ESEE’s new for 2018 models will see the company diversifying into axes and neck knives. The new fixed blades will coincide with a new folder in the Expat line as the outdoor-centric brand moves to fill key gaps in the catalog.

ESEE Medellin Folder

The idea of a folder based on the ESEE-3 fixed blade has been a white whale for fans of the company. Last year Mike Perrin told us the Medellin would scratch that itch and ESEE finally confirmed the new blade will be available this year. The folder will incorporate the blade shape and length from the ESEE-3 and feature the same FRN handle scales and AUS-8 steel seen on the Zancudo folder. “It locks up great and feels very solid in the hand. It is an upgrade over previous offerings in my opinion,” ESEE Project Manager Shane Adams tells us.

ESEE’s Expat line functions as a platform for small run experimentation, and like the Libertariat Machete before it, the Medellin comes out in limited numbers. The two versions (with coated and uncoated blades) will debut with a first run of 1200 pieces each.

ESEE Gibson Axe

Named after its creator James Gibson, the Gibson Axe is ESEE’s first product in the axe genre. But according to the company, Gibson himself has been a master of the form for some time. “He has been developing and making knives and axes for decades and that refinement shows in the designs we pry from him,” Adams says. “He is a true artisan.”

Final specs are still being worked out, but the Gibson Axe is a small little tool with high capability. “While James calls this a carving axe, I feel like that is doing this product a disservice,” Adams explains. “It is a great camp ax/hatchet that is very versatile and is proven to handle firewood processing down to fine carving tasks.”



ESEE Gibson Pinch

James Gibson gets back-to-back new products this year. The Pinch is a diminutive neck knife with a high utility wharncliffe blade. Adams tells us the everyday convenience of the Pinch is tantamount and the carry methods will reflect that. “We have some very cool sheathing options for this that I can’t wait to show people. It will go unnoticed as a neck knife or fit easily in an Altoids tin.”

Knife featured in image: ESEE Gibson Axe