Cann anyone recommend some good bowie/ outdoor knives?

A

Adaam

Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
15
I may now be getting a bowie for general outdoor use. I was first looking at a kabar d2 or next generation, but they aren't really the best knife for my needs. I'm now looking at a kabar Becker BK7 and BK9, to give you an idea of the size I want in a bowie/ outdoor knife. I'd like the blade to be at least 7 inches, preferably around 8 or 9, and if a knife has a bigger blade but its very good, I'll consider that too. I don't mind what steel it's made from anymore, as I have recently discovered that rust on a blade is not the biggest issue in the world, and carbon steels have some preferable properties to stainless, or stain resistant steels. I've also found the Ontario RAT 7, to give you an idea of what outdoor knives I'm looking at. I haven't really found any bowies, so if you have any recommendations for either an outdoor or bowie knife, please let me know.
 
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If you like the Beckers, you can't really go wrong with them for the price!

Well, these are a little larger, more in the 10" blade range, but great camping knives. And fun to swing around! :)

Ontario Raider, CS Laredo, Fallkniven Thor, Browning Competition, Jose Diaz Pointy Cain Toad, ESEE Junglas
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For the price, I'd recomend the Browning Comp knife, or Junglas for outdoor use. The Ontario Raider for affordability. And the Laredo for a fighter. :)
 
BK9 all the way - you already know you want one. Here, look at my BK9 commercial...

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See it chop!
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Marvel as it snap cuts!
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Cringe as it goes all tactical on your backside!
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Salivate as it prepares snacks!
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Hear the angels sing as it pops its Excalibur pose!
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Heck yeah you want one. :D


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Beckerhead #42
 
I highly reccomend a BK-7 or BK-9.
Just know that if you buy a Buy a Becker knife, you will end up buying more Beckers.
 
All those mentioned so far are fine knives, especially the Beckers. For something a bit fancier (and more expensive), check out Bark River. Beautiful outdoor-oriented blades available in a wide variety of handle materials.
 
Wow. I really like the look of that Ontario Raider in that photo you posted BryFry. Has anyone got anything to say about it? The others are quite nice, but the Ontario looks awesome! That is pretty much the kind of knife I really like (I'm not putting the others off my list of possibiliteies, it's just the Ontario has that iconic look of a bowie, and I like that simply because it looks cool). Thankyou for the photos of your BK9 GingivitisKahn, there are some nice photos there (and some good captions too, they made me laugh). I'm getting the feeling that the Beckers are excellent knives and people really like them. I may end up buying one, but that Ontario Raider looks nice. Two more questions:

1: Would I be better off with a BK7 or BK9 for use in the bush?

2: Can anyone recommend any more Bowie knives? You know, ones that have that iconic shape, similar to the Ontario Raider.

By the way, in my first post, I didn't post correctly. I don't really mind if a knife has a 10" blade, I actually like big knives. I just presumed that the 7-9" range was what people preferred, and was the range most good knives were built in. I don't actually mind what size it is, as long as it's not a machete or sword. I don't know why I posted that I only wanted up to a 9" blade, I love the big bowies, they're just so... awesome. Sorry, any blade size is welcome as long as it's at least 7".
 
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I think the BK9 is the best bet. It's a good size to be a chopper because it's light and very fast, but can also function very well as a slicer.
 
GingivitisKahn said:
BK9 all the way -

Cringe as it goes all tactical on your backside!

Hear the angels sing as it pops its Excalibur pose!

Heck yeah you want one. :)
Click to expand...

^ That really made me laugh right here! :)

Adaam said:
Wow. I really like the look of that Ontario Raider in that photo you posted BryFry. Has anyone got anything to say about it?
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It's a very solid knife. Thick and sturdy, but with a needle sharp tip. I sharpened the false edge on mine, and reprofiled the main edge to make it a bit more accute. The low sabre grind means it's not as gret of a slicer as a full flat ground blade, but it still gets the job done. :) ....and best of all, last I checked you can get one for around $60. :thumbup:

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Don't know if they are still for sale these days, but if you like that style of bowie google: "Western W49 Bowie Knife" , I think you'll like it.
 
Bark River makes some nice traditional Bowies using modern materials, :D


...real users. :thumbup: :cool: :thumbup:






Big Mike
 
Adaam said:
Wow. I really like the look of that Ontario Raider in that photo you posted BryFry. Has anyone got anything to say about it? The others are quite nice, but the Ontario looks awesome! That is pretty much the kind of knife I really like (I'm not putting the others off my list of possibiliteies, it's just the Ontario has that iconic look of a bowie, and I like that simply because it looks cool). Thankyou for the photos of your BK9 GingivitisKahn, there are some nice photos there (and some good captions too, they made me laugh). I'm getting the feeling that the Beckers are excellent knives and people really like them. I may end up buying one, but that Ontario Raider looks nice. Two more questions:

1: Would I be better off with a BK7 or BK9 for use in the bush?

2: Can anyone recommend any more Bowie knives? You know, ones that have that iconic shape, similar to the Ontario Raider.

By the way, in my first post, I didn't post correctly. I don't really mind if a knife has a 10" blade, I actually like big knives. I just presumed that the 7-9" range was what people preferred, and was the range most good knives were built in. I don't actually mind what size it is, as long as it's not a machete or sword. I don't know why I posted that I only wanted up to a 9" blade, I love the big bowies, they're just so... awesome. Sorry, any blade size is welcome as long as it's at least 7".
Click to expand...

