First *Real* Knife and First Post

[oXide]

Gah, so many options, never knew I could want Beckers so much! What am I gonna do... BK 2 is perfect for what I need, but it starts at my current ceiling price, where as the BK 11 allows me to spend the money saved on more carry and survival kit options... Is there a place to look that's less expensive than amazon? I think I'm in real trouble for when I get a real job, every penny to my name is gonna go to Beckers, isn't it? Ok, I'm gonna go look at carry options and sheath mods for both knives, figure out which I can do the most with for the least. Do you guys know how to make the BK 2 sit lower with its stock sheath (with mods) or a way to carry the BK 11 on my belt without it looking like a weapon carry?

 

[oXide]

I'm sorry for double posting but I think I finally made up my mind, I need more money for many Beckers... That's my conclusion. But on a more serious note I'm seriously leaning towards the BK-2, mostly for the batoning power that I will need, both for teaching at summer camp, and for my camp outs. And I can't wait for the BK 16 to come out because I'm going to the Everglades in March for a backpacking trip, and I really want the power and the Cool Points bonus of the larger blade. The cool points are just because they're there, the power is the primary reason (I think).

Thank you all for all your input and trying to work around my slim budget (will be fixed after camp), Skystorm, I fully intend to, at some point early in the summer purchase one of your BK 11 sheaths with a ferro rod, and a BK 2 sheath to go with my soon to be first *REAL* knife.

 

[madhappy]

Go with the bk 2.

 

[Sam Hell]

Get yourself the bk 9. That's the perfect knife for a camp counselor.

 

[Ethan Becker]

Hey Oxide from the sticks......

The dilemma you face is exactly the one faced by most people buying Beckers for the first time....Two years ago the two best selling Beckers were the Two and the Eleven......They sold within One knife of each other......And my experience is that one sells the other.....

The Eleven is the stealth candidate because it will attract less attention, a factor to be considered around some Scout groups......I use my Eleven or a 14 more than a Two......It is SOOOOO handy......And it is so small and compact that I always have it to hand......Btw do not hesitate to baton with it I do so every day during the cold months and enjoy the hell out of using it like a horizontal chisel when making trap parts and notching stuff for bigger stuff.....There is something so gratifying to me to be able to go from Exacto blade to chisel and back without changing tools........

The neck carry is very easy to deal without......... tethered pocket carry is becoming a favorite too......

My impulse is to suggest the less expensive Eleven or Fourteen and a Norton Fine India stone to keep it whittlin' sharp......You will find a way to Afford a Nine or Two soon enough......Also if you do not like the steel or decide I am way too ugly to buy another knife from, you will still have decent stone that will last you a lifetime......

Thanks for considering one of my blades to spend your cash on.......

All Best.....

ethan

 

[oXide]

Thank you for your reply Mr. Becker, and I think you planned the entire 'The knives will sell each other' concept, but I'm going to have to go with a BK-2 because I have a trip the Everglades coming up, as I previously mentioned, and I think the 2 would serve me better with the ability to mini-chete through brush, and again, I have a hard time figuring out how to carry the 11 the way I would like (belt mounted vertically on my dominant side without jabbing me). So I figure after the start of summer camp when I get my first paycheck or two, I'll buy an 11 and play with the sheaths and some mounting hardware so I can wear both.

And I'm not considering one of your knives...... I am dead-set on having all of your knives, the minute I get a job that pays at least minimum wage to afford myself the spending money.

Thank you for your help, even though I went the other way, and thank you for giving birth to Buick killers and a steel pipes worst nightmare.

And I will be posting pictures of my new tank knife when I first get to use it, a shakedown hike before my Everglades trip.

 

[ignatius]

hey Oxide,
1) its great that you are involved with scouting! I really enjoyed scouting as a teen and I learned a lot of things that I still use in the woods and in my career, keep it up and make the Eagle your goal...

2) I am gonna side with Ethan Becker and suggest that the BK 11 may be a better first choice. I have the BK2 and the BK 11 and they are both amazing and have a lot of utility, however I find that I grab for and use the BK 11 more often than the BK2 and it is plenty of blade for whatever you need. I have the TDI belt clip on my 11 and I often clip it onto my belt when I am flyfishing or camping and it is a great way to carry, I also use it in "neck knife" mode when I am fishing on the coast or on a boat, where I often need a blade to cut a piece of bait or trim line etc. and the neck carry gives easy access with either hand. I love both, but the size of the 11 is just slightly more utilitarian without sacrificing strength.

Economically, you could get the BK11 plus an ESEE pouch for under $70 and have a bit of cash left for a firesteel etc. The ESEE pouch will fit an altoids sized tin full of survival goodies and would be easy to attach to your BK11 sheath if you wanted to do so. If there is a decent army/navy surplus store in your area a $5 magazine pouch for the M16 would also make a good budget container for survival gear and you could attach the BK 11 sheath to the side of it with paracord or zip ties.

YES you want to save up and get the BK2, heck everybody should have one!

