I couldn't disagree more. I love the ESEE 4. I wear a size large in gloves and it fits my hard perfectly. Three inch blades feel small in the hand and 4inch blades are just so much more useful. I own the ESEE 6 and it is awesome in its own right but the 4 is the goldilocks ESEE for me :-)
Knives are not meant to chop logs. Esspecially a 4" blade. Dont use a knife where an axe is required. ANY bushcraft or survival expert would never be near the woods without an axe along with his knife. Its a perfect knife for what it was designed for.
Jonathan Oakley the ESEE Junglas is a knife that is made to chop logs..it’s pretty much a heavy short machete...surprisingly it chops a lot better than my Estwing Black Eagle tomahawk..I know a tomahawk isn’t nearly the same as an axe but the ESEE Junglas is a very impressive chopper regardless..I mean,it’s obviously not idea to use to topple over huge trees but anything too big for my Junglas can be taken out with the silky saw...as for the ESEE 4,I agree,I wouldn’t even consider using it for chopping
Well yeah lol, chopping doesn’t put no where near the stress on a blade as bat-toning does. I mean your just swingin the edge into wood instead of smashing the spine of your blade with a small log lol. Obviously you don’t get out in the woods to much or use knives in the wilderness very much if you do not know this. Chopping is a lot easier on literally any knife than bat-toning is any day. This doesn’t mean the knife is good at chopping but it just doesn’t cause as much stress on the blade unless your trying to chop into concrete blocks witch no one does.
@@joelilley3554 The Esee 4 can take the batoning, that's why batoning is best use with it. It'll chunk out the base of any wood less or equal to 5-6inches better than anything 'cept an axe
If an Esee 4 is too heavy and cumbersome to carry around all day, then a combined Esee 6 / Esee 3 will definitely be to heavy to carry around. That's the point of an Esee 4 , it's a compromise. I have what I think is even a better compromise for an all round knife and that's the HX outdoors 'Rock' knife: it's a quarter of the price , comes with D2 steel, G10 handle and micarta sheath, is slightly heavier and has a longer handle. The blade is shorter but works really well in real life and, although it takes longer, can chop well, but once again that's the compromise. I definitely wouldn't want to be carrying around the heavy Esee 5 or a combined Esee 3 and Esee 6.
I've watch your video, and I appreciate your opinion. The 4 isnt for everyone. I had bought an esee 4 over two years ago and have not used it till yesterday ( after watching this video) so I decided to finally use the esee 4 , and see if it would for me do well at bushcraft tasks (such as prepare wood for a fire. Do feathers and feather sticks, baton -Chop and so forth) for me this blade impressed me. It did fine feathers, and Batoned wood ( not as well as my a saber ground blade but it worked very well) , it also worked great for baton -Chopping , had no trouble doing any of that. No for me, the esee 4 does a good job at fire prep and getting a fire going. Had to put a 90' spine on mine, and now it throws a spark very well. Again thanks for the video review, hense the reason why I decided to put the esee 4 to the test. Now that I'm satisfied with it. Gonna upgrade the scales and sheath soon enough.
I think most blades are limited in one way or another. A larger size is more to carry and less to carry takes a little more work to accomplish chopping tasks. Give and take and what not. I carry an esee-4, a silky pocket boy folding saw, whatever edc folder I'm carrying that day, and often an esee izula 2 or white river m1 caper for finer work when I'm setting up or working on a camp. The izula and Caper are by no means necessary. I just like having then around.. I'm waiting on a Tops Brakimo to come In and I'm excited to spend a few days working with the heavy duty scandi grind because traditionally I've stood behind flat ground knives but the esee-4 has been my go to bushcraft knife for about 2 years. Be creative and carry what's comfortable and usable. Esee-4 is a winner if you ask me.
Good honest opinion based review. I spend a lot of time in the bush hunting,camping and fishing( my profession is butcher/slaughterman for 15 years) and was recently considering getting the esee 4 but after this and a few other reviews I'll stick with my esee 6 hm and pick up an izula 2 as a companion. Thanks for the honest review instead of pandering to the masses mate.
