Like I already mentioned in my other ESEE Articles, Esee knives are made in the USA by ROAN MANUFACTURING, they’re built to take the beating and they’re great for tactical, survival, and bushcraft applications, and today we’re going to take a look at two of them, the ESEE 4 and ESEE 5, and we will try to answer One f the common question in the knife community, the ESEE 4 VS ESEE 5 or ESEE 5 VS ESEE 4.
So if you’re looking to know more about which one to pick between the Esee 4 vs 5, I did gather some good piece of information about the two knives in this article, if you’re still interested let’s dive in.
ESEE 4 vs ESEE 5 – A Head-to-Head Comparison
SPECS | ESEE 4 | ESEE 5 |
|---|---|---|
Overall Length | 9” | 11” |
Blade Length | 4.5” | 5.25” |
Blade Steel | ||
Knife Weight | 8 Oz | 16 Oz |
Blade Style | Drop Point | Drop Point |
Price |
ESEE 5 Review
The ESEE 5 is the bruiser of the ESEE Line up, with its ¼” thickness, this knife is really built to take tons of abuse, if your day consists of batoning, chopping, or even hammering with your knife, the ESEE 5 is your knife, like most of the ESEE line up the ESEE 5 features a black coated 5.25” drop point blade, made from the 1095 Steel that offers great edge retention, great wear-resistance but low corrosion resistance, therefore you should always take care of it (with oiling and drying it after usage), another cool feature about the ESEE 5 is there is a bow-drill divot in its handle, speaking of the handle it has a beautiful strong micarta handle and comes with a Kydex sheath which has plenty of attachment holes for all types of carrying.
Now the knife in itself is a beast made for all those looking for a hard tool, for survival, camping or even hunting, I have no complaints about this knife, and I really recommend it.
ESEE 4 Review
“Before you start reading this part, I already used this review in other ESEE 4 Articles, if you did already read them you can skip It”.
The ESEE 4 is maybe the best American-made survival knife that you can get your hands on, this knife is a sturdy companion whether you’re bush crafting, doing survival or camping, any of that outdoor uses you might need it for, the ESEE 4 has a lot of variety with different colors and different handles, but today we’re going the base model ESEE 4, it features a 4.5” drop point blade made from the 1095 Steel, it offers great edge retention, great wear-resistance, and medium corrosion resistance, it comes with a micarta handle that offers a great grip and resistance, and finally it has a Plastic sheath with mole back and clip plate.
Now I like this knife, because of its thickness it has a 5/32” of blade thickness and comes with a full flat grind, so it can combine the capacity of hard usage while still maintaining some slicing capability, it features a texture powder coating which is designed to protect the knife from rusting, in all you can use this knife in all your outdoor duties, from camping, hunting to bush crafting.
What are the Similarities ESEE 4 VS ESEE 5?
- Steel: they Both have the 1095 Steel that offers great edge retention, great wear resistance, and toughness, and comes with low corrosion resistance.
- Design: they offer the same ESEEE design that comes with a finger choil and thumb spine.
- Handle: Both Esee 4 and 5 offer a non-slippery handle made from Micarta
ESEE 4 VS ESEE 5 – Some Key Differences
- Blade Length: ESEE 4 comes with a 4.5” blade length, meanwhile the ESEE 5 has a 5.25” blade length.
- Thickness: ESEE 5 offers more thickness compared to the ESEE 4 with 0.25” thickness compared to 0.1875”.
- Sheath: The ESEE 4 Comes with a Plastic sheath with Molle back and clip plate, meanwhile the ESEE 5 has a Kydex sheath with Clip Plate
Conclusion
Now after reviewing both knives, and resorting to the differences and the similarities between the two, if you’re still wondering which one to choose or which one is the best, the right answer would be depending on your type of usage, if you’re looking for a more buffed knife ready to take on the beating the ESEE 5 is your choice, if you’re looking for less length and less hardness but more fine edge for precision work ( skinning for example ) the ESEE 4 is what you need, and as I always recommend, the best way to choose is to try by yourself because both knives are well and good, but one thing is sure if you own any of theme make sure to take good care of it because it’s not rust-free.
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