Ignatius

 

[oXide]

Thank you all for the information and help, I have decided on and ordered the BK 2 over the BK 11 for a couple reasons, mostly because I don't have to worry about breaking the concealed carry law here in Florida with a horizontal/pancake carry and not tucking my shirt in (I know dumb reason but if I spend more than $10 on a knife I don't want to lose it for that stupid law, $10 is a lot for me for anything) but that's probably the only way I would carry an 11 til I can piggy back it on a larger knife, and because the knife itself allows for me to mod it more (I plan on taking a file and making a small striking spot for a ferro rod at the base of the blade, in addition to adding jimping to the top).

And besides, I can get my parents to let me take a knife camping, but getting them to let me EDC a knife other than a folder is going to be next to impossible, and the temptation to bring an 11 with me everywhere is going to be to great for me to resist if it's not mounted to a larger knife. Rest assured I will abuse my new baby to the fullest extent of the law (I mean the 2, not an actual baby) and I will post pictures of trees (invasive of course) that were downed as a result of the tank.

And I will have Eagle sometime in the upcoming Fall. If I don't then I fully expect to hear about it for the next 3 years from people here who were or are currently involved in scouting.

 

[oXide]

Sorry for the double post and the lack of pictures, I did receive it yesterday (even if I had to wait till 4 PM, slow UPS) and the first time I held it I almost dropped it on my foot because I under estimated the weight (I did get the proper grip before it left my hand), it's as thick as armor plating and probably harder than.

I have a question, is there a major functional difference in the 1st gen and 2nd gen sheathes? Like does the 1st gen sheath hang lower or not flip when the snap is undone? Does the 2nd gen sheath have better retention or more holes?

I will post pictures of it either this coming Monday or next Monday, after I get to use it a little bit.

Also, any recommendations on making a striking area on my new baby? My ideas are either on the spine near the handle, in the lanyard hole (I don't know if that's a good idea or not but my ferro rod fits), or between the cutting edge and the handle? Also I will probably need recommendations on how to do these because I've seen some posts where people said that a file wouldn't even scratch the 1095CV...

 

[daizee]

Also, any recommendations on making a striking area on my new baby? My ideas are either on the spine near the handle, in the lanyard hole (I don't know if that's a good idea or not but my ferro rod fits), or between the cutting edge and the handle? Also I will probably need recommendations on how to do these because I've seen some posts where people said that a file wouldn't even scratch the 1095CV...

Do not strike the baby! oh wait, the BK2 - ok.

A file WILL work on that knife. Files are harder than knives, even after heat-treat. However it will be slow going.
For a 1/4" ferro rod (like mine), a 1/4" chainsaw file is the ticket if you want a notch. My personal opinion is that enlarging the choil as a striker looks like a good idea, but isn't because you end up with an uneven bearing surface against the rod (yes, tried this). The spine is a better call - but LOTS to file through. You might simply flat-sand the coating off a section of the spine to expose the steel and make it a bit sharp (careful, don't make a dangerous spot for your thumb).

If you have a dremel, you might clean the coating out of the lanyard hole to use it as a striking area - neat idea. However your lanyard might get in the way if you use one.

Good choice, good luck, and happy modding!

-Daizee

 

[oXide]

If you have a dremel, you might clean the coating out of the lanyard hole to use it as a striking area - neat idea. However your lanyard might get in the way if you use one.

I think I'll find a dremel and clean out the lanyard hole, as for using a lanyard I'm going to use a paracord wrap on the back half of the handle that results in a loop for a lanyard, that'll help with chopping to, reduces the shock.

Forgot something, do the pre-made micarta scales come in a version without the point on the back, ending before the lanyard hole so that it's fully exposed? Or do I need to make them custom for that?

Edit: I just noticed something really weird... The bevel on my new BK-2 isn't even. I wasn't worried about it not being shaving sharp out of the box because I planned on getting it sharpened either from someone on the forums that has such a service (I wonder who?) or by the local knife (kitchen knife I should say) shop here in Polk City.

The only place I noticed this was at the tip, but I was just wondering if this was normal or if it meant I got a funky one? To me it doesn't seem worth sending it for the warranty, but I've made the mistake of not sending something in when I should have and now I know to ask the resident experts on the subject first.

 

[oXide]

Ok, I finally got some pictures of it, a little bit of use on it and some sheath mods, nothing that hasn't been done before, just done differently in some areas.

Overall view.

Velcro (hook & loop) belt loop that I cut a little short, worked out decently, will be replaced later.

Same loop, closed on my finger.

Leg strap, 5/8 webbing with 1 inch ABS clips, I didn't buy the webbing, I just took it off an old canteen sleeve.

Paracord wrap close up, also holds the leg strap on.

Back side of sheath with paracord wrap, as well as the coghlans (el cheapo, but works good enough) ferro rod, strapped around the front of the sheath.

Front lower half.

Got some more shots, showing how the sheath wears, and some of my baby in action.


In... I mean on my pants.

With her new toy.

Batoning some old wood.

Cross grain batoning more wood.

Starting to show some skin already, they grow up so fast

Snuggling her new daddy.