Becker Strippers

[Gassy]

Yeah, clear coat and green scales. Probably comes with pink fanny pack instead of a sheath...

It's painfull what Ka-bar is doing out of Becker line. But not surprising. You just have to look around on this forum to see most are treating knives as jewelry rather than tools...

Sad really.

Sorry but I totally disagree, I don't think anyone here at least that I know of who doesn't use their blades, particularly this sub forum. These aren't your high price folders, they are working tools and we all use them. Yeah we mod them and make them look good, but we use them. You sure you didn't stumble into the wrong forum?

 

[NCSlice]

This guy....doesn't like the coating but says the factory stripped is foo foo. Cries about the line but gives no examples to back it up but only wants to have something to say about what someone else does with their gear that they bought and use it however they choose. Bring your tears back to the OKC boards...

 

[TravisH]

You just have to look around on this forum to see most are treating knives as jewelry rather than tools...

Sad really.

What's really sad is a newbie to the forums comes on and starts criticizing what others do, especially when it demonstrates skills and craftsmanship.

Fortunately, trolls don't last very long here.

 

[granitestateofmind]

This guy....doesn't like the coating but says the factory stripped is foo foo. Cries about the line but gives no examples to back it up but only wants to have something to say about what someone else does with their gear that they bought and use it however they choose. Bring your tears back to the OKC boards...

What's really sad is a newbie to the forums comes on and starts criticizing what others do, especially when it demonstrates skills and craftsmanship.

Fortunately, trolls don't last very long here.

I don't know that I would use the "t" word.....misinformed? Yeah. Let's just give the (seemingly) new guy a chance to clarify. Perhaps he was referring to non-BK&T users? We don't also represent well as the fine group I know we are when we can't temper our responses to this sort of commentary. That's my opinion, of course....but what I like about THIS sub-forum and the reason that I spend 99% of my time here is the welcoming nature of the 'Heads, and the insightful and helpful information that I've been given here.

 

[jius]

Seems this thread went off on a little undesired tangent. Here's to making peace and moving on. There really are all types - knife users, knife admirers, knife collectors, knife hoarders, etc - but still a constant in all is that Becker knives are brilliant (US: awesome, Mex: Chido, LAm: Chevere) and we all come here cos we are so happy to own one! My hand still hurts a little for chopping wood all day almost non-stop and my BK2 just ate and ate through wood like a beaver on crack!!! Three strokes on the magic wand (ceramic rod) and it came back to life like a phoenix from the ashes!! Incredible knife for an incredible price!!! 😁

 

[bghorn]

Perhaps he was referring to non-BK&T users?

I was referring to bladeforums as a whole. It wasn't meant as a jab at any particular group. Just a reflection of knife usage and the state of knife industry today. It's just how it is.

We don't also represent well as the fine group I know we are when we can't temper our responses to this sort of commentary. That's my opinion, of course....

To me it shows that people are passionate about their cutting tools, especially Beckerheads.

'Heads, and the insightful and helpful information that I've been given here.

Wealth of information on Bladeforums. Evewn though I registered recently, I was reading for a very long time. Especially BK&T subforum.



As for the original topic, Ka-Bar does a lousy job with grind on Becker line. And whilst I understand marketing and practical reasons for the coating, finish should be good enough for blade to be serviceable after coating removal, if user chooses so.

 

[Noswad0208]

As for the original topic, Ka-Bar does a lousy job with grind on Becker line. And whilst I understand marketing and practical reasons for the coating, finish should be good enough for blade to be serviceable after coating removal, if user chooses so.

How is it not "serviceable?" My BK9 is doing just fine and I didn't sand on it for 20 days straight. I'm gonna use the darned thing, who cares if it has lines on it?

 

[zzyzzogeton]

I was referring to bladeforums as a whole. It wasn't meant as a jab at any particular group. Just a reflection of knife usage and the state of knife industry today. It's just how it is.



To me it shows that people are passionate about their cutting tools, especially Beckerheads.



Wealth of information on Bladeforums. Evewn though I registered recently, I was reading for a very long time. Especially BK&T subforum.



