Nice to hear the Benchmade 162 won. I've owned this knife among many others for roughly 10 years. Time to break it out and start using it I guess? Thanks for the video guys. 😎
Just stumbled across you guys and I sub'd before the ending; however, finding out you donate everything to charity is absolutely amazing. Great content, I enjoyed watching and I dig the flow you two have. Thanks again and I look forward to watching more of your videos!
I own about a dozen high quality bushcraft knives and my Benchmade 162 is my favorite for many of the reasons you mention. The 90-degree spine also makes it superb with fire sticks. Good video guys!
That was actually enjoyable to watch. I generally don't watch the knife comparison videos if the knives aren't equally matched (ESEE 5 vs BK2 for example) but this was well done and I enjoyed the banter between you two. A belated thanks for posting.
The BM162 is simply the finest all around field knife ever created. Worth every penny, even if you have to have to save for months and eat nothing but beans and rice for months to get one.
I just bought one today..this same knife was sitting in our little hardware store for years.. they just wanted to much and I couldn't afford it. And apparently nobody else was willing to spend that much.. it sat there for years, and every time I'd go in the store id commit eyeball fornication with it.. Today I walked in the store to buy some ammo, and of course my first stop was the Benchmade case to oogle my pretty...... To my shock, they had a big clearance sticker on it... 150$.... I liked to had a myocardial infarction... I bought it immediately. Even before I finished my shopping . Payed for it, came back in and got my other stuff Hard to put into words what its like to drool over something so long knowing you'll nevee have an excuse to get it. Wife kids life in general.. .but today I got my grail knife Ivw been trying to find a defect on it all day.. nothing is wrong. Its perfect in every way . Perfect grinds. Perfect everything... It feels like a custom knife. Looks like a custom knife. It's the finest blade I've ever used..
@@thealarmclock9307 hell yeah man congrats isn't it AWESOME?!?! In this lifetime you might as well own the finest knife there is. It's like a lord of the rings middle earth weapon that has its own name and magical powers. Glad you didn't have myocardial infarction!!! I bought mine after divorce lol
you guys are comparing apples , oranges, and pears! The esse 5 is 1/4 inch thick and is designed for an all around survival knife(similar to BK2) that can pry, split tough logs, stab, hammer, chop , or just about anything! Jack of all trades...Master of none! The Benchmade 162 is a purpose built light "bushcraft" knife (similar to tops BOB ). These two knives would be carried together as a "system" along with a light axe or machete! JUST SAYING.....
I think they're just having fun and making fun content. I think a lot of us idiots are torn between a jack of all trades survival blade and a handsome dedicated bushcraft knife. Even so, I still want all three of these knives lol 😬
It was nice to see a blade review like this where the testing made pretty good practical sense, but you still had fun with it. Overall, you both made a great point--individual preference has a lot to do with knife selections. Personally, I love my ESEE 5. Yes, the edge wont stay sharp as long as some of the fancy steels, but that's a compromise for a steel that's soft enough to handle regular batoning and abuse. So for me, I don't mind a little upkeep once in while, but again--it all comes down to individual preference. Glad you both got something to eat in the end.
I like and own knives from each of the represented companies, but I have to say that it really is a matter of personal taste. I have the Benchmade Arvensis 119, which has a similar handle to the 162 Buahcrafter. I also have the ESEE 6 and the Bark River 1.5... My favorite handle is the Bark River hands down. Fun video guys!
David Boyd I’ve had some more years to play with it and it s definitely a very good life. I’m sure you’ll be very pleased with it. Plus I think it also comes in a better looking tan color now
I like to put my opinion for the batoning. I feel that with a slab of wood that large that you began with, this would be a piece that you would have sawed off with a saw. In this case, I would always start with a hatchet! Then finish off the pie cut pieces with the knives when going this route. Any of the 3 knives would be great to finish with. In other cases, the knife's length will determine how large of branches to cut off of a dry dead tree. The knives are supposed to be for a lot smaller pieces of wood where the bench made will do just as great of a job as e other 2 knives. This is my opinion of course. As for the results, even though the bench made won more of the categories, the knife of choice is the one that an individual likes so kudos on your summary! good job. Funny I bought the benchmade without looking at any reviews. I looked the knife over at the store and it has all of the qualities of a bench-crafting tool including the sheath's holder for the ferrous rod. I even like size. :)
I took my Esee on one trip and the tip snapped off, during its first use. It was also dull by day 2. I put a point back on it, sharpened it, and sold it as soon as I got home. I’m receiving that benchmade 162 in a few days, and I hope its a better experience. I’m not really a benchmade fan, either, but im hoping to have better luck with their fixed blades (I also ordered a hidden canyon).
@@WhiteDwarfVR4 I'm keeping the Bushcrafter. I have larger hands, and the handle and palms swell fits them well. I also like that the steel is quite thick--I have no fear when batoning kindling or being rough with the knife. It is also attractive, for a production knife. I don't like that the sheath didn't come with a dangler, and I don't have much need for the fire steel loop--I might cut it off, or maybe I will replace the sheath entirely. It's also a bit heavy, since the steel is so thick. I think is a great knife for 180 dollars (that's what I paid, with discounts), but If I was going to spend much more, I would probably look into some custom options with nice sheaths and exotic wood handles. If I didn't care about how my knife looked, or what it was made out of, id probably just keep using a Mora instead of paying 270 for a Bushcrafter.
