- Joined
- Jan 9, 2011
- Messages
- 18
Ok, so I just posted a review of my first ESEE knife, the Izula II (or as I call it "The Scalpel").
You can check it out here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831475
Now I'm gonna review something a little bigger. Well actually alot bigger. The ESEE 5.
Already having one ESEE knife my expectations were high. The Izula II had impressed me enough to shell out the 225 clams for the ESEE 5 (plain edge, black blade with green MOLLE back & pouch) only a week after I had bought the Izz.
My package arrived from our buddy Dale at T-K-C & the ritual ensued. First of all, the knife was a beast. A big, fat, hoss of a knife. I had a grin from ear to ear.
The fit & finish were perfect. The blade coating was ESEE's usual top of the line finish & all the grinds were symmetrical.
The micarta handle is high quality, nice & flat on the sides & is shaped to fit the hand for a working grip. It feels like a tool, not a weapon.
I didn't really have high hopes for the edge from the start since this knife is so thick, but the sabre grind worked alot better than I thought. The knife came as sharp as it could possibly be. It shaved straight out of the box just fine. Impressed sirs.
It also has a cool little glass breaker/skull crusher pommel because, Ya never know...
Sheath is kydex & extremely high quality. Nice drainage hole in the bottom for unwanted moisture. Knife locks into place & feels 100% secure. Also has a sliding lock on the sheath, although I never use it. Clip that comes with the sheath is not that good (just my opinion). This knife is just too big for it. I would be scared it would fall off my belt.
I was extremely pleased with the knife so far so I decided to take a look at the MOLLE back & pouch. For $73.20 they were gonna get some eagle eye inspection as well. Pouch & back were extremely rigid. Nice quality even if they were made in Mexico. They still seemed overly priced though. I mean come on! Almost 75 bucks for a couple pieces of sewn canvas? Well... after I put the MOLLE back on & attached it to my belt I forgot all about the price. That's the way to carry this knife if you ask me. It's comfortable & you can change the ride height just by taking off the top MOLLE piece (the one with the handle holder & jump flap). You can put your belt through the bottom part of the MOLLE back & the knife rides high & easily accessible. That's how I carry it. The pouch is just a pouch with a PSK tin in it. Fits on the sheath great. You have alot of different carry options with ESEE knives & I like that. I can carry with or without the pouch, just the bottom MOLLE back or the entire MOLLE back on my belt, attach to MOLLE gear, etc. It's really versatile.
Over the next 2 1/2 months I carried the ESEE 5 on camping trips, hikes, wooded adventures, etc. I've used it as a pry bar, a makeshift shovel, a hammer, wood cutting baton & a knife & it's performed at or above my expectations every time.
This is a knife that will never die.
Overall on a scale from 1 to 10, I rate the ESEE 5 with MOLLE back & pouch an 8. I would have given it a 9 if the pouch & MOLLE back weren't so expensive. I guess the MOLLE back can be justified since it's so nice, but $21 for the pouch? I would probably go without the pouch if I ordered it again.
I'd like to give Jeff & Mike a big thanks for being so cool & offering everyone the no questions asked guarantee. That's just crazy guys. We surely appreciate it though! (Although I doubt I'll ever have to use it!)
You can check it out here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831475
Now I'm gonna review something a little bigger. Well actually alot bigger. The ESEE 5.
Already having one ESEE knife my expectations were high. The Izula II had impressed me enough to shell out the 225 clams for the ESEE 5 (plain edge, black blade with green MOLLE back & pouch) only a week after I had bought the Izz.
My package arrived from our buddy Dale at T-K-C & the ritual ensued. First of all, the knife was a beast. A big, fat, hoss of a knife. I had a grin from ear to ear.
The fit & finish were perfect. The blade coating was ESEE's usual top of the line finish & all the grinds were symmetrical.
The micarta handle is high quality, nice & flat on the sides & is shaped to fit the hand for a working grip. It feels like a tool, not a weapon.
I didn't really have high hopes for the edge from the start since this knife is so thick, but the sabre grind worked alot better than I thought. The knife came as sharp as it could possibly be. It shaved straight out of the box just fine. Impressed sirs.
It also has a cool little glass breaker/skull crusher pommel because, Ya never know...
Sheath is kydex & extremely high quality. Nice drainage hole in the bottom for unwanted moisture. Knife locks into place & feels 100% secure. Also has a sliding lock on the sheath, although I never use it. Clip that comes with the sheath is not that good (just my opinion). This knife is just too big for it. I would be scared it would fall off my belt.
I was extremely pleased with the knife so far so I decided to take a look at the MOLLE back & pouch. For $73.20 they were gonna get some eagle eye inspection as well. Pouch & back were extremely rigid. Nice quality even if they were made in Mexico. They still seemed overly priced though. I mean come on! Almost 75 bucks for a couple pieces of sewn canvas? Well... after I put the MOLLE back on & attached it to my belt I forgot all about the price. That's the way to carry this knife if you ask me. It's comfortable & you can change the ride height just by taking off the top MOLLE piece (the one with the handle holder & jump flap). You can put your belt through the bottom part of the MOLLE back & the knife rides high & easily accessible. That's how I carry it. The pouch is just a pouch with a PSK tin in it. Fits on the sheath great. You have alot of different carry options with ESEE knives & I like that. I can carry with or without the pouch, just the bottom MOLLE back or the entire MOLLE back on my belt, attach to MOLLE gear, etc. It's really versatile.
Over the next 2 1/2 months I carried the ESEE 5 on camping trips, hikes, wooded adventures, etc. I've used it as a pry bar, a makeshift shovel, a hammer, wood cutting baton & a knife & it's performed at or above my expectations every time.
This is a knife that will never die.
Overall on a scale from 1 to 10, I rate the ESEE 5 with MOLLE back & pouch an 8. I would have given it a 9 if the pouch & MOLLE back weren't so expensive. I guess the MOLLE back can be justified since it's so nice, but $21 for the pouch? I would probably go without the pouch if I ordered it again.
I'd like to give Jeff & Mike a big thanks for being so cool & offering everyone the no questions asked guarantee. That's just crazy guys. We surely appreciate it though! (Although I doubt I'll ever have to use it!)
