BK-2 is in - Updated 12/18 with pics!!

[cmdr249]

Sunday evening I had a BK-2 waiting in a shopping cart when I was checking W&SS and saw cody1's review of the BK-2
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=604600

I knew I wanted one and this thread confirmed it. I ordered Sunday night and it came this morning (Wed).

cody1's review is an excellent job and my thread here is a first impression and comparison to the Camillus BK-7 until I can get the BK-2 out for some work.

First impression - I LIKE it!

If you don't like short, thick, heavy blades - you won't. It is 10 5/8" long with a 5 1/4" blade. I haven't measured it myself but it is reliably reported a .25" thick. It's every bit as thick as my Busse NMSFNO that I have close at hand as well.

This is a sharpened little pry bar out of the box. It's comfortable and stout. It makes you want to go out and beat on it, chop, or pry without any fear of problems with it. It should be able to handle almost any field craft necessary.

It doesn't look like it would be the epitome of a slicer but it will slice. It isn't light weight, even with the light ambidex. sheath that comes with it. It's robust. It has its niche. It's a tool to be used.

It weighs about the same as the larger BK-7 and it is thicker than the BK-7. The handles have more contour than the BK-7 with a larger swell in the palm. Balance is right where index finger rests on the handle at the groove at the guard. It will balance on the index finger in a normal grip. The balance on the BK-7 is more forward.

The handles are the same as the Camillus line of BKs and have the same feel. The handles are removable with a 5/32" hex wrench/bit and quite honestly even with the handles removed it would be comfortable with a cord wrap.

Finish is a flat black with even treating on all of the knife. There are few small grain bumps in the finish near the edge and tip but those will be gone with use and it's really no big deal. There is a little bit of a gap near the bottom side of the pommel with the handle but it isn't that large - I'm just pointing out the nit-picky things. Most of the time you'd never notice it and I don't think it would be an issue.

The BK-2 does lack the squared, exposed pommel of the BK-7, coming to the end in a point instead of squared. It shouldn't really affect anything if you would have to hammer the knife into something - you would just be hitting a point (and the handles) rather than a squared edge.

I'll apologize in advance for the average pics - I couldn't get much natural light and ended up using the flash to highlight some things.

A couple of pics - thickness and handle shapes

Overall - KaBar BK-2 and Camillus BK-7

My helper. Yes, I got caught with dirty dishes in the sink.

It would shave right out of the box and cut some decent curls in paper.

Overall, I really like it. I paid approx $66 for it and I think it's worth it if you like a knife in this style.

I know this isn't a new design and it's been out there but in comparing the new KaBar offerings to what I have in the Camillus line they are on par with what has been known of the Becker line before.

I hope to get out and get some work with it soon and if I do, I'll make sure I report or update. I also know that I have a KaBar BK-9 waiting for me for Christmas.

 

[mtnfolk mike]

great stuff... i like the comparison shots...

This pic is classic... i love the expression on his face... my little guy loves to check out knives, whenever he can...

 

[hector81]

My helper. Yes, I got caught with dirty dishes in the sink.

Man, this is one hell of a pic!
very cool!

 

[cmdr249]

Thanks, mike and hector81! I appreciate that.

He's learning. He has his kid's Swiss Army and he knows about the handles and not to touch the blade. He's picking up information as fast as possible. He does good with not touching anything unless I'm there and has been good not to touch the blades at all.

Here's one with the BK-7. It's right at the end of the typical toddler "cheese" smile and he's starting to relax a little.

He's always happy to "help" me.

You should see his mad skillz with the lightsaber too! He knows the high guard and strike already and can get the spin going.

 

[texastonydobbs]

I picked up a BK2 Kabar version for my son ,it is under the tree as we speak...he is going to be excited to have his very own BK knife .
Great review man,cool kid one day soon he'll be asking for Dad's knives !

 

[tonym]

Those are some great shots with your boy!

I really like the blade shape of the BK2, I just wish it wasn't so thick.

 

[cmdr249]

Thanks for the compliments on the review and most importantly, on my boy!

He's great. Can't wait to get out with him more doing W&SS activities.

