Those who actually use the becker handles will see that they are fine. The knife isn't going to fly out of your hands or turn circles while you are cutting.
I have owned and used both of these knives. I ebayed the Esee 6. The Esee 6 has a blocked shaped handle full of hot spots. The Esee 6 is good if you do not plan on using it for an extended amount of time or you wear gloves. the Esee 6 is also handle heavy. The BK7 point of balance is centered.
I LOVE MY BK7!!! Best all around camp/survival knife I’ve owned. I prefer to carry this and a folding saw... nothing more needed. This knife used to come with the BK13.
I think its up there. Dont have it but have the bk2 and 9. Have the esee 6 but i have to say it seems a bit fragile compared to my beckers. Might return it and get a bk7
Thanks for the review. I think people need to USE the knives to appreciate a good handle designs. BK9 is my favorite knife, BK7 is bad ass and my Esee Laser Striker is just pure class and pleasure to work with. My Spyderco PM2 and ZT cost a lot more and are fancier, considering another 50 ish knives in my collection and if the weight is not an issue, I take BK9 over the others. Why? My preference after actually using the knives. Use the knives or any other survival tool when you're tired, wet, cold, fatigued, injured or otherwise stressed rather than being in a comfortable environment. Esee 6 is also a bad ass and in my list. But my entire point is that people buy gear and they rarely actually test or practice with them in their intended conditions. If the weather is nice and comfortable, and I want to cut paper for some reason, meat or make feather sticks, I'd use a 15 bucks Mora. Nice to see some scratches on the blades. 👍🙂
I think I like the bk7 more overall if I had to choose between the 2. But scales and sheath go to the esee but if I was stranded and god said yo bro pick one of two knives and that’s all I’m giving it would be the bk7
i have owned Ka-Bar as i was in the NAVY, I just recently purchased an Esee-4, i loved it so much i bought an Esee-6, an Esee Izula with handles and bought my wife an Izula, so far to me Esee is the best EDC i have found that i can afford, i also carry a benchmade folder
BK7 all the way! you can customize the hell out of it and be proud to see it rise from a stock knife to your own personal, functional work of art. Plus, that 7-inch blade comes in very handy for chopping through brush and tree limbs, it's like a mini machete/ax. I love my BK7!!
Too expensive after you customized it. If you like sabre grind tactical 7 inch blades that come with micarta and a leather sheath get a tops silent hero
I have the esee 6 and the esee junglas. Great knives. Worth the money all the way. I do have Bk's also. Just gave my BK 2 to my dad and I still have and love the Bk16. I carry the esee's with me on wilderness trips all of the time.
For sure. Don't remember if I mentioned this in the review, but Esee is my knife - BK7 was a friend's. I love Esee, and have never regretted spending the $ however, I do love a good deal. AKA those experiences where you come away as a consumer feeling like you received a very high value for price paid - enter the BK7. All the best!
I own both... and I love both. However, if I had to choose, the Becker BK7 is a much better design and a better blade all around (except that the bk7 sheath sucks). On the other hand, the Esee 5 and the Becker BK2 are both outstanding and I couldn't pick one over the other... unless you consider sheath and handle scales. Then I would def choose the Esee 5.
Best value. Becker isnt really as cost effective as esee. Buy a bk7 and then micarta handles and a kydex sheath and you will spend almost 200 vs the 130 for an esee 6. I do think the becker is more reliable despite esee having the hest warranty though.
@@StartUpSurvival yes. Great knife but shitty sheath and although the handle design is the best out there of all its shiny ugly slick look and feel sux. Youll psy more for the kydex sheath and micarta than just buying an esee 6
the small knife that came with the bk-9 is the bk-13 ramora I am not sure if they came with the bk-7 as well. I do not have any of these knives except the ramora but I recently obtained an ontario rat 7 in d2 tool steel all minty from a buddies vault for 200 bucks its really gorgeous
They gouge us Canadians when it comes to knives. I've had a ton of Beckers and finally got my dream knife the Esee 6. I love it because you get everything; micarta scales, hardshell sheath, and that Rowen heat treat. I've been using it everyday since I got it and have yet to sharpen it. The Bk7 is a great chopper and I feel it bites better when chopping wood, the Esee 6 requires a bit more swings to really chop so for chopping, the BK7 gets the cake but the Esee just stays sharper and it's so comfortable in the hand when using. I might get the Izula to piggy back on my 6, or I might get the Junglas. We'll see..
