Convince me that Becker isn't crap

CanadaKnifeGuy said:
There were a batch of old Camillus BK-11's that were extremely poorly ground and also had the tips rounded off.

You could have one of those...

But I've taken one of those and put an amazing 20° convex edge on it within :07 - :10 mins on a Worksharp belt sharpener.

I also use this edge formula on my BK-15 knife and it's even the best edge for my THIN Dexter Russell fillet knives!

Stays usably sharp for ever and it's a robust edge that won't fold / chip / roll easily.

It's also the edge I put on relative's kitchen knives. WAY sharper than what they w ere using and keeps a usable edge a lot longer, which is important because they don't maintain their knives at all
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Seconded. The WS is v good for the large Beckers. :thumbsup:
 
If you need to reprofile the edge, you might need some bigger guns than a Sharpmaker:
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numbersman said:
I actually wish that I had titled this thread differently, like maybe "I Really Want To Love This Knife But...". I know that Beckers have a cult following, so they must make some pretty good knives, but this just isn't one of them. I'm not going to claim to be a great sharpener, but I'm not that bad either. There really is something wrong with this one.
I anm getting a burr, and I am removing it with a leather strop, same as I do all my knives. I guess I will keep at it and work on that back bevel, too.
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Can always change the title. Becker’s have a pretty good rep. Odds are the Becker is fine.
 
Sometimes life gives you a lemon. Give Kabar a chance to make it better. Unless you have a Camillus. They're not around. But Becker is a generally a properly designed high quality blade for the price. And I don't hesitate for a second to use a BK-5 outdoors, or in the kitchen. Slicing a roast, or steak for fajitas, with that knife is a lot of fun, it's basically a camp chef's knife. The BK-4 is a beast when it comes to chopping.

That said, the steel used in the Kabar/Becker line is called 1095 CroVan. It is also called 0170-6C. It was also called Carbon V, when used by Cold Steel. If you can't get your BK-11 to take an edge, it is defective. That's just a fact. It's not an indictment of the whole Becker name, or line of cutting tools. The other possibility is that, as has been mentioned, your sharpening technique needs improvement. If both, it is a worst-case scenario. But, if you can keep an acceptable edge on your other knives, it's highly probable, and indeed, most likely, that YOUR PARTICULAR knife is a piece of crap. Call Kabar....
 
I don’t think you are as good at sharpening as you think you are. If you said it wasn’t holding an edge, I would be more likely to blame the knife. Someone with sharpening skills should be able to make anything sharp. It just takes a basic understanding of angles and materials. I am no god to sharpening either but when I struggle with a knife, I study and practice. I don’t blame a highly regarded knife made out of 1095 lol.
 
I’ve only had 5 Beckers (one I bought in ‘04, a Camillus made BK2, and Kabar made 11, 14, 10, and the BK9), and they are NOT crap. I upgraded to ESEEs because I prefer their sheaths, but to get back on topic Beckers are NOT difficult to sharpen.
 
Lee D said:
I’ve only had 5 Beckers (one I bought in ‘04, a Camillus made BK2, and Kabar made 11, 14, 10, and the BK9), and they are NOT crap. I upgraded to ESEEs because I prefer their sheaths, but to get back on topic Beckers are NOT difficult to sharpen.
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*forgot, I had a 17 too. I really regret letting that one go:oops:
 
Pilsner said:
You can get some decent sheaths for Beckers, aftermarket. Scales too... ;)

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Those are nice :thumbsup:
In my personal experience, quality aftermarket sheaths can cost nearly as much as a well made fixed blade :eek:, so I try buy fixed blades with good, usable factory sheaths.

*I had one made by Skystorm around ‘12 for my BK2 before he became a scumbag, and it cost me as much as the knife. lol
 
It sounds like you need to practice. Many, many people have no problem sharpening that knife.
 
You're welcome to join the rest of the Beckerheads on the BK&T subforum -
https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/becker-knife-tool.827/
The experts there can certainly assist in a more detailed examination of your BK11.
Pictures of the knife and it's edge would be be very helpful.

I also have the Sharpmaker with CBN rods and, though great at what it can do, it is not made for serious edge reprofiling. If the existing edge is not close to 40° inclusive, it's going to take a very long time (hours?) to get it there with the Sharpmaker. Forget 30°!
It is useless going to the Medium, and especially the Fine or Ultra Fine, rods if you cannot get a 'paper slicer' with just the CBN rods.
Are you sure you are hitting the apex?
Have you used a Sharpie marker to blacken the edge and see where the rods are making contact?
 
Bench stones might be more effective at re-profiling an edge than any of the guided systems. If a lot of metal needs to be removed, start with a fine file, then go to the coarse/medium/fine hones. An angle guide would be useful when re-profiling.
 
The steel is good for a simple steel heat treated in large batches. I had to reprofile the edge, which I pretty much have to do with any user.

For the person wanting a knife they can count on to take abuse on a budget, they are probably in the top 3 choices for good options.

I use a guided stone system to set edges, then ceramic rods and a strop to maintain edges. But getting that good profile first, with a refined edge to start with, is key to getting the sharpness you desire.

I can shave with my bk-15, for instance. When i got it, it was usably sharp but not to my standards and the grind was done with a rough grit. Spyderco is the same that way.

But I didn't buy them for their edges because im never happy with any edge grinds from any factory knife yet. Never.
 
So, OP, are ya all convinced by now that Beckers are NOT crap? If not, allow me to add, I'd trust my life to either of mine, recognizing that proper cutting technique is more important than specific cutting tool. Call Kabar, see if there's anything they can do. Unless you've done so much damage that it doesn't look like a knife anymore.

Many manufacturers actually like to have the occasional defective item returned so that it can be examined to determine the specific nature of the failure. In industry parlance, it is referred to as a "Process Indicator," meaning that somewhere along the line, there was a breakdown in proper procedure. In the vernacular, it's a "Friday Afternoon" knife...
 
Reprofile on stone at lower angle first untill you get burr,then use sharpmaker to take burr off...then try it out
 
I have used Becker knives and they have never let me down. That said, I did not always have the best sharpening technique. What you really need is a quick fix.
So we determined it is a genuine Becker. Next we try using a worksharp which will put a good edge on it fast. Big knives can wear one out and there goes angle and pressure control. The worksharp will take that variable out of the equation.

If that is not an easy thing to do, then try a local pro sharpener. Depending on where you live, this may be easy or impossible.
You could send it in to the manufacturer, I think they offer sharpening for a small fee and shipping.
Finally, if all those options don't work, try one of our service providers here. Many of them can reprofile the edge for less obtuse angle and sharpen it up to whatever grit you are willing to pay for.
The keen edge one can get on this simple steel is so satisfying to use. I really hope you find a solution and get to enjoy a really good knife.
 
My BK2 was so dull it wouldn’t even cut melted butter when I got it. Once that was sorted out with a nice sharpening session, the knife is SWEET!

EDIT: Also my BK62 is my favourite fixed blade ever. Becker rules!!
 
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