Lol Absolutely. I enjoy making "natural" fires (whatever that means) , but if it comes down to it, Bic is king. Durable, long lasting, dependable, easy. The one good thing about being a smoker is I always have at least one lighter on me at all times. If you are on the verge of frostbite, trying to strike a ferro rod may cost you your fingers. Bic has no doubt saved many lives.
Never owned ESSE but have a pair of KaBars and they have never failed me. Great knife at just the right price, can not go wrong with with KaBar. I also added a strip of Tennis grip mid way on the handle, really comfortable and grippy.
I love my BK16 and have customized it with G-10 liners and Micarta scales. I also have the BK-17 and the “Big Dog” BK-9. I know there are knives with better steel and custom scales and sheath, but they also cost 3 times as much. The Becker knives are real work horse beasts and Best Buy’s for the money.
Have both. BK16 came dull and the coating was very thick. I sanded it down to a thinner layer. Want to love it but the steel has much less edge retention than the ESEE.
Stripped the coating off the blade of my bk16, forced a patina with elk blood, made some custom cedar handles, and bought a custom kydex sheath. Love the knife.
yes you can, esee is overpriced garbage while using junk 1095 steel, that goes for tops knives as well. id rather buy a bark river for the same price with premium steel that will actually hold an edge.
I went with the BK-16. Great knife. sheath it comes with is not so good. I got a nice leather sheath for mine and I'm very happy with it. If you think the finish on the BK-16 is too rough. Get some steel Wool, sit in front of your computer or TV and just smooth it down till you like it. Don't remove all of the finish, specially if you live in a wet humid climate. Handle wise, they now make micarta handle scales for the BK-16. I think I've used mine more in the kitchen then I have outside.
@@gimmedahhcookies4341funny I just seen your comment we bought are bk16 at the same time. I put it through the test and loved it so much I bought another one for my brother.
I have both knives and surprisingly they perform so differently. The Esse has the better warranty, but I never use it. Been beating on that bk16 for 8yrs now. My bk is completely modified because the handles and sheath from the factory suck. Stripped that thick coating off both of them. The bk just feels more robust for some reason? And the Esse is pretty to look at. I think for urban survival I'll keep my bk modded just the way it is and keep the Esse in my backpack for emergencies. Thanks knife Center!
Really? you must have tons of experience with knives to be able to tell the difference. That's pretty impressive. Also nice to know, because while I really like ESSE, I am especially fond of KA-BAR. If you haven't seen the history of KA-BAR knives documentary, I highly recommend it! You can find it right here on UA-cam.
Yeah, don't understand why people would buy esee knives, plain 1095 is very lacking and low hardness. And at their prices you could buy a benchmade or bark river with much higher quality steel.
@@kpfagerberg yeah, $220-$270 price range. I believe esee have knives at those prices. do they not? you can buy a gunny, bravo 1, or bushcrafter at those prices.
Hi from Melbourne Australia. Great video. You always have really good information, the only problem I have is when I see a review you do on a knife, I want to buy one. Best wishes.
Ka-bar's steel,is much better than 1095 and that's because, it has nothing to do with 1095! Also IMHO Beckers are better overall designs than any ESEE. So,better handle ergos better blade geometry better steel = Better knife! Ka-Bar Mark1 straight edge Kraton handle,BK16 BK7 and 9 are my favorites and any knife enthusiast,should own at least 1 of these.
@@jamesanderson562 I like the weight,balance,blade geometry,steel and many more on the BK7 I don't think it's a knife that anyone would carry,except if he is deployed soldier or wants to play RAMBO in the woods! It is a collectors or a shtf knife for me.Hogue is great but there is a reason you never see the hogue on top 5 Survival knives, but rhe BK7 always is in top of that list,isn't it? I carry a SAK for edc and hiking..and maximum 4 inch knife on campings.That combination works much better for me. PS I have played RAMBO in the woods too! I bet,most men,raised with the first RAMBO movies,has done that at some point! cheers!
