just got a becker magnum camp knife bk5 (Whats the idea behind it?)

[555]

The idea behind the Magnum Camp was the same as the idea behind the BK11. And every other knife made. That is to make money for the designers and the makers and the merchants. What you/we do with them is up to you/us. Did you buy one? The design was a success then even if it sits in a drawer.

LOL

Hol on thar. The BK11 is a Bottle openin Tool. They don't give away Church Keys anymore ya know.

 

[sodak]

One thing the magnum camp does well is butchering. There was a thread years ago on that, and the poster had lots of great pictures and nothing but praise for it. Tough enough for splitting joints, long enough for making all the cuts needed, etc. I love mine.

 

[upnorth]

same here.

I mean the Hudson Bay knives were big and thick but they were for butchering large carcasses. Weren't most of the early knives like Green Rivers and stuff fairly thin?

The original fur trade knives that I have found were about half-3\4 the length of the 5, same shape and thickness though. I liked the 5 except that I never felt that it was up to any real battoning work (and said so), regardless of those swearing that it is a be all, do all blade. Common sense can be a victim to unthinking loyalty. It goes through a cabbage wonderfully and is actually a pretty fair fish filleting knife.

 

[BuckBone]

I have the Blackjack version and it's a bear.
Not my picture, one at a local store that's selling one just like mine...

The thing I'd found interesting was the leather sheath it came with that has a *copper/ bronze [*?material?] pin that goes through a hole seen in the blade.
Once the leather sheath is snapped closed that blade isn't coming out w/o deliberate deployment of the snap & strap.
Mine has a heavy convex cut to the blade that came hair-popping sharp from the factory, whereas the Becker appears to be a flat grind [?] as far as I can tell from pics.
While I've never used it, the original purchase was made for when the Mrs. and I got to the mountains out west where the elk and moose roam, sadly we never got that far.
It's a hefty knife, and while I'd never put it to use I'm certain it could be used for all-the-above or as asked ...
"... is it a machete?
Is it a chopper?
is it a camp kitchen knife?"
My answer is it's all that and more, as it's heavy enough to be used as an axe too should the need had ever arisen.
I see no reason why I wouldn't have been able to make one beefy temporary shelter with it.

 

[fmajor007]

I have the Blackjack version and it's a bear.
Not my picture, one at a local store that's selling one just like mine...

The thing I'd found interesting was the leather sheath it came with that has a *copper/ bronze [*?material?] pin that goes through a hole seen in the blade.
Once the leather sheath is snapped closed that blade isn't coming out w/o deliberate deployment of the snap & strap.
Mine has a heavy convex cut to the blade that came hair-popping sharp from the factory, whereas the Becker appears to be a flat grind [?] as far as I can tell from pics.
While I've never used it, the original purchase was made for when the Mrs. and I got to the mountains out west where the elk and moose roam, sadly we never got that far.
It's a hefty knife, and while I'd never put it to use I'm certain it could be used for all-the-above or as asked ...
"... is it a machete?
Is it a chopper?
is it a camp kitchen knife?"
My answer is it's all that and more, as it's heavy enough to be used as an axe too should the need had ever arisen.
I see no reason why I wouldn't have been able to make one beefy temporary shelter with it.

Welcome to bladeforums Buckbone!!!

I agree, that knife you posted looks great and i think it would serve really well in a food-prep role (as well as kinding and such).

 

[Fonly]

well, im willing to give it another chance. I find it frustrating as I'm finding less and less use for anything but a folder. Its hard finding a use for some of the larger knives I have.

Its going to be hard to explain purchases to the wife, "what do you need that for?" "just collecting...."

 

[fmajor007]

well, im willing to give it another chance. I find it frustrating as I'm finding less and less use for anything but a folder. Its hard finding a use for some of the larger knives I have.

Its going to be hard to explain purchases to the wife, "what do you need that for?" "just collecting...."

Hi Fonly - i gotta say up front that i don't own one of these knives.

