Fallkniven f1, CS Master Hunter, or ESEE 4

J

jlm_785

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Jul 28, 2012
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Hey guys! So Ive been lookin on here for info for a while but this is my first post! I am thinking about purchasing another knife and was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. I am looking for a lightweight but tough knife to carry on my belt while hiking/camping. I really like the Fallkniven f1, ESEE 4, and CS master hunter. I have also considered an ontario blackbird. Something that like i said is lightweight, but will still hold up through some tough stuff and keep an edge. I like the ESEE but Im not sure I like the coated blade since it cant be used on a firesteel. And I dont know if the Fallkniven is too small. If anyone could give me any advice or suggestions i would really appreciate it.
Thanks!
 
I love my Esee 4, and you can scratch the coating off the spine to use the fire steel. I like that its not too thick, still slices pretty well, but is thick enough that it can baton just fine (i wouldnt chop with it). It's fairly lightweight, and of course the coating helps with rust resistance. As long as you wipe the blade down, its no big deal. Oh and their warranty ain't bad either!
 
Fallkniven has the best steel out of all the knives you listed,laminated VG10 if im right,it will hold the edge better,not rust and is very tough,CS master hunter isnt bad but there are better options,ESEE 4 is awesome but it rusts,unless you strip the coating and patina it thoroughly.Im a big knife kinda guy but i needed a small knife to go with a large one so i bought a CS pendleton light hunter(20$) and its more than i need in a small knife since its stainless,holds a good edge and is comfortable & good slicer.
 
I think the F1 is one of those knives everyone should have. It is a really great knife- good size, big enough that you can do whatever you need to with it (actually possibly overbuilt for the length), but small enough to be easy to carry. Feels very good in the hand, with a very secure and comfortable grip surface. I even got a kydex sheath for mine. You know I really like a knife when I buy it an extra sheath! Cuts like monster and so far has held a good edge. One of my all-time favorite knives.

I really wanted to like the ESEE, but the handle just doesn't suit me. The angle is too sharp where the it dips down to act as a guard and makes my finger feel pinched. It also feels like it needs to be just a bit longer. I also don't really want a coating on my "do everything" knife. All very subjective and this knife has LOTS of fans.

CS Master Hunter also gets lots of love. I'm not that familiar with it because after seeing the second "broken" video (evidently caused by too sharp an angle at the ricasso/tang junction) I quit looking.
 
The F1 is a tank of a knife... while i have sold both of the ones i have had it is only because i needed the money more. I have an Esee 3 which is not directly comparable to the F1 or Esee 4 but it is a very nice nice ( wicked slicer) love the choil, and basically everything about it. The Esee 4 is only a little bigger so i would probably love that also.

But for ease of the belt carry, and most secure grip i say you should go with the Esee 4. The F1 handle is a little small but for me the Esee 3 feels is locked in their. The Esee sheaths are awesome, Fallkniven not so much.

I am eventually hoping to get a custom handled S1 by next year, just because i am not fond of the thermorun.
 
Buy American - get the ESEE-4! As stated, you can remove the coating from the spine and it'll work great with a firesteel rod. Perfect size for camping/hiking, too. Welcome to the bladeforums!

Stainz
 
I am very curious about the finger choil. It seems like it could be very useful! My only concern is I have a becker bk2 with a kydex sheath similar to the one with the esee. But it seems to dull the knife quickly, which is not uncommon from what I hear. Is ESEE's version better quality?
 
the ESEE sheath does not have any glass content - it's kydex.
I use the edge right in front of the choil for striking a fire steel.
 
I have the ESEE 4 I haven't used it a lot a have carry it and done some small cutting of wood and it's a very good knife to carry and use. Weight is the best about it you can carry this knife and know you have a very good knife and not feel it on you side. It will get the job done.
 
I can't say enough good things about the ESEE-4, it's probably my favorite fixed blade I own, I take it with me every almost every time I go backpacking. Awesome blade.
 
I don't have the cold steel but I have used it while camping just to try out, not impressed.

The Esee 4 is a good knife, but the F1 trumps it for hiking/camping IMO.

The F1 has a full convex edge which I feel is better for an outdoor/woods craft knife. The flat grind on the esee is better served for slicing but most of the woods work I do is splitting/chopping small branches for fire starting and things of that nature. The convex grind will be more robust and last a little longer. It's also easier for you to maintain if your just getting started on sharpening.