@@greekveteran2715 i mean ya great deployment knives, if you look up top 5s and top 10s youll see a bunch of Schrade nd gerber 😂 but you do see hogue as well on any of the videos that arent budget knives. not a lot of people know much about them tho. everyone loves playing rambo in the woods but i do lots of fishing, camping, outdoor things, i also work outdoors, i use a hogue 5inch exf01 for work while using the 7inch for everythin else, i mentioned them because compared to the 1095 a2 holds better edge also iv pried with them without the fear of breaking the tips, i do carry a pocket knife as well dont get me wrong. maybe to some people big knives are goofy or have no use i get that, but not to everyone. Also i liked dundees bowie better growing up. if i only collected knives and didnt use all of them id probably agree with you 100%
@@jamesanderson562 Good point! You see Schrades and Gerbers and you don't see Hogue or other better knives than these.A2 is great,much better than 1095! Hogue and many other knives should be in these top ten lists.My favorite outdoors knife, is a handforged ballbearing 52100 fixed blade,that sharpens fast and easy almsot like 1095 but holds its edge longer than any carbon steel,similar to supersteels! Also I will awlays be in love with the Ka-Bar mark1, because I have served on a war navy battleship for 2 years.If you ever have the chance,try a nicely made ballbearing steel knife.It is by far the most magic steel I have used.Better than my m390 factory knives!
I have both. Esee 4 with 3d scales and the bk16 with micarta and kydex sheath for both. I would say the 1095cv got a better edge retension. And i prefer the bk16 because it is lighter and better feeling in the hand. The esee4 beats the becker by his beauty.
I love esee knives... for bushcraft trips the esee cr.2.5 , victorinox with saw, gränsfors outdoor axe, an big classic saw. For short patrol trips my esee 4, victorinox with saw. For edc my izula 2, victorinox with saw. For my bob the esee junglas 2 and a saw. 😊 need to say it again 🙈🙊🙉 I LOVE ESEE KNIVES FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE 🤩
Damn, having many Kabars and really putting them through the ringer I must say I find their steel a bit brittle at the edge. I would love to explore Esse because I believe they have a better feeling in the hand.
I'd like to throw the Tops HOG 4.5 into the mix. Tops does an amazing job with 1095. Gunny Williams obviously put a lot of thought into the handle because it feels better in the hand than any knife I have ever handled. And I've handled a lot of knives. I like my HOG 4.5 so much that I EDC it. I literally never leave home without it. I wore it to my God damn wedding. Love that knife.
The Essee 4 no longer comes with the nylon mollie sheath piece, just the crappy plastic and thin metal belt clip which is useless. I made a large leather belt loop for mine. The coating is like sandpaper and gets in the way of food prep and makes it hard to make fine shavings. I finally stripped the coating and am much happier with the knife. No issues with the flat handle scales. I now have several more knives which outperform the Essee 4. The Benchmade Bushcrafter is worth the additional cost. The blade is superior to the Essee 4 as a camp/bushcraft knife. Holds an edge longer, bites better making it easier to make fire boards, feather sticks, carving, and food prep. The Benchmade consistently performs better regardless of the task. The Becker Kephart is a better choice. I would also rather carry the Buck Vanguard than the Essee 4. I now use the Essee 4 as a backup knife. All that said I recently reprofiled my Essee 4 by flattening the concave sides and squaring off the top to allow for scrapping a ferro rod. The Essee 4 now performs much better on the tasks it was bought for.
Unless I'm mistaken, the Esee 4 is 3/16" thick with the BK16 being 5/32". I have made a comment to Esee they should thin the 4 down to 5/32" so it fits in thickness between the 3 and the 6.
I think you could easily say either one of those knives would do great in a survival situation and like in a situation where a knife could mean the difference between life or death.
ESEE....without question. I have the Junglas and the Laser Strike. They're incredible knives! I am getting ready to buy 3 more: the Izula II, the 4 w/serration and the 6.
This is a no brainer imo. I can't stand those huge choils on the Esee knives (or on any knife for that matter). Also, the becker has a thinner blade upping the performance. I did the first magazine review of the RAT 4 when it came out and while it was a sturdy knife and functional, it felt like a long in the hand. I took it to a machinist and had him skeletonize the handle which improved the balance but still, I'd say batonning, not slicing, is its best use.
I would go with a tops knife. Maybe a bob or a steel eagle. I own about 7 of them and they are amazing! I’ve even gifted a few milspies! Between the kabar and esee I would go esse but between the tops and esee I would go tops. But I’m sure tops isn’t having any problems selling knives so you probably won’t see a video on that hahaa! Great video tho!
Have 2 See 4's. The stainless SV is ground nice and thin, the carbon 4 is ground thick at the edge, no doubt will stand up to rough use tho it may take me a while to re-bevel it to my use...
