finish held up pretty well
after a wipe down its not much worse for wear
actually starting to look like a well loved knife
not so bright and shiny n clean as it was when i first received
and still quite sharp
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if i owned this knife it would most likely stay in a bob.
or with my camping gear. don't see this as an everyday use knife.
but i would take with whenever i went camping.
have to say if i was out there in the wilds and could only have one knife.
the esee5 would be at the top of the list.
simply wouldnt have to worry what i had to use it for-it aint gonna fail.
another point i have to make. if i were gonna use this on an extended basis i would rework the handle somehow.
it fit my medium size paws well enough. but i found the material somewhat abrasive.
or maybe the shape of the handle.
never noticed this on my esee6. and its not here to compare.
so i'm not sure what the difference is.
mind you i work with hand tools everyday. weld frequently. rarely wear gloves. so my hands arent soft.
nevertheless, i have a nice little blister from this knife.
[/IMG]
since i dont typically wear a belt i wanted to try some other carry options
both on my person and on a pack
thought id find this knife too heavy and large to wear on the backpack strap
this is how i usually wear the hest when hiking
but the esee5 rode just fine here. didnt actually do a hike with it. but don't see that there would be any issues. tho the sheath had a bit of a rattle, it held the knife securely. wouldnt worry about it falling out carried this way.
it fit in my waistband just fine too. i liked that you couldnt really see the rest of the knife when tucked in there.
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tho its a thickish blade wanted to see just how well
it made feather sticks(despite my lack of style...)
as thats one thing i typically do to create fire when camping
fortunately for me, they dont have to be pretty to work well...
[/IMG]
conclusion
to be honest when i first pulled this knife outta the box and felt its heft, i really didnt think i was gonna care much for it. but after using it for a few days and carrying around some. it's really quite a fine blade and one i will end up owning. only real limitation i found was when chopping. yes it has the heft to pound right thru a log, but found the length a determent for me.
thanks to all the good folks at esee for the opportunity to use this knife.
it's a keeper!
[/IMG]
never got this fire going
maybe too damp
or just my poor technique
the knife worked flawlessly
tho i did find it took me some time longer to get the hole going
the point of the blade made it take a bit longer and more fenagling to drill
and i had to really choke up on the blade and mostly used the serrations
to carve out the notch
the finish held up pretty well
after a wipe down its not much worse for wear
actually starting to look like a well loved knife
not so bright and shiny n clean as it was when i first received
and still quite sharp
if i owned this knife it would most likely stay in a bob.
or with my camping gear. don't see this as an everyday use knife.
but i would take with whenever i went camping.
have to say if i was out there in the wilds and could only have one knife.
the esee5 would be at the top of the list.
simply wouldnt have to worry what i had to use it for-it aint gonna fail.
another point i have to make. if i were gonna use this on an extended basis i would rework the handle somehow.
it fit my medium size paws well enough. but i found the material somewhat abrasive.
or maybe the shape of the handle.
never noticed this on my esee6. and its not here to compare.
so i'm not sure what the difference is.
mind you i work with hand tools everyday. weld frequently. rarely wear gloves. so my hands arent soft.
nevertheless, i have a nice little blister from this knife.
since i dont typically wear a belt i wanted to try some other carry options
both on my person and on a pack
thought id find this knife too heavy and large to wear on the backpack strap
this is how i usually wear the hest when hiking
but the esee5 rode just fine here. didnt actually do a hike with it. but don't see that there would be any issues. tho the sheath had a bit of a rattle, it held the knife securely. wouldnt worry about it falling out carried this way.
it fit in my waistband just fine too. i liked that you couldnt really see the rest of the knife when tucked in there.
tho its a thickish blade wanted to see just how well
it made feather sticks(despite my lack of style...)
as thats one thing i typically do to create fire when camping
fortunately for me, they dont have to be pretty to work well...
conclusion
to be honest when i first pulled this knife outta the box and felt its heft, i really didnt think i was gonna care much for it. but after using it for a few days and carrying around some. it's really quite a fine blade and one i will end up owning. only real limitation i found was when chopping. yes it has the heft to pound right thru a log, but found the length a determent for me.
thanks to all the good folks at esee for the opportunity to use this knife.
it's a keeper!
No chatting Please ,go here to chat over the 5 Reviews, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=757119
this is for review threads only from participates of passaround.
this is for review threads only from participates of passaround.
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- Jun 9, 2009
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Welcome to ESEE-5 101!
When a pass around was first mentioned, I hoped the vote would go to the ESEE-5. It has always been the most controversial blade in the ESEE lineup. 5 or 6? 4 or 5? Which one? We tend to see some great woods demos on the 5 since we're a pretty woods-oriented group. But what about some ESEE-5 101 info to maybe help others decide that this knife is or isn't what they need for their application and perhaps we can debunk a couple myths while we're at it.
Let's start with the basic specs that are listed on the ESEE site:
O.A Length: 10.88"
Blade Length: 5.25"
Maximum thickness: .25"
Weight: 16 ounces (Knife Only)
Finish: Textured Black Powder Coat
Handles: Canvas Micarta w/ Bow Drill Divot
Blade Width: 1.56"
1095 Steel - 57 Rc.
Sabre Grind
Glass Breaker Pommel
Serial Number On Pommel
Standard Equipment: Kydex Sheath w/ Belt Clip
Let's try to answer some common questions that I was able to answer for myself during my time with the knife:
Is the ESEE-5 “too big/heavy”? I don't think so, but it depends on your application. The knife weighs 16 oz. Go to your pantry and get a 16 oz can of vegetables. Is that heavier than something you'd want to carry with you for your application? I will say that I was expecting to think “damn that's heavy” when I took it out of the box. I didn't. It's a beefy knife, but I would have no problem carrying it on my belt with the paracord belt loops. Since starting this review I've become quite fond of the belt clip as well. More on that later.
