Becker fit and finish (grind marks)

[bghorn]

If you would like a more refined finish on a blade, buy some sand paper, its cheap.

Or I could just go to their competitor, buy similar product (made in USA) for the same amount of $$ and save on all the sandpaper and elbow grease.

So, Beckerheads, it was interesting discussion. I'll leave it at this and find my way out of here before somebody gets too upset (It truly wasn't my intent).

 

[NJBillK]

But see, that is one of the things we Enjoy about Beckers. We get to make them our own through mods and the varying degrees of input by the end user.

If you would like a cookie cutter model, there are plenty of companies to offer that, well, most of them in fact. Even Becker if you leave it stock. But for the majority of us, no thanks. We like to "Make Our" Becker, not just "Buy Our" Becker.

 

[Chameleonbear]

Started new thread to not go off topic...




I didn't say anything about polished blade. Just smooth enough. See other comparable knives...




Yes

Case in point:
Becker BK-2 MSRP: $131.35
Becker BK-32 MSRP: $131.35


Another example
Ka-Bar Becker BK-7, OKC RAT 7. Comparable size and price. One of these two has smooth (not polished) finish under the coating.


One more:
Not a knife, but I just bought today a tool, torque wrench to be more exact. 1/2-inch drive, adjustable, with ratchet. Weighs 4 pounds or so. USA made.
Twice the material, quite a lot more complex to manufacture than a knife. Multiple parts, some out of heat treated tool steel. Ergonomic handle, etc
Excellent fit and finish. Got it for $99/95 on sale...

You tell me why a sharpened slab of steel with attached handle scales couldn't have a decent finish without overpaying for it?

And tell me why mostly all knives have smooth blade? If it wouldn't matter they'd all have excessive grind marks.

So, I'm just going to break this down nice and easy like... you want a blade that is smooth enough... I just got a brand new BK-11. It was definitely smooth enough for what I needed it to do. I used it just this evening to slice my rib-eye. It sliced it with nary an issue.
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I'd like to see the "comparable" knives you are talking about. The BK-2, 22, and 32 are the exact same knife except for the handles and that the 32 has a clear epoxy coating where the 2 and 22 have a black epoxy coating.

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The BK-7 and the Rat-7 are not comparable. The Becker is MSRP $140, the RAT msrp is $175. The Becker is a harder use tool as it has added chromium and vanadium, as well as it has a higher Rc hardness so it will hold its edge longer. Coupled with that, Ontario is in the process of improving their fit and finish (that you are so worried about) along with their quality control. However they still have a LONG way to go to get to Ka-Bar's level.

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I bought a torque wrench a couple months ago from Harbor Freight, got it for $10. Made, somewhere, weighs in right about 4 lbs as well. More than twice the metal as my BK-11 and it cost 1/3 the price.

You want a reason why a sharpened slab of steel with attached handle scales is more expensive, here's one: A torque wrench is a mono-tasking tool. It does one thing only. However a knife is a multi-use tool. Not only that, a knife is precision made.
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If you want to have a civil discussion feel free to pull up to the fire. However you might want to recognize that you "catch more bees with honey" and that while around here we are pretty civil, we do also mostly have a vested interest in defending the knives that we all carry and most of us love.

 

[ichor]

Wow...I bet these knife companies would kill to have some of you designing/marketing geniuses on staff, figuring all this out for them. Wonder why you haven't managed to own your own major, successful knife companies. LOL

 

[Gaston444]

I'd like to see the "comparable" knives you are talking about.

There are some around. I don't know about the specific models mentionned, but you all seem to be thinking Beckers are priced as bargains. They're not.

What the OP is compaining about is called hiding lousy well-paid workmanship under paint, and if you want lower priced performance that is probably better finished under all that black paint, try Ontario's SP-10 and see how it does...: Much cheaper than a BK-9: CAN $ 75 on Amazon.ca, when the cheapest BK-9 is CAN $ 125...

Oh and maybe the Mtech MT-151 has properly smooth steel under that black paint too?: US $25 on Amazon: You can get around four of those for the price of a BK-9... Wanna bet it looks nicer when stripped? Oh yes I know, the blade on those is cooling-curved: So was my BK-9, and I have the pics to prove it...

Me for instance, I am a fan of TOPS (except for their dull low sabre grinds: What do you want, I just like weird Mall Ninja designs), and yet you won't find me defending TOPS when they do the same crap of rough finishes hidden under loads of black paint (at an even higher price): I strenuously avoid stripping them for that very reason, and I'm not going to insult someone who quite justifiably complains about it, when you could strip something that is much cheaper and not spend years sanding away at a maker's carelessness...

Gaston

 

[NCSlice]

try Ontario's SP-10 and see how it does...: Much cheaper than a BK-9: CAN $ 75 on Amazon.ca, when the cheapest BK-9 is CAN $ 125...

Gaston

That's not really a comparison...just because they're long choppers doesn't make them comparable. The Ka-Bar Heavy Bowie would be much more accurate but that would be a discussion for another thread

 

[Silverthorn]

BGHorn, to be clear I wasnt saying that you were trolling because you asked a question, or even because of the question you asked. It was the tone of the post, and the way it was put together.
Everyone knows a BK-2 doesnt sell for 135 buks, but you still posted that like it was the price. 70 dollars from Tomars or Amazon means itss pretty much half MSPR to normally purchase. If it was selling from dealers at 135 I would feel much more inclined to agree with you on the finish on the blade No Question. At 70 bucks however I feel like the quality that we get from Ka-Bar with a Becker knife is great. Lots of people feel that way, thats why they sell so well.
You dont have to agree, and I wasnt implying that you do. Just saying the tone of the post could have been written much better if you werent trolling.

 

[Guyon]

So, Beckerheads, it was interesting discussion. I'll leave it at this and find my way out of here before somebody gets too upset (It truly wasn't my intent).

Good enough, though I don't know if it was a discussion so much as it was a set of accusations, misguided generalizations, and retorts by the OP. Locked and done so that he's not tempted to continue down this line.