I sold all 6 of the Esee knives i owned. I tried them for a year mostly the esee 3 and esse 4 for an edc but got tired of having to sharpen them literally every night. The edge retention is horrible. The Kabar 1095crvn totally destroys esee's 1095. Edge retention between the two you would notice a very big difference
That also equates to being less tough though. I'm not entirely sure how it is with the 1095 Cro Van compared to the 1095, but that's generally how it is. Also, the most important aspect is the heat treatment. You can take the best steel but without the right heat treatment it means nothing.
If I was going buy one of those I'd get the ESEE4 since it already has micarta scales while the Ka-Bar doesn't you have to buy them separately for another $30-$40 which sums up to the same price as the ESEE4.
Bk16 in the UK is £115-30. For decent sheath it's £50 total plus another £50 for micarta scales. Rediculous price. Esee does make great edged crowbars.
I dont have esee 4 but i do have the 6, and i do have bk16. I feel the cro van steel sharpends easier, but the esee sharpnes last longer. I dont like the handle of the bk16, its too narrow where the thumb is situated in my opinion. But its a great knife over all.
was my comment too, no questions asked guarantee! Warranty is not the right word (lots of conditions connected to warranty like abuse, not correct use), here it is a genuine guarantee!
You did not even mention the fact that se has no questions asked lifetime warranty if it breaks they will replace it that makes a huge difference in value. Dse4 line used to feature Kydex sheaths also
Knifecenter ships to the whole world. These kind of lifetime guarantees make sense to Americans only. If you have to send back your broken Esee from the other side of the world, the postage cost back and forth, is forbidding you doing so. Hence, not commenting on it.
I just bought my first ESEE-4 for my battle/survival belt - blue-black 3D scales - and discovered it's too useful and comfortable to be mostly sitting in my closet. Now I have a second ESEE-4 on the way! 😅
Bk16 is a superior blade, the handle contour allows for finer task work and better feel even though the beckers handle is slick grivory the handle design is so good that it outperforms the esees blocky ass micarta slabs. the blade edge is better also, esee bevel is too thick and poor for cutting despite being a full flat grind, beckers steel is superior 1095cv is akin to cold steel's carbon v its harder more corrosion resistant and slightly tougher, the edge just last longer and is tougher than esee despite all the hype around the rowen heat treat. Both these knives are brought down by their coatings, if you wanna get the most slicing ability and desire to spark a ferrp rod strip the coating and add a vinegar patina. While i appreciate the kydex sheath, the nylon sheath on the becker is actually quite usefull with all its molle compatability, kydex isnt necessary but it nice. On my bk16 i stripped the coatibg did a vinegar patina, countoured micarta handles, convexed the edge and did a nice leather sheath, its my hunting/ camp knife, it can skin and quarter deer, do food prep, whittle and carve, do basic bushcraft tasks, but its robust enough to be abused. Its just way more comfortable than anything else in the price range, its a do it all blade. To me the becker bk16 feels like a budget version of a bark river bravo 1.25 lt, they both fill thr same uses.
@Tea And Crumpets! That's far from a rat tai tang, which is a different tang that narrows and stops most of the times, at 3/4 of the handle. That's a full tang pind to the pomel. Go watch. the latest Terava Jaakkari pukko 110 video, of the Dutch Bushcraft Knives channel. What people call full tangs nowdays, most of the time are skeletonized tangs, that are far more fragile, than the way Terava and Ka-Bar makes their tangs. PS Terava isn't even pind or glued, yet, it holds insane abuse.
All the paintings of there brand overvthe blade puts me right off the esse but is maybe a bettet knife although the kbar is beautiful to look at and know its bigger brothers are awesome so ild pick kbar
Sucks that ESEE has switched from Kydex to plastic for their sheaths. But the knives are primo though. I have a BK-3, an ESEE 5 and an Izula II. Love 'em all. Cheers
Yes I recommend G-10 scales from The Knife Connection. They are a major improvement and change the pattern. I stripped the coating off my BK-16, forced a patina to prevent corrosion, put TKC scales on it, and wet molded a leather sheath from Sharpshooter Supply for it. Been EDCing it like that for 5+ years.
@@r.j.macready8328 oh that’s cool! I like those scales better. I’m wanting this knife for camping and i will be kind of rough on it. Do you think it’s a good choice for that? I’m really interested in the BK the Esee and the Rat.
