Coupla questions on the BK16

filedog · Oct 1, 2012

I have an Esee 4. Great quality and sheath, but a couple of things I always wished were better.
(Little thinner stock, no coating or choil, and more comfortable scales).
I saw the Becker BK16 someplace, and thought, "maybe this is the one".
I found this forum, read a lot of great posts, looked at pictures, and ordered my knife.
I would like to strip it, switch to micarta scales, and add a second sheath.
The stock one looks like it will be ok for my web gear, but I would like something smaller,
for field use.

Ok, so on to the questions. I read that when I strip the knife, the screws will be too long,
unless I add liners. The only micarta scales I can find are from Saint, if I don't want to wait
for Kabars scales. With Saint micarta on a stripped knife, there seems like too many variables
to know if a kydex sheath will fit right, correct? I would just have to buy one and try it....

One thing about the Esee (mine is an RC4, with the real kydex sheath, before they went to
the molded ones), the sheath works PERFECTLY. Adjustable tension, it slips in a fastens
with a nice "clack". I'm guessing it will be hard to get that fit with a custom kydex sheath,
especially with custom grips. Is leather a better option for this combo?
I'm not opposed to leather, but the nice ones will cost as much as the knife and new scales!

Saymon · Oct 1, 2012

You got a great knife! I love my BK 16 but not like the original sheath of her...I believe that leather sheat good will!

daizee · Oct 1, 2012

a custom sheath can be fit to YOUR knife and is likely to be BETTER than a factory sheath.

filedog · Oct 1, 2012

daizee said:
a custom sheath can be fit to YOUR knife and is likely to be BETTER than a factory sheath.

Copy that. BUT, if I replace the scales, I would need to send it to the builder, rather that buying one they already have made
for that knife? I was trying to avoid that.

brady.kevin07 · Oct 1, 2012

filedog said:
Copy that. BUT, if I replace the scales, I would need to send it to the builder, rather that buying one they already have made
for that knife? I was trying to avoid that.

You could always make your own kydex sheath

K9-Handler · Oct 1, 2012

filedog said:
Ok, so on to the questions. I read that when I strip the knife, the screws will be too long,
unless I add liners.

Filedog;
I don't know who you've been talking to, or where you've been researching, but that it totally false. I'm probably up to about 20 stripped Tweeners (BK-15,16,17) at this point (just did one today, in fact) and even make my own moulded scales, use stock scales and use spacers, and I can tell you with no uncertainty that stripping the finish will not require different screws. The newer factory coating is slightly thicker than the old factory coating, but we're only talking the thickness of a coat of paint!
Just the opposite is true: adding spacers will require you to use LONGER screws, even on a stripped knife.
If the screws were objectionably long, just giving them a touch on a sander or grinder would bring them back to the length they were on a stock knife -- but I've never felt the need to do that.

Keep an eye out on this forum tomorrow. I plan on introducing my newest creation, and it has a stripped Tweener blade with Saint micarta and stock screws.

DOC-CANADA · Oct 1, 2012

My question is, why do you want to strip the coating from under the scales, anyway?

I leave the coating under the scales to protect where I can't easily see, like I did with this H.E.S.T.

Doc

GODSPEED TACTICAL · Oct 2, 2012

Doc,

Your HEST is Beautiful!!! That's exactly what I've been thinking of doing to mine but I"m also tempted to clear the spine for firesteel striking... anyways just wanted to say NICE!

Here's my edc/man-bag HEST with a convexed edge... I find with the ESEE's (and I imagine the same with heavily coated tweeners) that just taking the shoulder off above the blade makes all the difference in the world when cutting.

Filedog: you only need to send your scales in.. or atleast that's all I require when making sheaths since I already have the knife and to save on time/shipping it's a good idea to just have your scales sent directly to the shop. I was waiting on KaBar micarta scales too but with the new timeframe and Saint offering colored G10, etc. I think it's a great way to go... been eyeballing'em.

ESEE-4 sheaths are still "real Kydex" and they've nevere switched to molded plastic... only the ESEE-3 & 6 have molded plastic sheaths. ESEE-Kydex sheaths are the best production sheaths I've seen but if you're impressed at all with them you'll be blown away by a custom (atleast potentially.... maker dependant).