I leapfrogged the ESEE-6 and went straight to the Bark River Bravo 2. But, I am going to get the ESEE-6 in the venom coloration within the next couple weeks. I did handle it and I love the weight and the ergonomics.
The BK7 is not made from 1095, it is made from 1095 Cro-Van. 1095, and actually the entire 10 series of steels, is made from iron and carbon, with the number after the 10 (50, 85, 95, etc.) denoting the amount of carbon in the steel. 1095 Cro-Van is a different steel first created in the 1950s as 170-06 by Sharon Steel. This is the same steel that was used by Cold Steel in their "Carbon V" knives. It is essentially AISI 1095 with Chromium, Vanadium, Nickel, and Molybdenum added. This makes it more corrosion resistant, and more wear resistant, while not sacrificing much toughness. Ka-Bar should really stop calling their steel 1095 Cro-Van. While it may be accurate, it is no doubt confusing to many people who don't know it isn't just 1095.
Say Heah, Yeah, I don't have an Essential 6 But I do like choils, I compared my friends Essee 6 to my BK-7, and your right the Essee was a little better.But I still like the BK-7 and I added a couple of knives to it to complete a nice set, I added the BK-17 and the Ka-Bar Swabbie to it. I never had any problems with the Grivory handles on my BK-7. I also had what I think in my opinion my best knife in the 6"-7" blade, I went out of tge box and had a Rodent 6 Modified, I had it thinned down and tge top gaurd taken off. For a 6"+ blade in my opinion for me it's my Fav's. Actually this turned out to be a good review, You covered all the bases, Thanx. ,, ,, ,,
I once couldnt baton through some hard knotty wood. Tried esee 6, ontario sp5, rtak 2 and the knife couldnt go through. When the bk 7 stepped to the plate it plowed through. Savre grind all the way
bk7 handle is way better (about the best on the market for actual hard use) and kabar sent me a replacement knife for a different knife i had damaged within 5 days no questions asked. literally called on monday, sent old knife back and had a new one on friday. no way they got my old one in 2 or 3 days so they just sent it on faith.
I was also undecided between these two knives and finally came to the conclusion of buying the ESEE 6 for two main reasons.Of course the ESEE 6 was a little more expensive over the BK7 but I don't particularly like the nylon sheath the 7 comes with and the 6 comes with a plastic sheath(which don't retain water) and will last longer.The ESEE6 warranty beats the BK hands down.I do like the 7" blade of the Bk over the 5 3/4" on the 6...But that's me.🔪
I really want an esee 6 (i own the BK 7 and was using it today actually) I drove down to the survival shop near me and grabbed the esee 6 but I just can't help but notice all the hot spots on the micarda scales. I was chopping with my BK for a good 20 mins today and had one small hotspot and that's considering that the scales are so comfy. I couldn't imagine how nasty the square edges on the esee would feel. But I really want one for the Blade itself not the sheath or handles. My only problem is if I buy an esee at that price point only to replace with more comfy handles that would jack up the price another 60 dollars. And the sheath seems too cheap so I would want to replace that with a good custom sheath which would jack up the price another 80 dollars and at that price point there are many blades with better steels that would out class the esee. The BK being so affordable you can customize it completely and you would pay the same price and esee cost.
The BK7 is worthy of a kydex sheath upgrade. I got a Godspeed Tactical sheath for mine that cost more than the knife did. Now it’s a major part of Mumma Bear’s car kit.
Good review. I have been considering buying one of the two. Still undecided... I like the handle shape but not material, of the Becker. I like the esee more but I want something a bit bigger.
Ruebon Cogburn The only experience I have with Condor knives was a bushlore my friend brought camping one time. During batoning, the blade warped and he also bent the tip with minimal effort. He was being slightly abusive, but nothing a fixed blade wouldn't normally take. Also, the blade stock on that knife was quite thin, but it didn't encourage me to pursue their knives any further.
Bk7 current cost is about $90usd. If someone buys the bk7 its almost mandatory to buy separate kydex sheath which costs about $60usd. So total bk7 expense about &150usd.
I have the Esee 6. Great knife and the steel and heat treat seem pretty awesome. I don't really like the plastic sheath and for the money ya why not throw in a kydex sheath. Not a big fan of the flat handles either, they're not only flat but kind of small and there's nothing on the butt, it just gets smaller which reduces its chopping effectiveness. As someone mentioned it is also blade heavy. I came here because I was looking for a comparison between the Esee 6 and BK7 and while I did learn some things I wanted to see them compared in action.