@@whatfreedom7 It'll be perfect for it. The main reason I picked the BK-16 over the Esee or the RAT is the length of the handle. They're both a little shorter in the handle then the Becker, although Esee offers one of the best warranties in the business. Pair it with a hatchet/tomahawk and you'll be more than prepared for whatever nature can throw at you
I had been looking at the Esse 3 and 4, but I no longer will consider any Esse knives. IMO they are a dishonest company. It is really sad what they have tried to do to The Knife Connection, stealing their designs and then pretending they didn't. That just doesn't sit well with me. I own a BK2 and BK9, but the scales with their recessed mounting hardware tend to generate hot spots on my hands. Maybe not such a big issue on a smaller knife like the BK16 where you aren't using it as a chopper.
Hello...KB..excellente lame pour le prix ; Tout est dans la lame, le reste est secondaire. le 1095 cro-van c'est du bon. And you can customize it for a few more dollars with time and trial. Up until now KA BAR holds its reputation. Take care and be cautious.
I place the ultimate survival item in my BK-16 velcro puch:
Bic Lighter.
Lol Absolutely. I enjoy making "natural" fires (whatever that means) , but if it comes down to it, Bic is king. Durable, long lasting, dependable, easy. The one good thing about being a smoker is I always have at least one lighter on me at all times. If you are on the verge of frostbite, trying to strike a ferro rod may cost you your fingers. Bic has no doubt saved many lives.
Never owned ESSE but have a pair of KaBars and they have never failed me. Great knife at just the right price, can not go wrong with with KaBar. I also added a strip of Tennis grip mid way on the handle, really comfortable and grippy.
I put some micarta scales on my BK and I freak'n love it.
I love my BK16 and have customized it with G-10 liners and Micarta scales. I also have the BK-17 and the “Big Dog” BK-9. I know there are knives with better steel and custom scales and sheath, but they also cost 3 times as much. The Becker knives are real work horse beasts and Best Buy’s for the money.
I have the ESEE 4... Love it! Rides alongside my ESEE Jungles in my camp kit! 👌
Great knife , love what krik from BOO has done with his :)
I went both ways (I own a 4 and a BK16), love both of them 😁✌
Have both. BK16 came dull and the coating was very thick. I sanded it down to a thinner layer. Want to love it but the steel has much less edge retention than the ESEE.
Stripped the coating off the blade of my bk16, forced a patina with elk blood, made some custom cedar handles, and bought a custom kydex sheath. Love the knife.
This I'd love to see! 👍🏻
You really can’t go wrong with either knife. Both great blades!
yes you can, esee is overpriced garbage while using junk 1095 steel, that goes for tops knives as well. id rather buy a bark river for the same price with premium steel that will actually hold an edge.
@@stektiradecan you show me a bark river the same price as an esee?
@@toiletpaper5770 uh all you have to do is look at both manufacturers inventory. I am sure you are a big boy and know how to do that.
I have owned the esse 4 for 7 years but honestly the BK 16 looks pretty amazing. Honestly you can’t go wrong with either. Both are solid.
BK16 with micarta scales is the way to go.
G10 better
I went with the BK-16. Great knife. sheath it comes with is not so good. I got a nice leather sheath for mine and I'm very happy with it. If you think the finish on the BK-16 is too rough. Get some steel Wool, sit in front of your computer or TV and just smooth it down till you like it. Don't remove all of the finish, specially if you live in a wet humid climate. Handle wise, they now make micarta handle scales for the BK-16. I think I've used mine more in the kitchen then I have outside.
THANKS !! I have been debating between these two knives myself...Really leaning towards the BK16..
Go for the Becker
Control Man go fir the bk great knife
@@greekveteran2715 I did fo with the BK16. Great knife but sheath is crap. Made mysekf a kydex sheath and now its just perfect...
@@clems6989 Glad to hear that! Makes a great outdoors knife, no fancy bullshit design, just pure 100% function!! Keep it sharp and enjoy!!
I have and esee 5,it’s a great knife,heavy though,great survival knife,for camping I’d use a 4.
Esee 6 with the new brown 3D scales are so nice. Sure want one.
BK16 is rocks, it is the best all-round knife.
Bold statement.
I bought the 16 this weekend and I have yet to use it
@@gimmedahhcookies4341funny I just seen your comment we bought are bk16 at the same time. I put it through the test and loved it so much I bought another one for my brother.
