Camillus BK-X prototype blank or Attempted Fake or Some other brand knife????

zzyzzogeton

zzyzzogeton

Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
6,173
OK, I picked this up off the bay. It was advertised as a "Camillus Becker knife blade blank" and the description read

"Blade blank is tanto shape and supposedly D2 steel already heat treated with a thickness of .252 on the blade down to .247 on the handle. ".

It kinda looked like a Becker, but 1) the blade has a tanto tip, which, I understand, Ethan doesn't like. I have never, in my short experiences with Beckers, heard of a D2 version. I figured what the heck and bid on it.

The thickness seems to kinda match the Camillus Becker specs (allowing for future finishing to thin it a little).

According to communications from the seller, he bought it "years ago" as a kit (came with a couple of black canvas micarta handles drilled to fit the holes. No hex head holes. Just round ones on both handles.

Well, it here.....
IF it's a Camillus Becker, it's nearly the same size as a Cam BK-2
Blank and Cam BK2.jpg

But, it has a thumb ramp and a finger guard reminiscent of a Camillus BK7
Blank and BK7.jpg

But wait.... it has a skeletonized handle, like the Kabar BK2 (I have never taken the handles off one of my Camilli Beckers. They are glued on.) I was under the impression that the Camilli Beckers were solid handles. ????
Blank and Kabar BK2.jpg

Here's the blade portion in a close up view.... Note the thumb ramp has FIVE grooves, not THREE like the BK7 and BK9
Blank Blade.jpg

Note that the blade appears heated - BUT is is yellowish along the edge and bluish in the middle. If it was truly heat treated, I would think that the color would be more uniformly colored. Having never performed a heat treatment process myself, I don't know.
The edges APPEAR to be laser cut, not water-jetted. I think it is not heat treated, just laser heated. The previous owner looked at the discoloration and assumed that when he was told it was heat treated D2, he took the seller's word for gospel.

And here's the handle by itself... The screw holes are larger than and the distance between the two end holes is about 3/8" LESS THAN the distance between the same holes on a Kabar BK2. Therefore, standard handles do not fit.
Blank handle.jpg

My observations lead me to conclude the following:
1) It is definitely NOT a production Becker of any sort.
2) It is not heat treated.

So the question that remain are:

Is this
1) some sort of prototype or maybe a "dorking around the cutter" blank from Camillus?
or
2) a wanna-be Becker look-a-like?
or
3) a blank for some other model of blade made by Camillus or someone else

Also, is there someway to test for what the type of steel is so I can have it heat treated the proper way after I get done finishing it?

Now here I sit, waiting to be enlightened, hoorahed, slammed, etc. :D:D:D
 
i hope you didn't pay any money :)
 
Ethan might know more...

it almost looks like a try at a BK12, or a BK10 but ... Skellied? Nah

has a factory look. could be a Magnum ;)

440 stainless.

:D
 
Yeah, it sure ain't a becker for a million reasons.
It's kinda ugly BUT perhaps could become a knife. You could even round out the belly to remove the tanto bump if you didn't like it.

You'd better hope it's heat-treated or you'll never know what kind of steel it ACTUALLY is, which makes heat-treating difficult. The colors are plausibly consistent with heat treating of some kind, BUT it could be heat affects from the laser cutting process. Given the darkening around the edges, I think that's most likely. Easy to check: take a file (or another knife!) to the place where the edge will be (which will be ground off) and see how it cuts. If it wrecks your file or skates off, it's probably hard. A good file will cut soft steel like cream cheese.

Now the extra bad news: If it IS heat-treated D2, you'll probably never find anyone bored and unemployed enough to try to put primary bevels on it. :D. Grinding hardened 1095 is just awful. A2? forget it. D2? Maybe you can find someone with some horrible sins on their conscience for which they feel the need for penance.
 
could be worse...

could be talonite :D there's a funny post about that somewhere...
 
Not from Camillus.

Probably Stainless Steel (could already be hardened, check edge area with file).

My guess is it is from United auction.

And yes, Camillus did use D2!
 
....and there is your answer. Not gonna get any more official then that. Looks like that could grind out to be ok but that tanto has to go :(

Sometimes you gamble sometimes you loose...
 
Well, I figured it wasn't a real Becker, but I also figured I could at least use it as a learning experience. I working on a contact that is supposed to have the capability of determining the steel type (some sort of destuctive test where I'd give them some pieces). And yep, the tanto would be where I got the sample. :D
 
Based on what I saw at the United auction, IF it is United made, it would be more than likely 154CM.
 
Bill Siegle said:
That is a Microtech blade blank.
Click to expand...

B.Mauser said:
Well there you go. Its the Currahee.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mic...blank&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch
Click to expand...

Thank goodness for the internet...but mostly for you fine gentlemen. Looks like you actually found yourself a decent piece of steel, zzyzz. Microtech is no slouch when it comes to knives. Though I've not handled any of their fixed blades, the folders and autos that I've been privileged to flip or fire were outstanding.
 
Thanks for the help in identifying this blank.

So we have some good news -
1) We know what it is and that it's actually a blank of a real knife.
2) We know what the steel type is supposed to be if it really is a MT Currahee, D2. (Found several threads here on BF that show real Currahees w/ D2 etched on the blade.)
3) It's NOT heat treated, so it will be relatively easy to remove the tanto and make it look like a drop point Currahee (which is also valid).
I put a file to it and one scrape of the file did this to the tanto corner:
curahee file mark.jpg

Now for the bad news:
It's NOT heat treated and I don't have a clue. :D

Assuming that what Daizee said, I'm guessing I should grind/file/sand it to nearly done, GET it heat treated and then finish it since I don't want to spend my next 2 lifetimes finishing it from blank down to finished AFTER heat treating :D:D

So, How thin do I work the edge down to before I get it heat treated?
Remember, I am totally clueless about heat-treating processes and a total nube at knife making.
 
zzyzzogeton said:
Thanks for the help in identifying this blank.

So we have some good news -
1) We know what it is and that it's actually a blank of a real knife.
2) We know what the steel type is supposed to be if it really is a MT Currahee, D2. (Found several threads here on BF that show real Currahees w/ D2 etched on the blade.)
3) It's NOT heat treated, so it will be relatively easy to remove the tanto and make it look like a drop point Currahee (which is also valid).
I put a file to it and one scrape of the file did this to the tanto corner:
View attachment 404854

Now for the bad news:
It's NOT heat treated and I don't have a clue. :D

Assuming that what Daizee said, I'm guessing I should grind/file/sand it to nearly done, GET it heat treated and then finish it since I don't want to spend my next 2 lifetimes finishing it from blank down to finished AFTER heat treating :D:D

So, How thin do I work the edge down to before I get it heat treated?
Remember, I am totally clueless about heat-treating processes and a total nube at knife making.
Click to expand...
I think this is where you start branching out and visit the knifemaker's discussion forum, where there is LOTS of info for newbs, and a lot of very helpful folks as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top