A Complete Review of The ESEE 6 Survival Knife – Should You Buy It?

by John Wren

In the modern era of Swiss Army Knives, a knife isn’t expected to be “just a knife” anymore. A knife has to have more: versatility, several different functions, even a touch of personal style. A knife can be seen as a thin slice of personality and, in certain cases, an expression of masculinity and competence. What you’re looking for is the Esee 6 Survival Knife.

The Esee 6 Survival Knife is a remarkably versatile and dependable tool for those who venture outdoors. It is made from 1095 carbon steel, making it highly durable and able to withstand tough conditions. The full tang handle provides a secure grip and is available in many different styles and colors. The Esee 6 also features a 3D-contoured handle that makes it comfortable to hold, even during extended use. It also comes equipped with a Kydex sheath, which keeps the knife safe and secure. With its exceptional material construction and versatile design, the Esee 6 Survival Knife is an excellent choice for outdoor enthusiasts.

The Esee 6, however, chooses one or two things to do well, and it does them better than just about any other knife in the industry. It’s received a lot of hype amongst the hunting, fishing, and general outdoors communities, and with good reason – it’s a beast.

For those looking for a military-grade, EDC (every day carry) survival knife, it’d be nearly impossible to find a better option than the Esee 6 Survival Knife. We’ll take a closer look below, diving into the knife’s features and exploring its durability, functionality, and value.

Esee 6 Survival Knife

ESEE Knives 6P Fixed Blade Knife w/Molded Polymer Sheath (Black Blade/Black Sheath)
  • SPECIFICATIONS : Overall Length: 11.75" , Blade Length: 6.50". Includes a high quality protective polymer sheath with clip plate attachment and lanyard hole.
  • RAZOR SHARP BLADE: Tactical knife blade made of black coated 1095 High Carbon Steel, a top choice for professional field knives, for lasting durability
  • LIFETIME GUARANTEE: Esee Knives has a lifetime and transferable guarantee covering repair or replacement - no sales receipt or proof of purchase required.
  • MULTI-USE: Perfect for military, tactical, hiking, camping, survival, self-defense, hunting(skinning and gutting), fishing, and other outdoor situations
  • FULL TANG HANDLE: Stacked Micarta handle creates balance for safe and comfortable handling of this fixed-blade knife

Complete Length: 11.75”

Blade Length: 6.5”

Material:

  • Blade: 1095 Steel
  • Sheath: Black Molded Polymer
  • Handle: Gray Micarta Scale

THE LOWDOWN

Functionality and Features: First off, credit where credit is due – Jeff Randall and Mike Perrin, the designers of the Esee 6 Survival Knife and the co-owners of the company – have created art with the Esee 6. Capable of both slicing precisely through the bone of any game you may hunt and slicing up fish without missing a beat, the Esee 6 shines on hunting and camping trips.

The knife is surprisingly lightweight, weighing in at a mere 12 ounces, and its generous yet manageable length makes it ideal for slicing through the aforementioned game and fish.
Per Esee, the Esee 6 Survival Knife is constructed from high carbon 1095 steel, which is often used by professional cutlery companies. This choice of materials makes the act of cutting itself a pleasure, as you’ll slice through any type of meat with ease.

Finally, in addition to pure cutting power, the Esee 6 boasts a few ergonomic features. Notably, the jimping at the top of the knife’s spine makes it easy and comfortable to apply pressure with your thumb, giving your cuts a little extra oomph without having to worry about your thumb bleeding.

Field Tests: As with all the pieces of the Esee collection, the Esee 6 survived a gauntlet of field tests before it even hit the market. Put through its paces by special operations personnel in combat, by countless hikers and the backcountry, and – most importantly – by Randall’s Adventure and Training School, an incredibly demanding Latin American jungle survival course. Having drawn rave reviews from all of these survival authorities, you can bet your bottom dollar the Esee 6 will hold up in any situation, especially life-threatening ones.

Moreover, multiple users have commented that the knife just “feels good in your hand.” One user even compared using the knife for the first time to feeling an instant connection on a first date. Esee users can’t really put their finger on what it is about the knife that makes it so natural, much less why, but they say that if you’re a knife head, you’ll love it.

Durability: Another area where the Esee 6 shines. As with every item in the Esee collection, it comes with a “no questions asked” lifetime warranty. If the knife breaks on your for some reason, you can just ship it to Esee and they’ll send you a brand new one.

However, in all likelihood, you’ll never have to take advantage of that warranty, as cases of the Esee 6 Survival Knife breaking are few and far between. One field test actually tried to “abuse” the Esee 6 – using it to make larger pieces of wood into smaller pieces (a task for an axe), opening metal cans, digging holes, cutting through chicken bones. The knife passed each challenge with flying colors, no worse for the wear by the end of the exam.

Care: While Esee’s choice of professional cutlery-grade high carbon 1095 steel ensures a swift, easy cut easy time, the laser engraving and the cutting edge are prone to rust if you don’t properly care for the knife. You need to lubricate and clean it regularly – Esee suggests using TUF-Glide or TUF-Cloth, two excellent dry film rust inhibitors.

Versatility: As we saw in the aforementioned field test, the Esee 6 Survival Knife can do just about everything. Even if the knife’s not explicitly designed for a certain task – and even if you’re trying to break the knife for some reason – the Esee 6 performs admirably. Versatility is an essential quality in a survival knife, as you never know what situation you’ll find yourself in – your life could even depend on it. From hunting to fishing to unforeseen circumstances, the Esee 6 can handle whatever you throw at it in the outdoors.

Overall, the Esee 6 is more than worth the price. You get what you pay for, and Esee provides top notch quality. Moreover, the lifetime warranty should take some of the sting out of the purchase.

Conclusion-the Esee 6 Survival Knife is Right for You

This may seem like a bold proclamation, but in reality, it’s more of an accepted truth, both in the knife community and the survival community: the Esee 6 is in all likelihood the best EDC survival knife on the market right now.

It’s durable, works in every situation you can think of and some that you can’t, and is more than fairly priced. If you need a survival knife, you need not look any further. The Esee 6 is THE survival knife right now.

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