Becker Necker, Carbon San mai

If Becker/Kabar would get rid of the silly bottle opener on the butt (just extend it and put a hole through for a lanyard), and make it a simple full tang (preferably tapered to cut weight) with slim micarta scales, in a good high carbon tool steel like Carbon V, I might be interested. Not in its latest incarnation, tho'.
 
DutchV said:
I'd prefer a bare-handled Gossman PSK over this version of the Becker.
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+1 I've been looking at the PSK too. simple, clean, strong design that show up on the forums for between $50 and $100.

Edit: Found a new PSK online for reasonable price (a lot less than the San Mai Becker). My neck knife dance card is full for a while. Plus I get to blab with the other PSK folks. It's always a plus to be able talk about our knives with other people who have the same ones.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=819
 
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I love Becker knives but the price on this one is way too much. If the rest of the Becker series are like this I will no longer be purchasing them. What the heck was wrong with the carbon steel knive the used to make?
 
Kabar got a hold of Ethan Becker after Camillus folded and this is the result. None of the current production manufacturers seem to want to go back to making quality knives for affordable prices. Sorry, but I believe that they could if they chose to. I know I don't have to buy them, if I think they are overpriced. I won't.
 
For that kind of money, they could at least tell you what KIND of carbon steel core then San Mai has. Is it just me, or does KaBar seem wildly out of touch with some of their recent knife offerings?

This looks like they assume it will sell simply because it bears the "Becker Necker" title.
 
ashtxsniper said:
I love Becker knives but the price on this one is way too much. If the rest of the Becker series are like this I will no longer be purchasing them. What the heck was wrong with the carbon steel knive the used to make?
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This is supposed to be better. Better is the enemy of Good-enough.

A previous poster said that there werer plans to bring out straight carbon steel versions later.
 
I believe that san mai version is thought as a "limited edition", more like bk&t7 in d2 than standard "beater" becker.

BTW. did anybody managed to destroy or significantly damage camillus becker necker? Or we just need second one for the left hand? :)
 
My understanding straight from the Horse's Mouth "Ethan on Dough Ritters Interview" was that this is a limited run, and that the Necker and other models would be coming out in 1095 Cro-Van. 017-06 (Carbon V was this steel) was good, but I wonder if you really gain much from it over 1095, (meaning I tend to agree with Becker). One thing that I have learned is that simple is better for many a steel function. There are a bunch of folks who are ready to lay it on companies like Ka-Bar, Rat Cutlery, and others for their use of plain old Carbon Steel, but it gets the job done without much fanfare. It does it enough that I am not really interested in pursuing other tool steels in general camp knives that might give me some kind of advantage, emphasis on "might". INFI might be the exception, but I can't afford to stray at this stage.
 
Just as a point of reference, San Mai is Cold Steel's name for laminated blades. The Japanese call it warikomi. They have been making laminated steels with carbon cores for centuries and laminates with stainless wrappers for as long as stainless has been available. I don't know that it is the case here, but I would suspect that the carbon core might be shiroko or white steel since most of the carbon core warikomi knives are. If so, then it would have a hardness of around RC 63-65 and be a pretty good performer. The soft stainless wrapper should provide some stability and toughness to the hard, brittle core. That's what warikomi is all about.

I would agree with those that think the knife is overpriced but I would still think that it will be a dandy performer.
 
fudo said:
I would have preferred a Becker more like the original. One of its most endearing features was its affordability.
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Affordability was a most endearing quality to all the Camillus-made Becker tools. Granted, some models had substantial MSRPs, but they could be had for very fair prices before the decline of Camillus. Affordability + good carbon steel = win. I can't comment on the Balckjack or pre-Blackjack versions, as those pre-date my interest in the Becker line.

Even though I have no intentions of purchasing this incarnation of the Necker, i am happy to see a Becker Knife & Tool product once again on the market. i look forward to the arrival of the more affordable version of the Necker, as well as the other models.

Honestly, I more or less suspended my knife buying when I first heard that Ka-Bar would be producing Becker tools. The Beckers I have are my most used edged tools. Since the late 90s I have really grown fond of the brand and various designs. I have waited patiently, and am now beginning to get excited about once again buying a knife that I don't necessarily need! Got to do my part to keep the economy rolling, right?
 
I can't really tell from that interview, so does anyone know if the original form of the necker will be released? I mean, the one without the straight edge and flat point?

I'm really hoping to get my hands on an affordable necker in the original style.... don't leave us hanging Ethan!
 
The last time I called KaBar, she said the neckers (both laminated and carbon steel) would be out the end of this month or the beginning of October. She also said no other models would be out before SHOT 2009.
 
chewbacca said:
The last time I called KaBar, she said the neckers (both laminated and carbon steel) would be out the end of this month or the beginning of October. She also said no other models would be out before SHOT 2009.
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Hopefully the carbon steel models will be priced more competetively.
 
chewbacca said:
The last time I called KaBar, she said the neckers (both laminated and carbon steel) would be out the end of this month or the beginning of October. She also said no other models would be out before SHOT 2009.
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The laminated steel model is available now.
 
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