Getting the Most Mileage from Your ESEE Knives

ESEE Knives like the ESEE 3 and Izula are extraordinarily popular among bushcrafters, hunters, survivalists, outdoorsmen, and much more, and for tons of reasons.

They sport simple profiles that are designed to work in the field. That’s basically all there is to it. But to get the most out of your investment in your ESEE, keep to the following 5 bits of advice. 

Protect the Steel

With a few exceptions, ESEE Knives are made from 1095 steel. This includes staples like the ESEE 4, ESEE 5, Izula and Candiru, and even the ESEE Laser Strike. 

The thing about 1095 is that it is a workhorse. It doesn’t have any fancy additives like some super steels. It’s basically just iron and .95% carbon (to keep things simple) and that’s it. Your ESEE in 1095 is intended to perform under duress.

But it will rust because of this, and it will rust easily. Chances are your ESEE is powder-coated (the 1095 versions are) which will protect the knife, more or less, from rust. 

There’s just one thing. Well, two. The edge and the laser-etched ESEE logo are not protected by the powder coat, and one exposure to water will be too many, trust us.

Therefore, never sheath your ESEE knife if it’s wet. Always dry it off, and take it from us, keep a little oil on you to treat the edge and logo from time to time. 

Keep a Hard Arkansas Stone on You

The other thing about 1095, particularly in conjunction with ESEE’s heat treatment, is that it is a fairly soft steel, as things go. 

This keeps ESEE Knives tough. It is fairly hard to break one, and the edge is more likely to get dinged or indented weather than chip. 

The upside here is toughness. You could beat the heck out of an ESEE and 9 times out of 10 it’ll be fine. 

The downside is edge retention, and anyone who has carried one of these ESEE Knives will tell you as much. Even if you start with a razor edge, a day of use will make it quite dull. 

The solution here, as in so many other areas of life, is to be prepared for this. So your ESEE 5 or Izula will get dull. You just need to carry a pocket stone.

A hard Arkansas pocket stone will cost you at most a few dollars and will be easy to keep on you at all times. It’s also more than you need in all but the most extreme circumstances to re-raise the edge on your ESEE.

Upgrade the Scales (or Even Ditch Them)

Many ESEE Knives come with 3D scales that are comfortably contoured and which offer a really solid grip in all conditions. Some, like the basic Izula and Candiru, do not.

If yours didn’t, consider upgrading with custom handle scales for knives from our collection. We offer many custom knife scales for popular ESEE Knives that are low-maintenance and aesthetically pleasing, not to mention versatile and comfortable in the hand.

The other option is to skip the scales. Some of these knives, like the ESEE 3, Izula and Candiru,  benefit from a slimmer, lighter profile, and even our custom handle scales add both bulk and weight. 

One alternative is to skip the scales and wrap the tang in paracord. It will offer a solid grip which is surprisingly comfortable, keep the knife lighter and thinner, and, if you’re ever in a pinch, you’ll have several feet of cordage. Even a small knife, like an Izula, can fit 5 or more feet of paracord on the tang. 

Rig the Sheath How You Want

Most ESEE Knives, except the ones that come with leather knife sheaths, come with a thermoplastic knife sheath that has a clip plate for belt carry, but which can be rigged lots of other ways. 

The margins of these knife sheaths are perforated, so you can rig the knife sheath for scout carry, pack carry, or in one of many other ways. The smaller ones can also be carried as neck knives or inverse dangle-carried by attaching a carabiner to the bottom and clipping the knife to your pack, vest, belt, or anywhere else you want. 

Don’t Cut Your Losses (Take Advantage of Their Warranty) 

Lastly, ESEE Knives are covered by one of the best warranties, not just in the industry, but generally. Their knives are warrantied against failure and the warranty follows the knife for its lifetime, wherever it goes. It is also fully transferrable. 

ESEE doesn’t care where its knives go or how you find them. In theory, you could pick one up on a trail, break it, and send it back to them for a replacement. 

It seems like we all have this tendency just to junk things when they break. But ESEE Knives, though they are far from the most expensive knives in the industry, are not cheap, either, and with such generous warranty coverage, there is absolutely zero reason not to take advantage of it. 

If you ever break your ESEE knife, for any reason, package it up and send it to them under a warranty claim. They will send you a replacement, and probably with no questions asked, even if you aren’t the person that bought the knife in the first place.

Check Out Our ESEE Knives and Get a New One Today 

Hopefully you found this list of ways to get the most value out of your purchase of an ESEE Knife to be actionable and valuable. We stand behind the tips mentioned in this article.

If the reason you landed here was because you are looking for a new ESEE Knife like an ESEE Laser Strike or an Izula, we carry them, along with sheaths and custom knife handle scales for many popular ESEE Knives. Some of them even extend the handle so you get a better grip.

Check out our catalog and if you have any questions about anything we sell, get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to help.