ESEE ES4PMBSSOR-BRK Model 4 Orange

I finally found the perfect EDC knife for my needs. I believe ESEE walks the KISS line well while giving you the best steel for the money. This is my second ESEE 4 and I also own the 6 and 3.When I first started to EDC fixed blade knives I went through several different sizes, manufactures, and blade steel types before I landed on a 1095 ESEE 4 a couple of years ago. That knife served me well and while it was easy to keep razor sharp and was a perfect fit I kept getting light rust on the cutting edge when I didn't get around to oiling it after use. Because of the rust I kept a stainless folder on me for smaller cutting needs which I ended up using most of the time.I carry my fixed blades IWB and now live in a tropical location which exposes the 1095 to more sweat/salt. I didn't encounter as much rust while living in NE and mid south, but it would still show up on the edge when used and not oiled within a week or so in those locations. Once I moved to the tropics that safe time changed to about a day or two. YMMV depending on how you use your knife, how physically active you are, where you live, how you carry, and how committed you are to keeping the blade oiled.The knives design works so well for me that I decided to order the 440c stainless forged version to help counter my lack of daily maintenance issue. With the new 440c version I no longer have rust problems, and I only oil the blade when sharpening every week or so depending on how hard I use it. Since I don't have to worry about rust as much, I find myself using the 4 more often than my folder.The stainless version also shines for another reason. Cleanliness! Cleanliness is next to godliness and this blade is a lot easier to keep clean compared to painted blades. I don't question using it to cut food now. I even cut some of the family turkey this thanksgiving with it. The trade off is a shinier blade, but the stone wash they apply does a great job at reducing glare if this is of concern to you.ESEE 4's thin profile and smaller handle to blade ratio is the overall reason I settled on this model. It gives you a lot of usable edge in a compact package that is easier to wear IWB. Some people complain of how small the handle feels, but that smaller handle is way less likely to print under most clothing and it's a lot easier on the rib cage and other body parts than other knives with larger handles when wearing IWB. I wear large size gloves and the handle fits my hand very nicely in multiple types of holds.Speaking of holds, the pattern they engraved into the G10 handles provide more grip than the micarta version and have a much better finish fit to the tang than on my other knives. The orange really stands out which may draw more attention if your shirt comes up, but it makes it a lot easier to find when laying it down while out in the woods. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it at first, but both the color and the ease of locating it has really grown on me. There are lots of stock and aftermarket options if the orange color ever wears thin.The finger choil is well designed and makes it easier to get close up on the edge for finer shaving tasks although the cutting edge originally felt a little close to my finger out of the box. I hit that corner with the stone to dull it a little when sharpening for ease of mind and have never had any concerns about it since.The jimping on the back works great for more powerful slicing tasks and makes the knife really feel secure when using it in such a way.The plastic molded sheaths from ESEE are well made and have held up extremely well to daily use over the years for me. Retention may have lessened some over the years, but I have had kydex sheaths, which keep their hold better, crack under the same conditions of daily carry which makes this point a wash for me. The bolts holding the clip may back out over time, but a little blue lock-tite on the threads helps keep them tight once you find the carry position that works the best for you. The knife is easy to deploy with a thumb push/handle pull motion from the sheath and stays put with rigorous activity.I haven't found any compromise in blade strength due to switching to the 440c version. I haven't had any edge or tip chip occur. For everyday use and the occasional hard use this knife performs top notch. If I ever find myself needing to pry open aircraft hatches and jammed tank doors I'll be sure to have an ESEE 5 on my side, but for civilian EDC I find this knife has the perfect balance of features.I don't write many reviews, but the perfection that this tool reached in my everyday life warranted a few minutes of my time to pass on to others. I'm thankful for all the other reviewers that led me this direction and I hope this review helps others make that critical purchasing decision.

Love it for Camping

Let me start with a gripe which I have had with ESEE knives in general, rather than just the ESEE 4 SS in particular:I have had a handful of ESEE knives in the past (ESEE 6, ESEE LSP, ESEE 5 & the Izula II) and none of them came really razor sharp or "scary" sharp out of the box. None! I do understand that many people embark upon re profiling the edge on these flat grinds to get the angel as they wish, but some of us aren't into arduous tinkering with our knives right out of the box!With that said, the ESEE 4 SS is just like all other well well respected ESEEs:1- Made and crafted in the USA by Randall Training2- Tough, stout and very dependable performer3- Well done straight forward design without the "silliness" of some other knives hence ergonomic and very functional.More superlatives can be added but for those who know ESEE there is no need and for those who do not, you may very well want to consider adding an ESEE to your repertoire or getting one as your main survival knife (for a main one I'd suggest that you look into a 5 to 6 inches of blade range, as the ESEE 4 is my backup blade).I paid a bit more to get the stainless steel because I liked the look of this SS blade with the Blaze Orange G10 scales versus the rudimentary ESEE Micarta handles. Also I prefer the "toughness" of the 440C steel over their coated 1095 carbon steels. Don't get me wrong, the 1095 is also very tough but generally a "softer" grade of steel for easier sharpening. As the name stainless steel suggest, it required less maintenance against rust (doesn't mean zero care!) which was quite important to me as I use my knives near water when I'm fishing.

$120 for 440c?No thank you

Very well made knife that is the sharpest knife I have every owned. The 440C is a hand forged high end steel blade nothing like 440a or 440b stamped steel of a whole different composition. Fits into that perfect size for most any wetter environment outdoor needs.

They sell this knife with the molly back and sheath on Theknifeconnection.net for $119.95. I usually buy everything off Amazon... but a better deal is a better deal.

They have it on knife works for 112

It goes for $94 at YourKnivesShipFree

Amazing