I have been using the Esee 6HM off and on for a little under a year now. I laid it down for a few months in lieu of using my smaller knives. However, I have personally challenged myself in 2022 to use larger knives on a more frequent basis. I feel like I’ve gotten really proficient with small bushcraft-style knives at this point (4″ blades and shorter). But, I find myself lacking in being as proficient as I could be with larger knives and feel like I can get a lot better with them. So, with that said…Out came my Esee 6HM again.
Esee 6HM Overview
Before we dive too deep into how I’ve been using this knife, let’s chat about some of the main points of the Esee 6HM.
- Overall design:
The Esee 6HM is a simple, no-nonsense design that works very well in the field. The overall design style is very reminiscent of a trade knife or kitchen knife to me. Except, of course, it’s been beefed up and modernized in its materials. (If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I love simple knives) - Broomstick handle:
The broomstick handle of the Esee 6HM is actually one of the first things that attracted me to it. It is very comfortable and feels great during extended periods of use (for instance, carving a bow drill set). Some folks might prefer the regular Esee 6 handle if they have very large hands…But for me, the rounded handle of the Esee 6HM is great. - A quality survival knife that’s priced well:
The Esee 6HM is a great option for folks who are looking for a “survival knife”, but don’t want to spend a small fortune on a knife & sheath combo. The 6HM is right around $130 at the time of this writing; which I think is fair, given the materials used, the quality Kydex sheath, and the no-questions-asked lifetime warranty. In fact, to put my money where my mouth is at, this knife resides in my personal Get Home Bag and I have full confidence in it.
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Esee 6HM Mods
I’m sure you can tell there’s a big difference between the photo above and a standard Esee 6HM. That’s because I modified mine to better suit my needs and I personally like the knife a lot more now. Here’s what I did…
- Stripped the coating off:
I used some aerosol paint stripper and removed every bit of the coating from my Esee 6HM. The coating is fantastic if you’re worried about corrosion (I call it patina)…But for me, the coating created a bit too much “drag” when I was using the knife. So, I removed it. - Vinegar bath:
To speed up the patina, I went ahead and soaked the freshly stripped Esee 6HM Blade in vinegar with 5% acidity for 12 hours or so. I wanted to go ahead and get a bit of patina started in a controlled environment, rather than it starting in the field. From here though, I’ll let it develop naturally with use. - Esee 6HM 90º Spine:
A 90º spine is essential for a field knife, in my opinion. I use the 90º spine for scraping bark, scaling fish, striking ferro rods, and a lot more. So, as soon as I put the handles back on after the vinegar bath, I spent 20 minutes or so with my Bahco File (I highly recommend this file, by the way) and put a sharp 90º spine on the 6HM. - Esee Paracord Sheath Wrap:
I did a simple wrap on my Kydex sheath with 6ft. or so of paracord. This gives me more than enough cordage for a bow drill or anything else I might need a quick hank of cordage for. If you’re really wanting to deck your sheath out, check out the Esee Sheath Accessory Pouch.
All of these mods were super simple, not time-consuming, and didn’t require any specialized equipment.
I have really enjoyed getting back into using the Esee 6HM. Like I said at the beginning of this article, I still have a long way to go with being as proficient as I’d like to be with bigger knives. But this has been a very fun & capable knife. Here are a few of my favorite things that I’ve done with it so far…
- Carve a bow drill set…
I harvested the entire bow drill set that you’re seeing above from an Eastern Red Cedar. Carving this set took quite a bit of time and gave the Esee 6HM a full workout, and I was very pleased with it. The knife made short work of splitting the wood down into the pieces that I needed for my set. And the tip of the knife was very easy to work with when carving the initial holes where my spindle would go. - Harvesting fatwood…
We have had a TON of dead pines lately and I seem to stumble upon the best ones when my ax is not with me. The Esee 6HM, paired with a small folding saw is ideal for getting into tree trunks or the heart of the tree where all of the best fatwood is. - One stick fires…
I love making a fire from 1 single log. This involves batoning the log into a few large pieces (fuel), a couple of handfuls of kindling, and multiple feathersticks. The Esee 6HM has allowed me to make some really nice one-stick fires given the longer blade length.
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Esee 6HM Review
I am really enjoying the Esee 6HM and will continue to give it plenty of attention in my knife rotation. If you’re on the fence about getting one, I’d highly recommend it. And if you have any questions or want to share your experience about this knife (or another Esee), drop me a comment down below!
Read Next: Esee Knives Collection • Esee CR2.5 Kit
Buy Esee 6HM: Amazon • SMKW.com • BladeHQ
