2 month bk9 adventure. Ahhh. Beautiful New zealand and Indonesia VERY PIC HEAVY!!!!

Silverthorn said:
Wet wipes take up less space and get you cleaner, and can be used for general hygene as well. Wet wipes are your adventuring friend.
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Genius!!!
Thanks! Just added to my list, for the next trip. I've seen packs of 15 at the 1$ store, but it's one of those things I'd definitely have forgotten. Save lots of pack space.

Please, anyone else with experience or ideas, chime in as well.

I've got my blade and pack/rain gear/shelter and sleeping all figured out, but I'd love any recommendations. It'll be Thailand I'm thinking, depending on what my research digs up, but if not there, Cambodia or Malaysia. So all pretty much similar environments.
 
Very cool thread, that looks to be quite an adventure.
I'm not much for leaving my state much less going to another country but good on you for putting yourself out there to see and experience all you did.

Looks like the bk9 was a great asset on your trip, be curious what goes with you on your next little outing....BK9.....BK4..........................BK21.
 
cold one said:
Very cool thread, that looks to be quite an adventure.
I'm not much for leaving my state much less going to another country but good on you for putting yourself out there to see and experience all you did.

Looks like the bk9 was a great asset on your trip, be curious what goes with you on your next little outing....BK9.....BK4..........................BK21.
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The 9 was so absolutely one of the biggest highlights of the whole trip! I only got it in the mail less than a month before my 1st flight left, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I almost brought a cheap parang and folding saw, but I'm so glad I chose the bk9.

I'm pretty positive I'll be bringing the 9 again. I just developed such an awesome connection with it after using it so much. My bro is using a machax in Costa Rica right now, and he's supposed to hit this next trip with me but I'm not sure if he'll bring it or replace it. I'm curious myself to see if he'll send me some pics and let me know how it's performing. I'll definitely bug him for pics.

I'm extremely curious about the bk2 tho. I think it would have been perfect for me in NZ, but in indo the 9 was incredible. The duties kinda changed from firewood and medium chopping in NZ, to straight up land clearing and more machete type jobs in Indonesia. I imagine that Thailand, Malaysia, or Cambodia will be extremely similar to Indonesia. I still have a lot of research to do tho on vegetation, laws, gps routes etc.

I'm super open to any and all suggestions, but nothing too hardcore, I'm still in an intermediate stage and don't think I could handle arctic, desert, or Amazon type environments at all. Not yet anyways.
 
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glad i found this thread. really got to escape for a few minutes through your post beckerbrain. thanks much. :thumbup:
 
TPVT said:
glad i found this thread. really got to escape for a few minutes through your post beckerbrain. thanks much. :thumbup:
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Yes sir, I love that you guys get a kick out of my trip. Also, so glad I have a group to share it with. My only regret is not taking more blade pics. I won't make the mistake again tho. I'll bring a camera dedicated only for knife shots next time if I have to.
 
beckerbrain said:
Yes sir, I love that you guys get a kick out of my trip. Also, so glad I have a group to share it with. My only regret is not taking more blade pics. I won't make the mistake again tho. I'll bring a camera dedicated only for knife shots next time if I have to.
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This thread makes me realize that I've been living my entire life wrong. I'm so envious, BB. Great thread. Can't wait to live vicariously through your next one.
 
JWheel said:
This thread makes me realize that I've been living my entire life wrong. I'm so envious, BB. Great thread. Can't wait to live vicariously through your next one.
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No way man, you've got to go too!!!!!!!!!
No matter what, all you guys have to!!!!
Becker gathering early 2016 in Sumba, Indonesia!! Come on!!!
 
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Been gone for a while brothers, but thanks again for all the kind words. Turns out we will prob be doing a North American trip this time. Our goal is to traverse the different ecosystems starting with swamps here in FL and slowly moving northwest to hit some desert trails and eventually up towards Canada or Alaska at the end. Still working out the logistics but anyone on the forum willing to offer a backyard for our tents/hammocks along the way would be infinitely appreciated. We're willing to work in exchange for a short term stay, so let me know. Unfortunately, I don't think we can afford to offer any money. I know we won't be traveling north east but to anyone in the south east, mid-country, mid west, and north west, our path might come close to your area. My goal is for a 6 month trip this time depending on our funds, necessary gear, and the kindness of strangers, but regardless, get ready for another pic heavy dump with more/better bk action shots. My old tried and trusted 9 is still holding up like a champ and she's DYING to get back out there and destroy the natural material in her path. Also, please, anyone with experience in these areas, please give advice/recommendations on transportation/gear/Etc. please let us know. Any advice at all. We are by no means expert, but not novice either, and we have been through some serious stuff, but knowledge from locals is always valuable. Specifically I'd appreciate some advice on which blade for my bro to sidearm. He has a bk4, but it didn't grow on him during his last trip so he wants to replace it. We only have a couple of months to finish getting supplies together, so any recommendations are appreciated. We will mostly be off grid in the south/mid-west but we'll be close to civilization or even in campgrounds up north. We aren't about to walk into the cold if we're not prepared for it, so we don't need advice in that regard, but I still appreciate anything offered. Victory or Valhalla.