Quick lineup of the RC/ESEE-4, 5 and 6 (bottom to top)
As you can see here, with the pommels lined up, the 5 and 6 are pretty close in length.
Is the grip/handle too big for my hands? Probably not. I have what I'd say are average sized hands. Just under 4” at the widest point of my palm, 7” from the bend of my wrist to the tip of my index finger. The grip feels fine in my hand. It fills it nicely, but someone with slightly smaller hands would have no issues. I didn't encounter the hot spots that sadie did, probably just slight differences in hand size.
The ESEE-5 has a .765” thick handle, 1.36” wide at the middle “hump” where your middle fingers would ride, 4” circumference at the smallest point where your index finger would be and 4.5” circumference at the widest point of the grip. So, grab a piece of string and measure around some of your other knives and see how they compare. For example, the ESEE-4 is approximately 3” circumference at the index finger and 3.5” at the widest point of the grip, so it is considerably smaller.
Here's the standard “spine shot” of the 4, 5 and 6 (left to right)
The 4 in hand. Note that my fingers completely touch my palm. What I would consider a “smaller” grip. Still comfortable and great for smaller hands.
The 5 in hand. Little bit meater as you can see, but comfortable to me.
The 6 in hand. Slightly smaller than the 5 due to the thinner blade, but I wouldn't say that it is more comfortable than the 5 in the hand.
Is the blade too thick to have a good edge or be good for slicing? No. The saber grind is perfect for this knife. Again, it wouldn't be my choice for a designated hunting knife, but it would field dress some Missouri whitetails without a hitch. After sadie's use, I still haven't sharpened it. There were a few rough spots in the edge when it showed up, but the nice thing about 1095 is that they buff out pretty easily. I just used the Smith's diamond that I used on the serrations to touch up the rough spots. I figure I'll let caine decide if he wants to sharpen it or continue the use of the factory edge.
When a pass around was first mentioned, I hoped the vote would go to the ESEE-5. It has always been the most controversial blade in the ESEE lineup. 5 or 6? 4 or 5? Which one? We tend to see some great woods demos on the 5 since we're a pretty woods-oriented group. But what about some ESEE-5 101 info to maybe help others decide that this knife is or isn't what they need for their application and perhaps we can debunk a couple myths while we're at it.
Let's start with the basic specs that are listed on the ESEE site:
O.A Length: 10.88"
Blade Length: 5.25"
Maximum thickness: .25"
Weight: 16 ounces (Knife Only)
Finish: Textured Black Powder Coat
Handles: Canvas Micarta w/ Bow Drill Divot
Blade Width: 1.56"
1095 Steel - 57 Rc.
Sabre Grind
Glass Breaker Pommel
Serial Number On Pommel
Standard Equipment: Kydex Sheath w/ Belt Clip
Let's try to answer some common questions that I was able to answer for myself during my time with the knife:
Is the ESEE-5 “too big/heavy”? I don't think so, but it depends on your application. The knife weighs 16 oz. Go to your pantry and get a 16 oz can of vegetables. Is that heavier than something you'd want to carry with you for your application? I will say that I was expecting to think “damn that's heavy” when I took it out of the box. I didn't. It's a beefy knife, but I would have no problem carrying it on my belt with the paracord belt loops. Since starting this review I've become quite fond of the belt clip as well. More on that later.
Quick lineup of the RC/ESEE-4, 5 and 6 (bottom to top)
As you can see here, with the pommels lined up, the 5 and 6 are pretty close in length.
Is the grip/handle too big for my hands? Probably not. I have what I'd say are average sized hands. Just under 4” at the widest point of my palm, 7” from the bend of my wrist to the tip of my index finger. The grip feels fine in my hand. It fills it nicely, but someone with slightly smaller hands would have no issues. I didn't encounter the hot spots that sadie did, probably just slight differences in hand size.
The ESEE-5 has a .765” thick handle, 1.36” wide at the middle “hump” where your middle fingers would ride, 4” circumference at the smallest point where your index finger would be and 4.5” circumference at the widest point of the grip. So, grab a piece of string and measure around some of your other knives and see how they compare. For example, the ESEE-4 is approximately 3” circumference at the index finger and 3.5” at the widest point of the grip, so it is considerably smaller.
Here's the standard “spine shot” of the 4, 5 and 6 (left to right)
The 4 in hand. Note that my fingers completely touch my palm. What I would consider a “smaller” grip. Still comfortable and great for smaller hands.
The 5 in hand. Little bit meater as you can see, but comfortable to me.
The 6 in hand. Slightly smaller than the 5 due to the thinner blade, but I wouldn't say that it is more comfortable than the 5 in the hand.
Is the blade too thick to have a good edge or be good for slicing? No. The saber grind is perfect for this knife. Again, it wouldn't be my choice for a designated hunting knife, but it would field dress some Missouri whitetails without a hitch. After sadie's use, I still haven't sharpened it. There were a few rough spots in the edge when it showed up, but the nice thing about 1095 is that they buff out pretty easily. I just used the Smith's diamond that I used on the serrations to touch up the rough spots. I figure I'll let caine decide if he wants to sharpen it or continue the use of the factory edge.