As for the original topic, Ka-Bar does a lousy job with grind on Becker line. And whilst I understand marketing and practical reasons for the coating, finish should be good enough for blade to be serviceable after coating removal, if user chooses so.

Any Becker by Kabar is imminently serviceable after having the coating stripped off.

They are large (or moderate with the tweeners, small with the neckers) sharp, properly heat-treated blade capable of cutting anything it was designed to do. It just doesn't have a perfect mirror finish. I'm sure that if people were willing to pay $50 to $100 per knife extra, mirror or satin finishes could be provided out the factory door. The extra cost is not worth it. Even with mechanical buffers, it would take 2 or 3 hours, minimum, of slow, meticulous work to to produce flat smooth blades and to polish them out.

Maybe folks who never use their knives and just take them out of the safe to look at occasionally would prefer mirror flat shiny blades, but any knife that is really used develops patina and grind grooves do not detract from a real working knife. Yeah, MAYBE, the blade might catch a little where demonstrating how sharp a blade is when dragging it through toilet paper, but who really cares? I have never tested the sharpness of an edge by cutting up a bunch of pieces of single ply thin paper. I test them by cutting stuff I need to cut - feed sacks, tree limbs, brush, rope, twine, cardboard, wire insulation, garden hoses, pvc pipe, etc.

And every single one of my stripped Beckers has been more than "serviceable". If someone finds a stripped Becker is unserviceable, they need to take the knife out of the sheath first.

 

[granitestateofmind]

So here's a pic of my Ka-Bar BK-9 stripped, with no sanding whatsoever. Are there grind lines? Sure. Is it a lousy job? Far from it. I'm totally happy with what I found under the coating......beautiful, sweet 1095CV that takes an edge easily and holds up pretty well, all for the price of taking the family out to dinner at a NOT fancy restaurant. Would I buy another, or recommend a friend to buy one? I sure would and I definitely have. So back to the OP's idea....

OK....I'll admit that I Scotchbrited it a little...but that was only because I didn't take care of it and it started to rust a little and that was the most expedient way to remove the rust.

My 4, after stripping and before bastardization:

@jius: I think Beckers are great no matter how you slice it . Leave 'em as is and beat the coating off, etch and strip, sand to your heart's content....or polish them to a mirror finish and never cut anything with them....whatever you choose to do, that'll be the right thing - for you. I like them because outta the box, there's no better value out there, IMO.....and if you want to mod or customize, there's not much better as a platform (or jumping off point, in the case of some).



But mostly, I like mine stripped.

 

[bghorn]

Any Becker by Kabar is imminently serviceable after having the coating stripped off.

Depends what you mean with "serviceable", which again depends how and what your knife gets used for.

And every single one of my stripped Beckers has been more than "serviceable". If someone finds a stripped Becker is unserviceable, they need to take the knife out of the sheath first.

As I've said, depends on usage.

Look at the picture bellow. All those dark spots aren't rust. Just "embedded" dirt. That's after cleaning it. I'm not looking for bling and shine. Just something good enough to be cleaned a tad easier. You know, when you use your knife someplace other than your backyard, maybe poke bear crap to see how old it is, then half an hour later you prep some food.

 

[Noswad0208]

Depends what you mean with "serviceable", which again depends how and what your knife gets used for.




As I've said, depends on usage.

Look at the picture bellow. All those dark spots aren't rust. Just "embedded" dirt. That's after cleaning it. I'm not looking for bling and shine. Just something good enough to be cleaned a tad easier. You know, when you use your knife someplace other than your backyard, maybe poke bear crap to see how old it is, then half an hour later you prep some food.

Still totally serviceable. I've been in the woods plenty with my Beckers, heck, I live on a farm. My knives probably see way more fecal matter than most knives ever will. Besides, when I see any bear poop, I can poke it with a stick, especially if I'm gonna be cutting food with it later. Who walks around with their knife out waiting to see some bear dung to poke anyways? Seems like grabbing one of the ten thousand sticks lying around withing a few feet would be easier than unsnapping, unsheathing, poking, wiping off, and then resheathing a knife.

