I have put in many hours of research on all kinds of knives.  I like knives for different reasons, such as: looks, color, blade type, length, versatility and probably one of the most deciding factors in today’s world… price.  You can read about some of my other favorite Combat Survival Knives here. Having said all that, let me tell you about ESEE knives.

ESEE Knives started business as RAT Cutlery (Actually it started at Ontario Knives but I don’t want to get into that convoluted story here.) Suffice it to say, due to problems with Ontario, RAT changed their name to ESEE Knives. I think it’s a shame, it’s so hard to build a brand these days and now they have to essentially go backwards and start rebuilding their name.

Their biggest problem will be with confusion among new potential customers. If you fall into this category don’t let a little confusion stop you, they are still the great company they were before, and I can promise you they (and their loyal followers) will do everything they can to help you out.

I’m not sure how big the company is but I will tell you that their product line is small (but growing!), and sometimes they have problems keeping up with demand.  However, there is almost a fanatical, dare I say, family of followers for these knives.  The owners regularly post on one of the knife related websites and this makes them very accessible.

Are they crazy!?  Don’t they know they are going to be bombarded with questions and critiques of their knives?  Apparently so and they respond to all of them.  Let me give you a couple of examples:

1. One poster said that while he was levering off the lid of a valve box, he broke off the tip of his RC-3.  Jeff Randall, one of the owners, told the poster that he didn’t need to send the knife back, he just needed the mailing address of the poster so he could send a replacement knife.  Also, he asked the poster to put up a picture on the forum of his broken knife. (PUBLICLY!!)  He told him to keep his broken knife as a “beater” knife.

2. Now a story about the “fanatical” nature of these followers of ESEE.  A recent regular poster announced that his bug out bag along with his ESEE knife had been stolen out of his car.  Someone had smashed in the window and taken the bag out of the seat.  Another fellow poster asked for his mailing address so he could send him a replacement bag and another ESEE knife that he no longer used.  WHAT??!!  Someone being human and helping someone else out?  This is almost unheard of today.  However, several posters also asked for his mailing address so they could help him replace the items he had in his bug out bag.  Fanatics… I hope when the zombies come THESE fanatics are all standing next to me.

So, in conclusion, if you are looking for an excellent, dependable, well-made knife then ESEE knives are for you.  Their service is unmatched by any company I’ve seen so far.  They pride themselves on making their knives here in America when MANY other companies are sending their manufacturing overseas, and they also pride themselves on their customer service.

Well done ESEE Knives, your actions truly speak louder than your words.

One thing to keep in mind when ordering any ESEE knife. Often the picture does not match the description. Where I post a link I’ve tried to contact the vendor to be sure the model number is correct even if the picture is not. When in doubt always contact the vendor to be sure you’re getting what you are ordering.

**UPDATE 10/18/09** I finally found a good place to get these knives at great prices. They have some of these already in stock and the ones that aren’t they say usually ships in about a week. Click on the links below to check out these great knives.

RC-3, Linen Micarta, Black Combo Blade

RC-3, Linen Micarta, Black Plain Blade

RC-3, OD Green Handle, Desert Tan Combo Blade

RC-3, OD Green Handle, Desert Tan Plain Blade

RC-3, Orange G-10 Handle, OD Green Combo Blade

RC-3, Orange G-10 Handle, OD Green Plain Blade

RC-4, Linen Micata Handle, Black Plain Blade

RC-4, OD Green Handle, Desert Tan Plain Blade

RC-4, Orange G-10 Handle, OD Green Combo Blade

ESEE-5 Fixed 5.25″ OD Plain Blade, Black Kydex Sheath

RC-6, Micarta Handle, Plain Blade

RC-HEST Removable Micarta Slabbed Handle***UPDATE*** This knife is no longer being manufactured by ESEE Knives. DPx will be getting another company to make this knife but ESEE Knives will still warranty the ones that have been made by them.

Black Izula with Survival Kit

OD Izula with Sheath Only

Pink Izula with Sheath Only

ESEE-4, OD Green Micarta Handle, Desert Tan Blade, Combo

ESEE Knives, formerly RAT Cutlery, manufactures several excellent survival knives. This company has only been around since 1997 but they are making a huge impact in the knife world. Using superior materials and keeping a close eye on function has made these knives a favorite to many outdoorsmen. Their customer service is second to none.

ESEE-4, Orange G-10 Handle, OD Green Plain Blade

I personally like the ESEE-4 with the orange handle and the dark green blade. You may think my taste in colors a bit strange but if you drop this knife in a heavily wooded area you’ll be able to find it immediately. They also make a tan version and a black and gray version, excellent knives but could be difficult to find if you dropped it. With the price of good knives these days I wouldn’t want to take the chance of losing it.

ESEE-4, Linen Micarta Handle, Black Plain Blade

The Linen Micarta knife with the black blade also comes in a clip point style with a sharpened back edge. Many of ESEE’s knives come with plain or serrated blades so be careful when you purchase yours that you get the right one. There are codes that define the color and the blade type when you order them.

For more information on ESEE, their customer service, and their knives check out this article I wrote.