B,K,&T question
- Thread starter DonL
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 12, 1998
- Messages
- 1,647
I tried tracking down a couple specific BK&T models about a year ago, the Campanion and the Rescue/Divetul, and didn't fare well. Different models had different grinds, so that would depend on the individual knife. Steels ranged from 1095 to 440A, that I know of, but they may have used others. The ones I was looking for were 1095 and 440A. I tracked a R-D down to a specialty shop in the Minneapolis area (the name escapes me now), but after a series of calls, they never followed up, so I guess they didn't want my money bad enough. *Humph* Good luck, those BK&T's can be hard to find.
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 3,148
BKT was always made by Blackjack Knives, even before they bought the company from Ethan Becker.They were his OEM supplier. That goes on ALOT in the knife industry.
Ethan Becker is a world class designer of survival and camping equipment, as well as
a classically trained Master Chef.
His mom, Irma, wrote the "joy of Cooking", one of the biggest selling books of all time.
Ethan apparently develops recipes for the revised versions, the latest was published last year. Its a damn good read for a cook book!
Early Beckers were carbon, some had wooden scales.Later have "Esta-loc" scales screwed on with bolts.
Then early on, BJK made them out of 440C, then switched to 1095 for everything except the ResQDivTul, which was always 440.
The BKT magnum campknife was actually a Jerry fisk design. Its one of my faves.It was 400C-not many were made.
They are truly tools that "Work for a Living"
The Brute is one of the best large utility knives EVER. If you can find one for around 100 bucks-BUY IT, you won't be disappointed.
So what Im saying is no one BKT is better than another. It matter if you want SS or carbon. Thats really the only decision.
Some Beckers were made with Eagle industries sheaths. The leather sheaths provided with some really suck. Look for eagle sheathed BKT's if possible.
------------------
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Anthony P. Lombardo
-will destroy knives for
food-
Ethan Becker is a world class designer of survival and camping equipment, as well as
a classically trained Master Chef.
His mom, Irma, wrote the "joy of Cooking", one of the biggest selling books of all time.
Ethan apparently develops recipes for the revised versions, the latest was published last year. Its a damn good read for a cook book!
Early Beckers were carbon, some had wooden scales.Later have "Esta-loc" scales screwed on with bolts.
Then early on, BJK made them out of 440C, then switched to 1095 for everything except the ResQDivTul, which was always 440.
The BKT magnum campknife was actually a Jerry fisk design. Its one of my faves.It was 400C-not many were made.
They are truly tools that "Work for a Living"
The Brute is one of the best large utility knives EVER. If you can find one for around 100 bucks-BUY IT, you won't be disappointed.
So what Im saying is no one BKT is better than another. It matter if you want SS or carbon. Thats really the only decision.
Some Beckers were made with Eagle industries sheaths. The leather sheaths provided with some really suck. Look for eagle sheathed BKT's if possible.
------------------
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Anthony P. Lombardo
-will destroy knives for
food-
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 3,148
To answer your edge question, Beckers were
ground a few differnt ways. An early Macahax I owned was kind of hollow ground, the Kukris were hand convexed, and the Campanions and Brutes were too.
They were not convexed to sharp, though.
They were ground kind of convex, coated, then sharpened with a convex bevel thats very stout and easy to maintain. Not a true moran convex style, and not at all similar to the very radically convexed Blackjack classic blades (Randall knock-offs).
ground a few differnt ways. An early Macahax I owned was kind of hollow ground, the Kukris were hand convexed, and the Campanions and Brutes were too.
They were not convexed to sharp, though.
They were ground kind of convex, coated, then sharpened with a convex bevel thats very stout and easy to maintain. Not a true moran convex style, and not at all similar to the very radically convexed Blackjack classic blades (Randall knock-offs).
- Joined
- Jan 6, 1999
- Messages
- 146
Anthony,
I appreciate your detailed and informative post about Becker,Knife and Tool and Ethan Becker. Any additional info you could provide about the BKT Hank Reinhardt kukri would be most appreciated.
How thick was the kukri stainless stock?
What stainless steel was used?
Where the handles estaloc?
And approximate weight of kukri sans sheath?
Overall length?Eagle sheath on the kukri?
Any info you could provide, I would be most grateful, as I like khukuris/khukris/kukris.
TIA
Stay safe and all the best, Phil <-----<
I appreciate your detailed and informative post about Becker,Knife and Tool and Ethan Becker. Any additional info you could provide about the BKT Hank Reinhardt kukri would be most appreciated.