I love the Esee 4 because it's the best overall knife imo. Small enough for EDC, but a good enough size to get a lot done. The "flat" handle is perfect for low profile EDC where as thicker handles would feel awkward to concealed scout carry all day. With these handles I barely feel that it's there (TIP: use gloves for things like long bushcraft sessions). I love the versatility between light and heavier tasks, especially being 1095 with a thick 3/16 blade. Even if it makes some things less convenient, it definitely gets a lot of jobs done for just one tool compared to a more "optimal" knife only suitable for one specialized purpose. I can use this one knife for everyday for food prep, hunting, bushcraft, survival, and self defense knowing it's built like a tank. Not a lot of knives can say that. For some more convenience, simply pair it with an Izula or any pocket folder you like.
Had to pair my Esee 4 with a hatchet for camping. Bought a 6 and I really don’t have real use for the 4 unless I hiked. Just a stainless folder with the 6 and I’m set for camp!
I like people who say that the esee isnt a good survival knife because it isnt big enough to baton, and isnt thin enough to do bushcrafting, and isnt this because that. Sure, but you have to remember that rating knives is VERY relative. People always get so caught up in finding a perfect knife, that something that doesnt fit in that category automatically becomes the worst thing in the world. Its all about perspective, people. You could survive without bringing ANY knives with you. You could survive even better with a swiss army knife. The esee is leagues ahead of both, so saying its not that great makes zero sense
I thank you for the comment and opinion, what I am trying to get across is that there are plenty of other knives in this same price range that are better designed. ESEE Laser-strike, TOPS BOB, TOPS HOG 4.5, Ontario blackbird sk-5, or Buck Punk will have a better handle and overall design.
Sure, In your opinion...... Who are you to say that there are better designs? That is very much a matter of opinion. The esee 4 has a perfect design for me. Just because it isnt your cup o tea, doesnt mean its a bad knife
Your right, just like it is your OPINION that it is a good knife. My OPINION when I used the ESEE4 is that I would rather take any of the previously listed blades over the ESEE4 & I then communicated that to my viewers and the blade community through this video. That is what any review is about, giving your OPINION on whether something is good or not. I am glad the ESEE4 is a good design for you, it is not for me.
I guess that I just gave up on the idea of a one knife solution. Always have good pocket knife (plus maybe a 2nd, or maybe a small fixed blade as neck knife/scout carry). If in the boonies, carry a Leatherman multi-tool. In the boonies, carry a 4-6" fixed blade on your body. And that's perhaps the one with the fanciest steel for edge retention. It's thinner than 3/16". Try to not abuse that knife. Carry a beltable, big, tough knife(1095 or 5160?) in the pack(ESEE 5, BK7,BK9, Junglas, RTAK II, etc. ), because it won't break, and will re-sharpen easier. That's the survival knife. If you plan on woodcraft or gathering serious amounts of firewood in a forest, really consider packing a hatchet or small axe. In a forest, pack a saw. For some trips, consider carrying a specialty knife or two: skinner, scalpel, fine slicer, filet,...
I appreciate and respect the honest opinion and review. I'd agree, that if you're JUST going to carry one knife for any type of survival type situation, you do in fact need a larger blade which gets thinner over a larger surface area or a smaller and already thinner blade. Anywho....I've got a Ontario Night Stalker 6 and their Ranger TFI as well as their Spec Plus machete. I'll keep the ESEE-4 and TFI for a self defense only tool and rock the Night Stalker 6 for a survival and the SP8 machete for a camp/utility tool.
i put i thinner cutting edge on mine and it performs way better 20 degrees on the lansky jig and the edge holds up well too the factory edge was way too wide and course .
Great video! I have an ESEE4 but cannot get it as sharp as I want or need. I also have a Falkniven IDUN with convex grind, 5 mm thick and razor sharp. It holds its edge forever, no need to re-sharpen all the time. Thanks for your video! Keep safe!
I have three Esee's, two 5's and a 6. The only thing I would change on them are the handles, too small for my huge hands. The bk series by Ka-bar fits my hands better, other than that, I'm pleased with my purchase. I enjoyed your review on the Esee, and I agree with you on this topic, if I had to choose between the Tops and the 4, I'd probably choose the Tops, especially if the price point is about the same. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and opinions on the Esee 4, I appreciate it.