Tonym - you're right, if you don't like thick this one may not be for you. If you get a chance to handle one it may make you feel different but it may not.

I'm waiting to see this one with the RAT Cutlery RC-5 SERE. I've also got my eye out for a Busse BATAC right now. This genre of knife has just him me in the last few days.

Gotta put it to work soon though!

 

[chewbacca]

Thanks for the review and great picts. The BK2 is definitely on my short list.

My little guy is the same way, loves knives, you should've heard him fly off the handle when I wouldn't buy him a Spyderco Ladybug last time we were at Sportsman's Warehouse.

He is getting better about only holding the handles. The toy SAK is going under the tree this Christmas! If he does well, he is getting a Mora Clipper or a Buck 112 for his birthday.

 

[cmdr249]

Thanks for the review and great picts. The BK2 is definitely on my short list.

My little guy is the same way, loves knives, you should've heard him fly off the handle when I wouldn't buy him a Spyderco Ladybug last time we were at Sportsman's Warehouse.

He is getting better about only holding the handles. The toy SAK is going under the tree this Christmas! If he does well, he is getting a Mora Clipper or a Buck 112 for his birthday.

Ha! That's great. How old is your boy?

The toy SAKs are great - my boy always wants to "saw trees" now or trade me his SAK for my Huntsman Plus.

My boy will be 4 in January. He hasn't grabbed a blade (yet) since I've shown him. I'm trying to teach him the nomenclature as we go and always stress the danger of the edge (blade for him). When he tries to go to quick I show him how a blade can cut something and stress care. He's doing well.

 

[StretchNM]

CMDR, your boy took some pretty good pics! Proof that you don;t need a high-dollar camera and a lightbox to post some quality shots!

Knice knives too! :thumbup:


((( )))

 

[kgd]

Nice review Cmdr. That is a beast of a knife. Also great shots of your son. He looks like he is enjoying being part of the review also.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Hey cmdr249, did you buy it on-line and if so, where? A buddy asked me where he could get one.

Thanks,
Doc

 

[cmdr249]

CMDR, your boy took some pretty good pics! Proof that you don;t need a high-dollar camera and a lightbox to post some quality shots!

Knice knives too! :thumbup:


((( )))

Thanks, StretchNM.

He's learning quickly. Hard to believe the quality that comes out of a FisherPrice cam.

Nice review Cmdr. That is a beast of a knife. Also great shots of your son. He looks like he is enjoying being part of the review also.

kgd - beast is a great term for it. I really do like it.

I'm on vacation right now so he's been my constant sidekick. He always wants to help me.

Hey cmdr249, did you buy it on-line and if so, where? A buddy asked me where he could get one.

Thanks,
Doc

Doc - I did get it online. Check your e-mail, I just sent you one with two vendors that carry it.

 

[chewbacca]

Ha! That's great. How old is your boy?

The toy SAKs are great - my boy always wants to "saw trees" now or trade me his SAK for my Huntsman Plus.

My boy will be 4 in January. He hasn't grabbed a blade (yet) since I've shown him. I'm trying to teach him the nomenclature as we go and always stress the danger of the edge (blade for him). When he tries to go to quick I show him how a blade can cut something and stress care. He's doing well.

My little guy is 3-1/2. Another story...when my RC-4 with the orange handle came in, he said "I want one, but it needs a green handle." I suppose I should order another RAT just so I have the green handle version when he is ready

 

[wildmike]

Hey cmdr249. Is that hollow ground or sabre ground? And how does the handle compare to the RC6? From the pics it looks like it may have a bit more drop to the point the the RC5 SERE will.

 

[cmdr249]

wildmike,

It appears that the blade is sabre ground with a secondary bevel. KaBar lists it as 20 degrees for the edge.

The handles are thicker than the RC-6. I will try to get a comparison. I don't find them too big, I think they are comfortable. They call the handle material grivory.

I think you're right, there is more of a drop in the point on the BK-2 than what appears on the RC-5 SERE pic and there is more drop to the BK-2 than the RC-6.

I will try to get a side-by-side of the RC-6 and BK-2 later.