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How about those serrations? I've never been big on serrations. If you've never really looked at the ESEE serrations, I think you might be pleasantly surprised. They're the best serrations I've seen. 1) They can be sharpened with your standard sharpener due to the way they're cut and the interior portions touched up with a ceramic rod or diamond sharpener like the one that came with the old RAT Pack Kit. 2) They work surprisingly well. They slice well and don't snag like more pointed serrations do. They also work great for stripping bark off limbs, etc.
Notice how the edge profile continues through the serrations. Makes it a peach to sharpen.
Very unobtrusive on the other side, yet they still cut very well.
Stripping bark like butta'.
Is it a good chopper? I was surprised that it really did pretty well. The knife balances well, with it being just a tiny bit weight forward. Chopping 2” green material was quite easy. I wouldn't buy this knife as a designated chopper but it is definitely up to the task if the need arises to chop some smaller material, say 1” or less. For thicker material, use a baton to help chopping. Sure not going to hurt the 1/4” thick blade.
With that said, I agree that the 6 is a slightly better chopper. The longer, lighter blade gives you more speed in your swing, which works better on softer materials.
Not a great pic, but the left side was chopped with the 6 and the right was done with the 5. The nice thing about the 5 is that if the edge or your technique won't finish the job, the mass of the blade with break it on through!
This wood was HARD!
Action shot
How does it baton? The blade is so thick on this thing and the grind is just right that once you get the wood started splitting, it just acts as a wedge and a good one at that. The edge leads the way, but the thickness of the blade makes more contact with the wood, which takes a little bit of wear off the edge; something you probably won't get with thinner knives.
I love a 5” blade for material around this size.
See the “wedge” action of the thick blade and grind?
Notice how the edge profile continues through the serrations. Makes it a peach to sharpen.
Very unobtrusive on the other side, yet they still cut very well.
Stripping bark like butta'.
Is it a good chopper? I was surprised that it really did pretty well. The knife balances well, with it being just a tiny bit weight forward. Chopping 2” green material was quite easy. I wouldn't buy this knife as a designated chopper but it is definitely up to the task if the need arises to chop some smaller material, say 1” or less. For thicker material, use a baton to help chopping. Sure not going to hurt the 1/4” thick blade.
With that said, I agree that the 6 is a slightly better chopper. The longer, lighter blade gives you more speed in your swing, which works better on softer materials.
Not a great pic, but the left side was chopped with the 6 and the right was done with the 5. The nice thing about the 5 is that if the edge or your technique won't finish the job, the mass of the blade with break it on through!
This wood was HARD!
Action shot
How does it baton? The blade is so thick on this thing and the grind is just right that once you get the wood started splitting, it just acts as a wedge and a good one at that. The edge leads the way, but the thickness of the blade makes more contact with the wood, which takes a little bit of wear off the edge; something you probably won't get with thinner knives.
I love a 5” blade for material around this size.
See the “wedge” action of the thick blade and grind?
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- Jun 9, 2009
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How's the sheath? Love it. I've always liked the sheath on my ESEE-4 and the 5 is the same sheath on steroids. The retention slot allows you to adjust the retention to your liking. The retention can actually be made so tight that I couldn't get the knife out. Might come in handy for some application where you have the knife lashed to gear and you want to make sure it isn't going anywhere until you get to your destination.
4 in sheath along side the 5. As you can see, the sheaths are quite similar. Love these sheaths.
Personally, I like a knife that rides higher most of the time. The paracord belt loops are excellent for this. I had no real issues with the pommel poking me.
The clip plate that comes with the knife is nice. Quality is definitely there and I had no concerns of breaking it. For those that like fast on/off and like the knife to hang lower, it's a great option. I still prefer the paracord belt loop method. To each their own. Again, the longer I had the knife the more I started to like the clip plate. I dig it.
As you can see, the clip plate hangs the knife a little lower, keeping it out of your rib cage depending on what you are doing. The only mod I would make, is you might need to bend the metal belt clip slightly in the inside to keep it from digging in to you if you are uh...”fluffier”?
The versatility of the mounting options for this knife are endless. Another advantage of the paracord system. Pack, belt, chest rig, plate carrier, gear bag, zip tie it to the frame rail of the seat in your vehicle, mount it up! The sheath will do it.
You could make one heck of a mini-car kit out of this rig. Easy to move from car to car.
Glass breaker, really? Really. It doesn't take much force to break auto glass with this knife. It has enough mass to do the job. The glass breaker isn't “sharp”, it's just pointed. This knife would be right at home in an emergency/vehicle kit where you don't know what situations you'll be presented with that may extend beyond cutting and chopping wood. This knife is up to the job.
[Youtube]W2vMvOp3E0c[/Youtube]
So overall what do you think? I think I like the knife and I think I need one! Will it be my primary woods knife? Probably not, but it would definitely see some woods time. I was expecting it to be some big Rambo knife that was too purpose-driven (as a SERE knife) to be good for general tasks. It just isn't so. It's a little beefier than most of the knives I carry in the woods, but as a knife that is up to any task, I think it prevails over many.
As an emergency/vehicle knife this thing is excellent. Break the window, cut the seat belt and pry the door open, then go to a restaurant and cut your steak with it on the way home. It can handle it.
I love the overall look and shape/ergonomics of the 5. And yes, I'd STILL love to see this thing in a 3/16” version, maybe even with a rounded pommel. A 5” blade is excellent and a 5 on a diet would be an excellent addition to the ESEE line up in my opinion.
