- Joined
- Jun 5, 2012
- Messages
- 74
Howdy knife enthusiasts!
I just wanted to take some time to talk about why the Ka-Bar BK14 is a fantastic knife for all purposes. First of all the 1095CV is a great steel, easy to sharpen, great edge retention, and is super strong. The size of this knife is perfect for a quality EDC at a blade length of 3.25" and overall length of 7". Lightweight skeleton handle makes this blade easily concealable and not a burden on the hip. But, in a survival situation, when all you have on you is the BK14, this knife is all you need. I've done lots of batoning with this this knife, and I've found that it really isn't necessary to split any wood that is thicker than 3 inches because the fire is strong enough to catch flame to larger fuel at this time. And when if need be, I've always thought it to be smarter to preserve the edge of the knife by starting the baton with the blade and then putting a smaller stick into the crevice and finish batoning through with the stick instead of the knife. For shelter making, you can baton all you want to chop bigger branches to your desired length. As for hunting, I haven't used the BK14 to clean any game yet, but judging by the size and information from other threads, I know it will do just fine. So as far as having one knife to do it all, the BK14 is a perfect size for and EDC to handle smaller chores, but tough enough to do some real bushcrafting.
This is my BK14, convexed, and without scales. I don't think I'll add any, but I'm considering making some wooden scales for it. If you have any tips for making wooden scales, please let me know.
I've been carrying my 14 upside down like this, usually with the handle tucked into my back pocket. It's super concealed, but with this configuration, it is very comfortable to carry and draw. I know there have been a lot of complaints with the glass reinforced sheath, but I haven't gotten around to making a leather one yet. I'm going to very soon, and again, please give me any tips or advice pertaining to making a leather sheath for this blade.
If there is anything you Beckerheads have to add to this, please do. I know a lot of you strip off the coating, but I'm not sure what the advantages are to that. Also, with making scales, I have some places in the handle that have had the coating scratched off. Do I need to repaint them before adding scales to protect from rust? If so, is there a specific coating I should use? And when using a fire steel should I strip the coating off the spine to get a better striking edge?
Like I've said, I think this blade is fantastic and something every knife owner should have, if not, be their only knife. I'm a minimalist and this is the only knife I use besides a Lamson Sharp 8" Chef Knife and a cheap serrated steak knife. In my opinion, I have no use for the larger survival knives. I'm sure I could add to my kitchen cutlery, but for now my chef knife seems to be all I need for food preparation.
I love the feedback, there is always more to learn.
Stay sharp.
I just wanted to take some time to talk about why the Ka-Bar BK14 is a fantastic knife for all purposes. First of all the 1095CV is a great steel, easy to sharpen, great edge retention, and is super strong. The size of this knife is perfect for a quality EDC at a blade length of 3.25" and overall length of 7". Lightweight skeleton handle makes this blade easily concealable and not a burden on the hip. But, in a survival situation, when all you have on you is the BK14, this knife is all you need. I've done lots of batoning with this this knife, and I've found that it really isn't necessary to split any wood that is thicker than 3 inches because the fire is strong enough to catch flame to larger fuel at this time. And when if need be, I've always thought it to be smarter to preserve the edge of the knife by starting the baton with the blade and then putting a smaller stick into the crevice and finish batoning through with the stick instead of the knife. For shelter making, you can baton all you want to chop bigger branches to your desired length. As for hunting, I haven't used the BK14 to clean any game yet, but judging by the size and information from other threads, I know it will do just fine. So as far as having one knife to do it all, the BK14 is a perfect size for and EDC to handle smaller chores, but tough enough to do some real bushcrafting.
This is my BK14, convexed, and without scales. I don't think I'll add any, but I'm considering making some wooden scales for it. If you have any tips for making wooden scales, please let me know.
I've been carrying my 14 upside down like this, usually with the handle tucked into my back pocket. It's super concealed, but with this configuration, it is very comfortable to carry and draw. I know there have been a lot of complaints with the glass reinforced sheath, but I haven't gotten around to making a leather one yet. I'm going to very soon, and again, please give me any tips or advice pertaining to making a leather sheath for this blade.
If there is anything you Beckerheads have to add to this, please do. I know a lot of you strip off the coating, but I'm not sure what the advantages are to that. Also, with making scales, I have some places in the handle that have had the coating scratched off. Do I need to repaint them before adding scales to protect from rust? If so, is there a specific coating I should use? And when using a fire steel should I strip the coating off the spine to get a better striking edge?
Like I've said, I think this blade is fantastic and something every knife owner should have, if not, be their only knife. I'm a minimalist and this is the only knife I use besides a Lamson Sharp 8" Chef Knife and a cheap serrated steak knife. In my opinion, I have no use for the larger survival knives. I'm sure I could add to my kitchen cutlery, but for now my chef knife seems to be all I need for food preparation.
I love the feedback, there is always more to learn.
Stay sharp.
