Today we are looking at two different big fixed blade choppers for camping and survival, Esee 6 vs Bk7.
They are both made in the USA from classic carbon steel with bolt-on handles.
They have also gained reputations for the best survival knives for outdoor camping and survival adventures or anything you need a tough blade that you can abuse.
But, in this blog post, you will see each one has its own advantages and personality, and the names of each kind give you a little bit of a hint about what those are. So let’s dive in and see which one of these knives is best for you.
What’s the difference between Esee 6 vs Bk7?
The hand-to-hand comparison comes down to the basics- the overall length of the Esse 6 is 11.75 inches and weighs 12 oz, with 6.5 inches blade length, which is made of 1095 Carbon steel, and blade style is the drop point.
And the overall length of Bk7 is 12.75 inches and weighs 12.9 oz with 7 inches blade length made of 1095 Cro van steel, and the blade style is a clip point for detailed performance.
Esee 6 vs Bk7 – Key Comparisons
While these two big choppers aren’t quite the same, they do seem to get compared often enough to warrant a comparison.
Let’s start with the similarities with the blades themselves. Both the blades are made of 1095 steel.
Each one is about 0.188 inches thick, and that gives you strength under pressure without being so thick and heavy that the knives get too unwieldy.
You can still thrash these because of their balance. Still, they are strong enough for chopping, batoning or digging or even prying in a pinch without worrying about inflicting too much damage on themselves.
The steel on each is almost the same. And both of them do have a powder-coated finish to protect from rust since neither of these is statements.
As I have heard Ethan Becker say on more than a few occasions, they may not be the latest secret squirrel steel out there, but they are dependable, and time has proven to work.
The Esee uses good old 1095 carbon steel while the Becker made by KA-BAR uses 1095 cro van steel. Now that cro van means some additional albeit minimal additions of chromium and vanadium over standard 1095.
Now it’s not enough to affect the outright performance. It’s mostly there to help with homogeneity during the heat-treating process.
On the flip side, Rown who manufactured Esee’s blades, is regarded by many to have one of the best 1095 heat treats in the business.
So, in the end, there probably isn’t enough of the difference between these steels in real-world use to say that one is tougher or can hold an edge longer than the other.
This is one of those cases where the distinction really makes no real difference when you are swinging the blades.
Now, as for where these knives differ from each other, of course, the Becker offers more length at just over 12.75 inches vs 11.75 inches on the Esee.
The Esee is designed for the more adventurous tasks, a true survival knife, whereas the Becker is a traditional combat knife.
This means with the Esee you do have a little bit more swinging power. Even though the higher grind on the steel does remove a little bit more weight from the blade itself, now let’s talk about the sheath.
The Bk7 sheath is a lot bigger than the Esse sheath. BK7 comes with a Black Nylon Kydex sheath, which can be attached to your backpack.
It has a clasp to keep the blade in place. On the other hand, ESEE 6 comes with a Black Plastic Sheath which is so form-fitting.
It doesn’t take up much room than the knife itself. The Esee handle is a linen Micarta handle with a red liner.
Extremely comfortable to the grip. The Bk 7 handle is a Grivory handle that provides a nonslippery through the grip.
Esee 6 vs Bk7- A Hand to Hand Comparison
| SPECS
| ESEE 6
| BK 7
|
| Overall Length
| 11.75”
| 12.75”
|
| Blade Length
| 6.5”
| 7”
|
| Blade Steel
| 1095 Steel
| 1095 Cro van Steel
|
| Knife Weight
| 12 Oz
| 12.9 Oz
|
| Blade Style
| Drop Point
| Clip Point
|
Esee 6 vs Bk7 – Some Key Similarities
- Steel: Both the knives’ blades are made of high carbon steel. 1095 steel on Esee 6 and 1096 cro van on Bk7. This steel offers great edge retention, wear resistance, and durability.
- Thickness: BK7 blade has a thickness of 0.188 inches which is very close to the ESEE 6 blade which has a thickness of 0.187 inches.
Esee 6 vs Bk7 – Some Key Differences
- Overall Length: The Becker offers more length at just over 12.75 inches vs 11.75 inches on the Esee. The Esee 6 has 6. 5 inches of blade length the BK7 comes with a 7” blade length. Yes, not a big difference.
- Sheath: BK7 comes with a Black Nylon Kydex sheath, which can be attached to your backpack. It has a clasp to keep the blade in place. On the other hand, ESEE 6 comes with a Black Plastic Sheath which is so form-fitting.
- Handle: The Esee 6 features a premium linen Mircata handle that has a little bit of texture and the BK7 features a sleek Grivory plastic handle.
Esee 6P – Detailed Knife Review
The Esse 6 has been a long-term favourite knife of mine. It’s a no-nonsense straight-up midway survival knife that promises to take loads of abuse.
The Esse 6P has a little bit more blade length than the other Esee knives. With a blade length of 6.5 inches and 0.18 inches thickness, it’s a very balanced knife.
The blade is made of 1095 high carbon steel, which is prone to rust (in high humidity), but it’s very easy to resharpen the field.
It’ll hold its edge decently. You can use a river stone and resharpen its edge. Even though it’s a three-sixteenth-inch thick blade, the full flat grind does make it a phenomenal slicer.
The way I see 6P has been designed where the blade has contouring to a belly and great choil combined can make a fine paper-thin slice.
The old Esee scales cause a hot spot while making fine slicing, but with the new version, 6P has contoured handle scale and scalped, the slight blocking is now gone.
The blade also has powder coating, which will help to resist corrosion. The handle of the knife is a Removable Linen Micarta. It’s bolt-on style construction and features a red liner with a nice linen micarta material for the outside.
