HEST Original (Hostile Environment Survival Tool )

Got this because I wanted to get a fixed blade more versatile than my 2" Boker Gnome and less "Zombie Apocalypse" than my excellent 5" (6" when you add the choil) Ontario RAK Ranger (reviewed here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R13JMSSCQ4CLZJ/ref=cm_cr_getr_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B001JA4FEW ).I did a lot of research on similar knives - Esee 3, Ontario RAT3, etc. and the deciding factors for me were: blade length, 1095 steel, micarta handle, the "pry bar", and the included Kydex Sheath.Yes the bottle opener is a little corny, but guess what; I used it last night to open some bottles!The 3" blade to me is the perfect size for backpacking, camp food prep, "light" bushcraft like feathering wood, fishing applications, most household chores (including kitchen work), and if it came to it; self defense. Though the blade has the strength and could certainly handle it, probably not great for batoning more than a 2" diameter branch.The lashing points on the knife and the sheath are in well thought out places. I did not attach the belt clip to the sheath as I thought it made it too bulky, but the included 550 cord makes a handy belt/strap loop. Word of advice - put a few drops of Loctite on the sheath tensioning screw.I have become a fan of 1095 steel, requires a little care (I like a light coating of food safe butcher block oil like Boos Mystery Oil) and it takes an edge great - I can get it razor sharp using stropping compound.Though some have complained about the pry bar - it doesn't get in my way and locks my hand into place. As I thought I would; I have used it as a marlinspike to loosen up stubborn knots.A word on the size of the handle; many 3" blade knives have handles that are simply too small for my hand (glove size L). In my opinion a knife used for "heavy" work, like bushcraft or self defense, needs a handle that extends beyond the width of a closed fist. Because of the pry bar, the knife handle had to be made to extend beyond the edge of the user's hand. To me this makes for a very secure grip when holding in a saber or a reverse grip and allows you to use the butt end of the knife for striking.The micarta handle is very comfortable and secure - I had no slips even when working fully submerged in water. I do not intend on removing the grips. The washer for the brass screws does not fit the screws securely and is sure to strip the flathead slot. Allen or a star bit would been be more durable. Since I am not planning on removing the grips I won't remove a star for this review.Overall I am extremely happy with this knife.UPDATE: Over a year and many hiking trips, yard work, box cutting, food prep, wire stripping and household chores later I am still very happy with the knife. The blade coating has held up very well and the handle scales are perfect. I did upgrade the sheath to an Armatus Carry Solutions sheath, which I am happy with.I find that I use this knife almost daily. Also the 1095 gets hair shaving sharp. I am not a very good knife sharpener, but I found that using a Lansky Pocket Sharpener and finishing the edge on the bottom of a ceramic mug or bowl (yes its true) I can put a wicked edge on the knife. What you give up in blade edge retention is more than made up for in ease of sharpening.

Great little utility knife. I have the folder, and I loved it so much I might as well buy the fixed version. My ONLY complaint is that the brass screws that hold the hollow handles are very soft metal. When using the supplied washer to remove the brass screws, it is VERY easy to strip the slot of screw head out. Be careful. I'm in the hunt to try and find replacement screws to have on hand if needed. Any one know where to get them? Anyone know the size and standard or metric thread count? Thanks.

Nice knife hardcore every day carry full flat grind amazing at slicing nice handle it fits my large sized hand easily comes razor sharp has micarta handles the sheath is nice comes with all the hardware necessary the knife is made of 1095 carbon steel it does have a coating but it is carbon so it may rust overall nice knife

Let me preface this review by stating right upfront that I ordered the DPx Hest after I begrudgingly returned the Izula II which i had purchased prior to making this purchase. Unfortunately after less consideration than the one which t I gave the Izula II, I returned this knife back and went with a TOPS Scout instead. In reality would have rated the DPx Hest a 3.5 star if I had such an option:It was sharp out of the box across the entire blade, unlike my returned Izula II (you can also read my review on that item) I liked the size and felt that the DPx Hest would offer me more practical options than the Izula II but after keeping it for a mere 2-3 days, it just failed to grow on me and here are why:I think that it has been mentioned in some other reviews that the flat head screws are just very soft. You will most definitely strip those screws very easily if you tried to use the supplied washer. I even tried to use my own (generic) flat head screw driver close by on my tools desk but could clearly feel that the screws are easily prone to becoming stripped and damaged. If I absolutely loved the knife enough I would have found hexhead screws to fix that issue, but as stated prior, the DPx Hest just did not grow on me. The prying tool at the pummel end is a good idea but it can also hurt one's palm if gripped very tightly without gloves. I could not get over this second inconvenience either for a price of almost $100. I can truly see the convenience of the few of the DPx extra features and it's extra blade length as opposed to the Izula II, but since personally speaking I often would like to carry two bushcraft / survival knives on extended expeditions, I found the DPx Hest as a bit of a useless smaller second backup knife to my primary knife. The Kydex sheath that it comes with is great and I would have kept this knife if it was the ONLY knife I was being forced to live with in the wilderness.

Not only has this tool met but it far surpassed my expectations. It is my EDC, it lends itself to several mounting options. It's a very sharp highly durable edge so watch out not to get 'kissed'. It opens my beer for Heaven's sake, the Esee won't do that, but this blade is made from the same folks and same material, not as pricey. The linen handles are a awesome tactile response I didn't expect, you'll like it too!

This knife is so great! I really like everything about it. I carry it on the shoulder strap of my pack with the handle pointing down and it has never fallen out. It came with a razor sharp edge on it. One thing I was concerned about was the pry tool on the handle being sharp and posing a hazard. However, it is blunt enough that I don't see this being an issue.Overall, I am very happy with this knife.

This is a great EDC knife. Well made and rugged. At first I thought pry point may not work well ergonomically as far as poking, but it actually works well and enhances the grip (medium size hands). Blade is thick and well made, so should hold up to rough use. Handle has a good grip and feel. A little big for a neck knife, but excellent for EDC.