The steel on the f1 is superior in my opinion. The esee comes with a great heat treat but the vg10 is excellent stuff.

They have almost identical blade length and overall length. The Esee is .7" longer with .2" longer blade edge length.

The esee has a choil, and some people hate them, I love them. It allows me to get really up close for fine work, but it's not such a necessity when I'm hiking/camping.

The handle material on the f1 seemed cheap to me at first but I've come to appreciate it. It's durable and forgiving/comfortable. The Grip size is small for my big hands and my pinky is at the very end of the grip if not over the edge most of the time. The Esee grip is even shorter(deal breaker for me). I feel like its thinner as well. Chest grip and reversed grip with the esee just don't feel anywhere as good as they do with the f1. The choil makes it feel like I'm a mile away when it comes to control in these grip styles.

The sheath on the esee is excellent. The sheath for f1 (either or) is quality but no where near as good in use as the esee.

There are a lot of video's on this topic on youtube and you can see for yourself the knives in use with comparisons.

There are other knives you can look at as well. If you like something with longer grips, or different designs like thumb ramp or grip style.
 
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Well I think the ESEE is going to be the one for me! I really appreciate all the help and info! Thanks everyone!
Luke
 
I have heard that the convex is a superior edge, but i have also heard it is hard to sharpen so I wasnt real sure what to think about it. But I have a becker bk2 or cold steel kukri for all my heavy chopping so i am looking for a good slicer. I am wanting a comfortable and practical sheath since i will have it on my belt. I thought i had decided but im not sure again lol. I guess Ill have to look more into it. Thanks for the advice!
Luke
 
I was in the same spot your in.

I ended up buying both and came to my own decisions through actual use.

If money is the problem, I guarantee you you can sell either knife with minimal wear for 20 less then you purchased them.
 
Does anyone have any more info on the performance of the VG-1 version of the CS Master Hunter compared to the Fallkniven? I was going to buy a Fallkniven F1 recently until I noticed the master hunter also comes in a laminated steel for around $50 less, with a better sheath too.
 
I would go with the Convex F1 myself.

If you want something bigger there are other Fallkniven models available.

Another option would be the American made Bark River's.




Big Mike
 
F1 !

It's small/light enough that I carry it with me while on the horse saddle or mountain biking. When camping, I carry 3-4 knives in my bag (nothing big or expensive) and a cheap Estwing axe. The Fallkniven is always on my belt and I wouldn't stress/worry about "surviving" with it because this knife is tough. It's not a full convex...it has a micro-bevel so a diamond stone will work perfectly with it. It keeps an edge for a long while and it's very easy to get it back.
 
I really like the f1, but I just dot like the sheath. And I dont want to get crazy and spend a ton of money for that and then a custom sheath. But I love the ESEE sheath on the other hand and its cheaper lol. I know a big thing for fallkniven is the convex edge, so what if I put a convex edge on the esee? Would that help the performance? I have also looked at bark river but I think they may be a little out of my price range.
Thanks guys for all the help!
Luke
 
yes, you can convex the ESEE - as to whether or not it will improve performance, that will depend on how you use the knife.
 
Some thoughts.... take them for what you want.

I think you may be better served with the ESEE-3 for a general use belt knife. I have an ESEE-4 which I like. I dislike the kydex sheath but I pretty much dislike just about any kydex sheath except for the ones made by Bob Dozier.

My F1 has a ivory micarta handle, so I can't really comment on the cheaper F1 versions. I really like this knife! But if I were going to use hard or abuse a knife, I'd take the ESEE every time because I don't really care as much if I bang it up.

Don't have any experience with the Cold Steel. I pretty much lump Cold Steel and SOG together in terms of quality. The SOG Seal Pup Elite plain edge was my go to knife for the woods (general use) for a couple years. Like the ESEE, I didn't mind using it hard.

I thought the ESEE-4 was really chunky until I got a Kabar Becker BK-2.

Another one that is middlin in price is the Blackjack 125 which would make an excellent general use knife for the woods. I really like this knife and it has pretty much caused my ESEE-4 and F1 to stay at home mostly. I like the leather sheath that is supplied with it.
 
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