I wish the Becker BK7 and BK9 were 1/4 thick.

[jim62]

What do asians know about blade steels...

My comment was not directed at their knowledge. Just their cheap labor costs and what Lynn Thompson charges for his knives vs a US made Becker..

Besides,the Chinese/Taiwanese are not exactly the same class as the Japanese as blade smiths..

 

[Guyon]

Guyon what is that knife ? ..lol

I have no idea what model it is, but I'll bet it's a Busse.
Guyon, what IS that knife?

That's his pride and joy. A MeyerCo semi-tanto partially serrated 420 stainless combat fillet knife.

nice.
Really though, what is it?

That's a final production run BK16, guys.

trade nailed it, but BRL may be onto something.

 

[AfghanWarrior]

What do asians know about blade steels...

The Japanese H1 steel is great! They also make some great quality knives like the Kershaw Shun kitchen knives.
The Nepanese make use of Spring Steel better than anyone....the Kurkri

Taiwan is a mixed bag (to me).
China is junk (to me).

 

[AfghanWarrior]

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.

I bet 10-15% more most likely. The handles these days seem to cost as much am many knives. Amount of steel is only one of many costs. The Ontario RD series are a 1/4" thick and not more than $10-20 more than their other 3/16 lines....Ontario RAT and Ontario Ranger lines.

 

[Skystorm]

trade nailed it, but BRL may be onto something.

Move the crowbar, Need more pictures of sheath I like it

 

[jim62]

I bet 10-15% more most likely. The handles these days seem to cost as much am many knives. Amount of steel is only one of many costs. The Ontario RD series are a 1/4" thick and not more than $10-20 more than their other 3/16 lines....Ontario RAT and Ontario Ranger lines.

Afghan.

Do the math.

a 3/16" thick piece of steel is 75% as big as a .25" piece. That means in steel costs alone the increase would be 25% Cutting the same blade profile and grind means moving .25% more metal in cutting operations. You have obviously not priced blade steel lately. Most of it has gone up 25" to 50% in the last 18 months.

As to the handles costing more than the steel On a hand hafted knife with glued on , hand fitted slabs, maybe. The problem is Beckers are fitting with bolt on injection modded sales. They are designed NOT to have a lot of expense in anything BUT the blade.

Becker BK( run an average of $80 most places. A $20 price increase is 25% more. Again- do the math.

 

[SoldMyHat]

Afghan.

Do the math.

a 3/16" thick piece of steel is 75% as big as a .25" piece. That means in steel costs alone the increase would be 25% Cutting the same blade profile and grind means moving .25% more metal in cutting operations. You have obviously not priced blade steel lately. Most of it has gone up 25" to 50% in the last 18 months.

As to the handles costing more than the steel On a hand hafted knife with glued on , hand fitted slabs, maybe. The problem is Beckers are fitting with bolt on injection modded sales. They are designed NOT to have a lot of expense in anything BUT the blade.

Becker BK( run an average of $80 most places. A $20 price increase is 25% more. Again- do the math.

Actually that would be for a decrease in thickness. Going from 3/16 to 4/16 would mean 33.3% more steel.

 

[Bladite]

one consideration is that they'd have to buy large quantities to get a bulk price, stock it, and store it. if they don't buy enough, they get a poorer price.

as well, i'm going to take a lucky guess that the prices don't go up linearly. that is: .50 thick is not twice as much as .25 thick; it's probably more.

as it's heavier, you have less pieces, more shipping costs, more storage for less items. prices go up.

and let's face it, not everyone is going to be buying 1/2 inch thick slab knives at any cost. same for 1/4 inch.

now, if they did a special edition sprint run, and they sold out, vigorously, it might bode well for the future, but they're not going to order a ton of weird stock on a whim.

not saying it won't happen, it's just unlikely

and it would be expensive...

 

[Ethan Becker]

Hey Afghan Warrior.......

Fal'er is correct on how the decision was made...... .210 is not a Ka-Bar stock thickness.......The "new" 9 is a whole lot slicier (if that ain't a word it should be) and gives up a bit of it's brute force cybernetics......If you are processing thick seasoned hardwood you will be inclined for the .210 but for almost anything else you will enjoy the thinner blade......Learn the snap cut !!!!......The new Machax is in the thinner material and will make a much better user in jungly type stuff.....The full 1/4 turns it into a graceless club.....Perfect in .210 but again better to have a really decent performer than no Machax at all......The .210 was in fact a mistake.....The Original Machax was a full .250.....On the second production run the guy doing the surface grinding over ground them.....I went from REALLY pissed to plenty pleased pretty quick.......I like the new Machax a lot and I suspect a lot of guys headed south are gonna be pretty happy too......

Always remember that if the world was perfect all blades would have the "slice" of a razor blade and the mechanical strength of a cold chisel......I ain't seen that beastie yet.......The world is full of useful compromise (and A whole bunch of USELESS ones).........

ethan

 

[CCMI]

Not to be "that guy", but wouldn't Kabar have a decent amount of .25" steel for making the BK2?

