Bought my first BK16

B.Mauser

B.Mauser

Joined
Jul 22, 2011
Messages
2,348
I have always been a clip point guy. I inherited that from my father. He was a 23 year military veteran,first serving in the Air Force and then the Army. He was also a big hunter and fisherman. After a few years with my boyscout knife my first fixed blade was an Air Force Pilots knife. My favorite knife for years until my dad gave me a Buck 119 in high school.

I went through a lot of knives since then but there is nothing I would rather have now than a Becker. So when the tweeners were announced I was drawn to the BK17 more than the others. I couldn't wait to get one and ordered the FPR17 the first day they were available. Love it and don't regret that choice. But boy I wish I had bought the 16 sooner. I see why its so popular. I really enjoy using it. I have not had it long so I'm still getting to know it but wow, it is a pleasure to use. My 17 is getting put away and I'm going to be running the 9 and 16 combo this summer. I might have to change my sig line. :)

I also picked up my first set of tweener micarta. Enough talk. Here are a few pictures.:thumbup:

All 3 tweeners together.

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Congrats on the new steel! Now you finally see what all the fuss is about.

That is a nice looking 16. How do you like the micarta?

And yes it's time for a new sig. haha

Thanks for sharing man.


And cool pic: "Tweener's on Ice"
 
Thanks Dex. Yes I definitely see what all the fuss is about. There are only a few of the currently produced Beckers I don't have and this really should have come sooner. At least I finally figured it out.

I really like grivory handles. So far don't like the micarta much. I used it for some feathersticks and stick carving when I took the fire picture and it had a hot spot that made my hand sore for the rest of the day. I have never had grivory do that to me. Now I am using them just like they came from Kabar. So I think I will smooth them out some with sandpaper and see if it helps. I also am thinking about waxing them. I saw some waxed micarta on here before that looked pretty cool. Honestly though, the main reason I bought these is for my leather work. I want to be able to provide the best fitting sheaths I can.


By the way, you might have something to do with this purchase also.
I cant stop going to your mod thread and drooling over that BK16 with the black pinned on handles. So nice! You are good.:thumbup:
 
I don't have a 17 yet.... But have a ffg and saber 16 and feel they are the best all around blade for me. Super comfortable and just to right size for most bushcraft/camp chores and general messing around. When paired with a larger blade like the 4 or 9 it is a great set that can tackle most issues in the woods.

Enjoy your 16 and yes your gonna need to update your sig line lol
 
Hey B.Mauser, Yes I do recommend breaking the edges of the micarta scales with sandpaper. A few of my sets came really blocky from Ka-bar so I know exactly what you mean. I have smoothed out most of my sets and notice no hot spots at all. Give the Micarta a chance............. you will soon never want to touch Grivory or Zytel again. haha

And I tried waxing some micarta. Didn't come out as expected tho.
 
The sixteen is a great blade. I've extensivly used the 17 as well and I keep going back to the 16 for it's ability to do comfortable push cuts and although it heald up just fine to a royal pounding batoning with the 17 has always made me a little nervous. Also chews up the baton after a while. The micarta is great. I'd like to get another set in the near future for my 15.
 
Hey BMauser.....

Every knife has something to teach it's owner, even if it screams At you that it was designed by idiots and made by the uncoordinated....The knife that taught me , more than any other, what worked in a blade that size and which served me well for five decades, was a PUMA hunters friend which is a VERY traditional German hunting/utility pattern........ The Sixteen is what that Puma taught me........ It's little brother the Hunter's Pal and big brother White Hunter also contributed a great deal of my understanding of what really works.....

Glad You like it........

Ethan
 
B.Mauser said:
Thanks Dex. Yes I definitely see what all the fuss is about. There are only a few of the currently produced Beckers I don't have and this really should have come sooner. At least I finally figured it out.

I really like grivory handles. So far don't like the micarta much. I used it for some feathersticks and stick carving when I took the fire picture and it had a hot spot that made my hand sore for the rest of the day. I have never had grivory do that to me. Now I am using them just like they came from Kabar. So I think I will smooth them out some with sandpaper and see if it helps. I also am thinking about waxing them. I saw some waxed micarta on here before that looked pretty cool. Honestly though, the main reason I bought these is for my leather work. I want to be able to provide the best fitting sheaths I can.


