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Esee or BK

9K views 38 replies 26 participants last post by  Goblin X 
#1 ·
What makes the Esee line of knives better than my BK-2 or any of the Becker knives?
 
#3 ·
Some may go on about the better sheaths or micarta and G-10 handles or even the best garantee in the biz.
For me the heat treatment that makes the 1095 flexible ,strong , edge retaining and the most sharp of any of my knives. ESEE's are the easiest to get hair popping sharp by hand sharpening.

Nothing wrong with your Becker collection. Use what you got , but it's not better to everyone.
 
#5 ·
The ESEE might be "better", but IMO, they ain't "2+ times-the-money" better, and I believe if they are, it's going to be in some largely miniscule way that won't be noticable in real world applications, they'll both do great at the jobs they're designed for. Unless money is not an issue, and bragging rights are, then the extra money spent on an ESEE over a Becker would be more wisly put into other preps.
And I say that as an owner of an ESEE4 and both the Becker Campanion and Necker.
 
#6 ·
The best warranty in the Business, coupled with a great heat treat and simple how sharp and how easy it is to sharpen them back to there original condition. The micarta handles are a big plus, by the time you slap micarta handles on a BK2 you might as well have just bought the ESEE5. I'm not saying the Esee 5 is twice as good as a BK2. But if it was between the two, I definitely wouldn't mind paying for the ESEE5 again.
 
#7 ·
I like both I have a bk9 and love it I have a bk2 don't like it at all..Have a esee 3 love it have a junglas love it..I believe if I had a esee 5 I would not like it because it is similar in thickness to the bk2.I like beckers handle shape, but esee's blades are top notch IMO+better sheath+better warranty.
 
#8 ·
One thing over looked is ESEE cures people of knife collecting addiction , most of the time. For example: If you needed a stout 4" drop point for hunting and woods , the esee 4 will do the job. No doubt many times over, only personal fit creates any negative. One would never need to buy a knife of that type again. If you were to wear it down to an extreme or even broke it though very unlikely, it would be replaced no questions for life of the blade. Some addicts lose the addiction to buying the next best knife. Or be in a world of 40-80$ lemons for eternity. A double price for ones sanity and locked pocketbook again, starts to sound fair. Buy once , cry once and I am dang sure none of my esee's will let me down.
 
#15 ·
I agree with your post.

I used to buy knife magazines.

I used to look with interest and want at the very cool knives in the magazines.

Before I got my EESE knives, I got a very nice TOPS knife (Alaskan hunter).

The only question I have is what ESEE to buy next? 3 or 4 or 6 or Laser Strike?
 
#9 ·
BK2 is a better value, but ESEE makes a better knife, not even close. That kind of quality costs a lot of money.

A knife isn't just some average prep...it's a lot more important than that. Lotta areas where spending more represents diminishing returns, but a knife? That's on par with shoes, water filtration, etc. Can't have a specimen that's "too good" when it comes to things in that category.
 
#11 ·
Between the Esee4 and BK16 I picked the 16 because it felt better in my hand and I liked how the edge came closer to the handle. Sheath didnt matter because I was going to get a leather one either way. Certainly aint as pretty as the Esee but that dont mean s***. In fact I like that it has more the appearance of a tool. I dont believe theres any significant difference in strength. Ive used the hell out of my BKs. Becker backs their knives too. Like it so much I bought a 17 for times I want a clip point. Looked at the Esse clip point and didnt like the design.

As for money... Price wasnt an issue though for someone tight on funds the difference buys em an Estwing. But if your gonna buy micarta scales and a kydex sheath for a becker that puts it up in the esee price range. Though it didnt weigh into my choice Ethan is a pretty cool old coot and Im happy to give him my business.

The Eskabar was a great collaboration between the 2. Like the handle better than the Necker and I like the blade better than the Izula.



I have one of my Grandfathers knives that he made from a file and handled with a deer antler. Safe bet its seen more use than almost any knife on this forum. Buying crap quality stuff is never good but theres a lot of vanity when it comes to what folks spend on gear too.
 
