BK1 vs. BK9

Ethan,
Wonderful to have you here providing knowledge & info - makes it nice to hear about some of the history & backround of the knives & design. Met you at 2001 Blade but didn't get much chance to talk - was sharing table with Darrel - didn't make it last year due to spinal surgery but will be there with Darrel this year. Have acquired a Magnum Camp with NLT edge (dang can that thing cut! factory edges are good but his is above & beyond ) and a BK-9 - have to say they are fantastic - not physically up to any heavy chopping yet but what have done is super. Will definitely be getting a "Crewman" - might even replace my Talon as everyday around the house knife!

On another topic, have a 1951 edition of The Joy of Cooking and was wondering if you would be willing to sign it for my wife and I - originally belonged to my wife's grandmother?

Looking forward to seeing you at Blade - again enjoying your knives very much.

Bill
 
Hey Bill...
Good to hear from you...I hope you had a complete recovery from the spinal surgery ...That tends to be a painful problem I've heard! I really hate pain and I hope yours was bearable !!!
The NLT can sure make'm sharp ! I keep watching and someday !
By all means either bring the book to BLADE or send it UPS or mail and I will be happy to sign it...In fact I would consider it an honor...even if you DO hang with Darrel.
Loooking forward to seeing you again...

All Best

Ethan
 
Originally posted by Ethan Becker
Hey Mr. Glockman..
If, I repeat IF I could talk WILL into it and I promise I will Try to do so MY vote is that you should get a tester ! Holding your breath until it occurs is probably not advisable! Nice Try and many thanks (truly) for your continued support. I do notice that you say a lot of nice things about us and I do appreciate it !!!
All Best...
Ethan
Click to expand...
Ethan,

It just blows my mind to see the QUALITY folks we have here at BladeForums (yourself included). I now own 3 "Beckers", and it is really NICE to be able to comunicate with the designer/inventor of these fine knives! (Also, I gotta tell you that your book "The Joy of Cooking" has caused me to put-on a few "extra" pounds over the years...LOL.:D.).

...And a BK-10 for me to "test" against my BK-2 WOULD be nice.:D.
 
Ditto to all the positive comments. It is nice to hear from you, Ethan, and get some insight into how a particular knife design evolved, reasons behind things, etc. That's great.

Glockman got me interested enough in the BK9's that I am having one delivered today! I went out with my CU/7 and did some test cutting of cardboard, and was once again truly impressed with how well that steel holds up! I'm starting to get used to the grips, it's a lot easier to get used to when the steel is so good.... :D
 
Hey, Hey Dann the Glockman

You have damn good taste in pistolas too... Thanks to my day job I too am starting to suffer what me dear old Dad refferred to as a "slipped diaphragm". Glad you EnJoy !

And to Swede--Thanks for yor support...That 0170-6C IS some great steel !

All Best
Ethan
 
Dear Mr. Becker and all lovers of BKT.

I am enamored with these knives. I have now, in order of plunk down, the Magnum Camp(first prod run), the Companion, the Brute, the Patrol Machete, and as of today the Combat/Utility. I was thrilled, literally thrilled, with each purchase. Before Becker Knife and Tool came along I was pretty unhappy with what could be bought in the 45-70$ price range, which was mostly what I can ever scrape together at one time. Knives are very personal things to each user, always with much controversey and discussion, yet BK&T line has come as close to exactly what I was looking for for almost every cutting chore. Do I need to cut down 12" trees with a knife? No. But I like to know the Brute is indestructably there when I drive into the middle of nowhere. Do I need a 5" prybar that chops down 5" ironwood trees with nine chops? No. Do I love carrying a knife that can do that when I'm walking in the woods? Yep. I don't know why but that's part of loving a knife, that it will be there for you in the worst case scenario.

The Magnum Camp and the Patrol Machete are absolutely perfect out of the box and remain unchanged. The Brute and the Companion are great knives, the handles were too big for my hands, but I recently have spent a little time with a file and sandpaper and made them perfect for me (1 hour tops of work). After a final sanding last week I soaked them in salad oil to get the black finish back and it has stayed after much chopping and looks and feels remarkably like the original. I also reworked the edge of the companion so that it was convex and it increased the chopping power X2.

The BK7 is really a masterpiece, though I had to rework the sheath for my own purposes. I flipped the liner around so that the knife fit snuggly even without the snap, then reglued it. I resewed the belt loop so it didn't hang so low and added the piece of webbing to the back as a stiffener so that it wouldn't "buckle" on the draw. I also filed a dull area at the blade edge closest to the handle so that I could choke up.

