New uncoated ESEE knives

I've recently gotten into knife making and came across this company that sells a variety of ESEE style knife blanks. Name of the company is Jantz. They have a a bunch of different styles some with skeleton handles like the Izula, others with solid tang to attach a regular handle to. They sell a bunch of different micarta scales and even some prefab wood scales. They even have kydex or leather sheaths for them. Knives come in 44 Carbon, 440C Stainless, D2 Tool Steel and some in a damascus steel. 44 Carbon come either uncoated or with a few powdercoated color options.

Of greatest interest would probably be the models 39, 44, 40, 45, and 41.

No affiliation with them at all, and I haven't bought anything from them yet, but what they offer looks pretty appealing. Prices are a little better than ESEE and you can pretty much customize to your hearts content.

I realize this is a bit off track but I thought I'd share anyhow.

Oh almost forgot here's the link to Jantz's page.
http://www.knifemaking.com/category-s/66.htm

Thanks Jesse. I'll have to check those blanks out. That's certainly of interest to me as I'm in the research phase of building my own forge and I think I've found the design I want to go with.

I'm enamored with the ESEE RB3 in this video. 3" full tang 1095 carbon steel and an un coated 90* spine which is great. I'm still interested in getting an Izula one of these days but it was always my intention to remove some of the coating and file down a small portion of the spine for using with a ferro rod. These designs fix that.

I'm not sure that I like the handle on it vs the Bark River UL Bushcrafter (I blame Mike M. for putting this in my future shopping cart).

I think the only reasonable answer is for me to buy both the BR and the ESEE and figure out which one I like better.

If weight vs utilty matters the RB3 is listed at 6 oz on the.Esee website-http://www.eseeknives.com/camplore.htm

Meanwhile the Bark River Bushcrafter UL is 2.7 oz.

And, an Esee Stainless Izula is 1.8 oz.

Wow. No I didn't realize that it was 6oz. The BR is longer but thinner. I guess I mistakenly assumed that they'd be pretty close in weight.

Ian,

The Esee knives are all solid tang knives except for the neck knives.The Esee 3 weighs about 7 oz so it follows the RB3 would be close behind.

Bark River is smart in that they take full advantage if the capabilites of water jet profiling blades and make juducious use of lightening cuts in the tangs. The don't go overboard with it and compromise strength where metal is needed .It does greatly improve the balance and overall weight if their blades. The Bushcrafter UL is a good example of that at 2.7 oz with a real handle..

If I were in your shoes,Id get one of tbose little stainless Izzies for $50 to satisfy your imediate knife jones'in and then save up some real coin to buy a Bark River UL Bushcrafter. They run about $180 shipped in the Micartas and for a hand hafted ,US made blade in CMP-3V ,thats a good deal,IMO.

If I wanted to carry a knife heavier than a vic parer, and tougher than the 510 Moras, those two would be next in line.

…are an enabler. I mean that in a good way.

Everything you're saying here makes perfect sense. I was enamored with the RB3 until "6 oz" took the wind out of my sails.

I'm not really their target market and I'm sure 99% of their clientele will not care about the weight.

but after I handled (and weighed) one,I was impressed.

No flies on the Little Izulas ,either..tough little knives.

As to enabling, DO WATCH this video of Mike Stewart of Bark River talk about his three favorite knives. The Bushcrafter UL made the cut:)

Agree on the Bark River knives. I have a Bark River Backpacker, around 70gr./2.5oz with a 89mm/3.5" blade. Beautiful beautiful knife. I have to say I never use it never use it though, let alone take it. I should just let it go, because I think it is meant to be used, but always end up keeping it.

I go trail running/fast packing mostly, and I either take a Swiss Army Classic, or a Spyderco Dragonfly (30gr./10z) with me. Very different of course, but for my use more than enough.