Hope you can do a budget followup. I think the ESEE dulls too quickly, and being carbon it's different from the other two, which aim for lasting sharpness over ease of sharpening. As for ideas, the Hultafors OK4 has a thick handle, which should help batoning. Mora has the Kansbol and Bushcraft series (different steels and handles), and Condor Tool and Knife has the Rodan. Though I don't think they can be as good as the Bark River.
Too many damm knives out there buy a buck 110 and be happy. U wanna baton that's what a hatchet is for. U wanna carve pull out a Swiss army knife. U wanna lite a fire flick the bick. I don't understand everyone wants to be a caveman these days.
@@docbobber it's about minimizing your gear. an axe weight a bit more than a knife and not nearly as versatile. If you have a good knife, flit rod and folding saw you are set and it weighs way less. I do usually bring a lighter because they are so light, but a flint rod fits in most bushcraft sheaths and is a much needed backup just incase.
@@docbobber buck 110 has been sucking for a long time!!! Everybody talks about how great it is, but you always see them with tips busted or big chips and nicks and the locks on them inevitably always end up sloppy and rocking even with non abuse they just always do. I've had several given to me over the years, and I've known a LOT of woodsmen that carry and swear by / worship them, and they've all been sloppy and with broken tips, most broke them in a deer or elk joint, which a knife needs to be able to do. Hell the new bucks come from the factory with lockrock.
Only thing I would be worried about with the s30v which I have personally, it’s pretty hard to sharpen when your camping so make sure you bring an adequate sharpener
I really enjoyed your video and it was nice to hear what sounds like a NY accent, lol. I’m a die hard Barkie fan but the Benchmade is a great cutting tool. I wish you would’ve used a different BR knife like the Cub or the Bravo 1.25, the 1.5 is a bit long & probably the least popular in the lineup. That Benchmade looks like a Fiddleback Forge, nice blade.
@@oscarortega6781 it is crazy strong, I've carved spoon and bowl, did quite a bunch of bushcraft out there.. and it's still sharp 😅 best investment ever hehe
Hey guys! Great video! I just wanted to know what handle material is used for the bark river you guys bought. Thinking about buying my first bark river. I have a bk2 and a first edge 5050 and a few schrades here n there. Wanted to jump into the cpm3v game i guess! So i'm looking at the scarlet and black maple burl handle for the bravo 1.5 but i dont have any idea of the durability of the handle. Any advice?
Cool review, thanks for going through the effort. I would have liked a quick comment on the quality of the sheaths, there are some mixed reviews on the benchmade's sheath and if one had to buy a third party replacement it would alter the knives overall value. Liked and subbed.
Jarrod Schoenau yeah totally agree... I made all three of these sheathes tho. The benchmade looked and felt cheap and I tossed it before ever using it, and the other knives we purchased without sheaths, knowing I would make them for us anyway... sorry we don’t have more info on the production versions...
Guys, it's the angle of your edge. The finer the edge, the better feather sticks. The knife that keeps that edge longest is the best. You should only put a 90° edge on a small section of your knifes spine, and not where you rest your thumb. It may seem like sacrilege, but the hand of your knife should be modified to your taste, regardless of how pretty and glossy it looks, after all its meant to be the number 1 tool in your arsenal. That being said, you should have tried the Bark River Bravo 1.25 in cpm 3v or s35vn, it's slightly smaller size would have been the winner over its bigger brother, and with the advice I just gave it would have beat the benchmade.
Those rules seemed a little dubious to me. ; P I'm with "Johnny Cash" on this one. I too thought that you would each pick whichever knife you wanted for each individual test & then claim your prize. I think you would have been hard pressed to beat a slightly smaller Bark River such as the Gunny or Bushcrafter with a blade aprox 4 1/2". They are all excellent solid, well made knives. I do like the Bench made but I have always felt that as a whole, Bench Made products are over priced for what you get; I have never cared for the shape & overly wide/tall blades of the Essy. I personally think Bark River makes a superior knife all around & IMO is the most beautiful/ascetically pleasing of the 3 but that one looked a little too long & unwieldy. Overall you have 3 excellent knives there & wouldn't go wrong with any choice. Another good, entertaining & informative video guys. I always enjoy your banter & the quality items you review along with practical experience & knowledge of the outdoors as well as your generous & unselfish support of other worthy causes with kids. Please keep'em coming. On a side note: Like Craig, I too have a bunch of hardware in my back from several surgeries. Until one experiences unabating, debilitating chronic back pain, they will never know or understand the life changing consequences that result from injury, deterioration & the resulting surgeries. Counter to intuitive thinking I also hike/camp/pack fairly heavily. At my age & physical limitations I not only want to be comfortable in the wilderness, I need to be. I prefer external frame packs for longer trips as they tend to distribute weight better & force me to stand up straighter & keep my back straight. I really appreciated that video you did about your back & backpacking. Cheers.
