Tag Archives: ESEE 3

ESEE 3 with Sheath and Grizzly Firesteel

by Woodsbum

Several years ago I picked up an ESEE 3 knife for use as a bushcrafting neck knife. It is tough, keeps an edge, is light weight for its size and actually fits my large hands. There are all sorts of reviews and perspectives on this knife floating around the Internet. What I wanted to do was to show you how 3 years of hard bushcrafting use will do to this knife and how a few good accessories will make this a phenomenal field tool.

My ESEE 3 with Grizzly sheath and firesteel

My ESEE 3 with Grizzly sheath and firesteel

First off, let me talk about the knife. I got this as a NIB “catch and release” from someone who did not like the weight or narrow stature of this knife. This allowed me to get it at about 60% of the normal cost without it having ever been used. It was still in the plastic that it was shipped in. This is important to note because all the wear and tear you see was done by me in the woods. When it came to me I found that it had some sort of odd coating over the entire blade, excluding the sharpened edge. This made it impossible to use as a striker or to get a spark off a firesteel. I went ahead and squared off the spine of the blade and made it capable of use with a firesteel. This was the only modification I made to the knife itself.

Squared off spine

Squared off spine

The other accessories that I got that made this the great field tool that it is were the ESEE sheath and a firesteel from Grizzly. The sheath is very well constructed and has an internal tension type retention for the blade. It will hang upside down all day long without issue, but will pop right out with only a little pressure from my thumb and a pull. It also does not rattle at all in the sheath while hiking, hunting or general be-bopping around in the woods. The firesteel stays in place very well in the molded Kydex attachment. All being said, this is a very nice setup for someone wanting a dependable field knife.

As you can see from the pictures, I have used the firesteel quite a bit. It is not a tough as one of the H60’s, but it is a close second. I would not hesitate to use this as my primary fire igniter or as a secondary system in case something happens.

There are clips for the sheath that allow you to carry the knife in a variety of ways. Since I wanted something that I could slip around my neck for any number of outdoors activities like duck hunting or general camping, I opted for a neck carry. As time as gone on, I am now considering getting a clip to attach this knife to my tactical chest rig. Only time will tell if I move forward with that plan, but it is definitely something that I have been considering.

I can not speak highly enough of this configuration. For less than $150 you can get a screaming deal on a knife configuration that will last you a lifetime if you take care of it. I highly recommend this for anyone looking at a production type field knife.

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Gear Check Meetup (Part 2 – Neck/Camp/Chore Knives)

by Woodsbum

 

In the second part of the “series” I have broken down a few of the knives that we discussed.

Neck/camp/chore knives, by my definition, are those knives that usually hang around one’s neck for use in cutting things around camp: rope, food, packets of sheer nummy-ness, etc. They can also be used for feather and fuzz sticks or just to whittle yourself a spoon. I commonly refer to them as “camp knives” although many have adopted that term to be used for the large bladed knives that resemble the old Hudson Bay knife. The knives that I am referring to are not as thick and heavy as your hard use type knife and even patch or game knives work well for these tasks. The main thing is that they need to excel at the chores that your hard use knife doesn’t.

To be perfectly fair, you can call these “Steve” knives, hot dog stickers or thumb jabbers for all I care. The important distinction is specific to their use and not the nomenclature.

Many people feel that these knives are just as good as any other heavy duty knife and can do anything that those others can do. The big thing to remember is this: Most bushcrafters carry multiple sharps. Many do a Nessmuk trio, while others do more of a Kephart style combination. Even if you do something completely different and pair saws with knives, tomahawks, or the sort you will need a knife that you can do the more intricate work with.

Morakniv Classic

Morakniv Classic 2

Morakniv Classic 2

Morakniv has been almost synonymous with bushcraft for many years. Their knives are razor sharp right out of the package, are carbon steel so you can get a good spark if you square off the spine, and are very inexpensive. The problem is that they are not a full tang and you cannot depend on them during heavy use such as batoning or chopping. Moras do, however, make one heck of a feather or fuzz stick. They are highly recommended as a neck knife or for lighter use as a camp/chores knife. For those that believe that these never break, please check out the multiple images here.

Morakniv Companion

Morakniv Companion

Morakniv Companion

Condor Woodlaw:

Condor Woodlaw

Condor Woodlaw

This knife was on the previous page as a hard use knife. Depending on the other items you carry, this could actually be used as more for camp chores if you bring an axe to do your major chopping and fire preparation. The thing to remember is that you want one really sharp knife in addition to something you can drive through a tree if you need to.

ESEE 3

ESEE 3

ESEE 3

The ESEE 3 was also on the other page. Again, it really depends on what your other tools you carry. Like I have mentioned before, stay clear of the serrated blades. Because of the changes in blade shape serrated edges make it difficult to judge cut depth and direction. Some people practice up and can use them quite effectively, but it is going to be a practiced skill and not something that will be easily transferred from knife to knife. I am not saying that people can’t do it or don’t love them once they get used to them. It is simply an added difficulty that newer bushcrafters should steer clear of until the get more established and transferable skills developed.

Helle

Helle Eggen

Helle Eggen

Helle knives are absolutely remarkable and a dream to use. Their Scandi grind keeps the edge hair popping sharp and they are a full, but hidden, tang. For a knife that can be used for many years without worry or failure, Helle would be a great choice.

Sargent Edged Tools

Sargent Model 1

Sargent Model 1

Sargent Edged Tools is a custom knife maker that builds a great knife. His designs are very simple, but elegant. They are a bit more expensive than many other options, but are definitely worth the price.

