It seems that when someone inquires about alternatives to the beckers they usually get responses about knives two or three times the price and there are many decent blades out there in the same price range as the beckers such as the ontario sp10 marine raider which is a bit heavy but will easily out chop the becker combat bowie and can be found for around $50 and then there is the ontario sp5 for about $45 the ka-bar heavy bowies $45-$50. I have all these as well as some other bigger bowies which are too heavy to carry as well as the becker line and even though the becker bowie is outchopped by the raider and the kabar and ontario sp5 chop as well as the becker. I still prefer the becker because of it's profile and even though the ontario's have longer blades the becker has a longer sharpened surface and the sp5 has a sharpened back edge (even though it's sold as a survival knife) so the back edge of this one needs to filed off with a stone before it can be used with a baton. but even though the beckers are preferable to me i still like the other low cost blades listed and any of them are fantastic hard use blades.
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Becker alternatives
- Thread starter sdt11670
- Start date
I have the Ontario and Becker knives you mentioned, and I don't think the Ontarios outchop the BK9 Combat Bowie. No way.
I think the Ontario that might be comparable to the BK9 is the RTAK II, and it's about twice the price of the SP5 and SP10.
I do think the SP5 and SP10 are great knives for the money, but I think the
BK9 is a better constructed knife and the 0170-6 or 50100B or whatever steel was used in the Becker is superior for chopping to the Ontario 1095 steel.
I think the Becker steel also takes a better edge and holds it longer.
I think the Ontario that might be comparable to the BK9 is the RTAK II, and it's about twice the price of the SP5 and SP10.
I do think the SP5 and SP10 are great knives for the money, but I think the
BK9 is a better constructed knife and the 0170-6 or 50100B or whatever steel was used in the Becker is superior for chopping to the Ontario 1095 steel.
I think the Becker steel also takes a better edge and holds it longer.
I have the Ontario and Becker knives you mentioned, and I don't think the Ontarios outchop the BK9 Combat Bowie. No way.
I think the Ontario that might be comparable to the BK9 is the RTAK II, and it's about twice the price of the SP5 and SP10.
I do think the SP5 and SP10 are great knives for the money, but I think the
BK9 is a better constructed knife and the 0170-6 or 50100B or whatever steel was used in the Becker is superior for chopping to the Ontario 1095 steel.
I think the Becker steel also takes a better edge and holds it longer.
The bk9 is noticeably outchopped by the sp10 but the sp10 is a heavier bulkier blade with a saber grind which allows it to outchop the bk9. when i wanted the sp10 i got advice from cliff stamp who destroys every blade he comes in contact with (from what i can tell) and he stated that the raider would indeed outchop the bk9 so i purchased it and tested it the way i do all my hard use blades. first i chop soft green woods and green hardwoods then move to dried oaks and hickory then i do the water bottle test then i open a can of beans and then slice paper and cardboard! if any of these tasks damage or dull the blade beyond the ability to slice meat or easily cut paper they are given to a kid as a junk knife! the only blade i own that would still shave hair after opening a can was the bk10 but it isnt a chopper! What amazed me was that not only did the marine raider outchop the bk9 but it also won the water bottle test which it shouldnt have due to being saber ground. then again the taiwan ka-bar large heavy bowie with it's full flat grind beats them all even with it's shorter blade when it comes to water bottles... even the fully flat ground longer bladed sp5. test these knives side by side and you will find the marine raider is probably the lowest priced chopper out there! oh by the way the beckers do hold an edge longer than any of these though. the only way to outchop a big saber grind with a flat grind is to increase the spine thickness and use a well designed blade which is why the CS Trailmaster will outchop any of these listed but it is not in the same price range so it is omitted.
sdt11670, this is really useful info.
I read Cliff's review on the BK9 and I recall he liked it a lot, so if
the SP10 is a superior chopper to the BK9 well, I'm happily surprised.
I have a Becker BK11, BK7, BK10, and BK9.
Also an SP5, an SP9 on the way, an RTAK II, and an SP14.
Great knives all IMO.
I guess an SP10 is next!!
I read Cliff's review on the BK9 and I recall he liked it a lot, so if
the SP10 is a superior chopper to the BK9 well, I'm happily surprised.
I have a Becker BK11, BK7, BK10, and BK9.
Also an SP5, an SP9 on the way, an RTAK II, and an SP14.
Great knives all IMO.
I guess an SP10 is next!!