Imightberiding wanna talk about over priced bk is over priced paying 150 for a2 tool steel when I can get better steel for the same size of knife from many other manufacturers
I have 2 out of 3 of these knives ,BM in Tan the EOD version and Esee, I also have a Kabar bk2, and a Esee 6 and I LOVE the benchmade the size is great, good ergo's, blade edge is great!!! I grab it more then the others!!! for those on the fence the BM wont let you down!!!
What would you say is better the esse or the Becker bk2 But I also would recommend you a Bark River just because they have a perfect heat treatment and a convex grind that holds the edge the best But take a bushcrafter or aurora
Say Heah Fellas, This weekend I brought my Modified Attitude and my Modified Mad Hatter Machete as my Summer Long Knife Combo. Yeah I had the Battle Horse Attitude Slightly Curved with a High Scandi Grind I also had the Drop Point Lowered so it sort of resembled the Gasconade. The handles are White G-10 Handles with Blue Liners. My Modified Mad Hatter Machete also matches the handle. I had the L6 spine rounded with a moderate amount of Scandi Grind closer to the handle while the rest is Convexed. Oh, there's a 90° area for my ferro rod. I got the Scandi idea from the Machete Guru Colhane. My Modde Attitude came out like a piece if art. I call it my Bushcraft Survival Knife. I could definitely use it as a Tactical Knife the only thing that keeps it people friendly is the handle. The Modde Mad Hatter Machete compliments my Modde Attitude perfectly. Since we're going to a place where there's alot of brambles. I think this combo will work great. Oh, I also designed a couple of Knives and I had Mr. William Collins make them. Infact I posted the unfinished knives on Google Plus, Your welcome to L@@K.,,.p
Im so glad I never bought an ESEE,I started to a while back but then when I started doing a little research and reading through complaint after complaint,it didnt take long for me to see it wasnt the knife for me..at the moment I only have 3 fixed blade knives..one was handed down to me by my dad.it is an old Buck knife and its great for skinning game but too small for what I want in a survival knife..then I have a Schrade SCHLMF56 with micarta handles,its a good looking knife and comfortable in hand but ive seen several pictures on Amazon where blade broke in half..with that being said,I got mine for $20 so Im really not out much.even if the pics were from a bad batch it was enough to remove from my go bag..my other fixed blade is a Gerber Strongarm.like Schrade,Gerber is a budget knife but over the years Ive had multiple Gerber knives that I really liked and held up great.plus Gerber has a better reputation and after researching and reading though what people thought of their recent blades I havent found pics of broken blades.I trust my Gerber Strongarm would hold up just fine as a survival knife...with all of that being said,the more Ive thought about it the more ive realized why I should just spend a bit more and buy high quality knife instead of something that is just passable.after doing further research I have just about settled on the TOPS B.O.B..it looks and sounds like an excellent blade
Garrett Ferrell I don’t know where you are finding all the bad reviews but Esee is among the very best. Trust me. Esee 5 is great but not the right knife for this contest. It’s not really in a bushcraft category.
Cool contest but esee 4 would have been a closer comparison and now they make it in s35vn. Esee 5 is like a sharpened pry bar it's tough no doubt but not very good at knife things though probably one of the strongest knives out there. I just got the esee 4 in s35vn i like it much better then 1095. My brother has the benchmade bushcrafter a excellent knife. I got my esee 4 in s35 vn for 128 shipped yall should get one and test it.
I own many fixed blade knives. And out of all of them, I absolutely love my Esee 5 the most. It's not great at every tast. But it's a damn badass while doing them. I'd choose the Esee 5 in this test of yours any day.
@@fixedbladejunkie9532 but the steel of the Esee compared to the other two is super weak. The Esee looses sharpness way too easy. The only problem about this test is, that they choose one of the worst Bark River. The 1,5 version is too long for that perfect handmade handle, so it is out of balance. The 1,25 would be the way to go.
@@wesleysnider2915 not a steel snob myself. I know and trust 1095. I know what abuse I can put my esee knives through. I guarantee an esee will never break before most others do. It's not just the steel it's who does the cooking!! It simply works and has worked for many many years.
@@fixedbladejunkie9532 It can be a problem when you are more days out. Then you need a knive that keeps sharp. In that priceclass, full tang, the knife shouldn't brake anyways.
From my angle it sure looked like benchmade dished out a pretty heavy case a red ass to the other two girl scouts it was up against! Great , fun video!
Not fair to the ESEE 5. The ESEE has it's place, but it sure as hell isn't bushcrafting. It was designed for SERE to be able to pry out of downed aircraft. And in my opinion 3v far out performs s30v. Bark River knives are very difficult to beat.
vicarious1028 I’ve found the that s30v bench made actually holds an edge better than the the cpm3v bark river but I’m sure is not as tough. I agree with you and we both actually use homemade cpm3v knives on all our trips. We heat treat them all through peters heat treating to 60 and have had great luck with them. But I have to say the bench made takes and holds one hell of an edge...
Good test and all three are good knifes. I like my Mora's for my intro knife. Would like a higher end knife but my budget now is for a Lester River Borreal Jacket. There the bomb. Take care, Al
Why you should choose the esse i also own a esse and a Bark River in cpm 3v and the edge retention of the Bark River is ten to twenty times better because of the steel and the Grind Okay I know the esse is easier to sharpen but the steel of the esse is so soft that i often had to sharpened it outdoor to have a usable edge because it was dull after a few hours of using
@@heinzkack2153 I think because they never used a Bark River. I understand why some people would go with the benchmade, but I would never take the esee out of these 3.