I have gained a new appreciation for my 6 during this experiment. Comparing it to the 5 has shown me that it is a great 6” field blade. Chops small stuff like a mini machete and can still be shaving sharp.
Just like a good pack, I learned when I started carrying a gun that it isn't what you carry, it's how well you balance it that makes a lot of difference. Turns out a Glock 19 is an excellent couterweight.
4 in sheath along side the 5. As you can see, the sheaths are quite similar. Love these sheaths.
Personally, I like a knife that rides higher most of the time. The paracord belt loops are excellent for this. I had no real issues with the pommel poking me.
The clip plate that comes with the knife is nice. Quality is definitely there and I had no concerns of breaking it. For those that like fast on/off and like the knife to hang lower, it's a great option. I still prefer the paracord belt loop method. To each their own. Again, the longer I had the knife the more I started to like the clip plate. I dig it.
As you can see, the clip plate hangs the knife a little lower, keeping it out of your rib cage depending on what you are doing. The only mod I would make, is you might need to bend the metal belt clip slightly in the inside to keep it from digging in to you if you are uh...”fluffier”?
The versatility of the mounting options for this knife are endless. Another advantage of the paracord system. Pack, belt, chest rig, plate carrier, gear bag, zip tie it to the frame rail of the seat in your vehicle, mount it up! The sheath will do it.
You could make one heck of a mini-car kit out of this rig. Easy to move from car to car.
Glass breaker, really? Really. It doesn't take much force to break auto glass with this knife. It has enough mass to do the job. The glass breaker isn't “sharp”, it's just pointed. This knife would be right at home in an emergency/vehicle kit where you don't know what situations you'll be presented with that may extend beyond cutting and chopping wood. This knife is up to the job.
[Youtube]W2vMvOp3E0c[/Youtube]
So overall what do you think? I think I like the knife and I think I need one! Will it be my primary woods knife? Probably not, but it would definitely see some woods time. I was expecting it to be some big Rambo knife that was too purpose-driven (as a SERE knife) to be good for general tasks. It just isn't so. It's a little beefier than most of the knives I carry in the woods, but as a knife that is up to any task, I think it prevails over many.
As an emergency/vehicle knife this thing is excellent. Break the window, cut the seat belt and pry the door open, then go to a restaurant and cut your steak with it on the way home. It can handle it.
I love the overall look and shape/ergonomics of the 5. And yes, I'd STILL love to see this thing in a 3/16” version, maybe even with a rounded pommel. A 5” blade is excellent and a 5 on a diet would be an excellent addition to the ESEE line up in my opinion.
I have gained a new appreciation for my 6 during this experiment. Comparing it to the 5 has shown me that it is a great 6” field blade. Chops small stuff like a mini machete and can still be shaving sharp.
Just like a good pack, I learned when I started carrying a gun that it isn't what you carry, it's how well you balance it that makes a lot of difference. Turns out a Glock 19 is an excellent couterweight.
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Ok this is a very short review. Had something come up, but didn't want to hold onto it any longer. Besides who can but sadie's last pic. Anyway I attached the clip upside down to see how it would attach to my old LBE. Worked great. I like this knife alot. And like it was pointed out above the serrations are easy to maintain and sharpen. The handle is great but I decided to do alittle something diff. There is alot of different types of wraps,but this one I like. For the kydex sheath to worked I would have to use some sorta turkish knot or add a base layer of para cord under the wrap. Im going to included this cord with the box. Thanks for this passaround. AWESOME knife.
Anyway I attached the clip upside down to see how it would attach to my old LBE. Worked great. I like this knife alot. And like it was pointed out above the serrations are easy to maintain and sharpen. The handle is great but I decided to do alittle something diff. There is alot of different types of wraps,but this one I like. For the kydex sheath to worked I would have to use some sorta turkish knot or add a base layer of para cord under the wrap. Im going to included this cord with the box. Thanks for this passaround. AWESOME knife.Attachments
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- Oct 2, 2006
- Messages
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I have to begin my review by saying that I handled the ESEE 5 at the BLADE Show this year and I did not like it. Not that it was not well made, because it was. I just prefer thin knives with full height grind. I guess I tend to think of knives from a hunting and slicing standpoint. I also do not like serrations on a knife. You can blame this prejudice on a deer I cleaned when the serrations kept getting caught on the hair. So in saying all that I guess I was a perfect candidate to test out the ESEE 5
I respected the craftsmanship but would not have spent the money myself to TEST a knife that was so different from what I liked.
I received the knife and immediately looked at the edge. I saw several spots on the edge that had rolled and a slight piece of roll over on the tip. I tried to take pics of these but I am no photographer.
P1
P2
P3
In my EDC world of Spyderco folders, an edge that looked like this would have meant that it would not have cut cleanly through magazine paper. Imagine my surprise when it did.
P4
However it would not shave and as I never would have gone in to the woods with a knife this dull I proceeded to lightly sharpen it. I used the gray ceramic stone from my Spyderco Sharpmaker as a file and I filed out the spots that rolled over. I then sharpened the knife like normal approximately 20 times on gray and 20 times on white with the Sharpmaker. No convex = easy for me to sharpen. Someone mentioned shaving with the 5 in an earlier post. Here you go ..
P7
The knife also cut fuzz sticks acceptably for me.
P5
Just for giggles I tried a fuzz stick with the serrations thinking sure they would not work. WRONG! They worked just fine for this (maybe even better than straight edge with my admittedly bad technique, but hey the pieces of pine I had in the shop were small!).