 

[cmdr249]

I got the BK-2 Campanion out for some work today.

Some of the activities were:
Batoning, fuzz sticks, a sapling cut with pressure/flexing, notching, sharpening a stick to a point, shaving some magnesium, sparking, cutting split wood. I didn't get pics of it all.

Going out today, the BK-2 was shaving sharp when we left for the outdoors.

First activity was batoning through some wood that was about 3" diameter that I had cut earlier this season and left by the fire area. I wanted to get to the inside for the dry wood and to make some obligatory fuzz sticks. Batoning was absolutely no problem for this blade. I cut right through and gave me a good foundation for some fuzz sticks.

A good variety of thicknesses and I was able to get some curls as well with just the change of the technique.

I then went out and cut a small sapling using the flex method - bending the tree and then applying pressure with the knife on the cut. No problems there.
I then limbed the small sapling to create a couple of sections to cut some notches.

I was using some sloppy technique on one of them - you can see the cuts up past the edge in the notch on the left. Hurrying.

Glamor shot

Did a little random chopping on some dead wood - it bit good chunks and would be a good chopper as the other review covered.

I stopped to work on a little fire. I worked out of my fire pit bowl. I had the following items - magnesium w/striker, pj cotton ball, matches.

I gathered some dry leaves from the some trees still on branch and found some small, dry cottony-fiber looking plants. I didn't get any pics of them but they burnt really well - I'm going to go get some more and some pics for later. I forgot to grab some dryer lint before I went out. It's been wet/cold/snow/freezing rain here for the last week or so, so dry leaves from the ground weren't that plenty.

I made a base in the pit with the split wood and started with some scraping with the magnesium. I'll first say I was handicapping myself with the lack of a good, wide base and that I was working off the wood on a grate.

The BK-2 scraped the magnesium off easily. I got a little pile and it took the spark. I first sparked with the awl of my SAK and then tried it with the BK-2. I didn't know how it would affect the edge but didn't see anything on the edge where it struck.

I will say I didn't get enough tinder for the start.

I worked the mag. for awhile - more fun just experimenting with it than any success. In fact there was no success with the mag. I didn't get a big enough pile to sustain the quick flame and again, not enough tinder for it.

I unloaded a pj cotton ball that I had made a while back and tried to get a spark on to it. Again, no success. I think mostly because I didn't get the cotton ball fluffed enough and I couldn't get enough mag. onto it because of the awkward angle I was working from. So I transitioned to some matches.

Got the fire started but again, I didn't really prepare enough with dry materials before because I wasn't that serious about the fire. Hurrying, I eventually overloaded it.

Sectioned some dry wood with the BK-2 against another log and baton cut it into small chunks.

No fire success. Fire making is a humbling experience and a learning curve. I enjoyed learning from it.

Cut a couple more fuzz sticks after some work with the BK-2.

I had the RC-6 tucked with me. Didn't use it but wanted to get a comparison for wildmike.

Cleaned the BK-2 up when I went inside. Some marking in the finish remained - no big deal. It wasn't shaving sharp anymore but still had an edge that would cut but did hang up some in paper cuts. I ran the BK-2 over the white sticks with the Sharpmaker and it was back to smooth cuts and shaving sharp with just a few passes.

Becker BK-2 Campanion with RAT Cutlery RC-6

 

[cmdr249]

Cleaned the BK-2 up and cut an apple to get a feel for some of the cut with it on some food.

It cut the apple easily and I was able to get some thin slices. Getting used to the sabre grind compared to the flats I've been using lately was different.

You can see I was able to get some thin slices.

I was also easily able to take the skin off for my son - he' into the no skin on the apple right now.

From a small evaluation, the BK-2 should handle anything needed for a 5" blade and related tasks.

It is thick at .25" and if you don't like that it will probably not be what you want.

A couple more handle/thickness comparisons with the RC-6

 

[texastonydobbs]

Excellent "Added pics" The coating looks like it holds up pretty good.

 

[Fonly]

Very nice man, thank you very much for the comparison shots of the RC6, that knife even though I dont think Id even use it, its goin on the list.