Should I go with a 75$ Bk7 or a 115$ Esee 6 with coyote brown sheath. Originally I was set on the 7 but that price of the 6 is pretty enticing. I already have a Junglas and no Becker’s which I’d like to own
For that price I would go with the Becker, but there really isn't a wrong choice. Both of the knives from this video are still going strong 3 years later.
Have just ordered an Esee 6 without the sheath and got it shipped to Canada for $140, which is way cheaper than I have found it previously. I am interested to try it out, as I previously had the Becker BK-7 and loved it until I used it. the heat treat is terrible on the Becker. Even light work would cause the blade to chip and roll so badly I basically had to spend considerable time after every use putting a new edge on in. Plus Beckers warranty does not cover the knife if they consider it "abused" which includes batoning. I don't baton my knives generally, but with a heavy duty knife like the BK-7 you should be able to. If you are considering one of these do yourself a favour and don't buy the becker!
+Ryan Walsh I have a BK9 which I take with me when checking my fence line. I have chopped everything from brush, bamboo, to an 8 inch oak that fell across the fence. I failed to bring an axe or saw. I started chopping with the BK9. I did not baton with it. It took me about an hour (which was stupid) to cut through. But the knife performed very well. I did nick the blade when I accidentally hit a metal post. But the knife is in great shape. And it does maintain its edge well. That being said, I am considering an ESEE 5 for myself too. I am also looking at TOPS knives.
I have both and I have to say that I like the bk7 much better. The only thing esee has done better is the sheath and fit and finish. Ergonomics, actual performance and design is better on the bk7 in my opinion. If the esee came without a fingerchoil and with some contoured handles, it would be a much better knife.
You make some really good points. At first glance the BK7 seems to be an underdog in this fight, but it has some really amazing advantages such as the handle, price, and ability to customize - It's almost like the Ruger 10/22 of fixed blades.
i just bought the Esee 6 and i have never had a better knife yet....but i do get the point now the love for knives. thnx for this movie update great work
I have the BK-2 which was made by KA-BAR and the sheath is about like the one on the ESEE you have there. The difference is that the sheath on my BK-2 makes it difficult to remove the knife and that is the only problem I have with it. The company could have done a better job of producing the sheath though too.
Own them both, love them both. Really can't tell any difference in the steels......Both sharpen well, and both hold an edge. I like the ESEE sheath much better, but added the backing to bring the blade down a bit. I like the feel of the Becker scales,(The fit in my hand) better, but the ESEE scales grip better. Both are very nice field knives.
Totally agree. Which knife is better is all personal preference. For me, the Esee is a knife you would hit the ground running with and be good for life. BK7 has some compromises, for which you save $, but it can easily become a project knife too - which is fun.
The handles make the difference for me. The Esee handle is micarta which Ilike, but it's basically flat and fairly square. The Becker's habdle is nicely shaped but the smoothness of the Zytel sucks. Fortunately, micarta scales are available for the Becker on eBay and Amazon, so it's easy to spend a little more to get good handles which fit well and are comfortable to use. Also, kydex sheaths are also available for the Beckers, so while it means spending a little more you get a better knife. The BK7 is about $80, micarta scales are about $40, kydex is $30, so it's going to be $150 for a well outfitted Becker. The Esee is going for $135-$185 depending on how you order it.
Ahhh the endless quest for the perfect knife. It's really interesting how this whole subculture has emerged for pimping/modding knives. I've never done it personally (mostly because I'm too cheap), but it's fascinating. I have seen photos of some really beautiful beckers people have customized, and especially when you factor in cost as you did, it's a fun little world to explore.
bk7 original, not fake, as of Jan. 2019, paid under $82 + tax + S&H UPS at my door! Amazon. Great knife and great buy! Have ESEE 4 SS. No more for me though.
👍good information.. I just broke my K-BAR splitting wood with a hammer.(u.s.m.c.) full size. Rushing to make a FIRE. The hammer won. I've had that K-BAR for over 20+ yrs..😢😤😤😤
Dag Ut Dag Ut me too I own them both, perhaps I should make a video and post it? I have some strong points ( at least I believe) why the BK 7 is a better knife.
Ka-bar sheaths are junk, but for another 40 bucks you can get a Kydex sheath for it. micarda handles are also nice or you can do you like they did and wrap them with hockey tape. The esee handles are too thin for me. Hard to find a perfect knife out of the box usually have to modify it.
thought about the mic slabs. but..too $. plus the orig. handles are from Switzerland and you can tennis grip them or simply attach lanyard. Good quality for me...to each their own preference though.