P6
I received the knife and immediately looked at the edge. I saw several spots on the edge that had rolled and a slight piece of roll over on the tip. I tried to take pics of these but I am no photographer.
P1
P2
P3
In my EDC world of Spyderco folders, an edge that looked like this would have meant that it would not have cut cleanly through magazine paper. Imagine my surprise when it did.
P4
However it would not shave and as I never would have gone in to the woods with a knife this dull I proceeded to lightly sharpen it. I used the gray ceramic stone from my Spyderco Sharpmaker as a file and I filed out the spots that rolled over. I then sharpened the knife like normal approximately 20 times on gray and 20 times on white with the Sharpmaker. No convex = easy for me to sharpen. Someone mentioned shaving with the 5 in an earlier post. Here you go ..
P7
The knife also cut fuzz sticks acceptably for me.
P5
Just for giggles I tried a fuzz stick with the serrations thinking sure they would not work. WRONG! They worked just fine for this (maybe even better than straight edge with my admittedly bad technique, but hey the pieces of pine I had in the shop were small!).
P6
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- Oct 2, 2006
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- 2,122
I made an orange lanyard for the knife because I really feel uncomfortable chopping without one. Many of you may be familiar with this technique but to those who arent. I basically take cord and put a knot in each end with a zip tie on it.
P8
That way when you are walking the zip tie can be up next to the handle so you wont have a loop catch on something. (I included the cord and zip ties in the box for the next reviewers)
P9
I also make it large enough so it goes up and over the back of my hand and around my thumb.
P10
That way if I need to release it I can and it will just hang from my thumb. I didnt get a pic of it, but while chopping I also held the knife by my first, second, and third finger all the way toward the butt with my pinky curled around the butt. That seemed to get me much more velocity with my cut. I did not chop a lot but I did not get any hot spot from this. Here are some pics with my new Junglas to show what the grip looks like.
Pjung
Pjung
P8
That way when you are walking the zip tie can be up next to the handle so you wont have a loop catch on something. (I included the cord and zip ties in the box for the next reviewers)
P9
I also make it large enough so it goes up and over the back of my hand and around my thumb.
P10
That way if I need to release it I can and it will just hang from my thumb. I didnt get a pic of it, but while chopping I also held the knife by my first, second, and third finger all the way toward the butt with my pinky curled around the butt. That seemed to get me much more velocity with my cut. I did not chop a lot but I did not get any hot spot from this. Here are some pics with my new Junglas to show what the grip looks like.
Pjung
Pjung
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
- Messages
- 2,122
I was able to make it out to the farm Friday afternoon. The area I live and have access to is mainly fields with small patches of woods tucked in between. I wanted to see what the 5 would do chopping green sapling size wood for shelters, fire tongs, and such but didnt want to go around chopping down saplings. I also wanted a bow for the bow/drill set I wanted to make out of stuff I found laying around. Luckily my uncle told me that some of the Buckeye tree limbs were growing in to his yard and could be pruned back. I discovered it was kind of hard to chop, cut, and take pictures at the same time. I have one good pic of the limbs.
P11
The 5 zipped through the small limb with velocity to spare, it felt much like a machete. The larger limb in the pic took one swipe but there was that bothersome bark and about 1/4 of wood that always seems to remain on a cut like that. Suddenly I had a brainstorm; I reversed the edge and cut the remaining piece with the serrations!! It zipped right through like a saw in one pull cut. I obviously did not make a shelter but if I was in a survival situation I have no doubt I could easily chop down saplings or limbs for a shelter.
I only chopped and batoned one piece of dry wood because I was running out of time. My hand holding the wood got more of a hot spot than the one holding the knife. It took a bit of work but I was able to chop it into manageable size and split to get to the dry center that everyone talks about as being a necessity. It was actually easier to chop dry wood with this than I thought it would be. The batoning was no real surprise.
P12
P13
After dinner I whittled down a fireboard set. I dont claim to know what I was doing and it showed. I wouldnt try this in a survival situation as with my skills I would have more faith in getting a rock that would spark than this ha-ha. I will say that having the knife blade hanging out on the end did seem to kind of throw the balance off. Someone that knows what they are doing really needs to try this and report though. (Sweat droplets visible on floor ha-ha)
P14
Next I dragged off some fat wood shavings. The serrations worked well for this too. (I had already begun to rethink my serration prejudice.)
P15
I found that even using the serrations I could not get a spark to start in the fatwood without a LOT of trying. Self critiquing I should have had many more shavings but to those who havent actually tried this with their favorite carbon survival knife .do so!! My findings were definitely contrary to my thoughts. I thought these serrations would shower sparks over everything. An uncoated square spine of a Mora seems much easier to throw sparks with than the serrations were on the 5 for me. A simple piece of hacksaw blade throws off lots of sparks and will start fatwood in 1 or 2 strikes. I was able to get a piece of char cloth to glow with 2 strikes on the ferro rod with the 5 on the serrations. You can just barely see it smoking and glowing.
P16
(FYI the ferro rods work much better with handles on them too!)
Conclusions:
1. These are the best serrations I have seen. (I love Spyderco but have 0 users with serrations.)
2. Chops much better in green wood than expected.
3. Not mentioned above, but I would want another retention strap around the handle.
4. If I needed a knife to do everything I might need for survival and was restricted in size to what could be carried concealed, or easily on the belt, the ESEE 5 would be a very solid and economical choice.