I think this is a great EDC knife or Companion knife. It is a compromise that is good at everything and great at nothing. If you are talking survival or wilderness camping, combine this with a $25 Fiskars Hatchet and you are ready for anything. I prefer the Becker BK 16 (with a few mods) for this size knife. Like the reviewer, I also like the ESEE 3 better.
Switched up my tops backpackers bowie for this right here knife ... candiru , opinel 7 , bahco laplander nd a trail hawk ... gets the job done every time
I would be more than happy if someone could tell me which blade surfaces or finishes are safe and adequate for food and which are dangerous for our health (toxic)
Very nice review. There is no one tool that can do every job. It's wise to use the right tool for the job. No knife will be able to chop wood to the degree you can with a hatchet or an axe. A really sensible idea is to carry a knife along with a hatchet (or a small axe), and a folding saw in your ruck sack. Doesn't have to be very heavy and you have a world of versatility.
Good review and points well made. I think that is the reason I looked at the Esee 4 and couldn't find a reason to use it. Instead, I will use two knives, an Esee 6 and a Mora, usually the Companion MG. I have been leaning towards a bigger knife lately but can't seem to figure out a way to make sense of that either when a camp axe or even a good, enexpensive folding saw will do much better. I think experience leads the way, sometimes those 300 dollar knives in exotic steels look cool but in the end my 15 dollar Mora can do mostly the same.
It sounds like a good tweener knife. Good for tactical applications, and good at survival applications but not great or ideal at either. Thanks for the review.
This coming from the same person who loved the Fieldcraft 3.5 and was batoning with it. I would take this over a fieldcraft 3.5 any day. Both roughly the same size but the Esee 4 will do so much more.
I'm getting into ESEE because of their warranty. What other company will replace/fix the knife no matter what you do to it? I can't think of any others.
In my first getting into knives phase, the Tops looked good and I heard great things about 154CM heat treated by Bos which this model was. Then I got the knife and realized how useless a 5" blade saber ground with 1/4" stock is. Funny because there are quite a few knives of this size like the BK2 which just makes no sense to me. I sold it and have replaced it with many more. My favorites being the Spydy Bushcrafter and streetbeat. 2 of the most comfortable and well made knives I have ever handles. The Bushcrafter was pricey but that handle is insanely comfortable and with a bushcraft knife I think that is most important. The Street beat is designed for self defense but I EDC it because of its size and its just a really good knife. For my survival SHTF, its my Scrap Yrad 711. I don't think I could possibly come up with a more perfect 7" knife. The steel is extremely good with a great mix of toughness, edge holding, and ease of sharpening. The clip oint design is perfect for most everything and it too has a great handle of ResC which is rubber like that completely insulates the handle. It has a weight forward design that makes it a better chopper than other equal sized blades. The ONLY negative is the coating impedes cutting somewhat but it is serving a purpose. My conclusion is that no knife smaller than 7" needs a 1/4" stock, especially if its saber ground. Esee 5 would be my nomination for worst esee knife IMO.
gideonstactical I have the bk2 And i love it. But im looking for a smaller day hiking / lighter use knife . Im tossed up between the bk16 and the esee 4 stainless.. any thoughts or recommendations.. I have the Izula 2 and like it but that's my only experience with esee knives.
Esee's from the factory are ground very obtusely, like a lot of other blades. Re-profiled this knife would perform much better. This improved my Esee 6 greatly. Re-profile the 4 so that it is slightly convex and more keen and you will see it perform more comparably to the 3.
Id pair it with an izula .izula for finer slicing ie food .the four for surviving .also you get the esee warranty .and the rowen heat treat personally i have never wanted a tops knife juat dont like the looks of them .i also just got a ratmandu which smashes all others anyways
Ironkid883 I agree,for the most part..TOPS has a few models I like but the majority are ugly..many of them also come with cheap nylon sheaths which is ultimately what made me choose the ESEE Junglas over the TOPS Armageddon..the Armageddon was about $30 more and came with a cheap nylon sheath that I would’ve had to replace which would’ve pushed the price up to about a $100 difference..ESEE knives always have good sheaths and good handle scales..it’s nice to get a new knife and not have to worry about replacing anything
Would you recommend the cold steel master hunter 3V over this blade for camping/hunting/fishing type stuff? Im not really into the hardcore survival stuff but I do like to play in the woods. Both the Esee4 and Master Hunter have about the same price point.
