RTAK II or ESEE Junglas: Knife Comparison 

Haha, I will do my best. Thanks for the support!

JeepJeep234 You won't be sorry.

videos

+yaahme Thanks so much my friend.

You get what you pay for … time and time again :-)

ESEEs

Nice, I am going to be getting my hands on the sp50 early next year. I think it will be able produce the same results as the RTAK & Junglas.

I think the ESEE looks a little better but the RTAK2 is certainly the better value,especially if you are ok with the nylon sheath or make your own sheaths

I love mine!

I agree. It has a choil too.

A homing rod should take care of a rolled edge.

roy roy I'm thinking that filing one in or using a dremmel would be fairly straightforward.

Thanks!

Esee Junglas is an easy choice! Only other one I would look at your be a Lionsteel m7. A little smaller but excellent. I have a video on it.

yeah an update would be nice

Thanks so much!

True!

Ontario = 5160 beats 1095 and it's more affordable. Ontario will replace it if you break it.

Why does it beat 1095?

sword steel has more flex and less likely of chipping in larger blades

Thanks. What are your thoughts on the Tops Armageddon?

They’re

handle

THX!

I have it, and I tell you it's way better. I live in Canada and have yet to seen an RTAK made with 5160 break in the cold of winter with heavy use but I have seen the Junglas break or chip off so there's that.

@@ricev7071 Others have seen the Ontario RTKAII with 5160 chip and fail also. The heat treat of Ontario is far from consistent. So, there's that.

I love ESEE and TOPS knives 1095, and I really like the 5160 on the buck punk, thug, and hoodlum. 1095 is more common in knife making but either on will serve you well.

It depends on the use and heat treat. Both rust about as easily. Generally 5160 is run a bit softer and will be much stronger, but will not hold an edge as well. Personally I feel 1095 is a bit on the brittle side, but it holds and edge surprisingly well for such an old and cheap steel.

Man so many to choose from: 3in to 5in (ESEE Laser Strike/TOPS B.O.B./SOG Seal Pup/TOPS Lite Trekker/GSO-5/OKC Blackbird SK5/BK2) 5in to 8in (ESEE 6/RAT 7/BK7 BK9/TOPS DART/SOG Force/SP45) Anyone of these would last you a lifetime of outdoor use.

But which would you choose The bigger one or The smaller one?

Ultimate Survivalist Too start you off buy a MORA Companion $16 and a Ka-bar BK9 $75 and begin to use them and see what works for you.

C H O I L

According to Ontario's website, the RTAKII is made from 5160. A good steel for a hard use chopper.

Thanks for the comment and info.

Sean Antill Wasn't the original RTAK (Randall's Training and Adventure Knife) made by the same people who are now making the Junglas?

No its made by Ontario

+Sean Antill wrong, Jeff Randell used to work with Ontario and designed the entire rat line which since they've moved on to become esee.

@@Buzzby4020yes

ESEE Junglas all the way.

The Scyko 911 Scrapyard Dog would be a good choice too.

What is your opinion on the Scyko 911? It seems smaller than the Esee, which might be good because my hands are on the small side, Thanks!