You're gonna love the BK16.

Eli

DOC-CANADA · Oct 2, 2012

GODSPEED TACTICAL said:
Doc,

Your HEST is Beautiful!!! That's exactly what I've been thinking of doing to mine but I"m also tempted to clear the spine for firesteel striking... anyways just wanted to say NICE!

Here's my edc/man-bag HEST with a convexed edge... I find with the ESEE's (and I imagine the same with heavily coated tweeners) that just taking the shoulder off above the blade makes all the difference in the world when cutting.

Eli

Thanks GT. Coincidentally, I have been convexing my H.E.S.T. for awhile now (doing it by hand) and I just got it out to do a little more work on it, when I thought I'd pop in here to see if anything was going on. I had convexed it earlier, but I decided I wanted to run the convex edge up a little higher, so back to the 220 wet/dry. I'm almost finished with the 220. I think it's going to work well.

I really like the little H.E.S.T. except for the stupid bottle opener. As far as striking a ferro rod, I always keep a little piece of hacksaw blade with my ferro rod.

BTW, I didn't use chemical stripper. I just laid the flats on wet/dry and worked them back and forth, changing to ever increasing finer paper. A good project while watching the tube.

Doc

filedog · Oct 2, 2012

K9-Handler said:
Filedog;
I don't know who you've been talking to, or where you've been researching, but that it totally false. I'm probably up to about 20 stripped Tweeners (BK-15,16,17) at this point (just did one today, in fact) and even make my own moulded scales, use stock scales and use spacers, and I can tell you with no uncertainty that stripping the finish will not require different screws. The newer factory coating is slightly thicker than the old factory coating, but we're only talking the thickness of a coat of paint!
Just the opposite is true: adding spacers will require you to use LONGER screws, even on a stripped knife.
If the screws were objectionably long, just giving them a touch on a sander or grinder would bring them back to the length they were on a stock knife -- but I've never felt the need to do that.

Keep an eye out on this forum tomorrow. I plan on introducing my newest creation, and it has a stripped Tweener blade with Saint micarta and stock screws.

Ok, that's just what I need to know. I'll be looking for your post on the knew knife!
When one of these stripped blades get wet, does moisture get trapped between scales and blade?
Do you ever coat the tang w/ polyurethane or similar?

filedog · Oct 2, 2012

DOC-CANADA said:
My question is, why do you want to strip the coating from under the scales, anyway?

I leave the coating under the scales to protect where I can't easily see, like I did with this H.E.S.T.

Doc

Partly cosmetic, I plan to use wood scales on this one, partly practical, I may square the top of the blade.

K9-Handler · Oct 2, 2012

filedog said:
Ok, that's just what I need to know. I'll be looking for your post on the knew knife!
When one of these stripped blades get wet, does moisture get trapped between scales and blade?
Do you ever coat the tang w/ polyurethane or similar?

Unless they're epoxied on, water gets trapped between the scales and tang of all knives. At least with the Beckers you can remove the scales and clean them!
That is one of the reasons Doc_Canada likes to leave the coating on between the scale and tang -- protection.

filedog · Oct 2, 2012

GODSPEED TACTICAL said:
Doc,

Filedog: you only need to send your scales in.. or atleast that's all I require when making sheaths since I already have the knife and to save on time/shipping it's a good idea to just have your scales sent directly to the shop. I was waiting on KaBar micarta scales too but with the new timeframe and Saint offering colored G10, etc. I think it's a great way to go... been eyeballing'em.

ESEE-4 sheaths are still "real Kydex" and they've nevere switched to molded plastic... only the ESEE-3 & 6 have molded plastic sheaths. ESEE-Kydex sheaths are the best production sheaths I've seen but if you're impressed at all with them you'll be blown away by a custom (atleast potentially.... maker dependant).

You're gonna love the BK16.

Eli

I've been looking at your stuff, very nice. I like the attachment options. So your sheaths don't scuff the blade?
I see you're correct re: Esee's newer sheaths, must have been looking at the wrong pic.