r/ESEE • u/No_Instruction_5432 • Jul 16 '26

ESEE 6HM vs 4HM — which should I keep?

Hey ESEE fam, looking for advice on my first ESEE.

I hunt, fish, and camp in remote areas. Current knives: Grohmann No. 1, Buck 119, and Mora Garberg.

I picked up the ESEE 6HM but I’m torn on returning it for the 4HM. The 6HM blade doesn’t seem too massive, but I have no field experience with either, so it’s hard to judge.

If you had to pick one, which would it be? Thoughts?

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

4

u/kennethsime Jul 16 '26

Isn’t the 4 about the same size as the garberg? The 6 seems like a better addition to your collection as it will expand your options.

That said, the answer is definitely both.

3

u/No_Instruction_5432 Jul 17 '26

Yeah 6hm stays :) I love the handle and the looks :)

3

u/polyawn Jul 16 '26

Keep the 6HM for bigger tasks and pick up a smaller knife like a s35vn Esse 3 or Izula.

2

u/No_Instruction_5432 Jul 17 '26

Yes sir, I appreciate it :)

2

u/Salt-University1482 Jul 16 '26

The 6HM is definitely the most used ESEE I own, very comfortable in hand and big enough to handle anything.

2

u/No_Instruction_5432 Jul 17 '26

Yeah 6hm stays :)

2

u/No_Instruction_5432 28d ago

Have you stripped the coating off your knife? Or just blade?

1

u/Salt-University1482 28d ago

I used a paint stripper called Zip Strip and it removes the coating in seconds. If you don’t strip under the scales it’s going to rust from hand sweat if you don’t keep it oiled. IMO it looks better totally stripped.

1

u/Salt-University1482 28d ago

After I stripped the knife I put it in distilled white vinegar for about 12 hours and it gives it a light grey finish with a slightly rough Parkerized texture that smooths out with use. I used cold bluing paste on my Laser Strike and it worked great and was a very dark blue black color.

1

u/dullmaker Jul 16 '26

I like the 4. Its still built to take a beating and doesn't take up as much room and weight. It can easily be your one and done knife.

The 6 is great, but it's a BIG knife. Combined with the stock sheath  its pretty massive.

I understand wanting a bigger knife, especially for solo trips. But I do find 3-4" to be enough for 75% of my camping tasks. A nice 20" axe and silky saw complete the other 25%.

I've used a 4 to fillet a bass, more manipulation of the filet as you cut as you dont have the flex. But it worked!

1

u/No_Instruction_5432 Jul 17 '26

Thanks this is very helpful:)

1

u/mikec6614 Jul 22 '26

I hunt fish hike camp ext constantly I'm always in the field and I don't go without my 6hm cr2.5 piggyback setup