*Warning, long detailed reply* Well those are two very different blades. I have a few suggestions you may want to consider, along with some decent background on what you are getting into. Swamp Rat is the sister company to Scrap Yard. They both are owned by Busse Combat. Busse is the most expensive of the 3 (most over $500 going over $1000) because they are exclusive and use a proprietary steel called INFI, which is immensely strong and decently rust resistant for carbon steel, the edge holding is adequate. The next tier down is Swamp Rat. They use primarily SRS101, which I hear is similar to CPM 3V (one of my personal favorites). SRS101 is still amazingly strong, but not quite that of INFI (still I doubt you could break it if you tried), It is a bit more rust prone but okay do to the coating, and is a bit better edge holder than INFi. Swamp Rats have exposed full tangs (like Busse) and use Micarta or G10 for handle material. The Bottom price bracket is Scrap Yard. Scrap Yard uses mostly SRS101 and have very similar blade sizes and shapes to Swamp Rat, the main difference is that Scrap Yards have a Resin handle that in closes the full tang. The Handles tend to be a bit more comfy bare handed, but in the very very long run, are not as durable. All of Busse/Swamp Rat/Scrap Yard are all very high quality blades. They are low production so some blades may take longer to get. Some are even built with each order. But with every blade they send out, they go as far to insure the quality by X-raying the steel; to make sure the crystal structure is uniform and no fractures can be found. A note to consider about these blades is that the majority of them do not come with sheaths; they come in a Card Board sleeve. Good kydex sheaths are easy to find for them, matter of a fact they have links on their site. However do to this you will end up paying about $30-$70 more for the knife because it is generally a good idea to have a sheath if you plan on having a large, sharp, fixed blade. Another thing to note about them is if you ever have a problem with one of your blades, and you contact them reasonably, they will go a long way to make sure they fix your problem. *Suggestions.* The Swamp Rat Rucki is a heck of a knife. I will go as far to say that it is one of the best large hard use out door knives one can possibly get for any price when it comes to versatility, strength, and just plain coolness. A cool thing about it is that you will be able to pick the color of the blade coating and a handle color. The Rucki is a very rare blade in the sense that it very well bridges the gap of what a Machete, Chopper, and even a short sword is… the only example I know like it is the Hanwei Banshee which is more so a Machete/Sword than a chopper. Now it does cost $360 and $70 more for a good sheath. Also it will take 4-14 weeks to get. I highly recommend it, but form the sound of what you would be doing with it, I do not recommend it to you. It is way more than you need. I literally need a blade like it for my summer job, but at this point I can still not justify getting it. It is like wanting to try a sporty car out, and instead of getting a BMW or Mustang, you go straight for a $500,000 Italian Supper car. Take a look at the Swamp Rat Rodent 9. It is about the same size as the Junglas and is no questioning a better knife for the intended use. This knife will cost about $240 (plus sheath) and take most likely 4 weeks to get. Good knife, will do what you want it to, better price, all is well. The Scrap Yard Scyko 911. Same size, just about, as the Rodent 9 and Junglas. Once again a better performer than the Junglas. Runs at around $200 (I think), and will take most likely less than 4 weeks to get… but once again it will need a sheath. Same deal as the Rodent 9, just with a different handle which is not necessarily worse or better, just depends on personal preference. The Scrap Yard Scyko 1111. This is very good for filling the gap size wise between the Rucki and the others. It is pretty much just a larger version of the Scyko 911. I recommend this one a lot for what I think you are looking for, but once again I feel it is over kill for what you actually need. You may want to look at the company Bark River Knives. They like the others, are made very high quality, and in America. They are a lot more classy looking, and more classical in general. I suggest the Grasso Bolo III (5160 steel) (Probably the best chopper on the list besides the Rucki), and the Golok (A2 steel) which is for a bit lighter material like vines; both cost about $200 giver or take. They come with very nice leather sheaths, which you can order with a water proof upgrade for a bit more. They will require a bit more care than the others on this list however. They are optimized for performance so does not have a coating that would cause some friction. These will require some oiling after use. Also they have much more thin edges than the others listed, so they will bite deeper, but also are more easy to mess up. I would not recommend these to someone who does not all ready have a few years of experience in using these kinds of blades in the field. Also there is a bit of debate the past few years saying they may be over heating the blades in grinding causing them to have brittle spots, and a few have turned up with massive edge chips from doing basic of tasks. I feel it was just a few bad ones and not representative of their quality, but it is a bit up in the air. Finally I have two last suggestions. Both about $160-$180, and come with good sheaths. The ESEE Junglas , which you know all about. Or the Cold Steel Trail Master (currently made in O-1, but many of the last batch are left over in SK-5, both good enough steels). Both are highly reviewed and highly liked. They are two of the best sub $200 performers for an outdoor knife of this size. The only big difference is that the Cold Steel is not coated, so cleaning the blade and a bit of oil is good after you use it for a while. I recommend these the most as entre level large outdoor blades. They are not quite as good as the other blades on the list because they are flat ground compared to Convex ground… but for a knife to use from time to time, or even regularly, they are great. Also if you find yourself more into it, they are a great starting point for you to decide what you like and do not like. For example if you like an exposed tang, or wrapped tang; Or if you would prefer a smaller or larger blade; do you like having a hand guard or a finger swell; do you like to have a forward finger choil. You may even consider taking a different route and going with a smaller 4” ish inch bladed knife pared with a Huston Bay ax (small ax/large hatchet)

