[Earth]

Two knives I couldn't survive a day without are the ESEE 6 and the S&W Homeland Security Tanto ^^

I wouldn't completely agree about your budget argument. No, knives don't have to cost a fortune to be good. What I find, though, with my ESEE, is that it is more sturdy than any bowie I've ever used, and it hasn't failed me for many years.

Anyways, nice setup you've got; you'll get far with that

ESEE is good no doubt about and they are very popular but those are not cheap and some people just do not have that kind of money.

And the chances of breaking a properly heat treated and tempered hunk of quarter inch 1095 steel is slim unless you get a bad one in the bunch or you royally beat the crap out of it way beyond what a knife should be used for. So I trust my Schrade very much and if I had the ESEE I have no doubts in that knife as well and I would completely trust it too.

And you say you got the S&W HLS Tanto which I personally never had my hands on but anyways it is made by the same company as Schrade which is Taylor Brands. But I honestly didn't think they cared too much about the S&W side but maybe I am wrong all I know is Schrade is becoming there #1 seller especially from there 2015 releases.

(BTW MY OP IS UPDATED WITH PICTURES JUST STRIPPED MY SCHRADE IT STILL NEEDS SOME WORK)