I wish the Becker BK7 and BK9 were 1/4 thick.
- Thread starter AfghanWarrior
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As soon as they made them in 1/4" inch people would say it's not strong enough and want it in 5/16 next, then 1/2". It is plenty fine the way it is for what it was designed for. If you need to process cars and not wood get a BK2 its the M1 Abrams of the Becker line.
The Brute weighs 1lb 6.5ounces
The 9 weighs 1lb 0.9 ounces
6 ounces might not seem like a big deal to you, unless your a carpenter/framer. Adding that much to your hammer then using it all day? No thanks. Gets old reeeeeeeal quick.
There is a definite difference in using them as far as weight is concerned. The 9 has more finesse, it is quicker and lighter, and the Brute is very aptly named. You don't really cut so much as beat things to death with it, it's even got a handy dandy flat spot for help in beating things into submission. Which is why I utterly love the Brute
I have an axe for wood.
The Brute weighs 1lb 6.5ounces
The 9 weighs 1lb 0.9 ounces
6 ounces might not seem like a big deal to you, unless your a carpenter/framer. Adding that much to your hammer then using it all day? No thanks. Gets old reeeeeeeal quick.
There is a definite difference in using them as far as weight is concerned. The 9 has more finesse, it is quicker and lighter, and the Brute is very aptly named. You don't really cut so much as beat things to death with it, it's even got a handy dandy flat spot for help in beating things into submission. Which is why I utterly love the Brute
I have an axe for wood.
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ya me and my dad are gonna build a knife this summer. its gonnna be either 7 or 9 inches and with a 5/16 inch blade. drop point like a super-version of the bk2. hevent decided between d2 s7(rather not cause its the most expensive) or a2 so any ideas on the best balance of durability, edge retention and workability would help.
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Haha
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You say potato I say....potato?
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the number of broken BK9s in *normal* use is approximately 0. that i know of.
i THINK a couple got chipped out in extreme batoning, but that's still an edge case of damage, and they were quickly replaced. as the knives didn't actually BREAK, they'd still be useful for "survival"... i think we saw one recently with a broken tip (who knows).
now, i think i recall as many as two breaking, because someone was chopping up rocks, and clamping the thing in a vise. not exactly normal use. everything has a breaking point.
just don't chop frozen xmas trees, and you're all set :>
i THINK a couple got chipped out in extreme batoning, but that's still an edge case of damage, and they were quickly replaced. as the knives didn't actually BREAK, they'd still be useful for "survival"... i think we saw one recently with a broken tip (who knows).
now, i think i recall as many as two breaking, because someone was chopping up rocks, and clamping the thing in a vise. not exactly normal use. everything has a breaking point.
just don't chop frozen xmas trees, and you're all set :>
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3/16" now and going to 4/16" (1/4") would not cost 50% more. Not even close. They could make a special run and test the market. The Cold Steel 5/16 thick blade is a killer, but I would be happy with just a 1/4" like the BK2.
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You could always have one made. Had this monster made out of 1/4" thick 5160 steel. Makes the Camillus BK9 (top) and the Junglas (bottom)look small
+1. If you want a thicker blade, you could always have one made for you.
This here is .28 thick, with a 14.25 inch blade.
It's funny you mention that.
The only video evidence I have ever seen of a BK9 breaking was in the Knifetests video.
That knife was a Camillus made BK9 with the thicker blade. It failed in a test that a $15 Ontario 10" butcher knife with a .090" thick blade passed with flying colors. But then again two Chris Reeve $300+ fighters also failed those tests. Methinks the current BK9 blades are just plenty thick if the steel and heat treat quality is up to snuff.
Just because a knife is made from thicker stock does not make it better or stronger . If some of the guys here would LISTEN to what Ethan Becker has been saying in many of his recent video and audio interviews, he feels the same way.
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my BK9 is triple thick:
and 3 edges - separates, lifts, cuts...
A Becker Mach 3?!?!?
You are a sick, sick man. And. I like it!
FAL'ER
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You can have my share of that. My good buddy keeps saying, get becker to make a Quarter inch bk 9 and I'd buy one. The thing is it doesn't have to be that thick to be a good chopper. I wouldn't wanna carry that big bastard either. As I recall Ka Bar didn't wanna use .210 steel cause it was a wierd size none of their other blades were using and it was gonna make the BK9 hell and gone more expensive than it should be to get that size steel in the quantity they wanted. So it was the option of 1) not releasing the BK9 or 2) releasing it with the same thickness steel as some other Becker knives .188. They went with the .188 but had to change the grind and some of the blade geometry to make it chop as good. Thats the way I recollect ethan saying it.
my BK9 is triple thick:
and 3 edges - separates, lifts, cuts...
That would be fun to take for a spin
So you are saying thicker is NOT better
For a knife designed for cutting YES- thicker is not usually better.
When a $15 Kitchen knife holds up better than some expensive 1/4" thick "tactical"
grade blades under the same cross grain wood battoning test, I 'd say that pretty much defies the whole "thicker is always stronger" mantra.
For an Axe, or a crowbar, yeah- thicker is better.
For a knife(or the brain of it's user), "thicker" is not better.
It makes a GREAT selling point for those who believe it does however..
Well you need to price 1/4" blade steel sometime.
My guess is that it WOULD cost at least 25 % more.
IMHO,ANY current Cold steel product is not even worthy of mentioning in the same sentence as a Becker.. The Cold Steels are made by underpaid Asians- basically overpriced imported crap.. The Kabars are made in the USA.