Thanks so much! I recently found the Sycko line and was thinking about it, and as me and my dad are forging a big knife (that i forgot about) I will put off getting a large knife for now...probably gonna get the SYKCO 511 for for most tasks I will be doing, THanks again!

Thanks William.

Right on and I totally agree with you!

I hate choils. So not thanks, and great that the Junglas has no choil. The handle is for gripping, not the blade. It's a waste of steel having a choil.

@@Ve-suvius To each their own i guess.

@@Roadbikerider79 True..

treon123456 The handles are different and will not line up.

Nope

Do you think this could attributed to more Rtak's being used and abused than Junglas'? Just because one knife has more information pertaining to its failures doesnt mean it lacks in quality. It just means it has more information pertaining to its failures. RU-vid videos only tell a small part of the story. RU-vid is only one source out of many.

I have never seen an esee of any kind chip out like Ontarios knives have. I like Ontario alot and at half the cost of a Junglas it is worth the coin flip in my opinion, and Ontario will replace it if it has a failure.

gideonstactical I dont own either, but I do own a Ontario SP 10. Now, I may be wrong here, but I would be willing to say that RTAK owners outnumber Junglas owners 5 to 1. Just like saying, I see many more cars broke down on highways than tractor trailers. This doesnt mean that tractor trailers breakdown less. I could be wrong though brother. Nice video by the way.

Pete Privitere Well, Ontario is running for a longer time than ESEE ;) Also, I've been searching on forums and aparently some times, ontario heat treatments / Quality control Isn't as good as it should be resulting in blades failing / chipping. That's what I've been reading ;)

Good assestment

***** I might just do that.

Make a video on it

Ryan Caiazza I hate the finger coil 👍

Especially on the ESEE 3 and 4. Unnecessary and a waste of valuable blade space.

Was reading about the tools of the Coureurs de Bois and for finer work they usually carried a small fixed blade..... So different tools for different jobs even for someone out in the wilderness..... Actually it seems they carried some sort of light axe or hammer poll tomahawk, a six inch fixed blade and then a short fixed blade lashed to their leggings.

They're solid!

@@akeeperofoddknowledge4956On both knives?

Say you dropped & lost your smaller knife at some point. Then it matters.

+Brian Mccann my tools have very specific places they're kept. if its not on my my hip, then it's in my pack. I've been going off trail for about 30 yrs now, and have never lost a knife. the functionality of a choil on a tool that's too big to be a purposeful knife, but too small to be a machete or axe, is really not a consideration for a tool this size. if you did happen to somehow lose a smaller companion knife, then one could still easily get by without the luxury of a choil until they replaced it. it's just saw a low factor to take into consideration in an extremely large knife to determine if that's why you buy it or not. besides, I don't see any type of necessary task that can be accomplished with this blade over what my esee 6 can do....but the reverse is not true, at all.

I'm with you man. I think he's upset he got the wrong knife ;)

what if your pack falls off a cliff?

I never go into the woods without my coldsteel trailmaster. Iv chopped down countless dead free standing wood and split countless logs by batoning. With practice you can widdle abit. When it comes to getting a fire going you can NEVER beat a large blade.

highonimmi Thanks so much! It is awesome how God used an average guy to do awesome things. That is why I picked it. I and many who watch are just average guys and gals, but we can do great things!

gideonstactical Amen brotha, Amen!

