BK5 Mod Rendering

The Warrior said:
While the baton part is true, I use my baton at the cabin, and I'm picky about it, haha. It just so happens that Ethan is picky about batons as well. :thumbsup: Now, if I were in the woods, I would agree.
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people who use froes a lot, and similar tools, have batons that last years. i have a couple in the "larger sizes", that are seasoned hickory (or walnut now), that i should "true up" on the lathe (the handles are rougher than i'd like)...

as well, in the shop, a baton is a tool you don't use up.

the original BK5 KaBar pushed out, i did as a review / give-a-way post (too lazy to find). i had a stout dead chunk of oak if i recall as the baton, and did some murder to other seasoned oak. works pretty good, but could have been more efficient if the spine was not as steep as it is.

i know what Ethan and Jerry say, and alllllll the talk about it, but imho it's too severe as a spine choice for bushcraft. martial arts? rope cuts? stabby stabby? sure thing. the original generations of Magnum Camp were quite nice with the more obtuse spine. that's all i'll say :D
 
now, serious question, for all y'all that butcher a lot of deer/ani-mules. and large chunks of meat on the regular

on the more commercial blades you have (not Beckers) and perhaps comparing to the mass market, i don't recall ANY of my kitchen knifes, cleavers, and so on having more than a rounded spine, if not actually having a full thickness and squared...

am i not remembering correctly?

i'll just drop these here:

1048075098_xYQzb-XL.jpg




480108152_hCP4R-XL.jpg



1048079694_8DvzE-XL.jpg
 
Bladite said:
now, serious question, for all y'all that butcher a lot of deer/ani-mules. and large chunks of meat on the regular

on the more commercial blades you have (not Beckers) and perhaps comparing to the mass market, i don't recall ANY of my kitchen knifes, cleavers, and so on having more than a rounded spine, if not actually having a full thickness and squared...

am i not remembering correctly?

i'll just drop these here:

1048075098_xYQzb-XL.jpg




480108152_hCP4R-XL.jpg



1048079694_8DvzE-XL.jpg
Click to expand...
Between 3 of us we dropped and processed 10 deer this season. We all have our personal choices for field dressing the game. Mine being the Bk16 but on occasion I will use a old school Gerber 425A.
When it comes to processing it’s primarily Forschners. But I have been seen with a Bk62 or a Gerber Flayer in my hand.
 
Bladite said:
now, serious question, for all y'all that butcher a lot of deer/ani-mules. and large chunks of meat on the regular

on the more commercial blades you have (not Beckers) and perhaps comparing to the mass market, i don't recall ANY of my kitchen knifes, cleavers, and so on having more than a rounded spine, if not actually having a full thickness and squared...

am i not remembering correctly?

i'll just drop these here:

1048075098_xYQzb-XL.jpg




480108152_hCP4R-XL.jpg



1048079694_8DvzE-XL.jpg
Click to expand...

I don't think I have any kitchen or butchering knives that have a swedge, and maybe just a couple that have a rounded spine. Most kitchen knives and those most use for butchering or meat processing are much thinner stock to begin with which causes less drag in meat or other media for that matter, the thickness of the 5 makes it capable of performing harder tasks you wouldn't want to try with thinner stock and the swedge actually does allow it to perform fairly well at cutting meat. I still use thin stock knives for much of it, but the 15 and 5 just feel so much better in my hand than the knives that are actually made for those tasks that I grab them often.
 
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JJ_Colt45 said:
Kitchen knives and those most use for butchering or meat processing are much thinner stock to begin with which causes less drag in meat or other media for that matter, the thickness of the 5 makes it capable of performing harder tasks you wouldn't want to try with thinner stock and the swedge actually does allow it to perform fairly well at cutting meat. I still use thin stock knives for much of it, but the 15 and 5 just feel so much better in my hand than the knives that are actually made for those tasks that I grab them often.
Click to expand...
I'm my humble opinion the 5 could be .125" thick and preform admirably .
I think 1/8" is a great thickness for lots of knives
As long as the scales had fillers to keep up the handle thickness

I think Mine that I'm grinding out of AEB-L is around .150" ?
 
The Warrior said:
Then you probably like that rendering then, haha. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
I do. It has everything I love about the 5 minus the two things I don’t find a need for. One think I am pondering though is swedge geometry does add some strength to the tip area. While a square spine certainly will help with the the baton issue, it may make the tip easier to snap off with chopping. Only way to know is make one and beat on it.
 
Tortuga Bladeworks said:
One think I am pondering though is swedge geometry does add some strength to the tip area. While a square spine certainly will help with the the baton issue, it may make the tip easier to snap off with chopping. Only way to know is make one and beat on it.
Click to expand...
Never thought of that.
 
Looking forward to see what comes of this. I’d certainly love to see a choiless BK-5 in .125
However, I think the swedge should stay. Even if it’s minimalized, I think it’s still a big part of what makes the BK-5 so badass. Jerry Fisk would probably agree.
Without the swedge you basically have an old trade knife. Nothing wrong with that…but Jerry and Ethan made a really nice knife.
 
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