I paused the video at 2 min 40 something seconds right after i saw the knives and beer just to say this. who's gonna lose a finger first? 😂 ok now on with the video to find out
Actually the Essee5 is a Seres style shtf escape and evade style blade not a bushcraft. For that the Esee lazer strike would be the bushcraft entry blade or the Esee6.
Well if you'd use a quality diamond sharpener like your supposed to that, Benchmade bushcrafter 162 would respond way better, get a finer edge and be fairly easy to sharpen. I have the arvensis and with the worksharp field sharpener it only takes maybe 2 or 3 minutes longer to sharpen than my carbon. I tried it on my Arkansas stones, and the arvensis did not respond well.
Jesse Schmidt i have many diamond plates, they only go so far and I’d only use them if the knife is damaged. I haven’t “sharpened” that knife in years. A couple strokes on the 10000 wet stone and a few swipes on the leather and it’s done. But everyone has their own methods and most all work. As long as mine are hair popping sharp I’m happy...
3v is harder to sharpen than S30v. At least for me. Working edge retention on S30v is also far better than 3v. Again these are my results. I have 3 S30v knifes and 2 3V's. I prefer S30v.
Nice to hear the Benchmade 162 won. I've owned this knife among many others for roughly 10 years.
Time to break it out and start using it I guess?
Thanks for the video guys. 😎
I normally don't like these types of videos but you 2 hit it out of the park. I bought my Benchmade 162 earlier today so good timing.
That was the most I've ever enjoyed a knife video, hands down. Nice work, guys.
Loved the video. One of you has the ultimate man house and some sweet blades
Just stumbled across you guys and I sub'd before the ending; however, finding out you donate everything to charity is absolutely amazing.
Great content, I enjoyed watching and I dig the flow you two have.
Thanks again and I look forward to watching more of your videos!
I own about a dozen high quality bushcraft knives and my Benchmade 162 is my favorite for many of the reasons you mention. The 90-degree spine also makes it superb with fire sticks. Good video guys!
I really like my Benchmade Bushcrafter, but also my Mora Bushcraft Black. Great demo, guys. Thanks.
That was fun to watch. Good stuff. Thank you!
That was actually enjoyable to watch. I generally don't watch the knife comparison videos if the knives aren't equally matched (ESEE 5 vs BK2 for example) but this was well done and I enjoyed the banter between you two. A belated thanks for posting.
The BM162 is simply the finest all around field knife ever created. Worth every penny, even if you have to have to save for months and eat nothing but beans and rice for months to get one.
I just bought one today..this same knife was sitting in our little hardware store for years.. they just wanted to much and I couldn't afford it. And apparently nobody else was willing to spend that much.. it sat there for years, and every time I'd go in the store id commit eyeball fornication with it..
Today I walked in the store to buy some ammo, and of course my first stop was the Benchmade case to oogle my pretty...... To my shock, they had a big clearance sticker on it... 150$.... I liked to had a myocardial infarction... I bought it immediately. Even before I finished my shopping . Payed for it, came back in and got my other stuff
Hard to put into words what its like to drool over something so long knowing you'll nevee have an excuse to get it. Wife kids life in general.. .but today I got my grail knife
Ivw been trying to find a defect on it all day.. nothing is wrong. Its perfect in every way . Perfect grinds. Perfect everything... It feels like a custom knife. Looks like a custom knife.
It's the finest blade I've ever used..
@@thealarmclock9307 hell yeah man congrats isn't it AWESOME?!?! In this lifetime you might as well own the finest knife there is. It's like a lord of the rings middle earth weapon that has its own name and magical powers.
Glad you didn't have myocardial infarction!!!
I bought mine after divorce lol
Glad I watched til the end. Great purpose your channel is serving. Keep up the good work guys
Guys lovely video enjoyed watching
You’re fans 🇬🇧 London
I dig that Benchmade 162 ! Love it
Fun video guys
I'm afraid of sharp knives, but that photography of the water balloons was just awesome! Kudos!
You shouldn't have to
Buy you a Condor knife or something like that (not to expensive and with the 1095 a great steel to learn) and try it
Great channel guys you got another sub from up here in Canada 🇨🇦
you guys are comparing apples , oranges, and pears! The esse 5 is 1/4 inch thick and is designed for an all around survival knife(similar to BK2) that can pry, split tough logs, stab, hammer, chop , or just about anything! Jack of all trades...Master of none! The Benchmade 162 is a purpose built light "bushcraft" knife (similar to tops BOB ). These two knives would be carried together as a "system" along with a light axe or machete! JUST SAYING.....
Kristen D Thanks so much for the great info!
I think they're just having fun and making fun content. I think a lot of us idiots are torn between a jack of all trades survival blade and a handsome dedicated bushcraft knife. Even so, I still want all three of these knives lol 😬
You're definitely protesting for something right now
I'll staat with the baaak Riva. Lol. I had too. Great video guys. Darn Yankees.