#14 ·
Please do not take this the wrong way but:

Becker Knives:

The Rosie Odonnel of knives.



heavy, over-large handles, unnecessarily thick where it counts, like a crowbar or blunt instument and has an afterthought edge put on that can cut but isnt pleasing to watch in action. The handles are bulky and clumsy and ill fit on most.

Esee Knives

The Christina Hendricks of knives.





Not too thin, not too thick. Fills your hand like a warm bosom, supple and smooth. The Esee's curves are sultry and seductive, a work of art and temptation. Heat treated in dancing flames as red hot as Christina's hair, built to put out even under the toughest of times.

The flame of the sun flashes its fiery brilliance on its edge just as Christina's eyes entice you with her "come-hither" look. The Esee's edge can bring a man to his knees and make him give thanks to the universe that such a thing exists, just as men do in gratitude for Christina.

In combat the Esee can end a man's life in one fell thrust, just as Ms. Hendricks can tear a man's heart out and make him beg for more.

The sheath is like a fine, form fitting dress, not all pleasure, but not all business . The right balance for a "formal" night out on the town or a day in the bush.

Oh, yes, one last thing...... in either case, Esee or Ms. Hendricks, you would step over your own mother for one......

(Note: this really is made in jest. I dont care much for Beckers, but i just did this to be funny. thanks)
 
#16 ·
Please do not take this the wrong way but:

Becker Knives:

The Rosie Odonnel of knives.



heavy, over-large handles, unnecessarily thick where it counts, like a crowbar or blunt instument and has an afterthought edge put on that can cut but isnt pleasing to watch in action. The handles are bulky and clumsy and ill fit on most.

Esee Knives

The Christina Hendricks of knives.





Not too thin, not too thick. Fills your hand like a warm bosom, supple and smooth. The Esee's curves are sultry and seductive, a work of art and temptation. Heat treated in dancing flames as red hot as Christina's hair, built to put out even under the toughest of times.

The flame of the sun flashes its fiery brilliance on its edge just as Christina's eyes entice you with her "come-hither" look. The Esee's edge can bring a man to his knees and make him give thanks to the universe that such a thing exists, just as men do in gratitude for Christina.

In combat the Esee can end a man's life in one fell thrust, just as Ms. Hendricks can tear a man's heart out and make him beg her for more.

The sheath is like a fine, form fitting dress, not all pleasure, but not all business . The right balance for a "formal" night out on the town or a day in the bush.

Oh, yes, one last thing...... in either case, Esee or Ms. Hendricks, you would step over your own mother for one......
A bit unfair wouldn't you say.

But really, really funny.

I have to say, although I do not have anything against Ms. ODonnell; there are other posters who would not like your portrayal that Rosie is the equivalent of a BK.
 
#17 ·
Well that settles it, I've found red heads make great friends in my years but I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole.
If I ever want a five inch knife that wants to pretend it is a hatchet then BK2 it is and not the ESEE 5, as it is I don't as I've got the Kabar Johnson Potbelly and it is probably the closest to a small hatchet or tomahawk a knife will ever be.
For anything else I've yet to do I haven't had any issues with my real, non pretentious, knives.
 
#19 ·
Both are excellent knives, the ESEE has just a bit more TLC put into it's manufacturing process which means you are paying double for that and thier warranty. Myself, I am a Tops guy, good heat treat, made in America, easy to sharpen, stands up to tons of abuse, and they have way more styles than most companies. Thats just my preference, and does not mean at all that other knives in thier class are not just as good. Buy what feels best in your hand and suits your needs best, not what some internet knife snob says is best.
 
#20 ·
Not your typical knife thread post you got there Borrowed time:D:

Not sure about that Rosie/Christina comparison though. The becker is more like a slutty biker chick, tough, ok-looking but nothing special, but on the plus side she would never say no to an occational spanking. That esee, on the other hand, is the Christina-type drawer queen that never leaves the home because she is so damn picky and spoiled. Forget about the rough stuff, because that gal demands special treatment all the way. The becker I have sees a lot of action because of the fact that is inexpensive and tough, not sure I would use it in the way if it would cost twice as much.
 
