Esee 6 Review

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StartUpSurvival

Joined
Aug 18, 2013
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The Esee 6 is one of my favorite fixed blade knives that I have ever handled or owned. It get so many things right, and it’s well worth the hefty price tag of $150. To date this is the most expensive knife I have ever purchased, but I have absolutely no regrets.
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Blade
The name Esee 6 is misleading, in that this knife actually has a 5.75″ length. This is pretty much my favorite blade length for a wilderness fixed blade. For chopping, you would probably want something larger along the lines of an Ontario RTAK 2 or a Esee Junglas, but I don’t intend to do much chopping except for testing. In the city, I think between 3-4″ is perfect for a folding knife, and in the woods I think 5-7″ is perfect for a fixed blade. What I use this primarily for is batoning fire preparation, but it is versatile enough to cover many camp related tasks.
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Steel & Coating
The steel is 1095 high carbon. This blade steel is tough and holds an edge for a long time, but it is vulnerable to rust. In terms of edge retention, this knife survived 2-3 nights of camping firecraft, as well as several day trips before I re-sharpened it. After all of that it still held a good edge, but no longer shaving/paper cutting sharp. I was able to touch it up on the Spyderco Sharpmaker in a few minutes. To aid with the rust protection, there is a durable coating which thus far as held up well. I also recommend keeping the blade dry, and applying a light coating of mineral oil when storing for longer periods.
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Weight
The blade itself is 12 oz, and while I could not find an info for the total weight including the sheath, I would estimate about 15 oz. This is very reasonable in my estimation, and provides a nice balance between firepower/mobility. Compared to the Ka-Bar Becker BK2, this knife feels incredible nimble and more versatile. Not to mention the longer/thinner blade give more capabilities.
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Handle & Ergonomics
I really like how the Esee 6 provides different options for grip. You can use the beautiful Micarta handle choked back for heavy duty chopping or batoning, or choked up for fine work such as whittling or carving. This is a large part of what makes the knife so versatile. It’s actually my experience with micarta as a handle material, and so far I am impressed. It is very comfortable and durable. To me it looks kind of like a synthetic version of wood, so it appears more traditional but won’t swell up or get damaged as easily as wood does.
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Sheath
I have never had a Kydex sheath before, so I can’t really provide a fair comparison as far as that goes. This shealth is constructed of molded plastic, this is best I have ever owned or handled. The retention is amazing. You can shake this knife upside down vigorously and it won’t come loose. Also, the belt clip is extremely useful and can be used with a pocket, or attached to your backpack.
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Warranty
I’ve had far too much experience with knife warranties in the last year for my liking. Kershaw, Spyderco and SOG have all serviced or replaced my knives well, but it’s still a hassle to mail them back. Obviously the ideal situation is to never require serving at all. I can’t promise nothing will ever go awry with your Esee 6, but they stand behind it with an unconditional lifetime warranty. Does that mean you can go chop a concrete block and send the knife in? Good question! I’m not really sure, but it sounds like theoretically it’s possible. In any case, I think the Esee is an amazing knife and should last for many years to come.
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[video=youtube;cvzGVXozAgg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvzGVXozAgg[/video]
 
StartUpSurvival said:
Does that mean you can go chop a concrete block and send the knife in? Good question! I’m not really sure, but it sounds like theoretically it’s possible.
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Theoretically one could impregnate a mouse with some oil, a shoe horn, and extreme determination. But is it really a good idea ? ;)
 
I really like mine too, RC branded as I have had it a few years.

Took the drop down belt loop off a CS ODA sheath and it fits the esee's sheath holes, works really well.
Mine never came with the belt clip, I will have to look into it at the local brick and mortar here.
 
The ESEE 6 seemed great on paper, but when I picked one up, I found the slab-like contours of the handle just didn't suit me. That was long before TKC started making custom handles for ESEE. Now, I think I might just have to go back and revisit the ESEE 6. Thanks for the great review, and the inspiration.
 
I like everything about the ESEE 6 (and the whole ESEE line in general) EXCEPT the handles. They are far too blocky for me and create hot spots in extended use. You can always buy the TKC scales buy IMHO they are far to expensive for what they are, you could buy a much better knife once you combine the price of the ESEE 6 and the TKC scales together.
 
retzius said:
I like everything about the ESEE 6 (and the whole ESEE line in general) EXCEPT the handles. They are far too blocky for me and create hot spots in extended use. You can always buy the TKC scales buy IMHO they are far to expensive for what they are, you could buy a much better knife once you combine the price of the ESEE 6 and the TKC scales together.
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what would be a better knife than the esee 6 and tkc scales together?
 
retzius said:
I like everything about the ESEE 6 (and the whole ESEE line in general) EXCEPT the handles. They are far too blocky for me and create hot spots in extended use. You can always buy the TKC scales buy IMHO they are far to expensive for what they are, you could buy a much better knife once you combine the price of the ESEE 6 and the TKC scales together.
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I've priced it out. You can buy the blade blank, TKC handles, and sheath, and still be around $150.
 
retzius said:
The SwampRat Rodent 5 is $148. Same effective blade length, better ergos, better steel, just... better.
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True, although I'd go with the RatManDu myself. I just dig the ergos more on the RMD. But you raise a good point.
 
raindog101 said:
The ESEE 6 seemed great on paper, but when I picked one up, I found the slab-like contours of the handle just didn't suit me. That was long before TKC started making custom handles for ESEE. Now, I think I might just have to go back and revisit the ESEE 6. Thanks for the great review, and the inspiration.
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Or this. Modding the handle made it soooo much more comfortable.
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retzius said:
The SwampRat Rodent 5 is $148. Same effective blade length, better ergos, better steel, just... better.
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Better steel maybe slightly, but with no sheath included and a 4-15 week wait period for your blade. I think Esee is a viable option for the OP. Not knocking the swamp rodent in the any way just that with these factors in place the Esee 6 is at least equal. (Comes with sheath, can be delivered within 3 days, and if anything ever happened to it could be replaced within the week). I think that Esee has cornered the market on merging quality with convenience.
 
jamaljahda said:
Better steel maybe slightly, but with no sheath included and a 4-15 week wait period for your blade. I think Esee is a viable option for the OP. Not knocking the swamp rodent in the any way just that with these factors in place the Esee 6 is at least equal. (Comes with sheath, can be delivered within 3 days, and if anything ever happened to it could be replaced within the week). I think that Esee has cornered the market on merging quality with convenience.
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Agree completely, with Becker and a couple others right behind em.
 
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