Bk 15

[g123]

Hi Guys,

I have been reading up on the Bk 15 and 16 can you help me. There is no knife store near me to handle them.

What I keep finding is the BK 15 is a better cutter and skinner, but is not strong enough for heavy batoning.

I am having hard time seeing how the BK16 is so much better at that considering that a 5-1/2" blade functionally for the most part will baton up to 4" wood. regardless of the wood, it seems that a 5/32" blade should have no long term trouble with this.

So here is my question, does the tip taper so much that it is so weak that there in lies the problem, or are most posts on such a hypothetical level in comparing them it really practically does not matter?

Thanks,

Geoff

 

[Galeocerdoshark]

Honestly, what I'd baton with a 16 I think my 15 could handle as well. On another note, I'd call that stuff I could baton with those blades 'sticks'. If you wanna baton logs, get a 9.

 

[Silverthorn]

Short answer?

It batons just fine as long as you are doing it correctly, and dont have an unrealistic expectation of what a blade that size can do.
Compared to trade knives from the era when men lived and died by their tools, their knives were typically much thinner than the 15, and they used them for everything.
Just remember right tool for the job. Its thinner so it will eat a baton faster, and it wont handle abuse like a BK-2 or a hatchet, but its plenty of knife.
One of my favorites in the Becker line up actually, and anyone that has one seems to feel very similarly. Its kindof a sleeper, like the 5. Until you get one in hand and use it, you have no idea how good it is.

 

[Chalet]

For most practical purposes I don't think you'll notice a difference. They'll both work for most tasks.

The back of the 16 is straight and flat which is probably why it would work better for hitting with a baton. Also the spine is thicker on the 16.

 

[Tdhurl1103]

(cost and steel not being a factor here) Look at how thin the Mora is as compared to the 15. Yet no one is afraid to baton with the Mora. Like Thorny says, stay within expectations and there should not be any issues. That 15 will bust some stuff up! But the 15 is more a of slicer so keep that in mind. The 16 is a great "all around."

 

[JWL]

I have a 15, and the 16 will be the next knife I get. I think the biggest difference in terms of use is the choil. The presence of the choil on the 15 makes it more difficult to do some bushcrafty-cuts where you need to get a lot of pressure close to the fist in terms of cutting power. The choil forces the pressure to be about an inch further away from the grip, so you lose some power. The tradeoff is that the 15 is slicier. When I get my 16 it will become my main outdoor blade (along with my Machax), and the 15 will then see primary use in the kitchen (where it already sees a lot of use).

In terms of batoning, I don't often baton with my 15. First, I have a BK2 which is the king of batoning imho. Second, the narrower swedge on the spine of the 15 means that you will beat the crap out of your baton more quickly.

Both are great knives, and whatever you can do with one you can probably do with the other, but they are fine-tuned for different tasks imho.

 

[Dexwithers]

Both are great knives. The 16 is a better knife for most tasks but the 15 is a way better slicer and a beast in the kitchen! The 16 is the better skinner of the two and my preferred knife.
I say get both.

Hope the pics help.

 

[Wolf_1989]

Batoning is goofy.

 

[TBL]

I agree with Dex.

Both is the correct answer.