BK12, Is it really better steel?

Rebel Nimrod

Rebel Nimrod

Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
740
i see reviewers saying the Ritter BK12 is more premium than the KA-BAR Becker knives and the steel is tougher and holds an edge better. Is it really? I don’t own a 12, but I would think the addition of Vanadium and Cromium to the alloy in the Ka-bar would make a better steel than the simple 1095 of the Essee. KA-BAR heat treat seems pretty darn good, is Rowen’s that much better that 1095 would exceed the CroVan in blade quality? Has anyone done a side by side comparison of edge retention? It seemed very subjective by the reviewers I have seen make the claim. We need a myth buster to get to the bottom of
this!!
 
Last edited:
In case you haven't realized it, some reviewers speak opinion as fact...and opinion can be skewed by many factors, including price and brand loyalties.
I haven't used my 12 nearly as extensively as my 7 (and I have not used my Kabar 7 nearly as extensively as I had my Camillus 7, which may/may not factor in); so I can't say with any authority that I think the BK12 is a better knife than the BK7. I can say that I prefer the blade shape of the 12...and that the coating seems better...and that I think I prefer the scales (which makes sense since my much loved Cam 7 sported grivory). I don't know how much of a difference the grind makes in my own experience, honestly.
When push comes to shove, for "routine" outdoorsy stuff, I prefer the 12...though if I'm going to do a lot of chopping or batoning, the extra length of the 7 would win out (REALISTICALLY, if I'm going to be doing a lot of chopping or batoning, I don't choose the 7, either - I've got a 9, 20, and 21 that handle those tasks more efficiently)
 
Rebel Nimrod said:
i see reviewers saying the Ritter BK12 is more premium than the KA-BAR Becker knives and the steel is tougher and holds an edge better. Is it really? I don’t own a 12, but I would think the addition of Vanadium and Cromium to the alloy would make a better steel than simple 1095. KA-BAR heat treat seems pretty darn good, is Rowen’s that much better that 1095 would exceed the CroVan in blade quality? Has anyone done a side by side comparison of edge retention? It seemed very subjective by the reviewers I have seen make the claim. We need a myth buster to get to the bottom of
this!!
Click to expand...

it's kind of funny you invoke CroVan, yet call the Becker simple 1095?

https://www.kabar.com/knives/detail/186

Beckers are Crovan 1095 and the heat treat is fine.
 
I think he was calling the BK12/ESEE simple 1095 and recognizing KaBar/Becker uses CroVan.

Rebel Nimrod said:
i see reviewers saying the Ritter BK12 is more premium than the KA-BAR Becker knives and the steel is tougher and holds an edge better. Is it really? I don’t own a 12, but I would think the addition of Vanadium and Cromium to the alloy would make a better steel than simple 1095. KA-BAR heat treat seems pretty darn good, is Rowen’s that much better that 1095 would exceed the CroVan in blade quality? Has anyone done a side by side comparison of edge retention? It seemed very subjective by the reviewers I have seen make the claim. We need a myth buster to get to the bottom of
this!!
Click to expand...

the differences in toughness and edge retention are minimal and not significant enough to functionally matter to 99.999% of users.
Rowen theoretically has slightly better HT consistency due to running smaller batches, which is also why the cost is higher.

I like the blade shape on the BK12 more than that on the BK10 or 7 -- which the 12 falls between in size. (I also like the blade shape better than the ESEE 6 for that matter)
 
1066vik said:
I think he was calling the BK12/ESEE simple 1095 and recognizing KaBar/Becker uses CroVan.
Click to expand...
Yes, thank you, sorry if I wasn’t clear. Bk12 1095 and other BKs 1095 CroVan (excluding 24). Basically wondering if any of you had done a side by side comparison of edge retention, hard for me to believe the Esee is better.
1066vic, thanks for sharing your experience with them!
 
I don’t think you could go wrong with either. I don’t have a BK12 but I have a 9,2, and 5. I also have some Esees. My opinion is that in laboratory numbers the Ka-Bar CroVan is better steel but I would give the better HT to Esee/Rowen. Becker is more wallet friendly. I’m a fan of both but I buy more Becker.
 
Last edited:
Is the Rowen made BK12 better than a Ka-Bar made Becker? Nope. I don’t believe so. I’ve never noticed a measurable difference in edge retention or toughness from Ka-Bar and Rowen.

However, both companies are great and make an awesome product.

I think anyone that puts one over the other is speaking out of pure fanboyness and will never have accurate data to back up any of their fanciful claims.
 
Jonny1280 said:
Is the Rowen made BK12 better than a Ka-Bar made Becker? Nope. I don’t believe so. I’ve never noticed a measurable difference in edge retention or toughness from Ka-Bar and Rowen.

However, both companies are great and make an awesome product.

I think anyone that puts one over the other is speaking out of pure fanboyness and will never have accurate data to back up any of their fanciful claims.
Click to expand...
Well said, I appreciate you sharing your experience on the subject. All this talk makes me want to get a 12 now!
 
If there is a difference it is likely marginal. So marginal that I would not let it sway my decision between two models of knife and I would just pick the design that appealed to me more. The difference in design would make much more of difference in use than any small difference in heat treat between two very similar steels.
 
Like others have stated, the differences are going to be exceedingly marginal and quite likely will never be noticeable to the typical user of Becker knives. They are both tough blades, they both will perform the job as intended. Both are easy to sharpen/maintain, both will cut very well, and both will be very hard to break.

I purchased my 12 largely because I like the blade shape. Though it is a sort of low drop point, I like its similarity to the spear shape. With the most excellent touches that 91bravo 91bravo put on mine, I have found it to be an excellent knife and I've used it pretty hard on a number of occasions.

3RCHupN.jpg


dOs2vhG.jpg


VlZhl7i.jpg


Fc4iwsU.jpg


Y9P95hp.jpg


8e6Y4bJ.jpg


gktLn5w.jpg


g2mzLDw.jpg
 
Pàdruig said:
Like others have stated, the differences are going to be exceedingly marginal and quite likely will never be noticeable to the typical user of Becker knives. They are both tough blades, they both will perform the job as intended. Both are easy to sharpen/maintain, both will cut very well, and both will be very hard to break.

I purchased my 12 largely because I like the blade shape. Though it is a sort of low drop point, I like its similarity to the spear shape. With the most excellent touches that 91bravo 91bravo put on mine, I have found it to be an excellent knife and I've used it pretty hard on a number of occasions.

3RCHupN.jpg


dOs2vhG.jpg


VlZhl7i.jpg


Fc4iwsU.jpg


Y9P95hp.jpg


8e6Y4bJ.jpg


gktLn5w.jpg


g2mzLDw.jpg
Click to expand...


Man, that knife looks better and better each time I see it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top