Here's a review I did a while back, hope you guys and gals enjoy.
Knife reviews and testing: Becker BK22
Since the beginning of time mankind has depended upon edged tools for survival, day to day tasks, and recreation. Today it is no different, no matter your outdoor pursuit; hunting, fishing, camping or just plain ol' woods bumming. Knives are an essential piece of gear for the outdoorsman. A good knife will serve you well for a wide range of tasks such as cutting string, field dressing game, or even wilderness survival.
My goal is to introduce you to knives, find their strengths and weaknesses and see how they perform various tasks, from field to kitchen duty. We will do it all.
This article will feature the Becker BK 22/Companion; a full tang, drop point field knife designed by Ethan Becker and produced by Ka-bar. This knife is made from a hefty 1/4 inch thick slab of 1095 steel with a 5 inch black epoxy powder coated, flat ground blade, measuring 10.5 inches total length and weighing in at 14.5 ounces. It comes standard with hard plastic handle scales, a material Ka-bar calls "grivory", they are easily removable for cleaning, modification or replacement.
It can be purchased in two variations; the BK 2 and BK 22, the only difference being the sheaths. The BK 2 comes with a black, hard plastic sheath while the Becker BK 22 comes with a MOLLE compatible nylon sheath that has a pouch on the front for storing spare items such as lighters, flashlights, survival supplies, etc.
Upon opening the box and handling the knife my first impressions were,
"Wow, this thing is a beast!"
Very heavy for its size, the BK22 feels bullet proof and inspires confidence. The handle is very comfortable. I doubt any hot spots will occur with extended use. It balances right at your index finger while using a standard grip; this makes the knife feel lighter in your hand and less likely to cause fatigue during longer periods of use. The blade grinds are even and comes with a hair popping edge from the factory.
Enough talk, lets put this tank of a knife through the paces and see how it performs.
The first job I'll put this knife to is making a try stick and carving. A try stick is a practice stick for carving various notches, spear points, etc. These are carving tasks you're likely to do while making traps and various camp implements such as pot hangers. I will also carve a little troll out of a short stick, it's a fun and dare I say "cute" little project for kids and adults alike. It teaches and reinforces the fundamentals of basic knife handling.
The BK22s performance was acceptable for the try stick and troll carving. Push cuts were a bit difficult to do, due to the thickness of the blade and friction caused by the epoxy finish. After 45 minutes of carving I started to experience wrist fatigue. The obtuse edge also made it more difficult to make the notches square and crisp. It was still possible; I just had to put extra effort that wouldn't be needed if using a thinner blade. The knife came very sharp though, so it made tasks such as debarking and removing larger amounts of material, as youd do while making a spear point, very easy.
Next job for the BK22 is chopping. Normally a knife with a 5 inch blade would be of no count for such a task, but due to the heft of the knife, I felt it would make a decent chopper for its size. I tied a lanyard in the knifes lanyard hole for safety and chopping efficiency; doing so allows you to grip the butt of the knife with only your index and middle finger, thereby giving greater leverage and chopping power. The knife chops smaller diameter wood wonderfully as seen in the picture, just the right size for making shelters, fishing spears, etc. I was surprised at how well it chopped; one of the BK22's strong points.
Now we move on to making a fishing spear, with the tree we just chopped down. I chopped the tree to the suitable length for a spear, and then split the tree lengthwise to give it 4 tines. After I made the tines and separated them with smaller pieces of wood as spacers, I sharpened each one, the BK22 made quick work of this, as already mentioned, it's a very sharp knife.
Another survival related task up next, making a suitable container for boiling water. This can be done with a large piece of wood such as a fallen tree, a knife and a big stick to baton your knife with. I would not do this with a lesser knife, but with a quarter inch thick blade, I'm confident the BK22 can handle the task no worse for wear. I batonned the knife into the wood to make a square shape, then started prying, as in the picture. I continued buttoning, prying and chiseling out wood until I had a container that will hold 10 or more ounces of water. The container made, it can be filled with water and hot rocks placed from a fire into the water until it's boiling; voila, clean water. This is a very rough thing to do on a knife, a lot worse than my simple paragraph makes it seem, but the BK22 wasn't fazed at all. It was begging for more use and abuse.
The final outdoors job for the BK22 is wood processing; breaking down larger wood into tinder, kindling, and fuel sized pieces. With its thick blade I was able to split wood by batonning it very efficiently, and yet again, because of its sharp edge, making shavings was a breeze. This knife is a wood eating monster; if I couldn't have an axe/hatchet on me when needing a fire in a dire situation, I'd choose the BK22.
Now we will see how the BK22 works in the kitchen. After all that chopping and carving trolls youll be hungry enough to eat a horse. Ill be cooking up a camp specialty of mine; spam, potatoes and onions fried in canola oil. The knife has retained its sharp edge through all the testing so far. It works well for peeling potatoes but gets a bit heavy in the hands. It performed fine for slicing and dicing the onions but not so well with the Spam. Due to the thick blade it wanted to tear through the softer meat instead of cleanly slicing. Overall the knife works well for preparing a simple campsite meal, but you wouldnt want to use it to prepare a feast. After all the ingredients are prepared put them in a Ziploc bag along with your preferred spices and shake it up. Put some cooking oil in your skillet and fry it up until everythings golden brown. Bon appetite!
Overall, it's a jack of all trades, master at one, being bombproof! The BK22 is a very solid, overbuilt blade with a very sharp edge and comfortable handle. It isn't the best for some tasks such as wood carving, but really shines at others such as wood processing or survival. If you're looking for a good outdoors companion that will no doubt serve you well for many years, check out the Becker BK22. You won't be disappointed.
