Best Becker for Survival?

[jius]

I'm very happy with a BK2 - does all I need. Not to be underestimated!

 

[Silver Needle]

What Becker is be best all around survival knife. I am looking for an all around survival knife that is good for Self Defense, Camping, Game Processing, Bush craft, and EDC carry in adverse weather conditions and rough terrain.

This is a tall order!

There has been a lot of good advice already, but if you're really looking for something to edc, it will rule out the larger models.

I'd weigh your needs between bushcraft and self defense and suggest the 16 or 17 depending on what you need more.

16. Full flat grind and drop point I think make it better for bushcraft and camp stuff.

17. Clip point and saber grind would make it more suited for fighting.

Neither knife will do poorly with most tasks, so I don't think you could go wrong either way :thumbup:

 

[TravisH]

BK12 aka Doug Ritter Survival Knife RSK MK2 Perseverance, a Knifeworks exclusive.
http://www.knifeworks.com/dougritterrskmk2perseverance.aspx

Followed by BK5 then BK15.

 

[Wolf_1989]

My favorite is the BK5, but for a survival knife, I'd go with the BK7.

 

[echoscout]

I'm thinkin my BK7 would get the call on this one!

 

[Ferahgo]

I thought that didn't look like a becker. My Cattaraugus 225Q Quartermaster is my knife for all around use right now.

I found these three make a great set.

Buck Intrepid XL, JK titanium friction folder.

 

[JWheel]

The real answer here is any of them. For self defense, I recommend the pointy end or the edge.

I always recommend the 16. And I would do so again here. It does everything. If you're talking "survival knife," you want one of the ones you're carrying on your person, not in your pack. And it's one you can pull quickly and easily. So it's either a tweener or one of the shorter bladed large Beckers (probably the 12).

 

[crimsonfalcon07]

Ooooh, another "Which am teh best" thread!

Which Becker is the best? I'd go with Ethan.

Surprised nobody else jumped on that yet.

Ferahgo, does Buck make a SAK now?

The real question is which knife calls your name the loudest. Buy that one first. You'll end up with more eventually, but you want to get the one that you, you know, want the most.

It also revolves around your skillset. If you don't have the skills, (and asking which knife to use for self-defense is a sure sign that you don't), none of them will keep you alive. Conversely, any of them have the potential to do a good job. A lot of people subscribe to the philosophy that JWheel suggested, and there's nothing wrong with it. I'm a big knife guy though. My thought is that a big knife will do small-knife tasks, albeit not that well in some cases, but if you really need a big knife, you can't make a small knife bigger. There aren't a whole lot of those tasks, but you never know. I figure, carry the biggest knife that you're going to always have for those situations (and are legally and practically able to carry). If that's a 2.5" folder, that's what you get for surviving. If it's feasible for you to carry a bigger knife, aside from weight, there will be very little downside.

This type of thing is precisely why "Which am teh best" questions are worthless. There are far too many factors at play, many of which revolve around you, your skills, your needs, and your personal preferences, none of which WE know.

Best knife for self-defense? The one you know how to use. And really, it's a gun. Don't be that guy who brings a knife to a gunfight. I think that Uncle E has even said as much. Take a defensive knife seminar sometime, and this question will go away quickly.
Best knife for survival? The one you know how to use.
Best knife for EDC? The one you want to carry. And that you know how to use.

You get the gist. You're not going to go wrong here regardless of what you pick, unless you just put it in your kit and never practice with it. Right now, I'd grab a 15. They're really inexpensive, and will be going away soon.

 

[JWheel]

I agree wholeheartedly with the falcon.

There's no consensus on what people mean by "survival." Bushcrafty survival? Practical wilderness survival? Backpacking trip gone awry survival? Natural disaster survival? Caught in Newark after sundown survival? Zombie-topia?

Get the one you have a use for now. That's the one you'll have around when it's time to survive.

 

[HazeGray]

Falcon gave about the best advice I've seen. Anyone who fancies a knife for a knife fight should take a knife fighting seminar. If you are sane you will come away fro it knowing you never want to get into a knife fight. And plus 1 to know your gear and how to use it. Something I'm working on feverishly, if only to be able to teach it to my kids.

 

[BeeKayNutCase]

..Practical wilderness survival. Backpacking trip gone awry survival. Natural disaster survival..

These are the scenarios I associate with the word "survival". And then when one is in these types of circumstances how much kit is one carrying? Super minimalist or I've-got-heaps-of-sh!t?

A while back I did a wilderness survival course run by Australias top Survival instructor. He was the primary instructor for our SAS (special forces) for over a decade and has taught our best soldiers how to survive in ANY location in the world (he was in the SAS for 10yrs before he was an instructor as well). His philosophy is that if you're going into the bush, no matter for what length of time, you go prepared for as many possible situations that may arise. Which is exactly what I do. He does however, also acknowledge that one can only carry so much gear. So where am I going with this? Rich believes (and as CF said), you can have all the gear in the world but if you don't know how to use it efficiently and effectively, you're boned. So the best survival knife is the one that you not only have on you but the one you know how to use properly.

The knife I've often thought that encompasses as many tasks as possible and that can do those tasks as efficiently (read: energy saving) as possible would be the BK12. That would be my 'one knife only' tool.