5. Sharpening was a piece of cake. A welcome change from wonder steels.
6. Not sure what it has to do with survival, but I eyed my tomahawk and knife throwing target, gauged the distance and threw the knife 1 time from 5 paces ..
P17
It throws pretty well.
Thanks for the opportunity to test this out. If I dont win this one I believe I will have to get an ESEE 5 of my own. Wow, I havent typed that much since College! I hope you all like the review.
P11
The 5 zipped through the small limb with velocity to spare, it felt much like a machete. The larger limb in the pic took one swipe but there was that bothersome bark and about 1/4 of wood that always seems to remain on a cut like that. Suddenly I had a brainstorm; I reversed the edge and cut the remaining piece with the serrations!! It zipped right through like a saw in one pull cut. I obviously did not make a shelter but if I was in a survival situation I have no doubt I could easily chop down saplings or limbs for a shelter.
I only chopped and batoned one piece of dry wood because I was running out of time. My hand holding the wood got more of a hot spot than the one holding the knife. It took a bit of work but I was able to chop it into manageable size and split to get to the dry center that everyone talks about as being a necessity. It was actually easier to chop dry wood with this than I thought it would be. The batoning was no real surprise.
P12
P13
After dinner I whittled down a fireboard set. I dont claim to know what I was doing and it showed. I wouldnt try this in a survival situation as with my skills I would have more faith in getting a rock that would spark than this ha-ha. I will say that having the knife blade hanging out on the end did seem to kind of throw the balance off. Someone that knows what they are doing really needs to try this and report though. (Sweat droplets visible on floor ha-ha)
P14
Next I dragged off some fat wood shavings. The serrations worked well for this too. (I had already begun to rethink my serration prejudice.)
P15
I found that even using the serrations I could not get a spark to start in the fatwood without a LOT of trying. Self critiquing I should have had many more shavings but to those who havent actually tried this with their favorite carbon survival knife .do so!! My findings were definitely contrary to my thoughts. I thought these serrations would shower sparks over everything. An uncoated square spine of a Mora seems much easier to throw sparks with than the serrations were on the 5 for me. A simple piece of hacksaw blade throws off lots of sparks and will start fatwood in 1 or 2 strikes. I was able to get a piece of char cloth to glow with 2 strikes on the ferro rod with the 5 on the serrations. You can just barely see it smoking and glowing.
P16
(FYI the ferro rods work much better with handles on them too!)
Conclusions:
1. These are the best serrations I have seen. (I love Spyderco but have 0 users with serrations.)
2. Chops much better in green wood than expected.
3. Not mentioned above, but I would want another retention strap around the handle.
4. If I needed a knife to do everything I might need for survival and was restricted in size to what could be carried concealed, or easily on the belt, the ESEE 5 would be a very solid and economical choice.
5. Sharpening was a piece of cake. A welcome change from wonder steels.
6. Not sure what it has to do with survival, but I eyed my tomahawk and knife throwing target, gauged the distance and threw the knife 1 time from 5 paces ..
P17
It throws pretty well.
Thanks for the opportunity to test this out. If I dont win this one I believe I will have to get an ESEE 5 of my own. Wow, I havent typed that much since College! I hope you all like the review.
- Joined
- May 27, 2008
- Messages
- 1,295
About a month ago, the tip of my right pinkie was split down the middle, and the nail pulled off. I have tinfoil protecting the nail bed. So, this is mostly a one-handed review. It surprised me how small the knife is. I know it has the same handle as the ESEE-6, and a shorter blade. But, from the way people talk about the knife, I expected it to be bigger. The ¼” thickness makes the handle feel almost square in-hand. To me, it wasn't quite as comfortable as the 6's, but that's probably more due to the fact that I'm used to the handle on the 6, and right now, still using my weak hand for everything. I can't even close a full grip on the knife with my dominant hand, because of this stupid pinkie injury.
some comparison pics
The knife exudes stoutness, but it isn't too big to carry IWB, in fact, it rides lower than my ESEE-3, thanks to the clip plate.
I carried it for a couple days in this manner, just to get a feel for how well the blade could remain concealed. It isn't too heavy to carry, I didn't even notice the extra 16 oz. I could see using this as an EDC, even if it doesn't get used daily. I actually forgot I was wearing it a few times. Really comfortable. The throat of the sheath sits just below the hemline. It causes the handle of the knife to hug in to your body, without being uncomfortable. Camping, I would prefer a longer blade, but for something fairly large that I can carry IWB, in less-than-knife friendly areas, this seems to be a good choice.
I decided to start my tests with some one handed batonning. Almost took my thumb off a time or two, but it splits wood fairly easily, just by chopping into the end of a piece, and hammering it on the ground. First piece I grabbed was a bit rotten, so it only took one good whack.
I chopped a limb, about an inch and a half wide, off a bit of pecan that's been laying in my front yard for a week, it wasn't as fast as the Junglas, but did better than I expected.
To get some momentum, I have to grasp the knife in a 2-finger grip, and “snap” it, like a machete. The knife took decent chunks this way. I then split another bit of pecan, half-dried, about 1 ½ inches thick, by 3 feet or so.
One-handed, I made it most of the way through, then I held the knife with my injured right hand, and found a fairly small baton to use with my left. There was almost no felt “recoil” on the other side of the knife. Hit the blade, the whole knife glides down the limb. This thing loves to split wood!
some comparison pics
The knife exudes stoutness, but it isn't too big to carry IWB, in fact, it rides lower than my ESEE-3, thanks to the clip plate.
