BK2 limitations?

I neglected to mention in my post above the BK-62. I did that because I generally think of the Kephart-Becker as not part of the regular line-up but quite special. In fact, the BK-62 is quite special indeed.

It took a woodsman who is passionate about knives to truly understand and appreciate what a woodsman who was passionate about knives was thinking and how that went into the design and execution of the Kephart and now, the Kephart - Becker. Ethan likes the outdoors and likes knives that work and the Kephart design, so simple though it is, just simply works.

There have been and are many Kepharts that have been marketed over the years but the KaBar Kephart-Becker is a true to the original as modern manufacturing techniques allow; it is a classic that is readily available from an American company that is renowned for customer service; Ethan Becker is the man that made that happen.
 
bearfacedkiller said:
I think you will find the 10 plenty indestructible and just as compact as the 2 for packing on the bike. If you break a 10 batonning you are more of a man than me.

The 2 is a beast and it has the giggle factor when you hold it. If you want it just because you want it then that is a valid reason. :)
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It is the thickness. The bigger the wedge the better it batons.

I also don't use a fixed blade for knife stuff almost ever. I use a folder. So I am not compromising any real cutting ability.

So if I carry a fixed blade I want it to do what a folder can't do.
 
In the days when I did a lot of motorcycle camping, I got by with an Opinel, a small Anza, my Tapio puukko and an SAK or LM. I regarded the USMC Kabar as the definitive camping/utility knife, but never saw a need to have one myself. If I had to do it today, I would not rely so heavily on the desert candle for fire starting, and would probably bring the Skrama, plus a smaller knife, Kansbøl, Jäkkaaripuukko, BK16 or BK62.

For quite a while, the Skrama obviated the need for me to buy any other big knife. I finally relented and got the BK9 just because it’s so cool, but It hasn’t given me any reason in the short time I have had it to think that it could supplant the Skrama in any scenario where I can only take one or the other.

The BK2 is not in the picture for me.
 
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Henry Beige said:
In the days when I did a lot of motorcycle camping, I got by with an Opinel, a small Anza, my Tapio puukko and an SAK or LM. I regarded the USMC Kabar as the definitive camping/utility knife, but never saw a need to have one myself. If I had to do it today, I would not rely so heavily on the desert candle for fire starting, and would probably bring the Skrama, plus a smaller knife, Kansbøl, Jäkkaaripuukko, BK16 or BK62.

For quite a while, the Skrama obviated the need for me to buy any other big knife. I finally relented and got the BK9 just because it’s so cool, but It hasn’t given me any reason in the short time I have had it to think that it could supplant the Skrama in any scenario where I can only take one or the other.
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The Mora Kansbol is a great knife. I love mine. However, I don’t really understand why it’s significantly more expensive than the Companion. Fit and finish perhaps?

The Kansbol is actually the reason I’m a bit reluctant to pick up a BK-16 or 62. I already have a decent cutter in the 4-5” range. Never a bad idea to get another blade though.
 
With a list price of something like 43 bucks when it first came out, I thought the Kansbøl was too expensive, too. When it came down to $27 it didn’t seem like such a bad deal vs the Companion. New tooling plus a more complicated grind would justify at least some of the difference. In any case, it still costs less than either of the Beckers or the Finnski.

Cost is only a consideration when you are deciding which one to buy. If you already have all four, then which one you take on any given trip is a different question.
 
My first Becker was a BK2. I have most all of them now. The 2 isn’t a package opener. It’s a beast. I’ll be honest I wanted indestructible and was all excited, it’s too thick and too short. Get a 9 for processing wood and a tweener for packages. They are all good. 15-18.

Honestly I use utility knives for all cutting at home. Nothing beats a good razor.

In other words I think a BK2 as your only knife isn’t the right choice.
 
Yes it's a thick and heavy knife, but it's "limitations" are exaggerated IMO. Is it the perfect design for a bushcraft knife? No... but that doesn't mean it won't cut. Put a good edge on a BK2, and it will out cut the factory edge of 99.9% of production knives out there.

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Drop bear said:
It is the thickness. The bigger the wedge the better it batons.
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This has not always been my experience. I would rather have 3/16 than 1/4 for batonning. The thicker knife can be harder to pound through. The higher primary grind and thinner stock of the BK9 makes it easier to baton with while still being plenty durable.

