How likely are Becker knives to break in a survival situation?

Arathol said:
Its just destruction testing, taking a product to the limit to see what it takes to make it fail and then examining how it fails. Pretty much everything you own has been through the same process, just not by some nut wearing a gas mask on Youtube....
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tim777us said:
I replied this after his video - "I don't think there will ever be a situation where I need to hammer my knife with a giant rock. I think it held up pretty well."
He just said "ok." He was much worse to some others, going on about how it's not a "true" combat knife after one said that it's not a bushcraft survival knife, but a combat utility. Pretty much, if you questioned his methods at all,he sort of descended on you trying to make you look stupid or dismissed what you said, which is what he did to me. His tests prove nothing other than that knives eventually break, some before others (although that could be a problem with that one particular knife, it could be the order in which he did the destructive "tests," or any number of factors).
It's ridiculous to declare that a knife will break on you in the field just because one particular example from one brand of one model of knife didn't last as long as another particular example of a different model (and brand) of knife. And if you question it at all your either an idiot to be made fun of or an idiot to be dismissed and ignored. If he was honest about the so-called "test," I'd have nothing to say about it at all.
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Its what it is, he'll continue until he accidentally stabs himself, when the videos stop coming we'll know why
I have nothing else i wish to say about "Joe, x"
 
I have never seen a Joe X test, sounds like his methods are more for entertainment, than actual destructive testing by a metallurgical laboratory. Dr. Larrin Thomas posts on this very forum, and I would trust his method of destructive testing, because it would yield repeatable, predictable, and useful results. Science not entertainment.
 
Iowa Boy said:
I have never seen a Joe X test, sounds like his methods are more for entertainment, than actual destructive testing by a metallurgical laboratory. Dr. Larrin Thomas posts on this very forum, and I would trust his method of destructive testing, because it would yield repeatable, predictable, and useful results. Science not entertainment.
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Exactly, bro. I agree completely. That's a scientific, repeatable test. Like the brinell hardness test, or the Rockwell scale, for instance, both designed to measure and give a value to hardness. I don't mind, for instance, some of the unscientific tests, like stabbing it through a hood to see what it can take, but come on, bashing it on the pommel with a rock that must have weighed like 15 lbs (maybe a little less, but heavy looking, he had to use two hands) into a piece of wood a bunch of times, then prying with it until it's snaps, and then declaring that if you get or have a Becker, it will break on you in the field, because of HIS so-called test. It's nuts!
 
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Dav1 said:
As others have said in a true survival situation I don't think so unless the knife is faulty. I've used some of my knives very hard but in an appropriate way obviously not hitting stone/rock or a steel pipe multiple times. Although a decent knife should be able to get you out of a car/plane where the body will be much thinner than a mild steel pipe. On wood your Becker should be fine unless you intentionally want to bend or break it. I've said this before in a similar thread but I could fairly easily break any knife including a Busse if I wanted to. I've bent large wrecking bars and would have broken them if I'd carried on doing what I was doing with them. I do actually carry a small strong pry bar with me when wild camping so would never pry with a knife anyway.
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Bent wrecking bars?!! You must be freakishly strong. Remind me not to ever tick you off.😄
I actually had the same idea about the pry bar, but I used it I think one time, so it sits home most of the time. I've done light prying with knives in the past, but I was a kid and didn't know better. Snapped a thin blade once. That was enough to teach me I guess. That flying missile just missed me. Not going to do that again, and I took it upon myself to learn about knives after that.
Sorry for rambling on. Anyway, this Joe X guy does random destructive tests he came up with, and some people buy into it. As if those 'tests" with one single model of one single knife from one manufacturer breaking after severe abuse means something. He declares the Becker is a knife that will break in the field on you because, again, one single knife broke. He is not some kind of expert. He isn't even a layman testing knives. He has no credibility at all, yet some people buy into what he says.🙄 Anyway, yes , I agree with you 100%. A knife is a tool, and manufacturers set parameters in which to use them, because even tough tools have their limits. I don't understand where this idea comes from that every tool should be able to take whatever your mind can dream up, or it's no good. And eventually...they ALL break.
 