I carried it for a couple days in this manner, just to get a feel for how well the blade could remain concealed. It isn't too heavy to carry, I didn't even notice the extra 16 oz. I could see using this as an EDC, even if it doesn't get used daily. I actually forgot I was wearing it a few times. Really comfortable. The throat of the sheath sits just below the hemline. It causes the handle of the knife to hug in to your body, without being uncomfortable. Camping, I would prefer a longer blade, but for something fairly large that I can carry IWB, in less-than-knife friendly areas, this seems to be a good choice.
I decided to start my tests with some one handed batonning. Almost took my thumb off a time or two, but it splits wood fairly easily, just by chopping into the end of a piece, and hammering it on the ground. First piece I grabbed was a bit rotten, so it only took one good whack.
I chopped a limb, about an inch and a half wide, off a bit of pecan that's been laying in my front yard for a week, it wasn't as fast as the Junglas, but did better than I expected.
To get some momentum, I have to grasp the knife in a 2-finger grip, and “snap” it, like a machete. The knife took decent chunks this way. I then split another bit of pecan, half-dried, about 1 ½ inches thick, by 3 feet or so.
One-handed, I made it most of the way through, then I held the knife with my injured right hand, and found a fairly small baton to use with my left. There was almost no felt “recoil” on the other side of the knife. Hit the blade, the whole knife glides down the limb. This thing loves to split wood!
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- Joined
- May 27, 2008
- Messages
- 1,295
I read somewhere that catalpa makes for a good bowdrill setup... just happen to have some dried catalpa in my wood pile. This limb is about 3 thick and fairly tough.
After chopping a bit over halfway through, I switched to my RC-6s. The ESEE-5 was the better chopper. It seemed to knock chunks out every time I hit the limb! I had to stop chopping for a while, and go find some gloves. My hands haven't been working much this last 5 weeks, and they're getting tender. Got myself a couple blisters on my left hand from all this chopping.
Eventually, I stomped the limb in half, and then worked on splitting off a hearthboard and spindle.
Wow! The bowdrill divot works! There's nearly zero friction, and the spine of the blade rests on your shin or thigh, depending on how you sit. It stabilizes your hand and the spindle, so you can focus more on getting the bow moving. Lots of smoke. Much more than the one other time i've tried using a bow drill. I didn't spend enough time building a tinder bundle, and in my excitement, kept breaking the ember up.
After 30 minutes or so, I decided to try out a firesteel. Dryer lint and grass, and 3 one-handed attempts, and I had Fire!
The Izula steels from KSF are about the perfect size for ESEE serrations. I went ahead and threw a spare in the box.
After chopping a bit over halfway through, I switched to my RC-6s. The ESEE-5 was the better chopper. It seemed to knock chunks out every time I hit the limb! I had to stop chopping for a while, and go find some gloves. My hands haven't been working much this last 5 weeks, and they're getting tender. Got myself a couple blisters on my left hand from all this chopping.
Eventually, I stomped the limb in half, and then worked on splitting off a hearthboard and spindle.
Wow! The bowdrill divot works! There's nearly zero friction, and the spine of the blade rests on your shin or thigh, depending on how you sit. It stabilizes your hand and the spindle, so you can focus more on getting the bow moving. Lots of smoke. Much more than the one other time i've tried using a bow drill. I didn't spend enough time building a tinder bundle, and in my excitement, kept breaking the ember up.
After 30 minutes or so, I decided to try out a firesteel. Dryer lint and grass, and 3 one-handed attempts, and I had Fire!
The Izula steels from KSF are about the perfect size for ESEE serrations. I went ahead and threw a spare in the box.
- Joined
- May 27, 2008
- Messages
- 1,295
So, the glass breaker... we know it does well on auto windows. But what about really thick glass? It just so happens that my grandmother recently got a new T.V...
I didn't bring any gloves to Grandma's house, nor did I bring long sleeves. This could end badly... I wrapped a bandana around my hand, and grasped the knife. A few half-hearted whacks near the top, and pressure was released.
The T.V. hissed for a good 10 seconds... I knelt down, so I could hit more toward center, and CRASH! A basketball-sized hole in the screen.
This glass is about a half-inch thick. Wow. I'm really surprised at how little effort it really takes. And I didn't bleed!
I noticed a bit of rounding on the point of the glass breaker, about like the point of a Bic pen, but it doesn't seem to be near enough to impede its function.
After the T.V., I decided to try splitting some osage orange we cut about a month ago. Split the stuff about as well as the Junglas. This knife keeps impressing!
I didn't bring any gloves to Grandma's house, nor did I bring long sleeves. This could end badly... I wrapped a bandana around my hand, and grasped the knife. A few half-hearted whacks near the top, and pressure was released.
The T.V. hissed for a good 10 seconds... I knelt down, so I could hit more toward center, and CRASH! A basketball-sized hole in the screen.
This glass is about a half-inch thick. Wow. I'm really surprised at how little effort it really takes. And I didn't bleed!
I noticed a bit of rounding on the point of the glass breaker, about like the point of a Bic pen, but it doesn't seem to be near enough to impede its function.
After the T.V., I decided to try splitting some osage orange we cut about a month ago. Split the stuff about as well as the Junglas. This knife keeps impressing!
- Joined
- May 27, 2008
- Messages
- 1,295
The day before I shipped the knife out, my doctor yanked the foil off my nailbed, and released me to work, so I got to handle it a bit right-handed. Not uncomfortable at all! It fits my dominant hand perfectly!