#27 ·
Well, form my personal experience it can be two of those things:

1-On a BK, your edge might not even be centered to the spine, I mean not even close, something I have never seen to this extent on any other knife, including gas station cheapos...

This might mean your bevels will get more and more wonky over time, but is mostly just outrageous carelessness and general "I don't give a damn" factory nonsense...

2-On a BK, the whole entire knife may be slightly cooling curved sideways, reason unknown, but extremely common... Again, I have almost never seen this on any other knife (except one US made Cold Steel Recon Tanto, the 7" black ones). This also potentially wonks out your edge, but is mostly just ugly as hell. More importantly, it shows an attitude to quality control you want to run away from ten miles in tight shoes...

3-You can have both examples of outrageous carelessness on a single knife, as I did on my BK-9, and then read about this existing in an identical way on dozens of other knives made over years, the Becker cheerleaders probably being unable (or more likely unwilling) to notice the awful workmanship...

Some people tried to excuse this as "factory seconds", which is utter nonsense. Mine was store bought in Canada...

Even expensive limited run stuff like the Bk-20 can have wonky tip grinds, and an overall carelessness to it that is pretty annoying...

I've noticed the 3/16" stock stuff breaks a lot, sometimes even the 1/4" Bk-2 (in the handle).

Personally I have found the skeletal "full" tang to be an unacceptable source of vibration, making the BK-9 very tiring and unpleasant to use. It does outperform -slightly- the Cold Steel Trailmaster, because the Trailmaster has a too thin handle by miles, but out-performing the Trailmaster is not saying much , and the advantage is very small...

There is no point in my view in carrying an unpleasant tool beyond your backyard, and my Bk-9 did not even make the backyard grade...

My BK-9 did have marginally reasonable edge geometry, which is unusual, but that was about it...

On the other hand I find the Esee styling bland and even quite ugly (much worse than Becker, which have some design flair far beyond looking like just generic kitchen knives), but they are probably much better ground in symmetry. The tangs are not skeletonized, so even on the 10.5" Junglas the balance point is barely in the blade, which is absurd... I find the 3/16" stock sub-par and probably awful in vibration, but the solid tang maybe helps that...

Your mileage may vary. I wonder why everyone always asks about Esee vs BK, but nobody asks about Ontario Knives, which are cheaper and much better in every way: The SP-53 will humiliate knives costing in the thousands (will eat a Busse BM for breakfast and dinner in chopping performance), has a fully shock isolated Kraton handle of good ergonomics (with no checkering to wear off in an butt-ugly way, right Cold Steel?), adequate sheath and 1/4" stock at 22 ounces. No curved blades or off-centered edges anywhere in sight either...


Gaston
 
#31 ·
Well, form my personal experience it can be two of those things

Some people tried to excuse this as "factory seconds", which is utter nonsense. Mine was store bought in Canada...

Even expensive limited run stuff like the Bk-20 can have wonky tip grinds, and an overall carelessness to it that is pretty annoying...

My BK-9 did have marginally reasonable edge geometry, which is unusual, but that was about it.

Gaston
You must be the unluckiest person on the planet as you spend all this money on your knives and you can't even get one that works...That or you really don't know what you're talking about...I believe the latter.
 
#28 ·
I have an esee 6 and love it...it feels better in my hand than any of the hundreds of knives I've owned, the sheath and micarta handles are both wonderful, and blah blah you get the point. I've never owned or handled any of the Becker knives but sure wouldn't be opposed to it, I really wanna try out a bk-2, as I've read so much good stuff and praise on here about them.
Anyway, I guess it all comes down to personal preference. Both are valid and great knives. Price vs. Value or worth or whatever is also an issue. My esee was a gift, so I dunno which i would've bought myself before trying them both out. Pretty much just use whatever you like and works for you, screw everybody else's opinion on what's best.
 
#30 ·
The ESEE 6 is the first and only survival type knife I will ever buy, I have smaller back up knifes but nothing compares to the quality and knowing that you can rely on that knife with everything. I had to get my ESEE 6 imported from the US to the UK, cost me about £140 in total for one.
 
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