BK7: Some Thinking thoughts On.

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Jan 5, 2015
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Got the BK7 to day! Nope no buyers remorse, but looking it over I came to the conclusion the BK7 is a Critter of its own standing.

After Moles...um...Fingering...er Handling it...yeah HANDING IT! THAT'S IT!

The BK7 did make me glad I didn't get the BK10, but that's just my preferences. Thumb Ramped 5" blade with a large handle don't seem to work for me. BK2 the handle fits its thickness and no thumb ramp makes it a great jack of all trades knife. I mean I'll get a Tweener with the around 5" blades, but I have enough shorter knives its hard to justify one. But a Mk. 1 Navy has been calling me again...

If I had to choose between a BK7 and BK9, the BK9 would win every time, as its an all round better built tougher knife. Some people try to say the BK7 is just a shorter BK9, that is totally wrong. Both have their own characteristics that make them their own type of critter of existence that make them both excel at what they were designed for.

As stated by even Mister Becker, the BK7 was his vision of a combat and utility knife and such. I can see it would fit both to the TEE of that statement. A general purpose utility and fighting knife that seems to best describe the BK7. Yep that makes a great jack of all trades knife and can go combato (Forgive the tacti-talk technical-tactical-term.) when needed. I'm not that well versed in the full background of the BK7 originization, but that is most of the stuff I got from watching Mister Becker on U-Tube. And he seems to of manifested his idea pretty down pat.

Now my comparison to some other knives in its "Class" of 7 inches I've had in depth experience with.

BK7 and the RAT7. Well, the RAT7 is more capable of more common wilderness bushy out doors task but that's just more difference in their design and purpose. But I can see the RAT7 would be a bit on the less durable side, the 1075 version is a bit more durable though. But my guess is the BK7 would be a better and more durable blade and do Batoning and chopping better than the RAT7. For me how ever if I had a choice (now I do), it would be the BK7 as the saber grind is what I prefer and the smaller bushy craft jobs can go to the more smaller knives. Even a Buck 110 does great small bushy jobs, it would be in the sheath pouch for me. And RAT7s are going to not be available soon any ways.

BK7 and RD7. OK...down right favorite of mine is the RD7, the RD7 mirrors the saber grind with its shorter blade height and 1/4" spine. And the RD's choil makes it more bushy craft friendly. And I've done things with my 5160 RD7 that would of broke a BK7. Yeah RD7 hands down. BUT...it hasn't been produced for about a decade, the company that made it is out of business. Unless you were some one like me who grabbed more than some when one could...this comparison is a moot point. So get a BK7 or if you want more bushy crafty stuff, a Turok for similar blade size.

The classic KA-BAR 7" blades, I think the BK7 is more utilitarian oriented myself, no cross guard makes it a bit weaker on the combat side. But I'm not a knife fighter, or a well practiced one so my point of view is a bit limited here. If going in a combat side of the discussion, the classic kabar fighting knives would win out...and a BK2 along as well. WEll it would be as many knives as needed, types and such for proper jobs...

So the winner of this I guess is the BK7 as its still in production, it jack of all trades good enough and probably tough enough to do the normal abuse things one does to a knife. Me...I'm not normal...er when it comes to knife abuse. Hey don't look at me that way!

The comparison to the BK9 as stated earlier, both can do each other's jobs, some better at some things and others better at others so to speak.

I"ll not do the out of production BKs...like the BK5 that seems more wilderhood oriented than combat but still can poke and cut things well. And the BK4 is just the best all round jack of all trades BK out there.

For the Stand alone option, I'd take a BK7 with no problem as it can do about every thing I would need to do. That's why I have no buyers remorse for getting the BK7.

My use of this knife is a stand alone mission/option for it. I may loan it out to people going on trips where a good knife might be needed, you would be surprised how a good knife can make what would of been a disaster in to a minor annoyance. So I been thinking on what sort of handles scales for it.

Now for handles scales. People with experience can you tell me if the more fine micarta ones are better for field use over the standard Ka-Bar Micarta?

I'm also thinking of getting a set of G-10 scales from TKC.
 
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Thinkerting on the BK7. After um fondling...fingering...moles...handling it! With I think I'll try the TKC handles on it to see if it balances out. I need to get a set of G-10 any ways for the BK5 for large critter cutting season any ways. I'll see how this one works for it. The handles the BK72 came with are the next candidate for it. The Fire Fly Blue Resin With Green Glow Stones might move to the BK4 or one of the BK9s as those handles quite a few times kept me from loosing a BK knife.

Any one have any suggestion of what is a better long term all weather/season out side use handles scales would be better? I figure if this is going to be an out doors beater knife (A well used out door tool that is), it may has one of the more durable handles on it. A good mid sized (to me that is) knife like the BK7 is a good stand alone knife/tool to have. Its probably going to be loaned out to people on wilderhood trips. It will have to keep me from loaning out the better BK9s I got. 😇But I intend to keep it if I can... But there is that worthy kniece or knephew out there who might charm it off of me. Like the lot of them did with my buck 110s and gerber gator blades off of me. And my spare Gerber Strong arms...and half my tackle box... Reminds me, now I have an excuse to restock that box!
 
R Roguer in my opinion, g10 is slightly more durable than micarta. Micarta seems to absorb hand sweat, g10 doesn’t. The TKC scales are awesome! I really like them.
 
I prefer the feeling of micarta over any other handle material.
And with the natural micarta from KaBar I think sweat and oils from your skin make the color much richer and deeper.