This knife begs to be used, much like every ESEE i've handled, It would be an excellent knife to keep in the truck, tucked under the seat, or in the glovebox of the car. I could see myself strapping it to my B.O.B, or just carrying it out for a fun day in the woods. Its growing on me. I've been hesitant to try out the ESEE-5, mostly due to its reputation as a knife-shaped prybar. After handling one, I now know I really need to add one to my little family. It is definitely stronger than anything I'd ever throw at it.
Thanks to Tony and the ESEE crew for this passaround!
This knife begs to be used, much like every ESEE i've handled, It would be an excellent knife to keep in the truck, tucked under the seat, or in the glovebox of the car. I could see myself strapping it to my B.O.B, or just carrying it out for a fun day in the woods. Its growing on me. I've been hesitant to try out the ESEE-5, mostly due to its reputation as a knife-shaped prybar. After handling one, I now know I really need to add one to my little family. It is definitely stronger than anything I'd ever throw at it.
Thanks to Tony and the ESEE crew for this passaround!
1066vik
Gold Member
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2009
- Messages
- 20,995
We'll start with glamor/comparison shots, including one of the balance point.
The blade is definitely thick, but not too thick to be comfortable in hand.
Size falls right between my TAK & my RC6.
First impression picking up the ESEE5 was its mass, but with the balance point in hand, it did not feel too heavy or unwieldy. I spent 2 days with the knife hanging off my belt and kept forgetting it was there.
Also, either my hands are that much bigger than the other reviewers or I hold knives different, but I had no problems with hot spots or blisters.
The blade is definitely thick, but not too thick to be comfortable in hand.
Size falls right between my TAK & my RC6.
First impression picking up the ESEE5 was its mass, but with the balance point in hand, it did not feel too heavy or unwieldy. I spent 2 days with the knife hanging off my belt and kept forgetting it was there.
Also, either my hands are that much bigger than the other reviewers or I hold knives different, but I had no problems with hot spots or blisters.
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1066vik
Gold Member
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2009
- Messages
- 20,995
Use - first thing I did was touch up the edge. I wasn't trying for shaving sharp, but it trued up plenty quick with an Ez-Lap fine diamond stone.
Then I went out in the pasture and hacked a chunk off a dead honey locust branch. Even though this is some hard wood, I had no problems.
After getting back to the house, I barked and rough shaped the stick into a spoon shape and made a huge pile of bark and wood splinters. The 5 bit hard and wedged chunks off easily. The partially dried/cured locust was hard enough that I did not feel like burning all my daylight scraping out the bowl of the spoon, so I started with a coal, let it burn for a few minutes, then scraped out the carbon and put another coal in - wip, not even close to done.
This afternoon, I decided to test out my gills some more (it's a bit muggy this time of year) so I dropped the 5 in my pack kit and back out into the pasture we went. found a branch with a bunch of dried leaves on it, used that to make a quick bed of tinder on a rock, and built a small fire.
I had a lot more luck with the ESEE fire kit than I did with a Doan's magnesium bar/striker, but after a bit of trying, got a small fire going. Since it was fairly windy, I didn't build it up, though I had plenty of material at hand. (sad thing is, I had a ball of fresh dryer lint I meant to bring with and left it in the house - so this was a good "training opportunity")
Back at the house, I made up a batch of fuzz sticks fairly quick. Though not shaving sharp, this was still a very capable cutter.
Overall impressions - this is a serious bar of steel. While serrations are not my thing, these were functional and did not make the knife less effective for the way I tend to use knives.
If this was the only fixed blade available to me, it would do anything I asked of it, but given a choice it would not be the first thing I grabbed going out the door 95% of the time. (I prefer my TAK & ESEE6 for typical camping or around the property type chores.) However, it would be an excellent item in a truck kit or bug out bag.
Thanks for the chance to try before I buy!
Then I went out in the pasture and hacked a chunk off a dead honey locust branch. Even though this is some hard wood, I had no problems.
After getting back to the house, I barked and rough shaped the stick into a spoon shape and made a huge pile of bark and wood splinters. The 5 bit hard and wedged chunks off easily. The partially dried/cured locust was hard enough that I did not feel like burning all my daylight scraping out the bowl of the spoon, so I started with a coal, let it burn for a few minutes, then scraped out the carbon and put another coal in - wip, not even close to done.
This afternoon, I decided to test out my gills some more (it's a bit muggy this time of year) so I dropped the 5 in my pack kit and back out into the pasture we went. found a branch with a bunch of dried leaves on it, used that to make a quick bed of tinder on a rock, and built a small fire.
I had a lot more luck with the ESEE fire kit than I did with a Doan's magnesium bar/striker, but after a bit of trying, got a small fire going. Since it was fairly windy, I didn't build it up, though I had plenty of material at hand. (sad thing is, I had a ball of fresh dryer lint I meant to bring with and left it in the house - so this was a good "training opportunity")
Back at the house, I made up a batch of fuzz sticks fairly quick. Though not shaving sharp, this was still a very capable cutter.
Overall impressions - this is a serious bar of steel. While serrations are not my thing, these were functional and did not make the knife less effective for the way I tend to use knives.
If this was the only fixed blade available to me, it would do anything I asked of it, but given a choice it would not be the first thing I grabbed going out the door 95% of the time. (I prefer my TAK & ESEE6 for typical camping or around the property type chores.) However, it would be an excellent item in a truck kit or bug out bag.
Thanks for the chance to try before I buy!
