How Much Fun is the BK7?

H

hayes31

Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Messages
395
Alright, so here's my situation: I have very little need for a large knife. I've got a hatchet for those jobs, and I've got a BK2 riding in my car's trunk for emergencies. Getting another BK14 or a BK16 would fulfill my needs better than a large chopper.

That being said...

The BK7 looks like too much fun to pass up! I'd really have no need for it, but I'd love to get my paws on it and give it a whirl. So to all those BK7 owners out there, are choppers- specifically the BK7- as fun as they look?
 
The BK7 will chop, but I wouldn't designate it as a "chopper", mostly, because of blade length and weight. Its pretty light, its supposed to be used for combat, and there are two types of knife fighters, the quick, and the dead.

If you want to get your knife chop on, get that BK9. Bitch will chop.

:D

Moose
 
I'm 99% sure its just my technique but the 7 isnt the best chopper out there, feels kinda light. Get a 9 if you want that, large knifes and hatchets should never be compared, NOTHING beats destroying things with your convexed BK9. IMO the BK7 ONLY becomes fun when you grind it up and add a little gun blue and G-10 ;).
 
Choppers are 150% more fun! I LOVE destroying things with my big choppawhoppas!

That being said, a 7 is a GREAT all-around versatile knife...but the 9 is the better chopper. If u just want to choppity chop everything in sight, I would suggest the 9 over the 7.

I went out and beat up my E-Nep a bit today, just to feel the THUNK and watch the chips fly.
 
The BK7 (Camillus Era) was my first Becker. It's a great knife. It handles most task well, and tho not a purebred chopper, it gets the job done. If your counting weight, go smaller and lighter....you back and feet will thank you. Just pick one up and try it for yourself. If worse coems to worse, and you hate it; I am sure someone on here will make a trade.
 
The 7 is an absolute blast. I've never used a 9, so I can't compare them, but I do own several other BFKs (SOG SEAL 2000 and Creed, Ontario Marine Combat, M9 bayonet, BK2 (Campanion from the Camillus days)). Among my collection, the 7 is beaten only by my Fiskars axe and machetes from Cold Steel, Ontario, and Condor. The handle shape is good for my hands, better now with the micarta scales I made, the weight is good, holds a good edge. If I can take only one fixed blade someplace, I'm taking the 7.
 
The BK-7 is essentially an improved version of the old USMC combat knife. It can do anything the USMC "Kabar" can do... and more.
 
hayes31 said:
Alright, so here's my situation: I have very little need for a large knife. I've got a hatchet for those jobs..
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That statement right there tells me you need a BK9 not a 7.

I own both. Unless the 3 ounces you will save going with the 7 is really a big deal, get the BK-9. It's 3 ounces that is worth it.

That BK9 will show you that a hatchet is not NEARLY as good of a chopping tool as you think it is..;)

If you give it a fair trial ,I think you will see that the BK9 is an amazing piece of kit compared to the size/weight of any hatchet.
 
The 7 is a lot of fun. I haven’t actually tried a 9 but I can’t imagine it would possess all that much more power over the 7. If you hold the 7 with the two finger grip and use good technique you will get the chopping power of a much bigger blade. Not sure if the 9 is a little too heavy for that grip.
 
kakefat said:
The 7 is a lot of fun. I haven’t actually tried a 9 but I can’t imagine it would possess all that much more power over the 7. If you hold the 7 with the two finger grip and use good technique you will get the chopping power of a much bigger blade. Not sure if the 9 is a little too heavy for that grip.
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You are correct about the pommel hold making the BK7 almost as good at chopping as the BK9.

The one thing the BK7 gives up is the overall diameter of logs that can be processed by battoning.

It is a tradeoff.

One thing about the BK7 is that it is a very handsome and fast handling knife. The outline of the BK -7 reminds me of a great white shark - it's very lethal looking blade. ..
 
I chose the 7 as my first "large" Becker knife. I carry it when mowing the lawn and if ANYTHING so much as makes me lean to avoid touching, the 7 is out and on it. I cut .050" twigs and stems. I cut 4" diameter nuisances. Doesn't matter. The 7 works. Maybe the 9 would be better for me. Or a 4? I don't care. I really love my 7.