How thick was the kukri stainless stock?
What stainless steel was used?
Where the handles estaloc?
And approximate weight of kukri sans sheath?
Overall length?Eagle sheath on the kukri?
Any info you could provide, I would be most grateful, as I like khukuris/khukris/kukris.
TIA
Stay safe and all the best, Phil <-----<
- Joined
- Oct 5, 1998
- Messages
- 3,148
OOps-almost forgot about Hank Reinhardts
Combat Kukri.
The Combat Kukri was originally made for Blackjack in Seki, Japan of AUS8 with molded handle and thick, convexed blade.
It was very expensive ($250)and it was shelved after a few thousand units (less than 2000)
After the death of the Japanese made knife, Blackjack made a 440A version under the Becker brand of the same pattern just using thin, .125 (wow) stock,RC56, and the BKT esta loc handle. As far as I know, Mike Stewart and the great Hank Reinhardt designed it, as Ethan Becker was out of the picture at this time (1993).
Later, the "Supersonic Razor Blades" were made in 1095 with the BKT gray powdercoat.
They cut like the devil.
Very Very good working tools, and thin enough to use all day. I miss mine.
They always came in a cheap-ass leather sheath, and always cried out for good kydex!
Steve Dick evaluted one for Cutlery Shoppe in 1993, and found that it was "light and sharp, with astounding cutting power for its size" he felled alot of small trees without any chipping of the fine edge.
I agree with Steve's assessment, however I have lost track of my BKT Kukri over the years, and wish i had it back. It would just the thing for Bando or eradicating the small cedars that are overgrown at the hunting camp.
Find one if you can! They were excellent work tools!
------------------
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Anthony P. Lombardo
-will destroy knives for
food-
Combat Kukri.
The Combat Kukri was originally made for Blackjack in Seki, Japan of AUS8 with molded handle and thick, convexed blade.
It was very expensive ($250)and it was shelved after a few thousand units (less than 2000)
After the death of the Japanese made knife, Blackjack made a 440A version under the Becker brand of the same pattern just using thin, .125 (wow) stock,RC56, and the BKT esta loc handle. As far as I know, Mike Stewart and the great Hank Reinhardt designed it, as Ethan Becker was out of the picture at this time (1993).
Later, the "Supersonic Razor Blades" were made in 1095 with the BKT gray powdercoat.
They cut like the devil.
Very Very good working tools, and thin enough to use all day. I miss mine.
They always came in a cheap-ass leather sheath, and always cried out for good kydex!
Steve Dick evaluted one for Cutlery Shoppe in 1993, and found that it was "light and sharp, with astounding cutting power for its size" he felled alot of small trees without any chipping of the fine edge.
I agree with Steve's assessment, however I have lost track of my BKT Kukri over the years, and wish i had it back. It would just the thing for Bando or eradicating the small cedars that are overgrown at the hunting camp.
Find one if you can! They were excellent work tools!
------------------
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Anthony P. Lombardo
-will destroy knives for
food-
Anthony,
Interesting that you mention the BRUTE. A "close associate" of yours pointed me to a place in Georgia where I was able to get a new-in-the-box grey powder coated 1095 Esta-Lok handled BRUTE. It's quite an interesting piece, especially the "nail hammer" on the forward spline. I find the overall design to result in a darned good chopper-camp knife. Better than a standard bowie, significant downward cant of the whole blade relative to the handle, lots of belly and good heft.
------------------
-=[Bob]=-
I did NOT escape from the institution! They gave me a day pass!
Interesting that you mention the BRUTE. A "close associate" of yours pointed me to a place in Georgia where I was able to get a new-in-the-box grey powder coated 1095 Esta-Lok handled BRUTE. It's quite an interesting piece, especially the "nail hammer" on the forward spline. I find the overall design to result in a darned good chopper-camp knife. Better than a standard bowie, significant downward cant of the whole blade relative to the handle, lots of belly and good heft.
------------------
-=[Bob]=-
I did NOT escape from the institution! They gave me a day pass!
- Joined
- Oct 12, 1998
- Messages
- 1,647
Holy Frijoles! I just picked up a Reinhardt Combat Kukri this week. What an awesome piece of equipment! I never knew they were relatively scarce, I'm amazed at what I paid for it. Thanks for the lowdown on this one.
------------------
The surest sign of poor craftsmanship is wrinkles in the duct tape.
------------------
The surest sign of poor craftsmanship is wrinkles in the duct tape.