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tim777us said:
Bent wrecking bars?!! You must be freakishly strong. Remind me not to ever tick you off.😄
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LOL......Its not as difficult as you might think. Its pretty easy to bend something like a 5' pinch bar. I've done it many times repairing 11' road plows, repairing guide railing etc....
 
I've beaten and batoned the hell out of all my Becker knives, from the small 14 to the venerable 9. I have not had one break on me yet.

This guy is hell bent on breaking the knives way out of spec. The only information you can get out of this videos is: It will break.

The BK7 is a high saber ground 7" knife and 0.188 thick. It is made of 1095, not nearly the toughest steel. Given these specs, the BK7, is still tough enough to not break on me in a survival situation.
 
Check out the vids on the Gerber strongarm, Esee 5 and the Tops silent hero. They took more than most any knives he's tested did. He's funny too, push them until they break. Like Clint said a man's gotta know his knifes limitations. 😁
 
Really these kinds of tests are silly. In a survival situation there are basic rules, find shelter, water, food, fire and spend as little energy doing do as you can. So smashing my knife against anything is probably a waste of energy. If I had to wrestle a Cougar or something I would prefer a big pointy stick, or a martini, depends on the cat!
 
d762nato yeah at first I didn't like his videos but I watch them more for a laugh now, yes not "scientific" but they are fun if you take them for what they are (not seriously). I think the Sp10 and or SP53 ontario did well too, I own the the Sp10 and for what it is its great. The little Moras normally do well too but obviously you won't be chopping with them. The tramontina is also near indestructible (blade). I've "abused" both my Lionsteel M5 and M7 and can vouch for the M7 as a near indestructible "survival" knife.
 
Deino said:
These "test" will always favour thick blade stock and narrow design, which structurally more solid. You could sharpen one corner of a rail spike, heat treat it a little bit more, then give it to all of these torture test YouTube channels, it will likely survive. It is also funny when people doing these test recommend what the military or other type of activities should use, while ignoring the criteria of each job.

And no, you wouldn't want a heavy knife to pry or chop wood in a warzone. No soldier can be Rambo in this day and age. Saving weight for ammunition and communication devices are way more important.
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Honestly the best suggestions for military users is usually something idiot proof and replaceable, with all other considerations, including suitability as an emergency triple backup tactical deanimator implement or whatever, following far behind those first two criteria. Objectively terrible knives will make comforting personal kit to a person serving in a vehicle or vessel festooned with quarter-ton hatches and with similar sized equipment strewn about in an environment where those things can sometimes get knocked over or out of action. You actually might need to pry something aside to escape in that kind of use, but you really don't need to worry about cutting anything more complicated than the occasional zip tie or packing tape. So a dual-purpose edgy prybar isn't a bad option. I agree that carrying such a knife would be a lot of energy investment over time and would provide basically no material benefit over a more practical folder or a reasonable little fixed blade.
 
Deino said:
Well, it depends on case by case basic, mission dictate what they bring. Now, why do you need a chopper in a combat zone? And what do you plan to use your knife for?
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Yes - so you see that different situations might call for different knives - I’m glad we agree.

If I was personally in a combat zone, it wouldn’t be as part of a regular military. Things will have gotten very bad. I don’t know what I’d need my small chopper (Scrapper 6) for, but I’d pack it (12oz. - same as the BK7 actually but much more robust) along with a few other knives in my duffel bag, and if I happened to be required to camp out or be sniping through walls during a “mission”, I’d take it along.

I don’t object to your opinion that smaller knives are adequate for most soldiers, only the way you stated it as a fact for everyone.

Also realize that currently, and throughout history, certain soldiers HAVE carried and used some larger knives.

I’ve posted pics of the one below before. I refurbished it for a friend who inherited it from his father. Both his father AND his uncle carried the knife during tours in Vietnam.

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Becker’s are like Glock’s to me. Not pretty or fancy, but very reliable and reasonably priced. I have watched some Joe X videos snd honestly, I was surprised at the abuse most of the knives could withstand (not disappointed that they ‘failed’). I keep a BK7 in my main vehicle for emergencies.
 
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