This knife, the BK7, is the closest to my PERSONAL perfection I have found in a 7" knife and sheath(I've tried many brands from Cold Steel to Marbles to Randalls)...under a pound with the sheath, cuts like a kitchen knife, chops like some 9" blades, pry's well, BENDS NOT SNAPS under pressure, yet is still light in the hand. It's true there may some "top shelf" knifes out there that is slightly better, but if I could buy three BK7's for the same price, what does it profit me? Same goes for booze.

Congratulations on a great bunch of knives. I loved the ones that were perfect out of the box and I've loved the ones that were constructed in a way that I could alter them to make them "just right" for me. I would love some thinner handles as an aftermarket option on the thicker stocked knives, but now that I know I can make them the way that I want without much work I'll stop bitchin.

Here's some pics...



CIMG0005.JPG


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CIMG0007.JPG
 
Hello all. I ordered a BK2 yesterday, and I'm truly looking forward to receiving it! Hoping it arrives nice and soon. I've been in the market for a nice ~5" fixed for general utility. Don't have much use for a fighter style, so the Campanion seemed to fit the bill (I couldn't hold out for the BK10, but that looks like a slick knife as well). I intend on doing some real camping up north in Tobermory this summer, and was wondering what other campers/hikers use. I guess I'm curious as to the best big brother to pair up with my BK2. (Which will in turn be accompanying my Leatherman and my EDC folder). The need to silently approach and draw a 9" blade isn't fore most on things that matter to me ;) so I'm looking for raw practicality (that being mentioned, the Becker line has grown on me stylewise as well). I won't be chopping down ancient Oaks or anything else better suited to a chainsaw, so I guess I'm asking, is the BK7 enough knife? Both really isn't an option. My loved ones are starting to worry about my tendency to collect these magnificent sharp and pointy objects.


Regards,

Shaun

What's that?
It's a knife.
Why do you need a knife?
To cut stuff.
Why do you need to cut stuff?
Because sometimes things need to be cut.
 
I now have both the BK1 Brute and the BK9 Combat
Bowie in hand.

I must say they are both awesome blades! :)

The Brute appears to be just the ticket for what
I originally desired. A big knife for my BOB for
serious chopping and heavy work.

The Combat Bowie appears to be the right choice for
a LARGE belt knife! :) I wanted one for chopping,
but it didn't have to be as heavy as the one for the
BOB.

I feel both will perform more than adequately in the
desired roles.

I do prefer the grip width of the Combat Bowie over the
Brute however. There isn't much of a difference, but
I can feel it.

I also preferred the Kydex sheath of the Brute over the
canvas sheath of the Combat Bowie. I may make one myself
for the Bowie.

The only thing that I'd change would be the lack of a place
for the forefinger on the Combat Bowie when I try to choke
up on for finer work. I keep wanting to place my finger
forward on the blade where a finger groove usually is in the
choil. Unfortunately, trying this with the Combat Bowie would
result in a cut finger! :eek: Otherwise it's great as-is! :)
 
Ethan,

I only liked your Companion well enough to buy three of them (one Blackjack and two Camillus). Not that I carry them three at a time, or worry that I might wear two out, but because I have each one stashed in a different place.

Years ago, I had to cut up a houseful of old carpeting into pieces small enough to make the trash man happy, just before he was due to arrive, or have to look at it soaking in the rain for a week. I wasn't sure what kind of blade would be best for the job, but knew it needed to go very quickly or I was going to be out of luck. I thought about using a Stanley knife, but instead decided to grab the stout little Blackjack because of the comfortable handle.

It was over so fast I couldn't believe it. And when I was finished, it was still plenty sharp, even after slicing through yards and yards of heavy carpet backing. Needless to say I was impressed. Since then I have acquired the Camillus ones, too. I prefer the black finish over the old glossy gray, but have always thought the profile was a little more pleasing without the notched choil.

Regardless, it is a great and versatile design. Short enough to easily clean fish, but at the same time, I have found that by taking a two finger and thumb grip at the aft end and squeezing the butt into my palm with the last two fingers, it becomes a sort of make shift Brute and can do a decent job at chopping wood.

The Blackjack and Camillus blades can both be made like absolute razors (very thick razors). To me it makes a serious showing in the fascinating, unresolvable "one knife for all purposes" contest.

So all that being said, if the BK10 is as nice as you say, I may end up having to have four!

Minuteman
 
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