Knife reviews and testing: Becker BK22
Since the beginning of time mankind has depended upon edged tools for survival, day to day tasks, and recreation. Today it is no different, no matter your outdoor pursuit; hunting, fishing, camping or just plain ol' woods bumming. Knives are an essential piece of gear for the outdoorsman. A good knife will serve you well for a wide range of tasks such as cutting string, field dressing game, or even wilderness survival.
My goal is to introduce you to knives, find their strengths and weaknesses and see how they perform various tasks, from field to kitchen duty. We will do it all.
This article will feature the Becker BK 22/Companion; a full tang, drop point field knife designed by Ethan Becker and produced by Ka-bar. This knife is made from a hefty 1/4 inch thick slab of 1095 steel with a 5 inch black epoxy powder coated, flat ground blade, measuring 10.5 inches total length and weighing in at 14.5 ounces. It comes standard with hard plastic handle scales, a material Ka-bar calls "grivory", they are easily removable for cleaning, modification or replacement.
It can be purchased in two variations; the BK 2 and BK 22, the only difference being the sheaths. The BK 2 comes with a black, hard plastic sheath while the Becker BK 22 comes with a MOLLE compatible nylon sheath that has a pouch on the front for storing spare items such as lighters, flashlights, survival supplies, etc.
Upon opening the box and handling the knife my first impressions were,
"Wow, this thing is a beast!"
Very heavy for its size, the BK22 feels bullet proof and inspires confidence. The handle is very comfortable. I doubt any hot spots will occur with extended use. It balances right at your index finger while using a standard grip; this makes the knife feel lighter in your hand and less likely to cause fatigue during longer periods of use. The blade grinds are even and comes with a hair popping edge from the factory.
Enough talk, lets put this tank of a knife through the paces and see how it performs.
The first job I'll put this knife to is making a try stick and carving. A try stick is a practice stick for carving various notches, spear points, etc. These are carving tasks you're likely to do while making traps and various camp implements such as pot hangers. I will also carve a little troll out of a short stick, it's a fun and dare I say "cute" little project for kids and adults alike. It teaches and reinforces the fundamentals of basic knife handling.
The BK22s performance was acceptable for the try stick and troll carving. Push cuts were a bit difficult to do, due to the thickness of the blade and friction caused by the epoxy finish. After 45 minutes of carving I started to experience wrist fatigue. The obtuse edge also made it more difficult to make the notches square and crisp. It was still possible; I just had to put extra effort that wouldn't be needed if using a thinner blade. The knife came very sharp though, so it made tasks such as debarking and removing larger amounts of material, as youd do while making a spear point, very easy.
Next job for the BK22 is chopping. Normally a knife with a 5 inch blade would be of no count for such a task, but due to the heft of the knife, I felt it would make a decent chopper for its size. I tied a lanyard in the knifes lanyard hole for safety and chopping efficiency; doing so allows you to grip the butt of the knife with only your index and middle finger, thereby giving greater leverage and chopping power. The knife chops smaller diameter wood wonderfully as seen in the picture, just the right size for making shelters, fishing spears, etc. I was surprised at how well it chopped; one of the BK22's strong points.
Now we move on to making a fishing spear, with the tree we just chopped down. I chopped the tree to the suitable length for a spear, and then split the tree lengthwise to give it 4 tines. After I made the tines and separated them with smaller pieces of wood as spacers, I sharpened each one, the BK22 made quick work of this, as already mentioned, it's a very sharp knife.
Another survival related task up next, making a suitable container for boiling water. This can be done with a large piece of wood such as a fallen tree, a knife and a big stick to baton your knife with. I would not do this with a lesser knife, but with a quarter inch thick blade, I'm confident the BK22 can handle the task no worse for wear. I batonned the knife into the wood to make a square shape, then started prying, as in the picture. I continued buttoning, prying and chiseling out wood until I had a container that will hold 10 or more ounces of water. The container made, it can be filled with water and hot rocks placed from a fire into the water until it's boiling; voila, clean water. This is a very rough thing to do on a knife, a lot worse than my simple paragraph makes it seem, but the BK22 wasn't fazed at all. It was begging for more use and abuse.
The final outdoors job for the BK22 is wood processing; breaking down larger wood into tinder, kindling, and fuel sized pieces. With its thick blade I was able to split wood by batonning it very efficiently, and yet again, because of its sharp edge, making shavings was a breeze. This knife is a wood eating monster; if I couldn't have an axe/hatchet on me when needing a fire in a dire situation, I'd choose the BK22.
Now we will see how the BK22 works in the kitchen. After all that chopping and carving trolls youll be hungry enough to eat a horse. Ill be cooking up a camp specialty of mine; spam, potatoes and onions fried in canola oil. The knife has retained its sharp edge through all the testing so far. It works well for peeling potatoes but gets a bit heavy in the hands. It performed fine for slicing and dicing the onions but not so well with the Spam. Due to the thick blade it wanted to tear through the softer meat instead of cleanly slicing. Overall the knife works well for preparing a simple campsite meal, but you wouldnt want to use it to prepare a feast. After all the ingredients are prepared put them in a Ziploc bag along with your preferred spices and shake it up. Put some cooking oil in your skillet and fry it up until everythings golden brown. Bon appetite!
Overall, it's a jack of all trades, master at one, being bombproof! The BK22 is a very solid, overbuilt blade with a very sharp edge and comfortable handle. It isn't the best for some tasks such as wood carving, but really shines at others such as wood processing or survival. If you're looking for a good outdoors companion that will no doubt serve you well for many years, check out the Becker BK22. You won't be disappointed.
Nice review man, it is a beast of a knife.