Pronounced Hoon-glas. In the grab scheme of things it doesn't really matter.

highonimmi Just got an RTAC II, its way cool. the sheath isn't to bad and will hold up for a long time with proper care

RtakII seems better to except for the finish on the blade. Not a big deal.

Just keep that blade dry man lol high carbon content blades need a good coating to repel moister

$160 at knifeworks.com or theknifeconnection.com.

that's right. The RTAKII in 5160 is way better now, especially in the winter here in Canada!

Well I ain’t got 1/4 inch to spare ;)

Thanks for the comment

Totally depend, usually USA made, but some Chinese stuff gets the job done like the Camp 10.

and would you choose carbon or stainless steel. sorry for all the qustions i am looking for a good survival knife.

Ultimate Survivalist No worries, but you are beginning to get into knife philosophy which ultimately comes down your own personal trial and error. So I will give you my opinion that has come from years of going out in the field and finding what works for me. So, I believe in a 2 knife system, one knife that is lite weight 5in. or less in Stainless steel. The other bigger blade at least 7in. or more that ways at least 1lbs made out of High Carbon. If you can only afford one blade right now I would recommend going bigger and High Carbon.

Ontario is made in the usa

These two knives are both old trucks,check out th swamp rat rodent 9

christoforos pilitsis How does the Rodent 9 improve on the Junglas? Is it worth $100 more?

A better comparison would be King Ranch or Sport.

Right on, thx!

It's actually pronounced Hoon-Gloss!

Stuart Hee There are only the 5 vowel sounds in Spanish. There is no in-between sound from the "A" as in santA to the "O" as in Opera. It's a two syllable word with the accent on the first syllable. HOON-glass. HOON-glass. HOON-glass. :-)

+CorkKNIFE I think with american accents they pronounce it better as "yoon-glass"

Yup but it sounded like he was pushing the Esee Jungles hard and nitt pickin the RTac.

I'm going with the RTAK II and will make my own bullhide custom sheath with accessory sharpening and Leatherman pouches. I hate kydex

Redshift313 I totally agree with this statement.

He was defiantly pro Esee , and it is probably finished better, it should be for the cost difference. Some of the things he pointed out however like the blade finish was really reaching out there, Granted the Esee appears to be retaining the finish better but it will come off like the all do. Both knives are carbon steel and will rust if not wiped off and oiled, That fact does not mean you don't have to care for the Esee because the edge is always exposed to rust. As far as the handle these are personal preference things and a little sand paper can bring it down to tang level, Generally with knives handle fit the complaint is if the tang is proud. Both knives are very good. I think if I could afford it I would go for the Esee as the sheath is much better, If I had to be more conservative with money the the RTAK.

Redshift313 I'm pretty sure that since the JUNGLAS has been available it has out sold the RTAk2. Every store I've run that sold both the Esee sells better and I've never seen one brought back for warranty but I have seen quite a few Rtak2's. Not as many as when they were 1095 and poorly heat treated but still more come back. I've also heard of customers not having the warranty honored on broken Rtaks. Never on a JUNGLAS. Btw,it's "due to" not "do to". So many people seem to be confused about that.

Haha, nice!

$159 at The Knife Connection

@@chitownshowtime5246 $240 where I live.

I try to buy locally but you can't beat TKC... check them out.

@@chitownshowtime5246 Yes, I know them. Sadly, international shipping is $40+. And then we have to pay local import duties of 25%. And then there’s still a big chance of the order getting lost (stolen) before it reaches its destination. One of the disadvantages of living in SE Asia. :(

So true

He said the same thing!

morgan banks It is thin, but I have hard used it in the Rockies for two years and had no problems. If you don't pry you should good.

Yeah, mine could have been a flaw as well because I tip pried with my bk9 much harder with no problems

+morgan banks You got a replacement, right? Esee has a lifetime guarantee

I returned it to the vendor and got a cash refund, I don't trust the weak tip

Hiungla

You’re an idiot