Thanks brethren.
 
camoninja said:
I'm in Fl, St. Lucie county/Ft. Pierce. If you're by this way let me know.
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Woah man we're practically neighbors! I'm in the Sebastian/Melbourne area right now! I think we're gonna start the trip off a little further away from home base and head west, but it would still be cool to meet the local bk fans. There's always beer and barbeque
 
I'm glad you bumped this since I didn't see it the first time around and it's a good read!

Three questions if you don't mind:
1) I'm curious, the rust you described on your 9 underneath the scales, was it forming only on areas where the coating was missing, or was it actually forming through the coating?
2) Was the 9 the only knife you brought (not counting your brother's knife)? If not, what else did you bring? The gear picture is a little blurry, but I don't see any other knives there.....
3) I was surprised to see a revolver in the picture. Is it legal for tourists to carry firearms in NZ and Indo? Or (understandably) did it just not matter to you since it's your personal safety in question?

Thanks.
 
depending on your route through the midwest, there are a few of us with suitable camping spaces in our "back yards".
 
riversidedep said:
I'm glad you bumped this since I didn't see it the first time around and it's a good read!

Three questions if you don't mind:
1) I'm curious, the rust you described on your 9 underneath the scales, was it forming only on areas where the coating was missing, or was it actually forming through the coating?
2) Was the 9 the only knife you brought (not counting your brother's knife)? If not, what else did you bring? The gear picture is a little blurry, but I don't see any other knives there.....
3) I was surprised to see a revolver in the picture. Is it legal for tourists to carry firearms in NZ and Indo? Or (understandably) did it just not matter to you since it's your personal safety in question?

Thanks.
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Thanks for the interest. I really love traveling "roughly" and inspiring others to do it. It's so much easier than people realize. Anyways,

1. I didn't do an update, but I determined that the rust under the scales was mostly from the factory hex nuts. There were some corroded areas on the skeletonized areas, but it was so minimal it's not really worth mentioning.

2. We both brough multi-tools along with our main blades. I had a sog power assist, which I absolutely love and will forever always be my main mt now and my bro had a leatherman. I think it was a wave. We mostly used them for moving hot pots and pans in the bush, opening cans, and detail work (like carving our names into everything we came across)

3. The charter arms .38 is a backup I use when I'm doing week long treks here in FL. I've only had to draw it once, to scare a bobcat away from my campsite, but I like to have it on me because of all the small gators and hogs in my area. I realize it isn't going to do a whole hell of a lot, but it's a peace of mind thing. To answer your question tho, no I wasn't able take it overseas. I really hoped I could carry it in NZ and sell it before we went to Indonesia, but it was way too much of a pain trying to get it approved. It's one of the only pieces of gear in the pic that i didn't bring. I added a few other things too that aren't in the pic. I might do a breakdown one day and label each item, I think I have it dialed in pretty good, except for food. In NZ we carried instant oatmeal, 5lb bags of rice, powdered eggs, tons of jerky and tons of cliff bars. We always re-stocked at least once a week and tried to get different local things that wouldn't go bad right away, but rice was probably about 75% of our diet. I'm a huge gear head, and I love trying new equipment and living out of a pack, I've interchanged a lot of stuff for this upcoming trip. I'll try to take a better pic and do a list of the new stuff if anyone is interested. The pack is a gen 2 USMC ILBE, and I absolutely love it.
 
I appreciate it. We will most likely come up with a general route along the interstates, but I'm thinking that there's a good chance we might end up taking greyhound busses and hitchhiking at certain points. When we travel we always try to keep the plan "loose" because you're guaranteed to have a better adventure that way. The benefit of a US trip this time tho is that I'll have regular internet access on my iPhone, and be able to keep people updated on our location and beg for places to stay.
 
If looking for camping in Missouri, let me know... We are just south of I 70
 
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