I like these showdowns. More of these videos please. Would like to see a performance head to head though like you did with the mora and terasaur
What happened to the Beckers before the New company bought them
I didn't realize how close in size these were. For some reason I thought the Becker was smaller. Cool comparison.
I have both knives and surprisingly they perform so differently. The Esse has the better warranty, but I never use it. Been beating on that bk16 for 8yrs now. My bk is completely modified because the handles and sheath from the factory suck. Stripped that thick coating off both of them. The bk just feels more robust for some reason? And the Esse is pretty to look at. I think for urban survival I'll keep my bk modded just the way it is and keep the Esse in my backpack for emergencies. Thanks knife Center!
I like both, but the BK-16 is what I would like to get some day
I just bought an Esee 4 from knife center, thanks for your reviews. The reviews helped me decide, keep up your great work.
I bought both. I sold the 4 to my buddy because the handle was just to thin for my big hands. I still have the 16 fits my hand very well.
Hi from Australia, that's a bloody great review mate, well done, leaning towards the Becker i think.
I have about 10 different Kabars. Recently bought two Esee's, Junglas and #6. Nice knives.
in my experience Ka Bar's Cro Van 1095 is a bit better steel than Esee's
I like them both but I do think the cro van holds an edge slightly better. Both are great tho imo
Really? you must have tons of experience with knives to be able to tell the difference. That's pretty impressive. Also nice to know, because while I really like ESSE, I am especially fond of KA-BAR. If you haven't seen the history of KA-BAR knives documentary, I highly recommend it! You can find it right here on UA-cam.
Yeah, don't understand why people would buy esee knives, plain 1095 is very lacking and low hardness. And at their prices you could buy a benchmade or bark river with much higher quality steel.
@@stektirade you can buy a Bark River at an ESEE price?
@@kpfagerberg yeah, $220-$270 price range. I believe esee have knives at those prices. do they not? you can buy a gunny, bravo 1, or bushcrafter at those prices.
Two of my favorite fixed blades!
Hi from Melbourne Australia. Great video. You always have really good information, the only problem I have is when I see a review you do on a knife, I want to buy one. Best wishes.
Ka-bar's steel,is much better than 1095 and that's because, it has nothing to do with 1095! Also IMHO Beckers are better overall designs than any ESEE. So,better handle ergos better blade geometry better steel = Better knife! Ka-Bar Mark1 straight edge Kraton handle,BK16 BK7 and 9 are my favorites and any knife enthusiast,should own at least 1 of these.
Love my bk7 but after getting a hogue exF01 i cant seem to carry it much anymore
@@jamesanderson562 I like the weight,balance,blade geometry,steel and many more on the BK7 I don't think it's a knife that anyone would carry,except if he is deployed soldier or wants to play RAMBO in the woods! It is a collectors or a shtf knife for me.Hogue is great but there is a reason you never see the hogue on top 5 Survival knives, but rhe BK7 always is in top of that list,isn't it? I carry a SAK for edc and hiking..and maximum 4 inch knife on campings.That combination works much better for me. PS I have played RAMBO in the woods too! I bet,most men,raised with the first RAMBO movies,has done that at some point! cheers!
@@greekveteran2715 i mean ya great deployment knives, if you look up top 5s and top 10s youll see a bunch of Schrade nd gerber 😂 but you do see hogue as well on any of the videos that arent budget knives. not a lot of people know much about them tho. everyone loves playing rambo in the woods but i do lots of fishing, camping, outdoor things, i also work outdoors, i use a hogue 5inch exf01 for work while using the 7inch for everythin else, i mentioned them because compared to the 1095 a2 holds better edge also iv pried with them without the fear of breaking the tips, i do carry a pocket knife as well dont get me wrong. maybe to some people big knives are goofy or have no use i get that, but not to everyone. Also i liked dundees bowie better growing up. if i only collected knives and didnt use all of them id probably agree with you 100%
@@jamesanderson562 Good point! You see Schrades and Gerbers and you don't see Hogue or other better knives than these.A2 is great,much better than 1095! Hogue and many other knives should be in these top ten lists.My favorite outdoors knife, is a handforged ballbearing 52100 fixed blade,that sharpens fast and easy almsot like 1095 but holds its edge longer than any carbon steel,similar to supersteels! Also I will awlays be in love with the Ka-Bar mark1, because I have served on a war navy battleship for 2 years.If you ever have the chance,try a nicely made ballbearing steel knife.It is by far the most magic steel I have used.Better than my m390 factory knives!