You seem to have already made your mind up. Get the 2 and report back. We love knife talk and especially pics. :)
 
Let’s see, BK2 limitations :rolleyes: is it the 2 or the owner that has em :p:p I've never had any cutting issues with the 2. Hello! 1/4" steel will not make a good paring Knife :thumbsup: the COMPACT little 2 is a Knife that if it's all you had will probably get just about anything Knife wise done and be ready to do it again without a hiccup. Lot of other choices out there. Decide what you need and pick what you want.
 
bearfacedkiller said:
This has not always been my experience. I would rather have 3/16 than 1/4 for batonning. The thicker knife can be harder to pound through. The higher primary grind and thinner stock of the BK9 makes it easier to baton with while still being plenty durable.

You seem to have already made your mind up. Get the 2 and report back. We love knife talk and especially pics. :)
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The thicker blade in my neck of the woods seems to split little logs sooner and doesn't flex as bad :) on the other hand 3/16" does just fine in most cases :p:p :thumbsup:
 
bearfacedkiller said:
This has not always been my experience. I would rather have 3/16 than 1/4 for batonning. The thicker knife can be harder to pound through. The higher primary grind and thinner stock of the BK9 makes it easier to baton with while still being plenty durable.

You seem to have already made your mind up. Get the 2 and report back. We love knife talk and especially pics. :)
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The wood i use is store bought firewood logs. And this because if I go to a camp site either all the firewood is stripped bare or I don't want to strip the place bare for someone else. So thick dry hardwood.

And then I will generally go to a barbecue and cook on that. Which is why I think a scraper spatula front would be super handy.

But of course nobody makes Frankensteins knife. So I haven't tested that one out.

I have the 2 it was one of the first super survival knives I got. Then had issues with it for all the BK2 reasons and put it away. Then had this kind of weird specific issue and brought it back out again.

I am actually looking at something thicker to operate as even more of a wedge. I am going to play around with hacking knives.

I have also played with the short fiskars axe, the 5 which again gets a lot of flack. Exept in very specific circumstances. And not bother with a fixed blade at all.

So the issue isn't that I have made my mind up. But more I have played with the ideas you have mentioned and this is my results so far.


And all of this is to suggest there are reasons to consider these thicker knives even if they go against conventional wisdom.

Which Ironically is what got me to buy the BK2 in the first place was all the bushcraft experts who raved about it.
 
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gtblade said:
My first Becker was a BK2. I have most all of them now. The 2 isn’t a package opener. It’s a beast. I’ll be honest I wanted indestructible and was all excited, it’s too thick and too short. Get a 9 for processing wood and a tweener for packages. They are all good. 15-18.

Honestly I use utility knives for all cutting at home. Nothing beats a good razor.

In other words I think a BK2 as your only knife isn’t the right choice.
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I still think if you put a square point on the BK2 and it would open packages fine. It would even get in to those impossible blister packs everything comes in these days. It then may not do other things. But is it the sort of knife that is ment to?

I think the limitations of the BK2 is that it tries to be a lighter knife beefed up rather than be the beefiest smash monster it could be.

Sort of the idea behind the competition choppers. I don't know much about them.

 
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Just for shits and giggles. Out of the box the New Knife feels kinda sharp :thumbsup: Mass production belt sanded edges are WORSE than a box of chocolates. Nobody knows what's on the left or the right side of the edge. You can see most issues right away. I guess it might be possible to get lucky. You will definitely see how bad your edge is when you go to touch it up :confused: Hopefully everyone knows that. I apologize for even posting this. Ya just never know :( I have gotten so many horrible edges. I just hope nobody else is experiencing the same thing and not realizing there New Knife is good the EDGE ON IT SUCKS :thumbsup::thumbsup: Just seeing that someone say they can't cut with their 2 makes me wonder. The 2 will cut, shave, even slice recite paper if you sharpen it :p:p. The poor Knife is just thick,short, and heavy. Enjoy it :p:p
 
Try to cut an apple cleanly in half with a BK-2. Without Swinging it. Hilarity.
Not that a 3/16" blade is much better for that...
 
My 2 batons small stuff better than my 9 but my 9 batons bigger stuff better... its longer.

Sure, on small stuff, the bk2 makes the wood fly with one swing. Its not able to do that with the larger logs. Even with the small stuff, the bk9 doesnt seem to split the wood as effective as the 2 does.

i could be wrong, could be due to the wood and not to the blades and i failed to consider the density and saturation when i compared.
 
daizee said:
Try to cut an apple cleanly in half with a BK-2. Without Swinging it. Hilarity.
Not that a 3/16" blade is much better for that...
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The apple challenge :) I like that :thumbsup: I need to get to the store. I’m out of apple’s at the moment.
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to be continued :D
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Definitely not the best choice for cutting Apples :rolleyes:
 
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