When i'm looking at it's blade profile, i see that it resembles my primary kitchen knife - almost an exact copy. The difference is in the blade thickness, presence of the finger groove/choil (which would be AWESOME for food prep in the field peeling veggies), striking pommel (OK, this is radically different than any of my kitchen knives!!!), a nicer contoured handle and overall superior quality of the BK5.

Think of it as a kitchen knife on steriods!!! It can do everything a medium sized butcher or chef's knife can do and MORE!

 

[fmajor007]

well, im willing to give it another chance. I find it frustrating as I'm finding less and less use for anything but a folder. Its hard finding a use for some of the larger knives I have.

Its going to be hard to explain purchases to the wife, "what do you need that for?" "just collecting...."

Hey, not to be a STALKER or anything wierd....., *but* i found this older thread on a very similar topic..... It also contains a few links to discussions about the same knife.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...nerations!-new-KaBar-vs-Camillus-vs-Blackjack

If you're having a hard time using your larger, cumbersome knives i'm pleased to help take some of the burden from you.
I probably can't manage *all* of the tremendous burden you're under, but I can probably help with some of it- like any other Beckers you may have sitting around and dragging you down....

 

[Guyon]

Nice old Blackjack!

 

[upnorth]

well, im willing to give it another chance. I find it frustrating as I'm finding less and less use for anything but a folder. Its hard finding a use for some of the larger knives I have.

Its going to be hard to explain purchases to the wife, "what do you need that for?" "just collecting...."

I am an acorn, to your tree of outdoor knowledge and skills, but I see some of myself in you. At this point in time I find myself refining down to a smaller group of better (for myself) out door tools. I still ocasionaly make a lust buy but also often ask myself why I bought it later. I'm getting less and less interested in a pile of knives and more interested in a few serious out door tools. It's hard to keep this perspective though as I get knife lust now and then, particularly if the knife is actually practical, like the upcoming mid sized Beckers. I loved and left the Magnum Camp. It appealed to me for its size (I'm a hopeless big knife junkie), and slicing abilities, which are amazing (can even fillet fish). It is also wonderfully light to hip carry. I never did trust it though for battoning. Right or wrong we all have our personal parameters that we seek in a knife. The 5 has some wonderful attributes but no longer meets what I'm currently searching for.

 

[CCMI]

The original fur trade knives that I have found were about half-3\4 the length of the 5, same shape and thickness though. I liked the 5 except that I never felt that it was up to any real battoning work (and said so), regardless of those swearing that it is a be all, do all blade. Common sense can be a victim to unthinking loyalty. It goes through a cabbage wonderfully and is actually a pretty fair fish filleting knife.

Like this?

 

[upnorth]

I had a discussion with Mr. Jerry Fisk about fur trade knives and he asked me to send these pics (long after the 5 redesign). He told me that he printed them off and has an ongoing interest in the old blades, which influence him today. Mr. Fisk had input into the current design of the Becker BK-5 Magnum Camp knife.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Fisk
Some of my trade knives under a Mag Camp.

 

[Fonly]

This is becoming a very cool thread... thanks for the pictures Upnorth.


my biggest issue is that I enjoy using so many different styles, but I have a specific taste in what I want to use.

That one knife I can't put down? the master hunter in CV, it is a stunning little knife, yet I have never had issues with it. Have gone through a few sheaths for it, and the handle is getting ready to crap out, but i cant stop using it.

I need to replace it with something, ka-bar MK1? not sure....

 

[upnorth]

This is becoming a very cool thread... thanks for the pictures Upnorth.


my biggest issue is that I enjoy using so many different styles, but I have a specific taste in what I want to use.

That one knife I can't put down? the master hunter in CV, it is a stunning little knife, yet I have never had issues with it. Have gone through a few sheaths for it, and the handle is getting ready to crap out, but i cant stop using it.

I need to replace it with something, ka-bar MK1? not sure....

Interesting. I currently have my eye on these. They are released but not quite fully distributed yet, I believe. The drop point is supposed to be Full Flat Grind. The new mid size Beckers. I think that you also get optional tan scales with them.