It's not as fun as it looks. It's MORE fun :)
 
jim62 said:
One thing about the BK7 is that it is a very handsome and fast handling knife. The outline of the BK -7 reminds me of a great white shark - it's very lethal looking blade. ..
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That's what's making me want the 7 over the 9, but it seems that people around here may or may not like the 9 a little bit :D
 
Don't let my previous post dissuade you from the 9. I believe I would have been just as happy with the king. That said, I can't resist the call of the .250" inch thick 2, so that will probably be my next big Becker.

It's now painfully clear why people have no choice but to have more than one Becker. You're welcome for further confusing the issue.
 
hayes31 said:
That's what's making me want the 7 over the 9, but it seems that people around here may or may not like the 9 a little bit :D
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Oh I love the 7, but if u just want chopping then the 9 or 4 has a slight advantage, but for more general use....the 7 will be more then enough ''fun'' for ya. I also like the lines of the 7.....it's a little too ''combatish'' for some folks, but I likes it.


Kake.....the 7 chops well, but the 9 WILL outchop it easily, and the 9 is very useable in the 2-finger pommel hold.
 
It would be very interesting to scientifically test how much kinetic energy a good whip with the two blades could produce. That way we could actually see the difference in chopping power. Anyone know someone who might have the equipment to measure something like that? It would be hard to calculate the approximate difference without any measuring equipment seeing as kinetic energy increases exponentially as velocity increases.

One thing I am sure of however is that someone with big strong hands will be able to utilize the power of 9 much better than someone with small and weaker hands. I also think that it is a fair assumption that this would also mean that the difference between the 7 and the 9 will vary greatly from user to user. Another point would be technique. While you say the 9 can be used effectively with two fingers just as the 7, not everyone has experience with this grip and it can take a long time for an adult to learn such a fine motor skill. And in using just a normal hammer grip I think the difference between the 7 and the 9 will be much greater than if you use the two finger hold.

Edit: In order to accurately measure the power of a chop I think you would need an angular accelerometer on the blade and a linear accelerometer on the object you would be hitting with the blade.
 
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kakefat said:
It would be very interesting to scientifically test how much kinetic energy a good whip with the two blades could produce. That way we could actually see the difference in chopping power. Anyone know someone who might have the equipment to measure something like that? It would be hard to calculate the approximate difference without any measuring equipment seeing as kinetic energy increases exponentially as velocity increases.

One thing I am sure of however is that someone with big strong hands will be able to utilize the power of 9 much better than someone with small and weaker hands. I also think that it is a fair assumption that this would also mean that the difference between the 7 and the 9 will vary greatly from user to user. Another point would be technique. While you say the 9 can be used effectively with two fingers just as the 7, not everyone has experience with this grip and it can take a long time for an adult to learn such a fine motor skill. And in using just a normal hammer grip I think the difference between the 7 and the 9 will be much greater than if you use the two finger hold.
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gimme a few....I will demonstrate
 
well, it started pouring rain....so it may be longer then '' a few''

I have some other stuff to test out and review..so i can include the 7 Vs 9 as part of it. Im kinda curious myself how the 7 will do head to head with the King
 
thrillbilly said:
well, it started pouring rain....so it may be longer then '' a few''

I have some other stuff to test out and review..so i can include the 7 Vs 9 as part of it. Im kinda curious myself how the 7 will do head to head with the King
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I think I'd put my money on the 9, but I'd love to see the showdown :D
 
My $.02.
My first purchase was a BK2 and then picked up a BK7 in January of this year.
I’ve put a lot of use into my BK2 and just love the thing! The BK7 is longer and a little lighter (I think), and has a great slicey, stabby profile. I’ve used it to chop, but seems to lack the muscle the BK2 can produce, but the fact that it’s so freakin’ sharp kinda made up for it.
The scary part: I was batoning my way through a stump and my BK7 got stuck in the wood. I tried to break it out and felt an alarming amount of bend in the blade. Like nothing I’ve felt with the BK2. Kinda freaked me out. I sent in the BK2 and got the BK7 out with no visible damage to the blade. I don’t think there is anything wrong with the BK7, just a different animal than the BK2.
I think it’s just a matter of having the right tool for the job.
I think if you are looking for a dedicated chopper, check out the BK9. As much as I like the BK7, I’m still needing a bigger knife to fill my chopper void.
 
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