It was nice to see a blade review like this where the testing made pretty good practical sense, but you still had fun with it. Overall, you both made a great point--individual preference has a lot to do with knife selections. Personally, I love my ESEE 5. Yes, the edge wont stay sharp as long as some of the fancy steels, but that's a compromise for a steel that's soft enough to handle regular batoning and abuse. So for me, I don't mind a little upkeep once in while, but again--it all comes down to individual preference. Glad you both got something to eat in the end.
Adventure Ryan thanks for checking us out, Ryan!
Great video and great cause!
Good stuff fellas!
You guys are having way too much fun. Haha haha.
I like and own knives from each of the represented companies, but I have to say that it really is a matter of personal taste. I have the Benchmade Arvensis 119, which has a similar handle to the 162 Buahcrafter. I also have the ESEE 6 and the Bark River 1.5... My favorite handle is the Bark River hands down. Fun video guys!
banditgriot - Nice. I've been considering the Esee 6HM
That one is looks good to me as well. You should really try the Knife Connection scales for the ESEE 5.
I have the Esee 6 and the Bravo 1.5 as well. I saw your comment and said "did I go commenting on YT drunk again?" Had to look to see it wasn't me...
Looks like a fun day.
Great review! Fun stuff. I was thinking on the Benchmade and I think its the winner for me.
David Boyd I’ve had some more years to play with it and it s definitely a very good life. I’m sure you’ll be very pleased with it. Plus I think it also comes in a better looking tan color now
Good show. Thank you.
I like to put my opinion for the batoning. I feel that with a slab of wood that large that you began with, this would be a piece that you would have sawed off with a saw. In this case, I would always start with a hatchet! Then finish off the pie cut pieces with the knives when going this route. Any of the 3 knives would be great to finish with. In other cases, the knife's length will determine how large of branches to cut off of a dry dead tree. The knives are supposed to be for a lot smaller pieces of wood where the bench made will do just as great of a job as e other 2 knives. This is my opinion of course. As for the results, even though the bench made won more of the categories, the knife of choice is the one that an individual likes so kudos on your summary! good job. Funny I bought the benchmade without looking at any reviews. I looked the knife over at the store and it has all of the qualities of a bench-crafting tool including the sheath's holder for the ferrous rod. I even like size. :)
Got my Benchmade few days ago, totally in love already :D
Great vid.
I took my Esee on one trip and the tip snapped off, during its first use. It was also dull by day 2. I put a point back on it, sharpened it, and sold it as soon as I got home. I’m receiving that benchmade 162 in a few days, and I hope its a better experience. I’m not really a benchmade fan, either, but im hoping to have better luck with their fixed blades (I also ordered a hidden canyon).
Looking into getting a bushcrafter or two for me and my girl, what are your thoughts on it so far?
@@WhiteDwarfVR4 I'm keeping the Bushcrafter. I have larger hands, and the handle and palms swell fits them well. I also like that the steel is quite thick--I have no fear when batoning kindling or being rough with the knife. It is also attractive, for a production knife. I don't like that the sheath didn't come with a dangler, and I don't have much need for the fire steel loop--I might cut it off, or maybe I will replace the sheath entirely. It's also a bit heavy, since the steel is so thick. I think is a great knife for 180 dollars (that's what I paid, with discounts), but If I was going to spend much more, I would probably look into some custom options with nice sheaths and exotic wood handles. If I didn't care about how my knife looked, or what it was made out of, id probably just keep using a Mora instead of paying 270 for a Bushcrafter.
@@SeanHavlik copy, thanks for the input!
Great review guys keep it up👍
Ayy ohhh I'm walkin heeere
Hope you can do a budget followup. I think the ESEE dulls too quickly, and being carbon it's different from the other two, which aim for lasting sharpness over ease of sharpening. As for ideas, the Hultafors OK4 has a thick handle, which should help batoning. Mora has the Kansbol and Bushcraft series (different steels and handles), and Condor Tool and Knife has the Rodan. Though I don't think they can be as good as the Bark River.
I give you guys a D+ on your feather stick skills😂😅 sad just .....sad...LOL
lol i agree these guys need to learn a lot more skills and steels
that featherstick is posted in mors kochanskis book bushcraft as an example of how not to do it :D
Too many damm knives out there buy a buck 110 and be happy. U wanna baton that's what a hatchet is for. U wanna carve pull out a Swiss army knife. U wanna lite a fire flick the bick. I don't understand everyone wants to be a caveman these days.
@@docbobber it's about minimizing your gear. an axe weight a bit more than a knife and not nearly as versatile. If you have a good knife, flit rod and folding saw you are set and it weighs way less. I do usually bring a lighter because they are so light, but a flint rod fits in most bushcraft sheaths and is a much needed backup just incase.
@@docbobber buck 110 has been sucking for a long time!!! Everybody talks about how great it is, but you always see them with tips busted or big chips and nicks and the locks on them inevitably always end up sloppy and rocking even with non abuse they just always do. I've had several given to me over the years, and I've known a LOT of woodsmen that carry and swear by / worship them, and they've all been sloppy and with broken tips, most broke them in a deer or elk joint, which a knife needs to be able to do. Hell the new bucks come from the factory with lockrock.
Only thing I would be worried about with the s30v which I have personally, it’s pretty hard to sharpen when your camping so make sure you bring an adequate sharpener
Most refreshing you tube knife vid ever!
