Favorite Beckers or maybe favorite overall!

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Plainsman

Joined
Apr 5, 1999
Messages
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I’ve been using my BK-16 a LOT this calendar year and am finding it to be my favorite Becker and maybe even favorite knife overall. This is followed very closely by my BK-11 Becker Necker! The Necker is found in my front right pants pocket as part of my EDC. It sees a lot of general use, cutting everything that daily needs cutting.

The BK-16 isn’t as easily carried as EDC, but I at least have it in my book bag or in my truck when I cant have it on my belt. Recently I added two leather straps on my AZWELKE kydex sheath for horizontal belt carry. This has allowed me to carry it about 1:00 in front of my IWB holster. It rides nicely there and is quickly accessible.

Both Beckers now sport micarta scales. I really like the micarta scales and highly recommend the upgrade for both these knives. They really improve the usability and ergonomics of the Necker which has led me to using it much more.

Next, I would like to figure out which “large” Becker I’d like to carry more. I like using the BK-9 and am leaning towards it or the BK-2. I need to get the BK-2 out more and compare its capabilities to the BK-9. For camping/woodsbumming/bushcraft the BK-9 can easily be brought along. I like to have something like the BK-2 “size” for my GHB, low profile, uses. Time will tell…

Do you have a favorite Becker? Is it your favorite knife overall?
 
Well, for me its my BK14. That is my EDC, the only knife actually need all day, punching way above its size and easily carried in my right front pocket.

I have five or six different BK14's in different states of use/modding, and all are very much loved.

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A close second is my 17, that comes with me every time I go out on a hike.
I love the saber ground clip point for whittling and poking and its tough enough for everything I do.

Full sized Beckers - Most times the 7 is in my Backpack as a "big" knife, but the BK9 is still King.
Now I am still patiently waiting for a BK2L that hopefully will come one day :)

I have many knives, but I really mostly use my Beckers, as I do know that all of them are reliable, hotspot free knives that I can use for a long time without getting blisters or hand fatigue.
 
The 16 is my favorite
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followed by the 5
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then the 4
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My favorite Beckers aren't "really" even Beckers. ....... :/


I think the Kephart design is probably the Best knife there is.
I like carrying bigger blades and I love simple, boring handles......
The BK62 is almost absolutely perfect.


My next favorite is the Parangatang with Ethan 's handles.
It's a laser beam at limbing tree branches, and chopping.



#3 and #4 are close to a tie.
I recommend people seek out a few of the classics.
Some of the best ones are gone unfortunately.
I love the BK5, and 4.


It's hard to beat the niner.
It's not my favorite, like it is for Alot of people......but it's still hard not to like, and mine has gone through lots of iterations. Every time I pick it up, I know I should use it more......it just works.


Another popular design is the BK-15.
It was Supposed to be my favorite, before I got it.......a mini 5.
But I just never fell in love.

Something I like about Backers is there is something for everyone in the line up, they are good to Beat on, and they are friendly for modification.
 
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I like them all but the BK62 is my favorite. Feels great, light weight, and no choil.
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BK-10 this knife will always be special to me. I was going through a rough time . During the early part of the COVID scare our patient count dropped but half so we were working 4 days a week I was looking at foot surgery and my depression was hitting me hard. I mentioned I was going to buy a BK-10 when we got back to full time . A member PM'ed me and ask for my address and said he was sending me a BK-10 . It is one of the Camillus blanks finished by Kabar and has the modification that I wanted already done. When I thanked the member on the forum another member PM'ed me too send me the kydex sheath. My wife got me the Monterey Bay Chestnut scales. I carry a BK 11 with zebra wood scales in my front right pocket quite often. Also carry my BK 16 often. I have a bk9 but don't use it much, it gets used to split open watermelons more than anything.

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As someone who's never owned a Becker- and relatively unfamiliar with their models, I've been eyeballing the 16 as a knife of reasonable robustness that seems to hit a sweet spot for my tastes.
Then again, the 62 is a classic, and I do love that EsKabar.
I will enjoy reading this thread and seeing what I can get talked into.
 
EngrSorenson said:
As someone who's never owned a Becker- and relatively unfamiliar with their models, I've been eyeballing the 16 as a knife of reasonable robustness that seems to hit a sweet spot for my tastes.
Then again, the 62 is a classic, and I do love that EsKabar.
I will enjoy reading this thread and seeing what I can get talked into.
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All the above! LOL!
You are eyeing excellent choices!
If I were to make any recommendations, it would be with some questions for you first…
Do you plan on carrying this knife EDC? If so, where?
Pocket carry-ESKABAR
Belt-BK-16

Do you plan on using this as a general purpose knife?
BK-16

Are you looking for a general camp knife that can do some larger tasks a bit better?
BK-62 (The BK-16 may work for you here as well. I have found the slightly longer blade of the BK-62 works a bit better when splitting wood, however, I find it hinders finer uses, esp. carving/whittling.)

