Anyone interested in a BK9 + 5"?

S

Stiletto Raggio

Joined
Jan 29, 2000
Messages
546
I was wondering if anyone would be interested in a design that is simply an extension of the BK9. I have read several reviews of the defunct BK6 and, while I would like to see it brought back, I think the durability issues encountered with the 6 would not be present in a sturdier blade. The BK9 blade profile with a ~14" blade would be a heck of a heavy-duty machete, though if you go much longer weight would be a real issue. That would put it around the length of the BK6 but with a blade design more suitable for batoning, draw cuts, etc.

I can't have been the first person to conceive of this, but I haven't seen it discussed.
 
Are you talking about extending a BK9 blade, or creating a new blade from scratch? I'd love to see such a beast, either way, but I wonder the strength if you just attach an extension of the 9. But I know so little about knifemaking. I wanna see what you come up with either way!
 
Yes i'm interested but i don't think it would be user friendly as weight will be a major concern... If the tree doesn't fall in the first 5 chops your arms will probably fall off
 
KaBar has a few longer offerings, some of which sell quite well.

there's a new Steve Johnson machete parang thing. more machete, i guess i associate a certain leafy width to parang.
 
At 1.05 pounds (~17 ounces), the BK9 is pretty light. A +5 would add approximately 30-35% to the weight of the knife, so figure 23 ounces. That is less than an Estwing hatchet and the weight would be much better distributed. I've seen some Boy Scouts use a hatchet of that weight quite a while before getting tired, but I digress.
 
Stiletto,

Some interesting things coming down the pike from KA-BAR, and Becker this year and next. I think a Big chopper is among them.
 
You read my mind Raistlin65, it would be a short saber machete. IMHO probably one of the best machete designs out there, if they made it. The 5 is such a fantastic cutter, a large version would have weight from width not spine thickness, and the false edge/top bevel would allow it to slice through light whippy mediums very well, while the weight and shape I think would allow it to work well on hard woods as well. IN a pinch, I think it would be a monstrous thing for defense from an animal or "animal"
 
Silverthorn said:
You read my mind Raistlin65, it would be a short saber machete. IMHO probably one of the best machete designs out there, if they made it. The 5 is such a fantastic cutter, a large version would have weight from width not spine thickness, and the false edge/top bevel would allow it to slice through light whippy mediums very well, while the weight and shape I think would allow it to work well on hard woods as well. IN a pinch, I think it would be a monstrous thing for defense from an animal or "animal"
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Oh, yeah. I think the lighter weight might make it more popular than the BK9+5" of blade. In some ways, it would have better utility, too, unless your primary use for a knife is to baton 10" logs (lol).
 
I think I might prefer it be around 12" but I would probably buy one. I have a KB grass machete as well as some other long blades that are too heavy for vegetation and really only good for wood.
 
It sounds neat and I would think it's cool but to be honest I probably wouldn't buy one. The BK9 is about as much knife as I can handle.
 
raistlin65 said:
Oh, yeah. I think the lighter weight might make it more popular than the BK9+5" of blade. In some ways, it would have better utility, too, unless your primary use for a knife is to baton 10" logs (lol).
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I wouldn't say it is my primary use for "a knife," but I have been searching for the right "big knife" for a while. I have the TOPs machete, the Thai Enep and Golok from Condor, and the flimsy Gerber Gator (a cheap and well-learned mistake). The TOPs and the Thai Enep do well on brush and the Golok is a good chopper, but I think a Becker would be measurably better. I love the BK9 and I think it with a good backpacking saw cover your bases pretty well, but a larger blade would be advantageous sometimes, especially batoning or heavy chopping. If you really want it to take the place of a hatchet, that it where it needs to shine.

As for ten inch logs when it comes to batoning, the size of your baton matters as well as the size of your blade. If you have a six inch log to split and a nine inch blade, you are going to have three inches max of "batonable" blade once you get past the top of the log. Having a longer blade allows more room for error in the process, a bigger target when batoning, and the use of a larger baton. Similar advantages apply when doing draw cuts. Do I need to do this stuff every day? No. But part of bushcraft is preparedness, and for an extra five ounces, I would gladly pack a more capable knife.
 
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Just got a Tops Power Eagle (12 inch) and a Kershaw Camp 14, would love to see an equivalent or longer offering from Becker.
 
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