The contoured handle is flat on the hand but fairly contoured on the shoulder. What makes it a great survival kit is the glass breaker protruding pommel at the end.
Even though this isn’t pointed, it creates a nice apex, and that’s going to come in handy when you need to use it to break open things in the wild.
So as far as larger knives go, this is a heavy-duty option, but it’s not a chopper. The knife comes in a nice black plastic sheath.
It offers nice retention, and it carries easily. I like the knife because it balances that large blade and the handle to create something that’s still pretty agile in hand.
The knife performs well at heavier tasks like batoning, but it also has the type of geometry which makes it work well at butchering and food prepping.
KA-BAR BKR7 – Detailed Review
The Becker Bk7 is an amazing platform for a mid-weight survival knife. The Bk7 should always be in the top 3 best mid-weight survival knives. I say mid-weight cause I believe a survival knife should come in at under a pound, and this bk7 weighs in at 13.6 oz.
It has 7 inches big blade made of 1095 Cro van steel, which means additional minimal additions of chromium and vanadium over standard 1095. Means tougher and durable, so that’s why this knife particularly falls into that category for me of a mid-weight best survival knife.
It’s not heavy-duty or lightweight. The blade is powder-coated, so it has great corrosion resistance. It’s simple to sharpen. It’s kind of a “do-everything” knife, designed to be a “jack of all trades”.
Chopping, food prepping, hacking limbing to fall a few small trees, any task you name, can be done easily with this versatile knife. The knife features a sleek Grivory handle which is very ergonomic.
But one thing about the handle is it may get slippery if your hands are wet. It’s a full tank knife which is what I like in survival or outdoor knives.
It’s not going to break on you even if you abuse it pretty bad. It has got a thick spine for durability and longevity.
The knife also has some jimping a finger choil so you can perform some neat work with this knife. The Bk7 comes in a molle attachable polymer moulded sheath with a plastic liner inside.
It has a clasp too, so that the knife stays in the sheath. You can attach the sheath to your belt or hands wherever you want.
Overall you will love the way it feels in your hands. It fills it up very nicely and has a very nice pommel. Perfectly appropriate for robust-heavy duty tasks.
Still Can’t Decide? Here’s an Alternative – ESEE Knives 1301OD Avispa Stonewash 5
If you are still in a dilemma between the Esee 6 and Bk7, let’s look at The Esee Avispa, which might be the knife of your choice.
With the Avispa, what you have from the handle to tip is 8.5 inches with 3.5inches of actual blade length.
Made in Taiwan, the knife design is pretty compact, which is perfect for EDC. The blade is a full flat grind and made out of AUS 8 steel, my favourite steel for a knife blade.
It’s a budget steel, very easy to sharpen, and has great corrosion and wear resistance. The blade has a great drop point with a full flat grind, so the design is very functional and sprays on black coating.
The knife handle is a textured FRN scale with a stainless steel liner.
The FRN scale is textured with peel ply G-10 that provides a very comfortable, at the same time, tough grip.
Overall it’s a slim fit, nice, feels good in hands. Good blade strength, not too thick or not too thin, perfect for EDC and outdoor in the wilderness type of task. Aus8 is semi-stainless steel, so it will not rust first.
Conclusion – Esee 6 vs Bk7
The ESEE-6 and BK7 are extraordinary decisions for a major, fixed, sharp edge endurance blade that will perfectly perform all of your survival tasks.
While choosing between them, the size and convenience will matter, with the general length, weight, and sharp edge thickness the characterizing factor between the two.
The Esee 6 is more of a premium knife. I will say I like the ergonomics of the Esee 6 better. But it all depends on your budget.
The Bk7 can get the job done pretty well, but with time, you might want to update its handle. So if you have the budget for the Esee 6, you can make a blind purchase, and you won’t regret it.
Otherwise, in terms of cutting and blade, both the knives give similar performance. One thing to keep in mind, both the knives are made of high carbon steel, so in case you live in a high humid area, always make sure to clean and pat dry your knife before storing.
FAQ
What was the ESEE 6 designed for?
The Esee 6 is specially designed for all of your wilderness outdoor activities. It is one of the best survival tactical knives.
Where is Esee Avispa made?
With the Avispa what you have from the handle to tip is 8.5 inches with 3.5inches actual blade length. Made in Taiwan, the knife design is pretty compact which is perfect for EDC.
Does Esee make folding knives?
ESEE has an excellent line of Folding Pocket Knives. The Esee Framelock Pocket Knives, Avispa Knives, and Zancudo Knives are the top knives in the folding series.
Is the ESEE 6 full tang?
The ESEE 6 is a medium, full-tang, fixed blade survival knife.
Are ESEE knives any good?
Esee knives are known for their high-quality military-grade survival knives. They are incredibly durable and functional made with a 1095 carbon steel blade and a micarta handle with powder coat fiish.
What is a BK7 knife?
The KA-BAR Becker BK7 is a traditional combat knife. This knife is said to be a “Jack of all trades” knife. This all-purpose knife was initially designed for soldiers. It’s very lightweight but can stand up to hard use.
Is the Becker BK7 a good survival knife?
The Becker Bk7 is an amazing platform for a mid-weight survival knife. The Bk7 should always be in the top 3 best mid-weight survival knives, I say mid-weight cause I personally believe a survival knife should come in at under a pound and this bk7 weighs in at 13.6 oz. It has 7 inches big blade made of 1095 Cro van steel that means additional albeit minimal additions of chromium and vanadium over standard 1095. Means tougher and durable.
Hi, my name is Taras Kulakov and I’m a knife enthusiast. I have been collecting knives for over 30 years and I’ve owned literally thousands of different models over that time. My goal with this site is to share some of what I’ve learned about knives. You can find more info about Taras Kulakov here.