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Ordered the G10 Classic Black from the TKC. Along with a Black and Red Liner one for another of my several my RAT 6s. I gave away one of my two RAT 7s (the tougher 1075 one) to a little brother who can get more use out of it.

I have a BK 72 Micarta handle that also might go the BK7 as well. If not still can handle swap from the spare Kabar micarta handle scales from a Spare BK9. Love that saying. "Spare BK9".
 
Well my thinkertingerism seemed to be right. TKC G-10 handles on the BK7 balance the knife perfectly at the near optimum point just shy of where the blade begins from the handle. To me that's good enough, I won't shave off a mini mute of metal or handle scale as its with in what I consider good enough. So they are staying on the BK7.
 
This brings up a good point.
I’ve had stock micarta on a bunch of my Beckers. Always been a big fan.
But I love me some G-10.
I’ve only had TKC G-10 on a couple of my Esee knives. It was good, no issues.
Does anybody prefer the TKC G-10 on their Beckers over the stock micarta?…
Why or why not?
 
The Micarta handle scales give a good all round use and feel for a BK knife. I have them on 6 of my 9 BK knives. 2 are specialty Resin with Green Glow Stones in them. OF which they see large critter cutting season use.

The TKC G-10 handle scales seem to give my hand more room to use the handle area are a bit more slimmer and trimmer than micarta ones. And the TKC ones have a good contoured grip to them. Mostly I get G-10 handle scales for large critter cutting sessions, but these ones seem to make a perfect balance out of the BK7, that seems to make wilderhood use out of the knife a bit more useful. For a stand alone fix blade, it seems to work well for it. I might have to get a set of G-10s for one of my spare BK9s, or if another of my BK2s gets hauled in to large critter cutting duty like my BK72 is a lot. (Stainless huge hunk of S35VN, made my BK2 profile design knife come true. Heck I'd of gotten it if it was done in a proper heat treated 420HC!)
 
This brings up a good point.
I’ve had stock micarta on a bunch of my Beckers. Always been a big fan.
But I love me some G-10.
I’ve only had TKC G-10 on a couple of my Esee knives. It was good, no issues.
Does anybody prefer the TKC G-10 on their Beckers over the stock micarta?…
Why or why not?
I believe their G10 is considerably thinner
 
Yep on the BK7, the TKC handles balance it out bester. And are easier to clean up than micarta after a literal bloody gory critter cutting up session.
The scales are thinner than micarta that balance out the BK7 a bit better.

I been using my OKC sheaths for the BK7 as for some odd reason it came with a BK9 sized sheath. I really need to get a more decent sized sheath for the BK7, as it seems to be a favorite among the pack kids.

Really a saber grind 7" blade is really a perfect size one tool option for the BK7. If they didn't have the skeletonized tang, I'd rate it as the BEST in size class, as it is near the top 3 at least still to me. The CroVan 1095 variant of the steel being used, I think is superior to the Esse 1095 and KA-BAR knows its heat treats decently enough. Only good thing the Esse has is the heat treat going for it mostly. If Esse ever got a saber grind 6 I'd get one. I have no need for a Jungleass I or II as I have enough BK9s that I think fill the similar job/task requirements. (Glad I got them when I COULD). I still use the RD7s I have, but the BK7 gets passed around to the pack kids and others, who seem to like it. It seems to be getting a lot of use, not to the abuse level I give my 5160 knives. But its just that perfect size for being the jack of all trades it does well enough and master of some.
 
Well, I had a younger relative who wanted to use a "Bigger Knife" so I offered her what I had, she liked my RD9 with the TKC handles but didn't have it in the car. I offered my precious BK4 and a BK9 as the thinner and lighter blades (to me that is :D ) were more multitaskier for that tasks so much more capable and save weight for the forced marches...er Hiking stuffy stuff. She saw the BK7 and said "This will do." as I saw she was looking for what fit her hand best for her or "Bester" (*Runs from the Anti-Fun Pun Haters*). And then she told me to get narrower handles like "Sword" she usually stole from me. (I don't give out of production knives away easily) I offered to do a scale swap to change them to the BK4 or 9 but she said the BK7 was more her size and took the Gator Blade out of the pouch on the BK9 and headed off. I noticed my Ka-bar Hobo set was gone and tactical spork... Last minute planners relying on the relatives they know they can play like a guytar. I made sure a small folding Saw was taken with spare blades. And then I noticed my small Estwing axe was gone, guess what happened last time of the shaft getting broken she wasn't going to have that happen. She knows with to Froe and to axe atleast.

Made me think on whether to get more TKC handles to swap out per knife or get new BK9s to put them on. Some people can't handle the larger BK Handles that come with the knife. Or after market micarta handles. My hands can deal with them no problem. Looking back I can see why my RD9s I did with TKC handles were more popular than the spare RD6s I offered to let people use. (They were very small handed people...RDs have small handles to begin with more chunky scales). I may run in to having more handle scales than I have knives...oh wait I do...I have all these plastic becker scales around after replacing with micarta or resin with green glow stone scales...

Its making me think to get another BK7 to round out my minimum of two of every thing sillyosiphy. I was sure lucky Ka-Bar had that sale when I go my BK7. The skinnier handle with the TKC scales made these a little more useful for the smaller handed peoples of the world I noticed. I just like how the TKC handle balances out the BK7 a bit better. But the BK7 is a perfectly good sized mid range knife for most situations it seems.

The BK4 is keeping its Micarta scales. The seem to be best for a multi-tool use blade.
 
I love the BK 7. So much so,I had a custom kydex sheath made for it years ago by Mashed Cat .Very useful outdoor knife.
 
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