Inexpensive alternative to a BK9

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BLM4L

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Jan 19, 2006
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Now that Camillus has closed their doors looks like the few BK9 knives I have seen on eBay are going for a lot more money than they used to.

Question: What are some good alternatives to Becker 9 which are on the inexpensive side? I am looking for a heavy knife which has the qualities of a chopper, but also a little hint of combat bowie thrown in. I have looked at some machetes but haven't found one I liked. Saw a SOG Primitive but just am not excited about all the pronounced teeth across the top.

Thanks
 
BLM4L said:
Now that Camillus has closed their doors looks like the few BK9 knives I have seen on eBay are going for a lot more money than they used to.

Question: What are some good alternatives to Becker 9 which are on the inexpensive side? I am looking for a heavy knife which has the qualities of a chopper, but also a little hint of combat bowie thrown in. I have looked at some machetes but haven't found one I liked. Saw a SOG Primitive but just am not excited about all the pronounced teeth across the top.

Thanks
Click to expand...

There's the Ontario RAT knives and the Ranger 9 as already mentioned.

Also, there are a couple of less expensive Ontarios which I think are great "bang for the buck" in the Spec-Plus series.
http://www.ontarioknife.com/specplus_pg1.html
 
Ranger RD-9.

RTAK II.

Those are the two sub-$100 that come to mind for me as well.

From the top, the second down and the fourth down (the Ranger has been redesigned slightly)...

Choppers.jpg
 
Machete is about as inexpensive as it gets and there are some fine belt carry hatchets/axes on the market that are very inexpensive ($20.00-$40.00). Carry a 4" fixed blade and folder to compliment the chopping tool and you're good to go.
 
Thanks everyone.
Will let you know how it goes.
Didn't know SOG had one without teeth.
 
I'll second the Ka-Bar reference--the large "heavy" Bowie (which is really not at all that heavy) is great, comfortable, has stood up to some decently-hard use, and, best of all, won't set you back a hundred bucks--so it can even get lost or stolen without breaking your heart. I'd imagine the shorter version would do nicely, too, though not as good at chopping as the 9-inch blade version. The Ka-Bar camp knife also looks promising (actually a lot like a design I dreamed up for semi-heavy outdoor purposes when I was a kid). And, for something different, the Himalayan Imports reference is also good. (Hang out at the Himalayan Imports / Manufacturers subforum and check out what's on offer there.) Not many months ago you could snag a slightly-cosmetically-blemished hand-forged, differentially-tempered big knife there for not much more than $50--though there's been a recent price increase that I kind of gather may have been cooling their sales off lately.
 
Interesting photo Guyon, the profile of the RTAK II is very much like the hog below it, never noticed before.
 
go for the Kabar Large Heavy Bowie (14-1/4")

I just orderd one b/c i need a good, well priced chopper. To bad the BK9 is gone!
 
Pietje010 said:
go for the Kabar Large Heavy Bowie (14-1/4")

I just orderd one b/c i need a good, well priced chopper. To bad the BK9 is gone!
Click to expand...

The Ka-Bar Large Heavy Bowie is made of 1085.
The Ontario Spec-Plus SP5 is made of 1095.
The Ka-Bar is slightly less than 1/4" thick; the Ontario is a 1/4" thick.
The Ka-Bar is made in Taiwan and the Ontario is made in Franklinville, N.Y.
(Ka-Bar is based in Olean, N.Y. but has this model made in Taiwan.)

They are very similar knives, and very reasonably priced.
And both are excellent value.
-------------------------------

And yes, too bad the BK9 is gone.
Though I have an RTAK II and some of the others mentioned, I still like the BK9 the most.
 
the Ak bowie is 150 http://yhst-7333098713883.stores.yahoo.net/akbowie.html

The camp knife, kukri, and cutlass machete are all hollow ground, Not something I would want. The Kabar bowie looks good. https://www.kabar.com/product_detai...egoryId=1,2,3,7&categoryName=Hunting/Sporting
It is flat ground

The sog primitive without serrations http://www.fusionknives.com/products/F03S.php

The RD9, the ranger knife is 120
http://www.rangerknives.com/Knives/index.html

The linder convex machete is 10 inch blade is 30 dollars http://www.worldknives.com/products/linder-heavy-black-convex-machete-small-nr-449025-1164.html

the kershaw outcast is 65 dollars http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=ks1079

rtak2 is 95 dollarshttp://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=ONRTAK2

Blackjack black panga is 75 dollars http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=BJ017

blackjack quick is 66 dollars http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=BJ013

ontario spec 8 is 50 http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=ONSP8

ontario kukri is 60 dollars http://www.actiongear.com/cgi-bin/tame.exe/agcatalog/level4c.tam#stock

martindale paratrooper http://www.heinnie.com/cgi-bin/hein...gi?page=martindale/fr-martindale.htm&cart_id=
 
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