I enjoy your videos, but I think you missed the mark on this one. Sure, in a perfect world I would have multiple knives, or a trio of knife/saw/hatchet, but I think the Esee 4 is a homerun if you just want to carry ONE tool. I don't think it's ideal for any one specific task, but you can do a little bit of everything with it. If you can only carry one knife on your person, the Esee 4 is a fine choice.
Anyone think this would make a good get home bag fixed blade? Don't want something as big as an Esee 5/6, but want something more heavy duty than a typical 3ish inch folder.
The Essee 4 is a frustrating knife as it comes from the factory. The coating is like sandpaper and interferes with it's ability to cut. The cutting edge is too fat. The spine isn't sharp so it won't throw sparks. And the handle is too short for large hands. Clean off the coating, sharpen the spine, lower the bevels to 20 degrees or less, and put some bicycle innertube over the handle. With these modifications you end up with a decent knife for backpacking or EDC. Coat the blade with chapstick and rust isn't a problem either.
But the handle won't grow larger. I just don't get their models. The 3 and 4 with tiny short handles. And the Junglas with a big handle that won't fit everyone well due to being very wide and flat . Handle ergo's aren't ESEE's strongest point...
@@Ve-suvius I agree there's better knives for the money,. Some of us were stupid enough to buy the Essee 4 based on hype. But, since you got it you might as well modify it to turn it into a functional knife. I actually enjoy using mine now that I modified it to meet my camping needs.
Hey Gideons! Just curious what brand are those yellow leather work gloves you appear to be using in this video and the Esee Laser Strike video, and where you picked them up? Do you like those gloves, and do you find them comfortable? I'd like to know where the best place to get a nice comfortable pair of leather work gloves would be? Thanks brother! BTW- I really love your Esee series of reviews! Very thorough and informative! 5 stars!
@Momqvist. Well, I choped with my 4 inch blade because I got into a situation where it was needed to do so and I didn't have a bigger blade or an axe! Regards!
The majority of the people getting this knife are getting it because it is a great In between knife that is not to small but can do things that small knives can do but can also do things that big knives can do.
Your Esee and Rat videos are great. Great reviews of some high end knives! Keep up.the good work. I like seeing reviews that are done in my neck of the woods.
I have an ESEE 4, but have yet to try it in the bush. My go to knife for that has been the benchmade 162 bushcrafter. Looking at the two together the blades are surprisingly similar in most aspects. Have you tried the bushcrafter? I have had pretty awesome results with it (I stopped using my mora in favor of it.)
That's what she said lol sorry the name of the video was just asking for it lol btw good video I have an esee4 and like it a lot but there are definitely a few things I would change if I could
no questions asked lifetime warranty full replacement why isn't that said in the review ? i mean the price is thrown in there and compared to the TOPS but not the warranty
A lot of people love 440C because of its sharpenability. If you want to keep it sharp in the field, then something like 440C is great. And as mentioned below, if the heat treat is right its a pretty damn good steel.
ESEE and TOPS both make great knives but there are many knife manufacturers that are equal and some who are even better,like Bark River,T.M. Hunt,Survive! GSO,Battle Horse,Fiddleback Forge,etc...I can assure you,TOPS and ESEE aren’t the only knife manufacturers who test their knives..the knife world is a huge world,you can’t just dismiss the many other great knife manufacturers out here because you’re a fan of TOPS and ESEE..most of us are fans of TOPS and ESEE but there is a big difference in being a fan and being a fanboy..you my friend,appear to be fanboying with your ridiculous comment
Would u consider the model with the double edge a dagger?? I know u can't give me legal advise but I just want opinion... Would the double edged version be looked at as a dagger? Please anybody reply.. Thnx
Technically it wouldn't be a dagger. I don't know the USA overall knife laws but I assume your area has to allow a double edge blade to be carried. In Canada we can carry any knife as long as it is not concealed. We just have to justify carrying it.