You forgot the life time guarantee no questions asked from ESEE which I think is the biggest difference.
I have both. Esee 4 with 3d scales and the bk16 with micarta and kydex sheath for both. I would say the 1095cv got a better edge retension. And i prefer the bk16 because it is lighter and better feeling in the hand. The esee4 beats the becker by his beauty.
Nice video!! I believe I would lean more towards the esee bc of the micarta and the no questions ask warranty the esee has.
I love esee knives... for bushcraft trips the esee cr.2.5 , victorinox with saw, gränsfors outdoor axe, an big classic saw. For short patrol trips my esee 4, victorinox with saw. For edc my izula 2, victorinox with saw. For my bob the esee junglas 2 and a saw. 😊 need to say it again 🙈🙊🙉 I LOVE ESEE KNIVES FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE 🤩
My E4 came with a kydex sheath
the lifetime warranty with esee is what sold me. they will replace your knife if it breaks for free no questions asked. Awesome.
Damn, having many Kabars and really putting them through the ringer I must say I find their steel a bit brittle at the edge. I would love to explore Esse because I believe they have a better feeling in the hand.
Becker / K Bar , love my BK 9 👍
My choice: yes. One for even numbered days, the other for odd.
I'd like to throw the Tops HOG 4.5 into the mix. Tops does an amazing job with 1095. Gunny Williams obviously put a lot of thought into the handle because it feels better in the hand than any knife I have ever handled. And I've handled a lot of knives. I like my HOG 4.5 so much that I EDC it. I literally never leave home without it. I wore it to my God damn wedding. Love that knife.
I like the esee warranty best warranty in the knife world
The Essee 4 no longer comes with the nylon mollie sheath piece, just the crappy plastic and thin metal belt clip which is useless. I made a large leather belt loop for mine. The coating is like sandpaper and gets in the way of food prep and makes it hard to make fine shavings. I finally stripped the coating and am much happier with the knife. No issues with the flat handle scales. I now have several more knives which outperform the Essee 4. The Benchmade Bushcrafter is worth the additional cost. The blade is superior to the Essee 4 as a camp/bushcraft knife. Holds an edge longer, bites better making it easier to make fire boards, feather sticks, carving, and food prep. The Benchmade consistently performs better regardless of the task. The Becker Kephart is a better choice. I would also rather carry the Buck Vanguard than the Essee 4. I now use the Essee 4 as a backup knife. All that said I recently reprofiled my Essee 4 by flattening the concave sides and squaring off the top to allow for scrapping a ferro rod. The Essee 4 now performs much better on the tasks it was bought for.
If only the handle wasn't this short on the ESEE 4, it would have been the best of the best.
Unless I'm mistaken, the Esee 4 is 3/16" thick with the BK16 being 5/32". I have made a comment to Esee they should thin the 4 down to 5/32" so it fits in thickness between the 3 and the 6.
They are both 5/32"
@@knifecenter - I just checked Esee's website and it says at it's thickest it is 0.188" which converts to 3/16" as 5/32" is 0.156"
I like the thickness over the 3 for hard use. But the 3 is slicey er. Izula thickness is perfect.
I like the thickness over the 3 for hard use. But the 3 is slicey er. Izula thickness is perfect.
Yes the esee 4 is 3/16" thick.
Both are good. Either is a great choice. And I do like Esee... but I'm a Becker guy and I'd rather get the Becker and then order the scales.
ESEE all the way but without the finger choil, I own both.
Got the ka bar. I luv it
Esee got rid of the finger choil that's on the 4, so it's gone on the 4HM. So 4HM has a longer handle.
The Essee 4 still has the finger choil as shown. The Essee 4HM doesn't have the choil and is a different knife though similiar.
Esee for me
I think you could easily say either one of those knives would do great in a survival situation and like in a situation where a knife could mean the difference between life or death.
ESEE....without question. I have the Junglas and the Laser Strike. They're incredible knives! I am getting ready to buy 3 more: the Izula II, the 4 w/serration and the 6.
Enjoy! I did nearly the same but chose the Teritary over the 6. Esee has become my brand of choice. 👍
@@Mike-id8gu yessir! HUGE fan! Try Bark River, too. Excellent knives!