You fellows made me laugh. Good video.
Ramus Sumar that's all we hope for, make people smile... made my day
thanks for the information. I like that you donate the money of your patches will get some
unbreakable7x77 thanks. We'll post a vid once they are available... on a side note, how's that venum gi holding up?
5:32 “And no one’s gonna get to eat.” 😆
I really enjoyed your video and it was nice to hear what sounds like a NY accent, lol. I’m a die hard Barkie fan but the Benchmade is a great cutting tool. I wish you would’ve used a different BR knife like the Cub or the Bravo 1.25, the 1.5 is a bit long & probably the least popular in the lineup. That Benchmade looks like a Fiddleback Forge, nice blade.
Nice video! That was funny hehe :D
Got my Benchmade few days ago, already quite happy with it! :D
Which benchmade did you get?
@@oscarortega6781 Benchmade bushcraft hehe :D (same as the video ^^)
Awesome! Its been a year, any update, anything change? You still love it? Haha have you put it to work and has it held up?
@@oscarortega6781 it is crazy strong, I've carved spoon and bowl, did quite a bunch of bushcraft out there.. and it's still sharp 😅 best investment ever hehe
Thank you for the feedback brutha!
dayum, that benchmade can throw some sparks!
Really enjoying your stuff guys. Keep having fun.
LoaferXcursions thanks so much
I agree with your conclusion, I noticed the same with marbles 52-100 it was a bear to sharpen but it held an edge a long time!
For baton applications a thicker spine would help split the wood easier... CFK makes many knives with a 1/4” spine...
Hey guys! Great video! I just wanted to know what handle material is used for the bark river you guys bought. Thinking about buying my first bark river. I have a bk2 and a first edge 5050 and a few schrades here n there. Wanted to jump into the cpm3v game i guess! So i'm looking at the scarlet and black maple burl handle for the bravo 1.5 but i dont have any idea of the durability of the handle. Any advice?
Cool review, thanks for going through the effort. I would have liked a quick comment on the quality of the sheaths, there are some mixed reviews on the benchmade's sheath and if one had to buy a third party replacement it would alter the knives overall value. Liked and subbed.
Jarrod Schoenau yeah totally agree... I made all three of these sheathes tho. The benchmade looked and felt cheap and I tossed it before ever using it, and the other knives we purchased without sheaths, knowing I would make them for us anyway... sorry we don’t have more info on the production versions...
I got the Benchmade 162 and the Esee 6. Love the Benchmade. With that said, I will add the Bark River to my collection. I just love knives.
Lol, this was a cool video , thanks
Thanks, guys!
Salt in the wound? Using HIS knife to slice YOUR cheese! I love it. LOL
Guys, it's the angle of your edge. The finer the edge, the better feather sticks. The knife that keeps that edge longest is the best. You should only put a 90° edge on a small section of your knifes spine, and not where you rest your thumb. It may seem like sacrilege, but the hand of your knife should be modified to your taste, regardless of how pretty and glossy it looks, after all its meant to be the number 1 tool in your arsenal. That being said, you should have tried the Bark River Bravo 1.25 in cpm 3v or s35vn, it's slightly smaller size would have been the winner over its bigger brother, and with the advice I just gave it would have beat the benchmade.
Long live the Hungarian Vizsla! Always makes my day. Tumbs up!
I have a whole rooms of knives but the one I use, daily is my Esee
Great comparison video. New Sub.
Those rules seemed a little dubious to me. ; P I'm with "Johnny Cash" on this one. I too thought that you would each pick whichever knife you wanted for each individual test & then claim your prize. I think you would have been hard pressed to beat a slightly smaller Bark River such as the Gunny or Bushcrafter with a blade aprox 4 1/2".
They are all excellent solid, well made knives. I do like the Bench made but I have always felt that as a whole, Bench Made products are over priced for what you get; I have never cared for the shape & overly wide/tall blades of the Essy. I personally think Bark River makes a superior knife all around & IMO is the most beautiful/ascetically pleasing of the 3 but that one looked a little too long & unwieldy. Overall you have 3 excellent knives there & wouldn't go wrong with any choice.
Another good, entertaining & informative video guys. I always enjoy your banter & the quality items you review along with practical experience & knowledge of the outdoors as well as your generous & unselfish support of other worthy causes with kids. Please keep'em coming.
On a side note: Like Craig, I too have a bunch of hardware in my back from several surgeries. Until one experiences unabating, debilitating chronic back pain, they will never know or understand the life changing consequences that result from injury, deterioration & the resulting surgeries. Counter to intuitive thinking I also hike/camp/pack fairly heavily. At my age & physical limitations I not only want to be comfortable in the wilderness, I need to be. I prefer external frame packs for longer trips as they tend to distribute weight better & force me to stand up straighter & keep my back straight. I really appreciated that video you did about your back & backpacking. Cheers.
Imightberiding Thanks so much for the thoughtful response!
Imightberiding wanna talk about over priced bk is over priced paying 150 for a2 tool steel when I can get better steel for the same size of knife from many other manufacturers
Sorry to be a party pooper and go off topic, but that damn cheese looks soooo good.
