← Comparisons
Head to head

ESEE-6 vs Ka-Bar USMC Fighting Knife 1217

ESEE-6 runs a 6.5″ drop point blade in 1095 Carbon; Ka-Bar USMC Fighting Knife 1217 runs 7″ of clip point in 1095 Cro-Van. The Ka-Bar USMC Fighting Knife 1217 is the lighter of the two by 1.00 oz.

01234567 in
  • ESEE-6 · Drop Point
    6.5″ blade · 0.188″ spine · 12 oz · 1.56″ tall (published)
  • Ka-Bar USMC Fighting Knife 1217 · Clip Point
    7″ blade · 0.165″ spine · 11 oz · 1.188″ tall (published)
Spine thickness, same scale
0.188″
0.165″
Length and spine thickness drawn to true scale from published specs. Profile is the shape family's outline, not a scan of this model.
SpecESEEESEE-6Ka-BarKa-Bar USMC Fighting Knife 1217
Blade length6.5″7″
Spine thickness0.188″0.165″
Overall length11.75″11.875″
Weight12 oz11 oz
Blade shapeDrop PointClip Point
Steel1095 Carbon1095 Cro-Van
GrindFull FlatFlat
LockFixedFixed
Handle materialLinen MicartaStacked Leather
Country of originUSAUSA
Price bandPremiumMid

Tinted rows are where these two differ.

The steel difference

1095 Carbon

The American survival-knife standard. Dead simple, very tough at these hardnesses, and it will start rusting the day you put it away wet.

1095 Cro-Van

Ka-Bar's 1095 with chromium and vanadium added — a little more wear resistance, still very much a carbon steel.