Oh yeah, what knife does Rich the instructor have? Believe or not, a short F/U KABAR. This is the knife he uses in the field. And he loves it. He does also carry this ultra cool, hand-crafted small machete made from a truck leaf spring. It was hand made specifically for him by a blacksmith in a native tribe from Papua New Guinea. It's best described as a short version of the Cold Steel All Terrain Chopper.


(It's like a short version of this but without the fancy handle, his has wood scales, and it has a sheath made from the skin of a Tree Kangaroo that's native to PNG)

 

[Semper Praesidio]

My recommendation would be the BK2. Great for big tasks, can do small tasks (with practice), and is nearly indestructible.

I'm working on a survival sheath setup using my BK2 and a custom sheath from JD at 710. Close to being finished with it, but the project has been on hold due to a busy time of year at work.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1305683

A while back I did a wilderness survival course run by Australias top Survival instructor. He was the primary instructor for our SAS (special forces) for over a decade and has taught our best soldiers how to survive in ANY location in the world (he was in the SAS for 10yrs before he was an instructor as well).

This sounds awesome. I'd love to do something like this with someone who has that kind of experience. Very cool.....

 

[upnorth]

Beckers are tough, but any knife can be broken. Go to a Husqvarna dealership for an inexpensive but high quality axe or hatchet. An old and well respected Swedish axe maker does the heads for Husky. Then buy whatever Becker makes sense for your needs. I prefer the 5 for several reasons, although I know that it's not everyone's cup of tea or the "perfect" outdoor knife. Whatever that is, lol. The 5 is a slightly bigger version of the British and French fur trade knives used in North America in the 17-1800's. I also have a hobby of metal detecting and I have come across these knives in the bush. I once posted some pictures of some late 1700's knives and Jerry Fisk (who had a heavy influence in developing the 5, and a highly respected individual in the knife world), asked me to send him some email pictures of the old trade knives, which I did. This inferred to me that this very old design, used for literally hundreds of years in the bush, had some merit. Realize also that the fur trader used axes and hatchets, so a knife was a knife. So make your own choice but I recommend a hatchet for the heavier stuff, why bust a good knife.

 

[SAK Guy]

Well said upnorth!!! :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Zemapeli]

Beckers are tough, but any knife can be broken. Go to a Husqvarna dealership for an inexpensive but high quality axe or hatchet. An old and well respected Swedish axe maker does the heads for Husky. Then buy whatever Becker makes sense for your needs. I prefer the 5 for several reasons, although I know that it's not everyone's cup of tea or the "perfect" outdoor knife. Whatever that is, lol. The 5 is a slightly bigger version of the British and French fur trade knives used in North America in the 17-1800's. I also have a hobby of metal detecting and I have come across these knives in the bush. I once posted some pictures of some late 1700's knives and Jerry Fisk (who had a heavy influence in developing the 5, and a highly respected individual in the knife world), asked me to send him some email pictures of the old trade knives, which I did. This inferred to me that this very old design, used for literally hundreds of years in the bush, had some merit. Realize also that the fur trader used axes and hatchets, so a knife was a knife. So make your own choice but I recommend a hatchet for the heavier stuff, why bust a good knife.

I would really love to see those pictures if you would be so kind. That is very interesting upnorth. I bet one could find all sorts of cool antiques metal detecting. Thanks for sharing.

 

[upnorth]

Well said upnorth!!! :thumbup::thumbup:

Thanks. I hope that I did not give the impression that my pics had any influence over the 5, that was not what I meant. That knife was designed and revised long before the interaction with Mr. Fisk. I'm a nobody to the knife world, just another consumer. Actually the mods here think I'm a jackhole as I tell it like I see it. I don't like or want every Becker that was made. But Ethan is cool and he designs a good overall product.

 

[bghorn]

I am looking for an all around survival knife that is good for Self Defense, Camping, Game Processing, Bush craft, and EDC carry in adverse weather conditions and rough terrain.

My Cattaraugus 225Q Quartermaster is my knife for all around use right now.

You already have 225Q which is a very nice, no gimmick, stout knife. Not too small, not too big. Good HC steel too. As much as I like Ethan Becker designs, I'd take 225Q any time over any Becker.

 

[upnorth]

I would really love to see those pictures if you would be so kind. That is very interesting upnorth. I bet one could find all sorts of cool antiques metal detecting. Thanks for sharing.

Knives, rings etc. used in fur trade 1780's.

Recently found gold chain in lake, I find a lot of rings



Deer with rack stuck between trees, the coyotes ate him from the ass up.

 

[SAK Guy]

Thanks. I hope that I did not give the impression that my pics had any influence over the 5, that was not what I meant. That knife was designed and revised long before the interaction with Mr. Fisk. I'm a nobody to the knife world, just another consumer. Actually the mods here think I'm a jackhole as I tell it like I see it. I don't like or want every Becker that was made. But Ethan is cool and he designs a good overall product.

Nah, not at all!! :thumbup: I'm a big fan of the 5 as well and after of years of pining away for one, I'm finally playing catch up. Changed out the grips today.

 

[orezona]

Not a survivalist here but for me I think I'd be pretty happy with the combo of the 11 and the 2. I've already got a "tricked out sheath" mod for my 2 that has all the survival type of things in it (altoids can full of goodies, ferro rod, etc.) and having the 11 strapped to it would definitely cover a lot of bases for me.