Benchmade Pika VS. Ka-bar Dozier

[Marc123]

I have both and I like the Kabar much better. The Pika was not as smooth opening and closing, plus the Kabar comes in wider range of choices for models. The Kabar Dozier knives are one of the best knife bargains out there.

 

[Dog of War]

IMO the Dozier is the better knife, even though I'm not a big fan of AUS8A. For an FRN knife it has a very solid feel, and shares the basic, wonderful ergonomics with its Dozier brethren, comfortable in a wide variety of grips.

Craig .... for myself, the pinned rather than riveted lock bar on the Dozier is preferable since it lets you completely disassemble the knife very easily.

 

[Temper]

I did a test on these two funnily enough a while back. I ended up liking the KA-BAR, my wife prefered the Mini Pika.

Both performed very well for the cost.

 

[gordonk]

I have both the Ka-Bar Dozier and the Mini-Pika - actually I have two of the 4065's and one of the 4064 (I think - drop point/thumbstud). The thumbstud is reversible for us lefties and strong/lefties. Ka-Bar 4065 is one of my beaters, and I liked it well enough that I bought two 4065's in case I either lost one or destroyed one somehow. Drop point was the backup to the backup Well....the second one is still NIB and the original is still ticking. The Drop Point one was used for a couple of days and it went into my collection - I just liked the 4065 better. Point is not as pointy, but still...... With the Mini-Pika what I liked was the blade shape and deep carry clip. What I didn't like was the handle and it's ergos - I just couldn't get comfortable with it. The hole without the chamfer would have helped immensely on opening. It takes a bit of concerted effort for me to open mine - didn't have that problem with the Ka-Bar. Maybe if it was about a 1/2 inch longer.....????? My Mini-Pika was surprisingly sharp out of the box - easily Spydie sharp. All things considered, I felt the Mini-Pika wasn't a bad buy, it's just that the Ka-Bar is such a great buy On the other side of the coin, it sure got me looking harder at the BM's with G-10. The Mini-Pika despite it's shortcomings got me snooping a lot more into BM - I also own the Mini-Ambush, a couple of mini-grips and a Grip. A mini-Grip, along with a Delica D4 are with me pretty well all the time.

- gord

 

[moonwilson]

I would recommend a Byrd Cara Cara with G10 over either the Ka-Bar Dozier or the Penchmade Pika. It's a much, much better knife than either of those and costs less. I have a Pika and it's a POS, basically. I bought it because I collect Benchmade and have never carried it because it's so crummy. The Ka-Bar Dozier never appealed to me, even though I like both Ka-Bar and Dozier's knives. Just seems too clunky to me. The G10 Byrds are fantastic knives for the money. Less than $30 gets you a nicely finished, smooth operating knife with G10 handles, good design and blade steel. What more could you ask for for that kind of money? Many years ago Benchmade made a FRN handled AFCK with ATS-34 and a Spyderco round hole. (I think they were blatantly infringing on Spyderco's trademark- I don't think it was licensed) Now that was a nice knife for the money. It was one of my first knives and many years and many, many knives later, it's still one of my favorites, FRN handles notwithstanding.

 

[zpaulg]

Can't comment on the Pica, not got one. But I did get a Dozier 4062 and then, based on how good it was, a 4066 almost straightaway!

Nuff said?

Great knives, light weight for EDC, razor sharp, I'm well impressed and I don't think you can go far wrong with a Dozier......

 

[zpaulg]

Oops!

Just read Moonwilsons reply and fully agree that the Cara Cara is an excellent knife. But for EDC it is a very heavy knife compared to the Dozier, especially the 4066 which is sold as a lightweight!!!

Just my 2 cents worth...

 

[JD Mandrell]

I have the Pika and all the variations of the Doziers except the guthook one, and I like the Doziers better.

 

[3Guardsmen]

The Mini-Pika failed the spine whack test

No surprise there. All the BM Ascents (and before that, Eclipses) I've had failed as well. In my opinion and experience, BM needs to learn how to properly execute a lockback.

Regards,
3G

 

[3Guardsmen]

Many years ago Benchmade made a FRN handled AFCK with ATS-34 and a Spyderco round hole. (I think they were blatantly infringing on Spyderco's trademark- I don't think it was licensed) Now that was a nice knife for the money. It was one of my first knives and many years and many, many knives later, it's still one of my favorites, FRN handles notwithstanding.

1) You may want to do some research before making public an assumption that is completely false. It is very well known that Spyderco licensed the opening hole to BM for the AFCK and Eclipse models.

2) The Eclipse, later name-changed to the Ascent, is not an FRN version of the AFCK, but a completely different knife.

I would whole-heartedly second your recommendation of a Byrd knife.....If they weren't made in China. What about a Spyderco Native? A few bucks more, but, IMHO, 5 times the knife. S30V and USA made!


Regards,
3G

 

[BJE]

I have both the Kabar Dozier and Benchmade Mini-Pika. The Mini-Pika failed the spine whack test, the Dozier passed.

Both blades will get shaving sharp, but the pika seems to last a little longer.

Dozier is smoother and opens easier. Benchmade shouldn't have chamfered the inside of the opening oval, makes your thumb slip out of it.

Push in the lock and bend the blade back, the Mini-Pika's blade will move backwards, the Dozier's won't. Dozier has a better lock design.

Basically, Dozier is better in my opinion.

I have spine whack tested my mini-pika several times, and it passed with flying colors. As for the blade of mini-pika moving back when the lock is pressed in, my large voyager, native, endura, and several other reputable lock-backs do the same thing. Personally, I love my mini-pika, it is in my top ten favorite folders and it is in my edc rotation. I aggree about the chamfered hole, it makes it harder to open. Not bashing, just giving the mini-pika the justice it deserves.

 

[redhawk44p]

I vote the Dozier hands down over the Pika. The Dozier takes and holds a better edge than the Pika. I gave one to my son in law who is a pipe fitter. He uses the dickens out of it and he loves it. The Pika's only good point over the Dozier is the nice low ride clip.

 

[Jakob Karu]

I have (to be honest- had) a Ka-Bar Dozier Drophead. You will enjoy to keep it in your hand, to work with it. It's pleasently light but feels very sturdy. Well finished. Sharpenes very vell. The only marginal drawback is the Taiwan lower quality by finishing the blades - I choosed between the 6 knives and all blade edges differed a lot. But after Spyderco's sharpmaker the blade become shaving sharp. And it took a little work, oil and loosening the pivot to make it open more easily. An exellent, very light, sturdy knife for very comfortable everyday carring because it's lightness and thin but handy handle.