Are all Kabar BK's skeletonized?

Xtblade I feel the same way. Would love to have a few models with a full tang. Idc about weight. Bk9 and BK7 were one of the first knives I bought a few years ago. As much as I liked them, when I saw the skeletonized tang I sold them to a friend. But I won’t buy a skeletonized tang regardless of the steel used.
 
Xtblade it’s a shame you didn’t post this a few weeks ago. I had a solid tang kabar BK2 that I recently had for sale
 
Xr6x said:
Funny it probably costs them more to make the Skelton Tang :D that pic above was that the 2 shot with a gun or another?
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No, that's just a random image I found. This is the video:


bk2shot.png


I brought it up because it clearly shows the skeletonized part is the weakest link in the knife (obviously).

So wouldn't it make sense to make the weakest link STRONGER?

Xr6x said:
Just wondering cause I haven't seen any other 2s ever broken.
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Oh there's plenty of reports of broken BK2's. Just Google it. There are several on this forum alone, and not due to shooting :D

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/my-bk2-broke-under-the-scales-wth.1334927/
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/broke-my-bk2.1174136/
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/hello-fellow-blade-lovers-and-omg-i-broke-my-bk2.1203702

IMG_4362_zpscc5c05ae.jpg
 
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Xr6x said:
Funny it probably costs them more to make the Skelton Tang :D
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So why do they do it? I'm asking unironically. If it's not to save money on the steel and not for weight then what is it?

I'm thinking savings..:D
 
Stymie1968 said:
Xtblade I feel the same way. Would love to have a few models with a full tang. Idc about weight. Bk9 and BK7 were one of the first knives I bought a few years ago. As much as I liked them, when I saw the skeletonized tang I sold them to a friend. But I won’t buy a skeletonized tang regardless of the steel used.
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I know, right? I do own a BK9 and I'm glad I do but I wouldn't have bought it, had I known it's skeletonized. It just goes against my instinct when it comes to knives to buy something that has been weakened this way.

Ptac157 said:
Xtblade it’s a shame you didn’t post this a few weeks ago. I had a solid tang kabar BK2 that I recently had for sale
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Damn! I would have been all over it.

I love the shape of Becker handles (BK9 etc.). These are perfect for me. They protect the hand from the front and from the back and prevent the knife from slipping.

That's why I'm not going with Esee 5. It has an "open ended" handle. Just like Esee 6. I bought the 6 and sent it back for that reason alone.

Good thing at least Junglas has a handle that works for me though.
 
Oh the BK-2 is so weak and useless! I'm never getting one again! Well till I break my current ones that is. They are to useful not to use and abuse. Just remember they are KNIVES not Mattocks.

My current knife I use with super heavy abuse is a my RD TANTO, if I break off the tip its going to get a BK2 style point re grind.
 
xtblade said:
So why do they do it? I'm asking unironically. If it's not to save money on the steel and not for weight then what is it?

I'm thinking savings..:D
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Why do you think it's cheaper to produce the blank with the cut-out? These blades aren't cast in a mold. They are either CNC-cut or stamped out of a large sheet. The drops from the cut-outs are waste. Dies or programs are more complicated, waste has to be disposed of. Unless you've figured out what they're doing with all those funny-sized steel donut holes, beyond recycling them for scrap value. I'd be terribly interested to hear if they are NOT simply scrapped. Ka-bar doesn't smelt its own steel. I don't know for certain that the cut-outs are more expensive, but I haven't heard or imagined a compelling argument why they would be cheaper yet.

I'm convinced the cut-outs are for carry-weight and/or balance. Lots of people do count ounces for their outdoor gear, and weight in the handle increases user fatigue and does not contribute to chopping power.

Might save YOU money on shipping 'cause the knives are lighter! :p
 
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daizee said:
Why do you think it's cheaper to produce the blank with the cut-out? These blades aren't cast in a mold. They are either CNC-cut or stamped out of a large sheet. The drops from the cut-outs are waste. Dies or programs are more complicated, waste has to be disposed of. Unless you've figured out what they're doing with all those funny-sized steel donut holes, beyond recycling them for scrap value. I'd be terribly interested to hear if they are NOT simply scrapped. Ka-bar doesn't smelt its own steel. I don't know for certain that the cut-outs are more expensive, but I haven't heard or imagined a compelling argument why they would be cheaper yet.

I'm convinced the cut-outs are for carry-weight and/or balance. Lots of people do count ounces for their outdoor gear, and weight in the handle increases user fatigue and does not contribute to chopping power.

Might save YOU money on shipping 'cause the knives are lighter! :p
Click to expand...

I Was going to say for shipping cost...... But you beat me to it!!!
:P
 
daizee said:
I'm convinced the cut-outs are for carry-weight and/or balance. Lots of people do count ounces for their outdoor gear, and weight in the handle increases user fatigue and does not contribute to chopping power.

Might save YOU money on shipping 'cause the knives are lighter! :p
Click to expand...

At times it certainly seems like 50% of outdoorsmen are more bushcrafty and don't mind carrying heavy tools (axe, blades, wool clothing, etc.) into the woods to get the job done. The other 50% have a scale and count the ounces down to the decimal.

I'm guesstimating that the cutouts on a 3/16" bk like the bk7/9 would be a hair over 2oz of weight reduction and the cutouts on a 1/4" blade like the bk2/20 would be about 3oz.

The weight and balance in the handle when light makes such a difference (to me anyway). Even with a heavy front end balance on a blade a light handle can make it feel fast and agile.
 
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