Get the G10 extended knife scales from “The Knife Connection”(TKC). You will then have the perfect Esee 4…
The better feeling handle is the becker, thus my choice
This is a no brainer imo. I can't stand those huge choils on the Esee knives (or on any knife for that matter). Also, the becker has a thinner blade upping the performance. I did the first magazine review of the RAT 4 when it came out and while it was a sturdy knife and functional, it felt like a long in the hand. I took it to a machinist and had him skeletonize the handle which improved the balance but still, I'd say batonning, not slicing, is its best use.
Both great choices!
I would go with a tops knife. Maybe a bob or a steel eagle. I own about 7 of them and they are amazing! I’ve even gifted a few milspies! Between the kabar and esee I would go esse but between the tops and esee I would go tops. But I’m sure tops isn’t having any problems selling knives so you probably won’t see a video on that hahaa! Great video tho!
Have 2 See 4's. The stainless SV is ground nice and thin, the carbon 4 is ground thick at the edge, no doubt will stand up to rough use tho it may take me a while to re-bevel it to my use...
I sold all 6 of the Esee knives i owned. I tried them for a year mostly the esee 3 and esse 4 for an edc but got tired of having to sharpen them literally every night. The edge retention is horrible. The Kabar 1095crvn totally destroys esee's 1095. Edge retention between the two you would notice a very big difference
That also equates to being less tough though. I'm not entirely sure how it is with the 1095 Cro Van compared to the 1095, but that's generally how it is.
Also, the most important aspect is the heat treatment. You can take the best steel but without the right heat treatment it means nothing.
I like my bk2 and bk9.
If I was going buy one of those I'd get the ESEE4 since it already has micarta scales while the Ka-Bar doesn't you have to buy them separately for another $30-$40 which sums up to the same price as the ESEE4.
Do a video on the new esse 3
The Ka-bar cater's to Men and the Esee to the boyscouts🤣
Well done.
I have a BK2, and I can't kill it and haven't lost it.
I beat the shit out of my bk2. I mean it i beat the living shit out of it. I've probably abused my bk2 more than most
I would choose the ESSE4
Bk16 in the UK is £115-30. For decent sheath it's £50 total plus another £50 for micarta scales. Rediculous price. Esee does make great edged crowbars.
I have the esee 4 double edge
Great vid. I own both and dont like either honestly. Ive had more luck with Mora, Fallkniven, and Bark River.
Both are exceptional. Becker more ergonomic for my hand
If you want something bigger and exceptional. Ritter/Becker colab
Warranty is the diff
I dont have esee 4 but i do have the 6, and i do have bk16. I feel the cro van steel sharpends easier, but the esee sharpnes last longer. I dont like the handle of the bk16, its too narrow where the thumb is situated in my opinion. But its a great knife over all.
I'm just looking for something I can patina for the first time....but nothing wrong with 1095.
Both are amazing.
Yup...absolutely agree.
Esee 4 all day
Between these two I'd go with the ESEE.
Like hell you will😂
I think I'd pick the Esee 4. Their warranty is the best.
He didn't even mention it.
was my comment too, no questions asked guarantee! Warranty is not the right word (lots of conditions connected to warranty like abuse, not correct use), here it is a genuine guarantee!
What would be the most likely competitor to these knives from TOPS?
You did not even mention the fact that se has no questions asked lifetime warranty if it breaks they will replace it that makes a huge difference in value. Dse4 line used to feature Kydex sheaths also
Knifecenter ships to the whole world. These kind of lifetime guarantees make sense to Americans only. If you have to send back your broken Esee from the other side of the world, the postage cost back and forth, is forbidding you doing so. Hence, not commenting on it.
I think the Esee options set it over
Esee all day I like the rounded handle Esee RH4 such an ergonomic handle over the regular esee.thanks for the video.
Spitch Grizwald its a rounded
Handle like a bushcraft knife.
He always says 1095 vs 1095 crovan is basically the same. I disagree.
I just bought my first ESEE-4 for my battle/survival belt - blue-black 3D scales - and discovered it's too useful and comfortable to be mostly sitting in my closet. Now I have a second ESEE-4 on the way! 😅
still waiting for the showdown.