I have 2 out of 3 of these knives ,BM in Tan the EOD version and Esee, I also have a Kabar bk2, and a Esee 6 and I LOVE the benchmade the size is great, good ergo's, blade edge is great!!! I grab it more then the others!!! for those on the fence the BM wont let you down!!!
What would you say is better the esse or the Becker bk2
But I also would recommend you a Bark River just because they have a perfect heat treatment and a convex grind that holds the edge the best
But take a bushcrafter or aurora
I almost bought the Esee. But since the 5 is pretty much a prybar with an edge, I went with the 6.
all 3 are top quality knives,,, but again, it's personal preference,, for me,, esee anyday,, all day
Say Heah Fellas, This weekend I brought my Modified Attitude and my Modified Mad Hatter Machete as my Summer Long Knife Combo. Yeah I had the Battle Horse Attitude Slightly Curved with a High Scandi Grind I also had the Drop Point Lowered so it sort of resembled the Gasconade. The handles are White G-10 Handles with Blue Liners. My Modified Mad Hatter Machete also matches the handle. I had the L6 spine rounded with a moderate amount of Scandi Grind closer to the handle while the rest is Convexed. Oh, there's a 90° area for my ferro rod. I got the Scandi idea from the Machete Guru Colhane. My Modde Attitude came out like a piece if art. I call it my Bushcraft Survival Knife. I could definitely use it as a Tactical Knife the only thing that keeps it people friendly is the handle. The Modde Mad Hatter Machete compliments my Modde Attitude perfectly. Since we're going to a place where there's alot of brambles. I think this combo will work great. Oh, I also designed a couple of Knives and I had Mr. William Collins make them. Infact I posted the unfinished knives on Google Plus, Your welcome to L@@K.,,.p
Im so glad I never bought an ESEE,I started to a while back but then when I started doing a little research and reading through complaint after complaint,it didnt take long for me to see it wasnt the knife for me..at the moment I only have 3 fixed blade knives..one was handed down to me by my dad.it is an old Buck knife and its great for skinning game but too small for what I want in a survival knife..then I have a Schrade SCHLMF56 with micarta handles,its a good looking knife and comfortable in hand but ive seen several pictures on Amazon where blade broke in half..with that being said,I got mine for $20 so Im really not out much.even if the pics were from a bad batch it was enough to remove from my go bag..my other fixed blade is a Gerber Strongarm.like Schrade,Gerber is a budget knife but over the years Ive had multiple Gerber knives that I really liked and held up great.plus Gerber has a better reputation and after researching and reading though what people thought of their recent blades I havent found pics of broken blades.I trust my Gerber Strongarm would hold up just fine as a survival knife...with all of that being said,the more Ive thought about it the more ive realized why I should just spend a bit more and buy high quality knife instead of something that is just passable.after doing further research I have just about settled on the TOPS B.O.B..it looks and sounds like an excellent blade
Garrett Ferrell I don’t know where you are finding all the bad reviews but Esee is among the very best. Trust me. Esee 5 is great but not the right knife for this contest. It’s not really in a bushcraft category.
@@zachturner8745 lol! thanks, I needed that. Esee among the very best. hehe good one dude. made my day.
Cool contest but esee 4 would have been a closer comparison and now they make it in s35vn. Esee 5 is like a sharpened pry bar it's tough no doubt but not very good at knife things though probably one of the strongest knives out there. I just got the esee 4 in s35vn i like it much better then 1095. My brother has the benchmade bushcrafter a excellent knife. I got my esee 4 in s35 vn for 128 shipped yall should get one and test it.
Very nice video, done differently and in a fun way... Thanks for sharing, keep them coming.
I own many fixed blade knives. And out of all of them, I absolutely love my Esee 5 the most. It's not great at every tast. But it's a damn badass while doing them. I'd choose the Esee 5 in this test of yours any day.
I own these knives and would never pick the esee.
@@wesleysnider2915 to each his own. Different people Different ways.
@@fixedbladejunkie9532 but the steel of the Esee compared to the other two is super weak. The Esee looses sharpness way too easy. The only problem about this test is, that they choose one of the worst Bark River. The 1,5 version is too long for that perfect handmade handle, so it is out of balance. The 1,25 would be the way to go.
@@wesleysnider2915 not a steel snob myself. I know and trust 1095. I know what abuse I can put my esee knives through. I guarantee an esee will never break before most others do. It's not just the steel it's who does the cooking!! It simply works and has worked for many many years.
@@fixedbladejunkie9532 It can be a problem when you are more days out. Then you need a knive that keeps sharp. In that priceclass, full tang, the knife shouldn't brake anyways.
What brand of ferro rod is that. Great video. Plus one on subscribers
how easy is the S30v to sharpen in comparison to Elmax/COS/440C ...VG10?
Nice! Subbed.
zeroa6 awesome, thanks!
Try a Bark River Bushcrafter or Aurora for bushcraft. New sub, good video!
I picked up the gunny for feathers etc. The bravo 1.5 and the gunny and a silky saw is all you need folks, case closed.
@@cburgz3697 I agree, but instead of the silky, I Go with my boreal 21.
@@wesleysnider2915 nice!
Awesome Video... Whats the name of that kool music?
This was an original. Cheers mates!