Like Zzy said, one of the major draws to the BK&T line is value, and that would drop severely if you got every knife smooth as a baby's hindquarters.

 

[bghorn]

Like Zzy said, one of the major draws to the BK&T line is value, and that would drop severely if you got every knife smooth as a baby's hindquarters.

Absolutely disagree. Ka-Bar manages just fine to have semi-decent fit&finish on some of their knives, also available for reasonable price. So do other manufactures and did so since they started manufacturing knives. Camillus Becker lineup had decent fit&finnish and they didn't cost more. Even very inexpensive knives like Old Hickory lineup have better surface.

Still totally serviceable.

Usable, yes. Totally serviceable, nope.

 

[Noswad0208]

So you're suggesting they can polish every knife and keep the exact same price?

 

[granitestateofmind]

Start a new thread. Please. The OP has asked that this not be derailed....so don't.

 

[ichor]

"I think Beckers are great no matter how you slice it . Leave 'em as is and beat the coating off, etch and strip, sand to your heart's content....or polish them to a mirror finish and never cut anything with them....whatever you choose to do, that'll be the right thing - for you."~~~GraniteSofM

For me, this well considered statement says it all, and the hell with the rest of the, mostly thoughtless, spouting/pontificating , regardless of which side it's on. Also, I think it's not reasonable, justifiable, valid, and certainly not necessary, tho' often tempting , to automatically label anyone who disagrees with your viewpoint, a troll. YMMV
Just have to say.... this was great, Granite....."no matter how you slice it"

 

[NCSlice]

Even very inexpensive knives like Old Hickory lineup have better surface.

OK, we know youre an OKC mark and jumped over here for whatever reason.
Now I have plenty of vintage Old Hicks, over 20 or so, and I absolutely love them, but you're comparing apples to oranges bro...
Yeah, even FarberWare has a mirror finish...

To each their own I guess.

Ironically, I was just sharpening the 9 and asked my daughter if I should strip it, she told me no, leave it tactical looking. Then I jump in here and see Granites and showed her...still said no hah.
Looks great man! The 4 too, one day I'll get that hump out and strip her down. I like the grind marks. I'm not one for flashy or shiney. Not that I can't appreciate it, its just not for me. I'm like Oscar the Grouch lol. I like stuff old and grungy looking. The grind marks give a tooled look that makes it look like it wants to be used.
Hope to pick up a 17 at Blade. If all works out, it WILL see a stripping and an attempt at a polish. A bit of hump removal, smooth down the saber grind edge then a patina. It'll be paired with a hawk with a similar finish.

 

[TBL]

New Becker

Painted with the white stuff. EZ Strip

The blade piece almost peeled off as one piece.

In in vinegar

A drink.

Oiled, and re profiled.

Sharp and pointy :thumbup:

 

[ichor]

Sorry Noswad and others. I was wrong. Here's what I just posted on the Ontario form:


Quote Originally Posted by bghorn View Post

I just have different opinion than some of the fine folks here. I don't see the harm of having a discussion about fit and finish. quote
BK-2 goes for about $70.

I was just defending you on the Becker forum, where some were calling you a troll. Decided to come over here to OKC, where I've only come by accident in the past and....sure enough...here you are (with only 14 posts) stirring up shit just like you were on the Becker forum. What the hell is wrong with people like you? That you're not happy unless you're causing a disturbance of some kind. The Internet of course is ideal for sad cases like you. Get a life and stop taking up our time.

 

[NCSlice]

Hahah! You sure that's where you posted it? I'm with ya tho man lol.

TBL, that looks great, nice job!

 

[granitestateofmind]

Tim, that stripper....WTF? How did it do that?

I've never had that sort of ease of stripping....however I do always use the environmentally citrus stripper, which is bound to be less effective that the real toxic stuff, I guess.

I also like that you couldn't be bothered to clean the last crumbs of that Sara Lee Butter Cake outta the container for your vinegar patina....nice!