Bk16 is a superior blade, the handle contour allows for finer task work and better feel even though the beckers handle is slick grivory the handle design is so good that it outperforms the esees blocky ass micarta slabs. the blade edge is better also, esee bevel is too thick and poor for cutting despite being a full flat grind, beckers steel is superior 1095cv is akin to cold steel's carbon v its harder more corrosion resistant and slightly tougher, the edge just last longer and is tougher than esee despite all the hype around the rowen heat treat. Both these knives are brought down by their coatings, if you wanna get the most slicing ability and desire to spark a ferrp rod strip the coating and add a vinegar patina. While i appreciate the kydex sheath, the nylon sheath on the becker is actually quite usefull with all its molle compatability, kydex isnt necessary but it nice. On my bk16 i stripped the coatibg did a vinegar patina, countoured micarta handles, convexed the edge and did a nice leather sheath, its my hunting/ camp knife, it can skin and quarter deer, do food prep, whittle and carve, do basic bushcraft tasks, but its robust enough to be abused. Its just way more comfortable than anything else in the price range, its a do it all blade. To me the becker bk16 feels like a budget version of a bark river bravo 1.25 lt, they both fill thr same uses.
That esee 4 handle is way to short. The becker handle is way to slick
Essee for the sheath options
ESEE for comfort and warranty
I had a SOG North West Ranger for 8 years like it a lot but they are not making it now, so i am looking at BK 16
Here the becker wins
4 all day every day👍
Esee 4......forever
Sooooo....ESEE 4-EVER...... Lol
My choice is the Gerber Strongarm!
Get a Kabar D-2 Extreme and be glad you paid the extra money .
@Tea And Crumpets! That's far from a rat tai tang, which is a different tang that narrows and stops most of the times, at 3/4 of the handle. That's a full tang pind to the pomel. Go watch. the latest Terava Jaakkari pukko 110 video, of the Dutch Bushcraft Knives channel. What people call full tangs nowdays, most of the time are skeletonized tangs, that are far more fragile, than the way Terava and Ka-Bar makes their tangs. PS Terava isn't even pind or glued, yet, it holds insane abuse.
Which one is more corrosion resistant. Does the Crovan help with corrosion ..
Not enough to make a difference. Both should be about the same. -DCA
All the paintings of there brand overvthe blade puts me right off the esse but is maybe a bettet knife although the kbar is beautiful to look at and know its bigger brothers are awesome so ild pick kbar
Should have thrown a Ontario Rat in the comparison.
esee 4 wins hands down...better sheath...and better grip...that weird crappy plastic handle sucks!!!~!!!
Sucks that ESEE has switched from Kydex to plastic for their sheaths. But the knives are primo though.
I have a BK-3, an ESEE 5 and an Izula II. Love 'em all. Cheers
I don't mind a plastic sheath, I prefer it actually. Seems like it's a bit more durable, though it may not feel as premium.
I can’t tell if the knives are really small or if David C. Anderson has large manly hands. Maybe both?
Can the screw nut design be changed on the Bk16? I’m curious if you went with custom scales if that could be eliminated and go with a different style.
Whatever size is baked into the scales is the style to go with. The steel underneath won't care as long is it fits through the guide holes. -DCA
Yes I recommend G-10 scales from The Knife Connection. They are a major improvement and change the pattern. I stripped the coating off my BK-16, forced a patina to prevent corrosion, put TKC scales on it, and wet molded a leather sheath from Sharpshooter Supply for it. Been EDCing it like that for 5+ years.
@@r.j.macready8328 oh that’s cool! I like those scales better. I’m wanting this knife for camping and i will be kind of rough on it. Do you think it’s a good choice for that? I’m really interested in the BK the Esee and the Rat.
@@whatfreedom7 It'll be perfect for it. The main reason I picked the BK-16 over the Esee or the RAT is the length of the handle. They're both a little shorter in the handle then the Becker, although Esee offers one of the best warranties in the business. Pair it with a hatchet/tomahawk and you'll be more than prepared for whatever nature can throw at you
I had been looking at the Esse 3 and 4, but I no longer will consider any Esse knives. IMO they are a dishonest company. It is really sad what they have tried to do to The Knife Connection, stealing their designs and then pretending they didn't. That just doesn't sit well with me.
I own a BK2 and BK9, but the scales with their recessed mounting hardware tend to generate hot spots on my hands. Maybe not such a big issue on a smaller knife like the BK16 where you aren't using it as a chopper.
Bonjour So which one is the best ?
Hello...KB..excellente lame pour le prix ; Tout est dans la lame, le reste est secondaire. le 1095 cro-van c'est du bon.
And you can customize it for a few more dollars with time and trial. Up until now KA BAR holds its reputation. Take care and be cautious.
Those Bolton clips break