It is too small to do any real batoning or chopping. It is a good size camp/bushcraft knife, but then you run into the thick blade and the small handle. There are just tons of other knives on the market that are either better survival knives or better camp/bushcraft knives. The ESEE 4 is Jack of all trades, and master of none, and for $90 I better get a master not a Jack.
gideonstactical Thanks, but i could do some great batoning with the esee 4. you know its a madder of opinion if its a survival knife or not. i think it is a great survival knife. But thank you for shearing your opinion did help me. Thanks
I am debating between this and the condor bush lore. I know the benefits of both and don't know which to get. I am not too picky about sheaths. Both seem fine. It is partly lower price vs warranty. I also want something easy to sharpen. Anyone got some advice?
both knives are 1095. esee has amazing warranty but, you can buy 2 bushlores for the price of 1 esee. I've never had a bad experience with condor's knives. I own their tomahawk heavy duty kukri and their kephart and I love each of them. The esee has a nicer feel to it not just how it feels in hand but just in over all appearance and everything, also with esee your supporting Americans and with the condor your supporting el Salvador, I know to a lot of people that matters but to me it doesn't really I have knives made from all over from the Philippines to Russia
A beauty of being human is that we all have opinions. As for this video, we just totally disagree. The difference in blade thickness is negligible. The difference between ESEE’s (Rowan) heat treatment, strength, etc., and TOPS is not negligible. I was grinning, watching you do everything pretty much effortlessly that you were knocking the E-4 about; carving, shaving, and so on. You said you wouldn’t baton with it...why not? On small branches, it batons better than most every similar-sized knife I own, tied with an LT Wright. Oh well.
How could any knife owner or enthusiasts say that the esee 4, especially in s35vn isn't a fantastic knife? For the cost, obvious high quality, balance, grind, materials used, etc. the esee 4 is an excellent all around knife. I couldn't be happier with it. Could I use other knives for specific tasks, yes. Would I want to carry another knife to handle all tasks I could be faced with, no.. I don't want to carry a larger or thinner knife.
You're absolutely right buddy!! I love the esse 4 so much that I have 4 of them, 2 in 1095 and 2 in s35vn just in case. The one in s35vn is in my opinion one of the most beautiful and tougher stainless steel knife In the market right now, and nobody including ( ESSE ) is doing any reviews on it. Half the world is raving about s35vn steel. Esse comes out with 4 in 35 and nobody cares, unbelievable. I don't get it.
Jack of all trades master of none, for me thar sums up the Esee 4. Yes, a Mora can slice better, Yes a Junglas can baton bigger logs and chop better, but with the Esee 4 you can get your cutting, chopping and batoning done if you have the skill. My all time favorite survival knife is the Fallkniven F1, and surprise it is almost the same size and thickness as the Esse 4. The swedish airforce has the F1 in their pilot survival kits, That says alot about this size format. I own both knives, my biggest gripe with the Esee 4 is that it cant strike å ferro rod out of the box. And in winter it will rust, (F1 for winter use). All in all its not a perfect knife but one of my all time favorites. Just my two cents.
Its funny, the more I got into knives, the further from ESEE I get, save the Junglas. As a whole, their ergos aren't spectacular. 3 is decent, but the grip is too small. 4 is a tactical knife and a woodlore clone will outperform it 5 is another tactical knife thats really too big to be practical 6 is the 6-9 inch blades that compromise too much for me Junglas is near perfection and would make for a better knife than the 6. Ironically, its probably the only ESEE that would actually benefit from a choil...
+Rusty Shackleford In your opinion what is the best 5 inch fixed blade knife? I want a knife in that length, but I just didn't like the Ka-Bar BK2 or ESEE 5, don't know why? What knife would you recommend?
I have used my ESEE 4 knife for more than 5 years and have used it to light about 100+ splitwood fires. (if you don't know what a splitwood fire is your not a woodsman) It is by far the best survival knife I have ever come across and used. I'm not one of those dorky fat gear guys either, I use my equipment all the time for work, and anything from ESEE has never failed me. Can't say the same about Ka-bar... not saying that the BK16 is junk because I have never used it but I have broke many Ka-bars.