R. D. K. In the Netherlands these things are so much more expensive. My BK9 was 160,- the g10 scales had to be imported from the USA which set me back another 90,- now I still need a sheath ... another 100-300 lol Nice as a hobby project but if you compare that to the Lionsteel stuff it’s not that great value wise.
That's a very good deal. As Canadians we're constantly hosed when it comes to purchasing power. To order this knife in Canada these days would easily be $200.
StartUpSurvival I just ordered mine from blade hq, after shipping and exchange it's two Hundy, not even including the cod charges for the duty. we're getting hosed!!! hope it's worth it
I have an ESEE-6 and a BK-2. You're right about the ESEE knife scales being "flat slabs". I installed custom scales from TKS to get the same palm swell as on the Becker. Now its the perfect package imho.
@@mattariety955 My Esee-6 is still in pristine condition. which means I haven't used it at all. Therefore, I would not be so presumptuous as to offer an opinion on either. Sorry.
@@mattariety955 If you're talking fixed blade, my Esse-6 is what I'd have with me for emergencies. I have an Altoid's style 'survival" tin mounted to the sheath. In practical terms, what I use on a daily basis is quite different. For the chores that I encounter on a daily basis, I have a Swiss Army one-handed Trekker. As a matter of fact, it's open in front of me right now on my desk, underneath my computer screen. I use that thing multiple times a day. It has a nice cutting blade, the longest wood saw available on a folder, and a toothpick with which I'm constantly playing. I'm sure you are more interested in the fixed blade, so, as I said before, I have no real-world experience to share with you. I hope this helps.
from my experience kabars warranty doesnt word itself the same as esee's but I know plent of guys who will break them and kabar send them a new one still. there was a guy who shot a bk-2 and snapped it and kabar sent him another one.
Esee selling 1095 for $150-$200 has lost its appeal esp because kydex sheaths are easy to find now for cheap. The Becker can be found for $80 now yet Esee still thinks $200 1095 knives is fair? The warranty is kinda silly considering that breaking one is just beyond silly ain't gonna happen unless ya do so on purpose ..BUT its all a matter of opinion some folks like that warranty and the esee style.
Esee learns from Becker but Becker is more stubborn to oearn from esee. Esee learned a quality from becker knives. 3 d handles. Becker still makes crappy sheaths except for the bk 18 and 19 (small blades) and crappy plastic for handles. Even without the warranty, if Becker included micarta handles and polymer sheaths. ALOT more people would huy Beckers. Also if their knives looked as cool as esee. If they did all that esee wouldn't compete as well.
esee 6 here is like $100 here. I think you can't beat ESEE on value. heard some bad stories on KaBars customer service. long as you dont lose the ESEE, you can break as many as you want, they'll replace it every time. That's why I'm starting to transfer all of my user blades over to ESEE's
the esee 6 only comes with a plastic sheath,, a knife dealer told me that esee is either thinking about or going to plastic sheaths for all their knives,, doing away with kydex
I know this is a old video but I've spoken with Mike from esee. the injection molded plastics they use now is a better for extreame temps on both ends.
I just got an Esee 6 and after waiting all these years I was extremely disappointed with the incredibly cheap little plastic sheath it came with. I prefer my Becker sheath because it comes with a pocket for tools and I can easily strap it onto a backpack. The Esee is almost twice the price to begin with and if you add on the extras that the k-bar comes with it's almost three or four times the price plus if you break it you have to pay for the price of shipping back to United States. Even worse I see all the people who buy Esee knives are changing the handles and the sheath. They may as well just start off with a K Bar and change the handles and the sheets it's the same blade pretty much. Esee knives are obviously very good quality but I prefer my Beckers.
The Bk7 cost $120 atleast on most websites. On (The Knife Connection), the Esee 6 is $120. The Bk7 comes with plastic, slippery handles, and a $10 cheap Chinese made sheath. I have a Bk7, Bk2, Esee 5, and Esee 6, and if I'm being honest the Esee's are way better in terms of quality and overall value.
Esee 6 every time. It's a design for multiple uses. Only change I made was the scales. 5/6 Series G10 Handles - TheKnifeConnection www.theknifeconnection.net/5-6-series-g10-handles/
I've heard of this issue before on some Cold Steel and Ka-bars, but never Esees. However, it could happen to any company/fixed blade. Send it back! I personally would find that intolerable with a knife that needs to reside in a sheath.