By the way, you might have something to do with this purchase also.
I cant stop going to your mod thread and drooling over that BK16 with the black pinned on handles. So nice! You are good.:thumbup:
Click to expand...

about 5 minutes with some 220 grit emory cloth makes a world of difference with the kabar micarta.
OTOH, if you just can't make yourself like it, you can get the same handle thickness by adding some liners to the factory grivory.
 
Kevin Smith would cast Ben Affleck as the shark in Jaws, and I would cast the BK-16.

Glad you finally found out what we're always on about.

"BK-16: How could you not want that!" :D
 
The 16 with micarta is a whole new world and about as good as it gets. Great choice.
 
Thanks for all the reply's my friends. I will be going after these Micarta grips with some sandpaper for sure. :thumbup: And Vic that's a great idea about the grivory liners. I like this extra thickness and the other tweeners seem skinny now.



Ethan Becker said:
Hey BMauser.....

Every knife has something to teach it's owner, even if it screams At you that it was designed by idiots and made by the uncoordinated....The knife that taught me , more than any other, what worked in a blade that size and which served me well for five decades, was a PUMA hunters friend which is a VERY traditional German hunting/utility pattern........ The Sixteen is what that Puma taught me........ It's little brother the Hunter's Pal and big brother White Hunter also contributed a great deal of my understanding of what really works.....

Glad You like it........

Ethan
Click to expand...


Hi Ethan

I love to hear the neat bits of history you share with us. I remember you mentioning the Puma hunters friend in one of your interviews but I didn't realize how much they influenced your designs. I had no idea there were other sizes of pumas either. I looked up some pictures of the other Puma knives and it was interesting to see them. The thumb ramp on the larger knife caught my eye right away.

Thank you for the reply!

Brian


Here is the picture I found showing the 3 Puma knives for anyone who is interested.

Pumaknife3sizes_zpsd337ef61.jpg
 
B.Mauser said:
Hi Ethan

I love to hear the neat bits of history you share with us. I remember you mentioning the Puma hunters friend in one of your interviews but I didn't realize how much they influenced your designs. I had no idea there were other sizes of pumas either. I looked up some pictures of the other Puma knives and it was interesting to see them. The thumb ramp on the larger knife caught my eye right away.

Thank you for the reply!

Brian


Here is the picture I found showing the 3 Puma knives for anyone who is interested.

Pumaknife3sizes_zpsd337ef61.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow - Not only that, but the white hunter looks like a Granddaddy Brute. Very cool! :D
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(picture stolen from the Warrior)
 
DunkEm said:
How do you find out about First Production Runs to be able to get one?
Click to expand...

Right here in the Becker forums is the best place to find out about everything going on with Becker's.

These came out in early 2012. A lot of us here were going crazy waiting for the tweeners to come out. Of course the mods had theirs all ready and were torturing us with pictures.:) Its still months before Kabar will sell us one. One day someone posted here that these FPR's were available early from a huge knife store that does not advertise here so I probably shouldn't mention their name. It think after shipping they were around $100 but I didn't want to wait a few more months.

They are not that rare, if I remember correctly there was somewhere around 1000 of each 3 models. You can still find these for sale. I think there is one on that big auction site right now.
 
The Pumas were my first "quality" knives......... I got to use my big brother's Gerber White Hunter model but, the Puma was mine, all mine....... Mine, mine, MINE !.......... Then there came the KA-BARs and a very nice about ten inch Solingen Bowie which I did not understand but wish I still had......I could make that baby sing today....... About that time(14 or so) I got a Swiss engineer bayonet with a saw back......I was sure I would be crapping in the high cotton with such a fine MULTIPURPOSE tool....... WRONG...... The saw teeth were fine but all you got was a kerf the depth of the teeth....... I have never trusted saw backs since....LOL..... A separate saw really works best........

The Pumas had their faults but they had good steel, full tangs and interesting shapes........ Most importantly the had really good blade and edge geometry..... Not, mind, that I had the SLIGHTEST clue as to what blade or edge geometry was back then but, I knew the knives actually CUT stuff !!!..... Those blades taught me a LOT......

Ethan
 
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