Good luck!
 
EngrSorenson said:
As someone who's never owned a Becker- and relatively unfamiliar with their models, I've been eyeballing the 16 as a knife of reasonable robustness that seems to hit a sweet spot for my tastes.
Then again, the 62 is a classic, and I do love that EsKabar.
I will enjoy reading this thread and seeing what I can get talked into.
Click to expand...

Yeah... the 16 and the 62 are both great. The 16 is a smidge closer to an EDC. Both are great - I guess it depends on whether you feel more moved by a modern or a traditional pattern. There's no wrong answer.

The Eskabar is the only one of the three I'd truly call an EDC, unless you live somewhere super rural. But I think there are more inspiring patterns to be had in that size. (blasphemy, I know!)
 
I really like the ones I haven't got or can't find, the thrill of the hunt! :cool: But I was chopping up some veggies for dinner tonight with the Harpoon.
 
daizee said:
Yeah... the 16 and the 62 are both great. The 16 is a smidge closer to an EDC. Both are great - I guess it depends on whether you feel more moved by a modern or a traditional pattern. There's no wrong answer.

The Eskabar is the only one of the three I'd truly call an EDC, unless you live somewhere super rural. But I think there are more inspiring patterns to be had in that size. (blasphemy, I know!)
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I’m a big Izula fan, so the EsKabar is basically that. It’s only problem is it’s not different enough to warrant me getting one.

The real issue is that I have all the fixed blade I need, and this is a “want”. When I don’t have a niche to fill, it gets harder to spend the money.

I do like Becker designs though, and I don’t have a kephart yet. We’ll see.

I like the companion 2, but it’s a little beefy for me.
 
Plainsman said:
All the above! LOL!
You are eyeing excellent choices!
If I were to make any recommendations, it would be with some questions for you first…
Do you plan on carrying this knife EDC? If so, where?
Pocket carry-ESKABAR
Belt-BK-16

Do you plan on using this as a general purpose knife?
BK-16

Are you looking for a general camp knife that can do some larger tasks a bit better?
BK-62 (The BK-16 may work for you here as well. I have found the slightly longer blade of the BK-62 works a bit better when splitting wood, however, I find it hinders finer uses, esp. carving/whittling.)

Good luck!
Click to expand...
Haha thanks- I didn’t mean to drive this into “what does EngrSorenson want to buy” territory, but like I said above, most of my “needs” are met by what I have already.

That is interesting to note about the kephart though… generally I don’t use a knife for splitting, which is something some Beckers seem almost built to do.

The 16 is the easy choice, because it seems more versatile and more regular duty- perhaps comparable to an ESEE 4… with a better handle. I like the looks of the mini 5 posted above, but it sounds like they don’t make that any longer.
 
14 or 11 are my EDC. Love the 16 and the 15 for their practicality in the field. If I want to play with a bigger blade, the 9 or the 5 are hard to beat. Shame that the 5 and 15 are no longer available. Such useful blade shapes.
 
tanglediver said:
I really like the ones I haven't got or can't find, the thrill of the hunt! :cool: But I was chopping up some veggies for dinner tonight with the Harpoon.
Click to expand...
I need to get my Harpoon out cutting more. I tried just a little when I first got it and it just seemed “weird” compared to most my knives in this size range.
 
EngrSorenson said:
Haha thanks- I didn’t mean to drive this into “what does EngrSorenson want to buy” territory, but like I said above, most of my “needs” are met by what I have already.

That is interesting to note about the kephart though… generally I don’t use a knife for splitting, which is something some Beckers seem almost built to do.

The 16 is the easy choice, because it seems more versatile and more regular duty- perhaps comparable to an ESEE 4… with a better handle. I like the looks of the mini 5 posted above, but it sounds like they don’t make that any longer.
Click to expand...
You can’t/won’t go wrong with a BK-16!
 
Plainsman said:
I need to get my Harpoon out cutting more. I tried just a little when I first got it and it just seemed “weird” compared to most my knives in this size range.
Click to expand...

I think the blade is a little taller vs. the handle width compared to the other shorts, which changes the mechanical advantage a bit, and can take some getting used to.
 
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