Fellow, don't just "think" the blades are however many inches apiece! How about you get a ruler and measure them, BEFORE you start the review? Just a suggestion.
You should count how many times you said "uh" or "um". I imagine easily over a hundred. I appreciate the video, but it's impossible for me to ignore that lol.
In my opinion the Esee 6 is quite better than the BK 7, better finish of the blade, better coating, better handle design and grip, the sheath is way MUCH better than the one on the BK 7 which looks pretty cheap and flimsy. Thumbs up for the review and comparison!
Holy crap that's expensive......I would definitely have to drive down south have a friend buy me some knives load them up hidden within the frame of my vehicle and sweat my way back across the border. Ide be like an illegal alien loaded on meth trying to drive an ice cream truck loaded full of crack. The tail end bumper would be so heavy the butt would be laying sparks LOL.
I have both, and both have upgraded handles. Bk7 have both the micarta and the g10 handles, Esse6 have the g10 handles. The esse6 feels better in my hands, and have better Balance. I love the way you can Control it, it sbetter for fien tasks. They both baton equally well. Bk7 is a better chopper and easier to sharpen. Esse6 holds the egde better. Its an hard Choice, but...well, maby esse6 for me, due to the grip and how it does fine tasks. Well, I dont know, they are both very very good. Its like picking one children over another. I would take them both...and so I did :D
Can't choke up on those larger BK handles comfortably. They undoubtedly are comfortable to hold but getting your hand directly behind a controlled cut is important. The smaller "BK tweeners" are much better for comparison. When you bring the new HM versions in, they pretty much stomp Becker. Also, Rowen 1095 is superior to Cro-Van, even if you get rid of those terrible sheaths that dull the Becker edges. Have a BK16 that I love but holy crap the original sheath works the edge down. This would be my second 16 with the same issue. By the time you get a good kydex or leather sheath and micarta handles, you've spent as much as the ESEE.
Lol “higher pride of ownership” I’m actually the opposite I like the BK like way more but never have I felt pride over someone who owns a different knife brand. Just thought it was a funny way to say that higher pride lol 😂
"I don't know anything about the warranty, but let me talk to you about the warranty." Dude.. In any case, your speculation was correct. The Becker warranty is pretty stingy. No batoning, normal wear and tear, damage from use as a digging or fire tool, chisel, pry-bar, etc." They only replace factory defects or machining errors. In essence, if you use it like a standard kitchen knife, you're fine. If you use it like a survival knife, they will not replace it if it gets damaged. See below: "KA-BAR Knives, Inc. (the "Company") warrants, to the original purchaser of the knife only, that this knife will be free from defects in material and craftsmanship under normal use and maintenance for the lifetime of the original purchaser. This Limited Warranty does not apply to any failure of, defect in, or damage to the knife caused by neglect, normal wear and tear, or by improper use, including throwing the knife, batoning with the knife, using the blades as a can opener, chisel, pry bar, screwdriver, digging tool, or for any heavy work for which the knife was not designed."
Original owner only, compared to ESEE where it doesn;t matter if you are the original owner or it's been sold or traded multiple times, no receipt necessary.
The Becker is the better knife, but anyone who actually know something about knives is not going to buy either of these knives. Buy the original Ka-Bar fighting and utility knife. It's worth ten of either of these. the sad thing is that all too many think all 1095 steel is the same, and nothing could be less true. the Esee 1095 is nowhere near the quality of Ka-Bar 1095.
Apparently nobody knows anything about knives considering most people would take an Esee 6 over the Kabar fighting knife for general knife use anyday. Hell,I'd take the Esee over it even for a fighting knife.
James, do you have any evidence for what you're saying? I don't see why Ka-bar would use a different 1095 on their Becker knives from their 'fighting' knives. Also, if steels differ that much, why even give them a name at all? That's like saying the colour blue isn't really blue. The classic ka-bar is an iconic design, going back to the world wars. I get it. But ignoring advances in technology, materials etc, is pretty silly. Also, I think the Ka-bar military knife was probably not intended for batoning and heavy woodscraft. It was an all around utility blade, probably lighter, and better slicer.
What are you saying the ESEE is a beautiful knife 1095 steel and 1/4 thick 16 punches glass breaker pummel 5 1/4 blade 11 total it's a great powerful knife
