Better Weapon: Becker BK9 or Kaybar Heavy Bowie

L

Landlocked Pirate

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May 9, 2009
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I have a question for those of you experienced with both the Becker BK9 and the Kabar Heavy Bowie: Based on blade design, balance, handle/grip design and materials, and any other factors you can think of, which knife do you think would be the superior weapon? Not that I'm harboring any knife-fighting/SHTF/zombie apocalypse fantasies (well, maybe the zombie one), I'd just like to know what y'all think. Thanks.
 
They are both nice but I'd take the BK9 in a heartbeat. My son owns the KaBar heavy bowie and it's pretty cool but my BK9 is more comfortable, easier to customize (if you like that sort of thing) and is tougher.

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Beckerhead #42
 
Personally I'd take the BK9. The scales can be removed, altered, replaced, etc. With the Heavy Bowie, you are stuck with one handle that can only be altered by destroying it or wrapping it. Plus, I like the way Beckers feel in my hand better.
 
Don't have experience with either but Imo I would choose the kabar heavy bowie for that purpose because it looks like it has a more pronounced tip.
 
Im with Nternal with this. I have the heavy bowie and its an awesome knife. I own pretty much all the beckers and love them. BUT I dont own the bk9. I think the part about the becker handle being customized is true, if youre into that sort of thing. the heavy bowie's kraton g handle is great and grippy, and it does have that awesome bowie tip on it. Im not crapping on the 9, but as a weapon, the blade shape is superior with the Kabar Bowie.
 
Yeah and when you take into account the leverage it would have because of it's mass and it will drive like a freight train..But also in that price range you might want to look at the Ontario raider bowie. I remember seeing a video where James Williams was explaining the difference between a smaller knife and a big knife with the Crkt Hisshou. He said that a smaller knife needs to be used in a certain way because of it's size so it's a compromise but a big knife can go through bones of the forearm and can be used so much more effectively. I think these knives are just on the border on what is considered a "big" knife They will probably be able to take a forearm off. Now something like the Coldsteel Natchez bowie ? It can probably take a leg off.
 
interesting. i would prefer a lighter, faster blade for knife combat. along the lines of gerber mark 2 or applegate-fairbarn dagger
 
ginaz said:
interesting. i would prefer a lighter, faster blade for knife combat. along the lines of gerber mark 2 or applegate-fairbarn dagger
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The bigger they are, the harder they hit. Why on earth would you prefer a much smaller blade in knife combat? Are you a ninja? Even ninjas would prefer a larger blade. Battles were fought with swords for a reason.
 
that is my preference because i won't be standing still and in all likelihood, neither will my opponent. have you ever trained in close quarters combat? i have and it is tiring. very tiring so i don't want to be fumbling around with a huge bowie when my life is on the line. i might not have the strength for an effective strike that wouldn't leave me wide open. lighter knife means faster, compact jabs. very difficult to defend. no one "wins" a knife fight, someone survives it. maybe.
 
Nternal said:
The bigger they are, the harder they hit. Why on earth would you prefer a much smaller blade in knife combat? Are you a ninja? Even ninjas would prefer a larger blade. Battles were fought with swords for a reason.
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Perhaps he meant thinner. The Becker is .21" thick and the bowie is .23" thick. I'd personally prefer a thinner blade as well. Not shorter, just lighter.
 
thedmasterr said:
Perhaps he meant thinner. The Becker is .21" thick and the bowie is .23" thick. I'd personally prefer a thinner blade as well. Not shorter, just lighter.
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In that case I can agree but a gerber mark 2 and the applegate dagger are far smaller than the others mentioned and not just in thickness.
 
Nternal said:
Yeah and when you take into account the leverage it would have because of it's mass and it will drive like a freight train..But also in that price range you might want to look at the Ontario raider bowie. I remember seeing a video where James Williams was explaining the difference between a smaller knife and a big knife with the Crkt Hisshou. He said that a smaller knife needs to be used in a certain way because of it's size so it's a compromise but a big knife can go through bones of the forearm and can be used so much more effectively. I think these knives are just on the border on what is considered a "big" knife They will probably be able to take a forearm off. Now something like the Coldsteel Natchez bowie ? It can probably take a leg off.
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agreed about the difference between a smaller and a big knife

on that note: I have a Natchez bowie on the way! wooohooo!
 
I have BK7 (so I can imagine it 2" longer) and the large Bowie.

If actual physical mayhem were the main criterion, I'd grab the Bowie in a heartbeat. Besides better tip for thrusting, the curved part of grip is a plus too, if slashing once the thing gets all, you know, wet.

- OS
 
Of the Becker BK9 or Ka-Bar Heavy Bowie for the superior weapon, I would choose a Glock 23.

Both those knives are way too heavy for 'tactical' application, IMO.
 
Hmm I think the weight talk and heavy talk is a little exaggerated.. I used to use 16oz gloves plus hand wraps for heavy bag work and to spar with we were still able to hit each other fast enough then add in the fact that you would have 10 more inches of reach .
 
Nternal said:
The bigger they are, the harder they hit. Why on earth would you prefer a much smaller blade in knife combat? Are you a ninja? Even ninjas would prefer a larger blade. Battles were fought with swords for a reason.
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Hitting implies you are hacking at your enemy. Smaller is lighter and faster, proven. Ninja were trained in more than one weapon, many of which weren't even weapons. A ninja may prefer a staff, or chain, or even a trowel. Ninja didn't fight battles for the most part. Battles were indeed fought with swords, but this adds to the idea that you need to be able to parry, cut through armour, and have a heavy enough instrument to effectively cut deep enough. Spears, were more common with the idea that they are for thrusting, have added distance, and it was easier to train people to use them. Personally, big heavy knives feel clumsy and belong in the outdoors section. I prefer a faster, pointier, knife like the Hissatsu, or new Shinbu.

As for zombies, dual weild one of each.
 
Blackfeather said:
Hitting implies you are hacking at your enemy. Smaller is lighter and faster, proven. Ninja were trained in more than one weapon, many of which weren't even weapons. A ninja may prefer a staff, or chain, or even a trowel. Ninja didn't fight battles for the most part. Battles were indeed fought with swords, but this adds to the idea that you need to be able to parry, cut through armour, and have a heavy enough instrument to effectively cut deep enough. Spears, were more common with the idea that they are for thrusting, have added distance, and it was easier to train people to use them. Personally, big heavy knives feel clumsy and belong in the outdoors section. I prefer a faster, pointier, knife like the Hissatsu, or new Shinbu.

As for zombies, dual weild one of each.
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I meant hitting figuratively . I'm just saying,I don't think it matters what ancient warrior/assassin we are talking about I am sure that if given the choice between using a knife in combat they would pick the larger, longer one(within reason).Swords were not only used to slash or cut they were used to thrust. That is why you will notice that the size and shape of swords like the gladius lend themselves to stabbing and they killed many people that way.The kabar heavy bowie would thrust just fine only with a longer,thicker and broader blade to make an even bigger wound.Yeah spears were common and spears were big and long because those characteristics were advantageous. I would rather have the Hisshou than the hissatsu or shinbu.
 
I'm not even sure how this is being argued.. a larger,longer blade can decapitate somebody.
 
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