Esse junglas and a bark river gunny hunter Lt in Elmax is perfect. I carry both when I’m in the real shit.
From my angle it sure looked like benchmade dished out a pretty heavy case a red ass to the other two girl scouts it was up against! Great , fun video!
Excellent way to describe the obvious winner. That Benchmade
Great video. Who makes your sheaths?
CipherNameRaVeN Thanks. Jon makes them all. Check out our "Leather Work" video.
have you thought of maybe raffling off those sheaths? just an idea...
I would trade the ESEE and Benchmade for one BRKT every day 😉 just my opinion...
No the only right opinion 😂
Not fair to the ESEE 5. The ESEE has it's place, but it sure as hell isn't bushcrafting. It was designed for SERE to be able to pry out of downed aircraft. And in my opinion 3v far out performs s30v. Bark River knives are very difficult to beat.
vicarious1028 I’ve found the that s30v bench made actually holds an edge better than the the cpm3v bark river but I’m sure is not as tough. I agree with you and we both actually use homemade cpm3v knives on all our trips. We heat treat them all through peters heat treating to 60 and have had great luck with them. But I have to say the bench made takes and holds one hell of an edge...
Good test and all three are good knifes. I like my Mora's for my intro knife. Would like a higher end knife but my budget now is for a Lester River Borreal Jacket. There the bomb. Take care, Al
Pumpkin Village Maple Mora's are definitely good. Thousands of 5 star reviews on Amazon... can't argue with that!
I really like Essee, but I also like Top knives.
Paracord test in the field trumps paper test in the living room any day :p
Thank You..
Joey Gibbs you’re welcome! Thanks for watching...
Hi, im curious does the fire steel scratch up the spine of the Benchmade 162? Thumbs up.
Thanks Guys, now I know that the Esee 5 will be my knife!
Why you should choose the esse i also own a esse and a Bark River in cpm 3v and the edge retention of the Bark River is ten to twenty times better because of the steel and the Grind
Okay I know the esse is easier to sharpen but the steel of the esse is so soft that i often had to sharpened it outdoor to have a usable edge because it was dull after a few hours of using
If you want to have that Beast of a knife with the 1095 steel you should buy the kabar Becker bk2
@@heinzkack2153 I think because they never used a Bark River. I understand why some people would go with the benchmade, but I would never take the esee out of these 3.
What fire stick is that?
great videos guys, esee 5 case, where can you find it?greetings
sorry i made that for him, it’s a one of a kind…
8:17 got a legit lol from me :)
The whole time I’m like… do these dudes hate each other? Then I pick up on the Masshole accent and get it. Ive been living in NY for too long
Great video , subbed 6 yrs on 😭
I paused the video at 2 min 40 something seconds right after i saw the knives and beer just to say this. who's gonna lose a finger first? 😂 ok now on with the video to find out
I'm a little biased with barkriver because they are made from my home state.
I'd like to see a side by side with a Mora Garberg vs a Spyderco bush crafter and a Martini. (not the drink)
I gave you guys a channel shout out in my most recent video. :) Keep them coming.
Plant-based Survival that's so awesome! Thank you very much for doing that! Super appreciated...
Alive Outside You are most welcome. It is awesome what you guys are doing. I absolutely love you channel. You deserve it. :)
Why not the bark river bravo 1? It’s the original and you guys were commenting the blade length? 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
Heeman5 yes 100% agree. The 1.5 is not as well balanced as the bravo 1
Actually the Essee5 is a Seres style shtf escape and evade style blade not a bushcraft. For that the Esee lazer strike would be the bushcraft entry blade or the Esee6.
Bark River, but instead of the 1,5, I would choose the 1,25. It's the better balanced one and long enough.
totally agree the 1.5 is not a great knife because of exactly that...
the blade profile, grind and steel is going to matter more than what brand it is.
if you can find a flat stone while out,, tat will work in a pinch to sharpen your knife
for the price points.....esee hands down
Well if you'd use a quality diamond sharpener like your supposed to that, Benchmade bushcrafter 162 would respond way better, get a finer edge and be fairly easy to sharpen. I have the arvensis and with the worksharp field sharpener it only takes maybe 2 or 3 minutes longer to sharpen than my carbon. I tried it on my Arkansas stones, and the arvensis did not respond well.
Jesse Schmidt i have many diamond plates, they only go so far and I’d only use them if the knife is damaged. I haven’t “sharpened” that knife in years. A couple strokes on the 10000 wet stone and a few swipes on the leather and it’s done. But everyone has their own methods and most all work. As long as mine are hair popping sharp I’m happy...
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being most difficult, rate ease of sharpening for these 3.
schlooonginator
Esee 5 (1095 steel) is a "2"
Bark River (CPM 3V) is a "7"
Benchmade (S30V) is a "8-9"
+Alive Outside how hard is 440c stainless to sharpen? Thinking of getting the stainless 440c esee 4
I have to say I like my benchmark much better than bark river......my 2 cents. I'm ready to sell my barkriver, a boat anchor for the money.
Apples to oranges in every way.
3v is harder to sharpen than S30v. At least for me. Working edge retention on S30v is also far better than 3v. Again these are my results. I have 3 S30v knifes and 2 3V's. I prefer S30v.