Coming this Spring - KA-BAR Becker BK40 Folder

The becker-daizee collab folder. Im still interested. Too bad kabar probably wouldnt sell some without the blade though.
 
The Warrior said:
I wish people would stop the China bashing BS. I get it, but how many times does it need to be said? I locked this thread up because it had ran it's course, then unlocked it when I found out they were released. Right back to it...
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Oh no, they don't get off that easy. We waited for ever to have a Becker folder. Kabar should know the disappointment shared in the poor choices they made. China has no place in the same sentence as Ethan Becker. It's using sub par steel. It's gfn. The thumb studs look disgusting and take away functionality. It's everything a Becker is not.

A giant fu to every customer that dreamt of a Becker folder.
 
Well, here's my review, for what it's worth. It's a good knife for maybe $20. $40 is overpriced for the quality, construction, and tolerances. I have had it apart to try and get it to work better and not have blade play, and no dice. Eliminate the play and you can barely move the blade, and might as well carry a BK16 then. There's a weird stop when opening where the detent ball falls off the blade, then goes back onto the blade, then locks up. Maybe a stop so you can baton with it and not damage the lock? That's cool, but why would you baton with it? Use a fixed blade, a wedge, or a hatchet, not a ~3.5 inch blade.

It is not that easy to get apart, and they used a grease to lube everything. I used oil and it didn't help the action and one of the washers has burrs on it that I may or may not fix later (they're on the non-blade side). I may thin the washers anyway, to see if i can get the blade to be play free and still operate freely. However the pivot hole in the blade is oversized, the stop pin channel is oversized, and the pivot itself is D shaped, but they seemed to think making the liner D shaped would cost too much? Just make the pivot round, but it may be an existing part and cheaper to source.

Went back together easily, it's centered as well. I do like the knife, the handles are EXCELLENT. Very comfortable. The blade shape is great, I love it, and it is VERY sharp out of the box. Internal tolerances just aren't good at all. The Ontario Rat 1 is a better value (I got mine for $28, even if it is an ugly OD Green!). The Spyderco Tenacious has much better tolerances, easier to take apart, easier to manipulate, and G10 scales for not much more at all.

So in conclusion...I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. I want to carry it and use it and love it. I love the design, the blade, the handles...but its hard to open, not very smooth (but it may get better, or I can work on the washers to see if I can make it better), and the blade wiggles.

I'm not returning it, I have taken it apart and messed with it, so I'll either keep it and use it to see if I can get it to feel better, or sell or give it to someone who needs a knife. I really love the design. Just needs to be made better. Kabar, get We/Civivi to make them. Guarantee they'll be amazing, and I'd spend $20 more for one with good tolerances, better action, and no blade play.
 
Eero said:
Thanks for the review I can’t wait until mine comes
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Hope yours is good! I may send mine to kabar and see what they say. I'm sure there are lemons, happens with all products. I really love the design and feel, but just can't get over the play and difficulty in operating.
 
I wasn’t thrilled with the action on mine either, but had no play. Semi resolved my issue by removing the thumb studs and putting a smaller set on. acton is much better
b5y20Pm.jpg
 
I have some extra kvt bearing from kershaw. I doubt i could swap out the washers for them but i might just try.
 
So the BK-40 is already in my hands. Thanks, Tomars!

Thoughts:
For the price point, they've done a good job.
It is TOTALLY a Tweener Folder. Just is exactly that.
The blade shape is *gorgeous*. Looks well-ground and finished appropriately. Very nice to the touch. All the dimensions are well-balanced.

Action is smooth, but not fast - fine. That will slick up with use. Lock-up is positive. I THINK the lockbar provides both fore and aft stability when open. I don't think there's another stop pin? (looking from the outside) When closed, it appears the detent and the back spacer are the stops.

I don't love the feel of the handles and they have some flex to them. Makes me want to retrofit the blade and a lock mechanism between a set of tweener micarta! :p (no no, that's probably not a thing)

I'm not sure how I feel about the tweener handles on a folder. LOVE them on a fixie.
For making something that is unquestionably a Becker Folder with good ergonomics, it's spot on.
I might want smaller, tho.

$40 for a set of handles on a custom blade is cheap. That's the cost of '62 or Tweener micarta scales.

If the spine had more features, perhaps the thumb studs could be designed out.

Compared to an 'actual' tweener (or actual tweener dimensions, anyway), it's spot-on:

IMG_20210510_162918-small.jpg


I'm just thinking out loud here...
 
Just got mine in as well. Agree pretty much with daizee. Are these handles slightly longer than a regular tweener handle?
My photos were taken indoors = not too great:



It is a nice looking knife:





My hand seems to fit better on this handle, versus a tweeners:

 
Mine should arrive tomorrow. Seems people like it...like I said, why not give it a chance? foot in the door and all that, start low and the only way they can go is up with this one.
 
Yeah, just a smidge longer than standard Tweener handles. Some adjustments for the practicalities of folders and pivot points, but very very close. A tad taller in a couple spots, which I bet is part of what you're feeling, Dubz.
 
daizee said:
Yeah, just a smidge longer than standard Tweener handles. Some adjustments for the practicalities of folders and pivot points, but very very close. A tad taller in a couple spots, which I bet is part of what you're feeling, Dubz.
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Just that little extra sure does make a difference.
 
Oh, I see that tracking cross-pin that the others were talking about. Hmm, ok. That makes it look quite a bit stronger AND will stiffen the handles/frame a lot more than just the pivot.
 
Mines out for delivery, should get it hand soon.

i wonder if they move production to taiwan, not only will we get a d2 option but also maybe something to toughen up that flexibility. Maybe some solid liners?

from the pictures, the handles look significantly longer than the tweeners. Maybe an illusion like curved magazines have.
 
Mass1632 said:
Mines out for delivery, should get it hand soon.

i wonder if they move production to taiwan, not only will we get a d2 option but also maybe something to toughen up that flexibility. Maybe some solid liners?

from the pictures, the handles look significantly longer than the tweeners. Maybe an illusion like curved magazines have.
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it does have metal liners
 
Mass1632 said:
Mines out for delivery, should get it hand soon.

i wonder if they move production to taiwan, not only will we get a d2 option but also maybe something to toughen up that flexibility. Maybe some solid liners?

from the pictures, the handles look significantly longer than the tweeners. Maybe an illusion like curved magazines have.
Click to expand...

Handle length difference is 1/8"-3/16". Not much.
But the blade is shorter in length and height by necessity (must fit inside folded envelope), which makes the handles look relatively larger.

It does have metal liners. They're thinner than I'd prefer, but fine.
D2 is a miserable steel except under very narrowly optimized conditions, IMO ("miserable" compared to available alternatives). But for a folder you aren't going to beat on really hard, perhaps not an awful choice. Of course it seems to be the only other carbon tool steel Kabar plays with. Taiwan isn't magic; I don't think there's any reason design/material changes couldn't be implemented in whatever mainland China factory made this.

I'm struggling with the size. It's COOL as a Tweener folder, but I think I'm just not into folders this size. I have the same issue with fancy ones like ZT's and big Spyderco knives - I don't need a huge folder, but many of you do. This sexy blade shape in a 3" version with some handle contour adjustments would be an excellent EDC for me.
 
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