As you can see, many of the knife choices are more Scandi ground with a bit smaller blade. They all tend to be smaller and lighter. This allows the user to use a cutting edge closer to their hand for better control. It also allows for more exacting use during activities such as carving or shaping wood.

No matter what you end up getting, make sure you have a tool for each job that will be presented to you in the field. Cover all aspects of chopping, splitting, carving, and general camp chores so that you don’t end up using the wrong tool to complete a task. This can end up being a dangerous situation. Just ask anyone that had to hike back out of the woods to get stitches.

I hope that you find this informative. Happy bushcrafting everyone!!!!

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Gear Check Meetup (Part 1 – Hard Use Knives)

by Woodsbum

 

It is a long story, but just suffice it to say that I ended up taking over a Meetup.com Bushcraft, Survival and Tracking group here in the Portland, OR area. Many who know me are probably blowing coffee out their nose and onto their keyboards at the moment. You’re welcome……

Well, we did a meetup last night. The topic was gear and what was truly needed to be able to go out bushcrafting. It was a decent turnout and there were a few new faces. That is always refreshing and exciting to see.

Without further ado, here is some of the gear that we showed and talked about:

First category is the “Hard Use” Bushcrafting knife. These knives are built to baton wood, pry out chunks of wood for notches when making things like pot hooks, and chores that would make any hidden or partial tang knife shudder.

This is the Condor Bushlore:

Condor Bushlore

Condor Bushlore

This knife is a full tang and can take a beating. I have had one for years and know others that have them as well. Really truly, it is a hard use knife for the money. It is made of 1075 high carbon steel and has a hard wood handle. I have found that you will probably need to do a finish sanding job on the handle if you are as OCD as I am, but it is a great starter knife to learn with. This would be the knife used when you baton wood for fire prep and general, hard use type chores.

Here is the Condor Woodlaw:

Condor Woodlaw

Condor Woodlaw

When you are looking for an inexpensive knife to carve as well as do fire prep, this is a great choice. The thinner point works well for making holes or getting into those tight spots where the Bushlore just seems to not quite reach.

More Condor products that rate an “honorable mention” are their Kephart, Nessmuk, and Bushcraft Basic.

Then there are the Beckers. The Becker line can all take one heck of a beating and have gained a tremendous following. There are some die hard fans out there and rightfully so. There are very few production knives that can perform as well as the Becker line can.

Becker BK2

Becker BK2

Becker BK2

The BK2 is a solid performer, but commands a higher price than the Condor line. This solid knife will take about anything you can dish out without hardly a scratch. One thing to note, however, is the coating that is put on the blade. To use this knife with a firesteel this coating needs to be removed. That is no big deal, but it needs to be mentioned.

Becker BK5

Becker BK5

Becker BK5

The BK5 is also a good option, but the point is more pointed and tapered. This helps with carving chores, but makes it a bit more susceptible to breakage when driving it through things. Most people don’t do such things with their knives, but it can and does happen.

Becker BK16

Becker BK16

Becker BK16

The BK16 is also a favorite knife among many bushcrafters due to its durability and nimble feel during use. When using a pinch grip it is not as exacting as many other model knives, but it is a great all around choice.

There are many other options in the Becker line. If you do an Amazon search for them, you will see the other models. About anything in this line that doesn’t fall under the “combat” moniker will perform quite well for you.

In any bushcraft knife discussion ESEE knives will be brought up at some point. They have a phenomenal reputation and are really a tough knife that can take a beating. Now remember that there are two models that resemble each other. Ontario and ESEE both have knives that look almost identical. Many will argue that the Ontario is just as good as the ESEE. I personally like the ESEE better and have had much better luck with them.

ESEE 3

ESEE 3

ESEE 3

The 3 is a great knife, but a little small for many people. It will, however, take a beating. It’s bigger brother, the 4, is much more suited to hard use chores because of its added size.

ESEE 4

ESEE 4

ESEE 4

The ESEE 4 is the knife I use as my survival blade while hunting. It is lightweight and you can get several really nice Kydex sheaths for it that make it a phenomenal neck knife. I even have a firesteel loop on my configuration. Like the Beckers, you will have to take off the coating on the spine of the blade if you plan on using it with a firesteel.

ESEE also makes variations with larger blades. Their ESEE 5 and ESEE 6 are great choices as well.

My personal preference is to stay away from the models with serrated edges for hard use. They are great for EDC type knives like the Spyderco. When used with a baton or when trying to make feather sticks the variance in the edge make it difficult to properly assess the depth and direction of the cut.

ESEE Junglas

ESEE Junglas

ESEE Junglas

The Junglas is a chopper among choppers. Having only had a few chances to use one it quickly made my short list for future purchases. I am currently using a custom MP Knives Direwolf for chopping and heavy camp work, but the Junglas might become my “second” for the task.

Customs:

There are many custom knife makers out there that make a great knife. I have several from various makers such as MP Knives, Wolf Creek Forge, Adventure Sworn, SLP Knives and Wild Boar Forge. They all fit the bill and can be made specifically for your desired purpose.

Here are a couple pictures.

MP Knives Direwolf

MP Knives Direwolf

AS Mountaineer

AS Mountaineer

The amount of money that you spend on a good, hard use knife is only limited by your budget and desired configuration. I used to think that any knife was ok as long as you could get it sharp. After having broken several and then used some customs my thoughts changed. Spending $100’s of dollars on a knife is as much of an investment in your safety as it is in the beauty of the tool. Either way or no matter what you decide to buy, just make sure you get as good of a quality item as what your budget can afford.

The next part of the series will be on your general use camp knife.

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