BK9 vs Hatchet vs Saw - With Pics

A couple of years ago I performed a very similar test, just a few more knives (Becker BK7, BK9, Busse, Dog Father, and others) and a better hatchet and a Gerber Brush hog. The wood was 8 inch Alder, semi green. Fiskars makes a folding saw that is identical to the Lapander, except no coating (I tried both). Yes it rusts, but it WAY out cuts the Lapander. It is made for gardners, not sportsman. Same steel, same teeth. The coating really slows the Laplander down. The Gerber Brush Hog outchopped all the knives (Long handle, sharp edge). The Gerber Sportsman hatchet out chopped everything. I counted chops then measured the size of the notch. Saw and Hatchet went clear through with less chops or less time.
Ron Athay
 
Awesome test. I've been considering picking up a 9 to use with a smaller knife instead of a hatchet, and am still on the edge. My G&B Wildlife Hatchet eats up wood like nobody's business, and works on smaller branches if held close by the head. Maybe I should give the 9 a try anyway... bah!
 
I'm surprised by the number of people in the Becker community ( what i consider a largely outdoors community) that don't own Laplanders.

If your into knives and the outdoors/Bush stuff, you really should have a folding saw.

All those who've been thinking about it or intrigued by this thread, navigate your browser away and by one right now.

At a cool $25, there's no reason not have a virtually weightless, crucial piece of gear
 
I actually have a folding saw, but never take it out with me. I prefer to chop, it's just more fun and I honestly never find myself needing s "clean" edge on my cuts.
 
I just ordered a BK9 a few days ago, it will be my first Becker and I'm pretty excited about going out and giving it some use. I like using my Sawvivor saw for larger tasks, a hatchet for splitting, and I wanted a belt knife for cleaning off smaller branches and clearing stuff. I think the BK9 will be a nice addition.
 
stvpourciau said:
I'm surprised by the number of people in the Becker community ( what i consider a largely outdoors community) that don't own Laplanders.

If your into knives and the outdoors/Bush stuff, you really should have a folding saw.

All those who've been thinking about it or intrigued by this thread, navigate your browser away and by one right now.

At a cool $25, there's no reason not have a virtually weightless, crucial piece of gear
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All of my camping trips to date have been out of a truck, so I bring a large bow saw so I haven't needed a folding saw yet. I did recently add one to my shopping cart though.
 
How did I miss this thread?!
Great review man. Yeah, the Laplander is great. Mine bent on me going through some larger stuff. However, I was able to straighten it out and it still preforms flawlessly.
As far as the BK9 goes, I am constantly amazed at its chopping ability. A true beast! And yet I find it to still be surprisingly nimble, agile, and quick in the hand.
 
majigy said:
I just ordered a BK9 a few days ago, it will be my first Becker and I'm pretty excited about going out and giving it some use. I like using my Sawvivor saw for larger tasks, a hatchet for splitting, and I wanted a belt knife for cleaning off smaller branches and clearing stuff. I think the BK9 will be a nice addition.
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The 9 will certainly handle those tasks well, but it's way too big for me to carry on my belt. I made a baldric out of paracord that works great for carrying my large knives. Enjoy your 9 and don't be afraid to leave the hatchet at home!
 
BuckeyeGuy said:
The 9 will certainly handle those tasks well, but it's way too big for me to carry on my belt. I made a baldric out of paracord that works great for carrying my large knives. Enjoy your 9 and don't be afraid to leave the hatchet at home!
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Yeah, I don't like to belt carry my 9 either. I carry mine in a kydex sheath with a strap that goes over my right shoulder and under my left arm. Secure but easy and quick to take on and off when I don't need it.
 
bigghoss said:
All of my camping trips to date have been out of a truck, so I bring a large bow saw so I haven't needed a folding saw yet. I did recently add one to my shopping cart though.
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You need one because its too cheap to not have one, kinda like a Mora. It just needs to be there somewhere, if only in a bag.

On a side note, I grew up with one of those cheesy Rambo knives after abandoning a WW2 kabar that i used to run around with (stupid kid move), so I have no issue belt caddying a Bk9, Im just used to it enough to find it unobtrusive.
 
Just bought a Laplander because of this thread. I did a little research first, and it looks like Silkys are a little better but nearly twice as expensive.
 
bigghoss said:
Yeah, I don't like to belt carry my 9 either. I carry mine in a kydex sheath with a strap that goes over my right shoulder and under my left arm. Secure but easy and quick to take on and off when I don't need it.
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It's not that the 9 is too heavy to belt carry, it's just too long to easily draw/resheath. Mine stays in my pack until it's time to process some wood, at which time I put it and the Laplander on my shoulder rig and go hunting for dead wood. I prefer to chop vertical standing deadwood with the BK9 because I have bent the tip of my saw taking down a standing tree. Once it is on the ground, the Laplander chews through it and the BK9 splits it up.
 
HotSteel said:
Just bought a Laplander because of this thread. I did a little research first, and it looks like Silkys are a little better but nearly twice as expensive.
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I came to the same conclusion. I didn't feel the performance justified the price. I picked up my Laplander for $19 plus shipping off of amazon. My only complaint is that replacement blades cost just as much as a whole new system.
 
Why did I have to read this so many months before Christmas! I'll have to settle on my inexpensive Tramontina Bolo Machete for a little while longer. I have a folding saw but where's the fun in that?
 
zeedeegood said:
Why did I have to read this so many months before Christmas! I'll have to settle on my inexpensive Tramontina Bolo Machete for a little while longer. I have a folding saw but where's the fun in that?
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Tramontina is a pretty good machete. Bet it'll out chop a BK9.
 
stvpourciau said:
Ditto, I really wanna see that review.
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I have a bunch of machetes including a standard Tram I've been wanting to compare but I don't have a good location to try them out. I did to a comparison with the BK9 and some other large blades that I put on youtube.
 
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