Are Beckers any good?

N

NRG

Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Messages
177
I'm looking for a fixed blade in the $50-$125 and can't make up my mind. Is there anything in that price range better than a Becker? I need a 6-7in survival knife...Any input would be great! Thanks...
 
Define 'better'. Some will tell you that Swamp Rat knives are much better, others will swear by the Beckers. Do you want a knife that can take more lateral stress, such as prying? Or is slicing and cutting ability a priority? What about sharpening ease and edgeholding? Handle material preference? If you give a clear idea of what you want, you'll get much more relevant and helpful responses. Best of luck. :)
 
Roadrunner said:
Define 'better'. Some will tell you that Swamp Rat knives are much better, others will swear by the Beckers. Do you want a knife that can take more lateral stress, such as prying? Or is slicing and cutting ability a priority? What about sharpening ease and edgeholding? Handle material preference? If you give a clear idea of what you want, you'll get much more relevant and helpful responses. Best of luck. :)
Click to expand...

I know I was vague :)...but I'm looking for something that will field sharpen with ease, prying if need be and cutting ability...heavy tasks mainly. What about the Ontario Rat-7?
 
I haven't used any Beckers or Swamp Rats. The one Ontario I had was in the Spec Ops line and really not too impressive. I hear the RATs are quite nice, but Ontario has a somewhat poor QC record. If you're looking for something a bit different in that size and price range, you may want to consider a Himalayan Imports 12" Ang Khola or Pen knife. You can see them here at www.himalayan-imports.com . Both are around 12-14" overall and tough as nails. They're fairly easy to sharpen with a little practice, most models even include a small burnishing tool for touch-ups in the field. In addition to all of that HI gives great service and has an unconditional warranty. Once again good luck with your search.
 
Hey NRG,

I'd have to agree with Roadrunning in regards to the Swamp Rat line. They're within your price range, and have an excellent reputation. Of course, so does the Becker line. I own a Becker BK-9 myself, and have personally beat the hell out of it on more than one occassion. It takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. Sharpening was pretty easy IMO as well. I've got my first 'Rat on it's way to me, and after giving it the rounds, I'll be sure to post my thoughts on it...but I'm pretty sure I won't be disappointed.

I've eyed the RAT-7's myself more than once, and will probably eventually get one of those as well, but I haven't heard a lot of feedback on them yet. In the end, there are many choices. You can't go wrong with anything you've talked about thus far, so go with what appeals to you! :)
 
I think the Swamp Rat Cap Tramp is a fine choice for your needs. It's thick at 1/4", but flat ground to a decently thin edge, and it's differentially hardened to better withstand lateral stress. It also has quite a forward balance, so it's a good chopper for a knife this size. I don't own a BK7, but have heard all kinds of good things about them. They're also considerable less expensive than the Tramp. Bear in mind that the Becker handles are quite large- they fit my hands well, but any larger and they'd be uncomfortable. I wear a size L/XL glove and have long fingers. Best of luck in your search- you may end up buying one of everything eventually, just to make sure you're not missing out on "the perfect knife."

Jeremy
 
Put your money either on the Becker blades or the Swamp Rat knives. They are value for money.
 
Both are great knives, but given the choice I'd take a Swamp Rat. I recently sold my BK7 to afford a Camp Tramp. To me the Swamp Rat no BS guarantee is worth the extra cash. Just my $.02, hope it helps.
 
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