My ESEE3 has been my companion on every outdoor adventure for the last 3 years. It has performed flawlessly as a game Skinner in the Bush especially when taking a skull mount without a saw, or dressing the thighs. I never worry about its toughness when prying joints apart, nor do I reach for my smaller pocket knife when the jobs require detail. I've had to grind the spine for fire starting, and profile the edge for crafting. It is my Every outdoor adventure carry. It is always accompanied by a Weterling camping axe, and my edc is a Doug Ritter mini grip. I love seeing dummies batonning sticks with knives, axes have been around for thousands of years along with knives. Every tool has its place. Esee3's and 4's are very close in dimension. I've used both but kept the 3.
If you're Rockin a bigger knife or Rockin a 3 inch branch or you're Rockin a ........ What are you a white rapper? I have a hard time taking this guy seriously if he sounds like vanilla ice?
Raven Six yeap I've abused it to test it. I'd say yes it is there's also someone on RU-vid if you type in esee 4 440c there's a few videos of a gentleman who compares it to the tops and does abuse it and it holds up very well. Don't know why esee doesn't offer their warranty on that blade as it's amazing youd really have to do something wrong to break it but I guess there are a lot of people who throw them and stuff just to be stupid and get a new one.
I’m sure the 440c version is a great knife regardless but I can guarantee you it won’t hold up to the same level of abuse as 1095...1095 is probably the most common steel for these hard use survival knives for a reason..it’s by far the most common steel used by ESEE,Ka-Bar,Ontario Knife Company,etc...1095 is a softer tougher steel while 440c is a harder weaker steel..where 1095 is more likely to roll the 440c is more likely to chip or break...literally the only advantage of 440c is it doesn’t require the same level of maintenance and is far less likely to rust..I personally think the benefit of the 1095 carbon steel far outweigh the benefits of 440c..as long as you don’t plan on batoning and chopping(which in my opinion is about pointless with a 4” blade) the 440c should hold up just fine...I personally would love to see ESEE offer a wider variety of steel..would love to see ESEE knives in N690,M390,Elmax,3V,D2,etc but I do completely understand why 1095 is there go to..it has been proven for many years and would be far cheaper to use than some of the steels I mentioned above...to me,it would be worth the extra money charged
Who cares what anybody thinks. You need to be confident in yourself and your preference. Do you think indians had RU-vid and reviews. NO! and guess what those indians would be LTAO at us.
I am done with Esee. My cheap Schrades like the schf56L retained the edge better and only cost me 24.00 My Schrade schf36 that cost me under 30.00 out performed my Esse 5. I have since given the Esee knives to a friend. I enjoy your reviews and videos and I believe you are spot on with this one.
Ben Schildgen I the SCHF56LM which is the same knife with micarta handles and a thermoplastic sheath..I paid just over $30 for it and it is one hell of a deal..I read a review on Amazon where a guy broke one of his Schrade knives.he contacted Schrade and they replaced it...you really can’t beat that for a cheap Chinese and/or Taiwan made knife..they are an incredible value,especially when the heat treatment was right
Ok, disagree hard. It’s an awesome knife? I bushcraft the shit out mine. So I now need a Esee 6? Jump the Esee 5 for a 6. Damn bud you even paying your own money lol I have a mil spec 3 and the 4. No doubt both good. Can’t batten with em. You on the crack you contradict much, brah?. Ffs. And, let’s be honest. I could cut it in half and send it back to Esee. No questions ask replacement. I’m SOLD.
Well said. I appreciate the video. I'm not a huge bushcraft guy but am looking for a good tactical self-defense future law enforcement blade. And while I can see how this wouldn't be your favorite for bushcraft, you actually help sell me on the tactical side of it. I've had it for a couple months now and it's great for the purposes I have. Here is a link to a knife that is designed for more of a tactical, military self defense type knife that would compare nicely to the ESEE 4. It's got a great story behind it too. I got this knife for Christmas and am really enjoying it. Idk might be something you could look at. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-h3oSuXObp78.html Great videos man. Have subscribed and love your channel! God Bless.
D.A. Harlan read your comment on this video about a month ago. I was looking for a very specific knife and did not know what it was yet. I had been looking for about 3 months prior to reading your comment. After clicking the link to the Matt Would Go Knife that you posted I was in awe of that knife. 3 weeks of reading everything I could about that knife and comparing it to a lot of other knives, I purchased it. I have had the knife for about a week now and I have to say that it is worth the money I spent on it. Thank you for introducing me to that beautiful blade.