Glad to help! :D As to your question 1 - I prefer the BK9. The BK7 is great and probably will give you better control for smaller stuff (though I'd rather have a BK2 for that) and it's lighter but the BK9 balances well and those extra couple of inches make a big difference for chopping, snap cutting and the like.

Mine sees lots of action when I hunt and want to get through whippy bush quickly, or want to build a blind, etc. It's a heck of a thing.

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Beckerhead #42
 
BryFry said:
If you like the Beckers, you can't really go wrong with them for the price!

Well, these are a little larger, more in the 10" blade range, but great camping knives. And fun to swing around! :)

Ontario Raider, CS Laredo, Fallkniven Thor, Browning Competition, Jose Diaz Pointy Cain Toad, ESEE Junglas
001-7.jpg


For the price, I'd recomend the Browning Comp knife, or Junglas for outdoor use. The Ontario Raider for affordability. And the Laredo for a fighter. :)
Click to expand...

Wow, I really like what you did to that Laredo- you just made me add a CS Laredo Bowie to my list of knives to get someday :)
 
Well I guess right now what I'm looking at is the Ontario SP10 and the Becker BK9. They both seem good, just I have one worry about the Ontario. My main concern is that while it is a great value for money knife, is it a knife that performs well compared to the Becker. What I'm asking is, with the SP10, is it a knife that does well for a $50 knife, but you wouldn't pay any more money for it, and it doesn't even compare to a Becker BK9 in terms of quality, heat treatment and all round usefulness? Or is it a knife you would happily pay $80- $100 for and is just as good as the Becker and is a legitimate contendor for the Becker, just that it's cheaper. Also, will it last as long as the BK9 (with proper care), or is it a good value knife that will fall apart in a year or two? I'm just asking this because IMO, the Ontario looks great, but from the photos between it and the Becker, the BK9 just looks better quality and not as "cheap", and a little bit more "refined" or neater, and well designed. It also looks nicer in terms of neatness, and just seems and looks more reliable and well built (for example, you can see the full tang). The Becker also looks "dressier" and more high end. I may be wrong, I don't know, but thats just what I see from the pictures. I don't know much about knives, and this is just what I see in my mind. I'm not saying the Ontario is bad, just that's what I see. The Ontario IMO is good, just the BK9 is...better. That being said, the Ontario looks awesome still, and looks like a mean knife.

Another unrelated question, which I am probably going cop a hiding for asking, but is Ontario Knife Company a good producer of knives, and do they make the same kind of quality and have the same kind of reputation as someone like KA-BAR? I can just tell this is an obvious answer, and some people will laugh, but I don't know.
 
Adaam said:
Well I guess right now what I'm looking at is the Ontario SP10 and the Becker BK9. They both seem good, just I have one worry about the Ontario. My main concern is that while it is a great value for money knife, is it a knife that performs well compared to the Becker. What I'm asking is, with the SP10, is it a knife that does well for a $50 knife, but you wouldn't pay any more money for it, and it doesn't even compare to a Becker BK9 in terms of quality, heat treatment and all round usefulness? Or is it a knife you would happily pay $80- $100 for and is just as good as the Becker and is a legitimate contendor for the Becker, just that it's cheaper. Also, will it last as long as the BK9 (with proper care), or is it a good value knife that will fall apart in a year or two? I'm just asking this because IMO, the Ontario looks great, but from the photos between it and the Becker, the BK9 just looks better quality and not as "cheap", and a little bit more "refined" or neater, and well designed. It also looks nicer in terms of neatness, and just seems and looks more reliable and well built (for example, you can see the full tang). The Becker also looks "dressier" and more high end. I may be wrong, I don't know, but thats just what I see from the pictures. I don't know much about knives, and this is just what I see in my mind. I'm not saying the Ontario is bad, just that's what I see. The Ontario IMO is good, just the BK9 is...better. That being said, the Ontario looks awesome still, and looks like a mean knife.

Another unrelated question, which I am probably going cop a hiding for asking, but is Ontario Knife Company a good producer of knives, and do they make the same kind of quality and have the same kind of reputation as someone like KA-BAR? I can just tell this is an obvious answer, and some people will laugh, but I don't know.
Click to expand...

The Ontario and Becker are both made from 1095 steel with reliable heat treats. The Becker is a bit more "refined" as you put it, with smoother lines, jimping, and handle scales. But I say have no worries about lasting durrability of the Ontario, it is a solid knife that should last a long time. The only possible problem I could see with it is that I have heard of other knives with similar rubber handles, where the handles eventually loosened up a bit around the tang. But I've never heard of this happening with the Ontario.

Performance wise, the Becker has a higher saber grind which will (in my opinion) make it slightly better at cutting and slicing. Not that the Ontario doesn't do well (helps to reprofile the edge a bit) ...just that the Becker is likely a tad better.

Basically, the Ontario is a good, reliable, soloid performer, and a bargin at what it costs. So if you like the style of it you should go for it, since you should use knives that you like and enjoy. ...But the Becker is a bit nicer overall, for a bit more money.

If that makes sense? :)
 
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