That being said, I like my .188 BK9 and it chops just fine imo.

 

[FAL'ER]

Not to be "that guy", but wouldn't Kabar have a decent amount of .25" steel for making the BK2?

That being said, I like my .188 BK9 and it chops just fine imo.

I'd buy one, still wouldn't wanna carry the SOB.

 

[Bladite]

Not to be "that guy", but wouldn't Kabar have a decent amount of .25" steel for making the BK2?
That being said, I like my .188 BK9 and it chops just fine imo.

width issue?

 

[pitdog]

JMO but if ya need a 1/4" stock knife then just go buy an axe !!!

I'd rather have a decent slicer/decent chopper than a poor slicer/great chopper....after all knives are primarily meant to cut stuff ....YMMV !!!

 

[CCMI]

width issue?

I can see that. Honestly I've no clue what form/ dimensions knife steel comes in when purchased at the commercial level.

 

[AfghanWarrior]

Afghan.

Do the math.

a 3/16" thick piece of steel is 75% as big as a .25" piece. That means in steel costs alone the increase would be 25% Cutting the same blade profile and grind means moving .25% more metal in cutting operations. You have obviously not priced blade steel lately. Most of it has gone up 25" to 50% in the last 18 months.

As to the handles costing more than the steel On a hand hafted knife with glued on , hand fitted slabs, maybe. The problem is Beckers are fitting with bolt on injection modded sales. They are designed NOT to have a lot of expense in anything BUT the blade.

Becker BK( run an average of $80 most places. A $20 price increase is 25% more. Again- do the math.

OK, I guess Ontario does it better, but I do not think so? The steel cost difference in a 7" blade is $3.00 (almost nothing) for the extra 1/16!

OK, in real numbers Ontario 1/4" (7" Blade) = $88.99
http://www.chestnutridgeknifeshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=66&products_id=536

OK, in real numbers Ontario 3/16" (7" Blade) = $85.99
http://www.chestnutridgeknifeshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=192

 

[Bladite]

OK, I guess Ontario does it better, but I do not think so? The steel cost difference in a 7" blade is $3.00 (almost nothing) for the extra 1/16!
OK, in real numbers Ontario 1/4" (7" Blade) = $88.99
OK, in real numbers Ontario 3/16" (7" Blade) = $85.99

and oddly, the MSRP difference is $42

 

[AfghanWarrior]

Hey Afghan Warrior.......

Fal'er is correct on how the decision was made...... .210 is not a Ka-Bar stock thickness.......The "new" 9 is a whole lot slicier (if that ain't a word it should be) and gives up a bit of it's brute force cybernetics......If you are processing thick seasoned hardwood you will be inclined for the .210 but for almost anything else you will enjoy the thinner blade......Learn the snap cut !!!!......The new Machax is in the thinner material and will make a much better user in jungly type stuff.....The full 1/4 turns it into a graceless club.....Perfect in .210 but again better to have a really decent performer than no Machax at all......The .210 was in fact a mistake.....The Original Machax was a full .250.....On the second production run the guy doing the surface grinding over ground them.....I went from REALLY pissed to plenty pleased pretty quick.......I like the new Machax a lot and I suspect a lot of guys headed south are gonna be pretty happy too......

Always remember that if the world was perfect all blades would have the "slice" of a razor blade and the mechanical strength of a cold chisel......I ain't seen that beastie yet.......The world is full of useful compromise (and A whole bunch of USELESS ones).........

ethan

Ethan,

Thanks for the reply. I do like your blades. Fact, I have 10. 7 are safe queens NIB. My goal is to buy some more Kabar versions as users.:thumbup:

Camillus Becker BK7SG (Government Version)
Camillus Becker BK91 Combat Bowie (Desert Series)
Camillus Becker BK101 (Desert Series)
Camillus Becker BK77 Becker Extreme (S30V)
Camillus Becker BK3 TacTool
Camillus Becker BK6 Machete
Camillus Becker BK2 Campanion
KaBar Becker BK2 Campanion
KaBar Becker BK11 Becker Necker
KaBar Becker BK11 Becker Necker

 

[AfghanWarrior]

OK, I guess Ontario does it better, but I do not think so? The steel cost difference in a 7" blade is $3.00 (almost nothing) for the extra 1/16!
OK, in real numbers Ontario 1/4" (7" Blade) = $88.99
OK, in real numbers Ontario 3/16" (7" Blade) = $85.99

and oddly, the MSRP difference is $42

Street price is way more important that MSRP (full retail).:thumbup:

 

[Bladite]

Street price is way more important that MSRP (full retail).:thumbup:

perhaps it's an indication it doesn't sell well, and they discounted it a lot

 

[AfghanWarrior]

perhaps it's an indication it doesn't sell well, and they discounted it a lot

No it's the real deal. I have the real wholesale cost at work and it's not much of a difference. My point is steel cost in this little amount is nothing overall.