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  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

Memorial Day Dirt time...testing, head to head tests, and just plain wood destroying!

KiljoyKutlery

KiljoyKutlery

KILJOY KutLery, hand made in Luling Texas
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jun 9, 2006
Messages
5,510
OK, this is one of the biggest threads I have done in a while. But I promised I would get out and use all these blades and take some pics, so here we are.
So, sorry if I miss something, first off, its great if you guys want to chat it up, make jokes, and basically think of this thread as a chance to post your own Becker in action pics or whatever...
Enjoy it, thats what this is all about for me anyways.

Here's what I brought. I had a couple Leathermans with me to...and a SAK and Benchmade Ritter Grip..
Left to right in the picture.
Custom CS Trailmaster, BK2, Roberts Devilfish, BK4, BK16, BK9, Junglas, My custom I just finished yesterday, BK7 and another of my customs
DSCN3134.jpg

My BK7 went head to head against the toughest 7 inch blades I have ever owned. IMO it held its own, and proved to me, its one of the best Beckers ever made. Covers all the bases, and has earned its place in my BOB in the truck.
DSCN3132.jpg

Here's my BK16 with some rubber liners...I just changed it back to black, but its sweet either way. Great bushcraft blade, I am really liking this knife!!
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Here's a head to head, BK4 VS. BK9 chopping white OAK. I would give the win to the BK9. Honestly, I thought I would chop better with the BK4, being a kukri collector, but the BK9 is still my go to big knife...it always has been, and still is. I will say that the BK4 is all around a bit more...I liked that It chops like a mini Axe, and works as a draw knife better than any other knife I have ever used. I would be happy with either one...and will most likely draw straws when going out camping...of just bring them both.
DSCN3128.jpg

Here's the white Oak before the hair cut.
DSCN3127.jpg

OK, its been said so many times..its crazy. But the knife that shocked me the most, is the BK2. It chopped as well as the bigger knives in the Oak, and actually "feels" better on many tasks. Whenever I here folks say that this knife has no place in the lineup, I shake my head. And it proved it to me again.
It went through this limb in 5 whacks...thats OAK mind you!
Oh, and I did have micarta on it, but I switched back to Grivory on it, and I like it better like this.
DSCN3124.jpg

Here's my BK16 and my new custom, what can I say..I love them both. The BK16 needs no intro or compliments..its already earned a spot in the knife world IMO.
Thats Rosewood on the handle, I liked working with it, I think its my new favorite handle material.
DSCN3123.jpg

Here's the "one knife" concept knives...what can I say. YOu might not believe me, but the BK7 was the leader in most of the tests..its the most comfortable by far...and I designed the knife in the center!!!! I guess I need to go to TN and get some pointers from Uncle Ethan!
DSCN3122.jpg

Here they are. I don't have a favorite, so don't bother asking...I am just enjoying the Koolaid! Tastes like victory!
DSCN3117.jpg
 
Guys and Gals,
I was doing all this alone, so I wish I was able to take more action shots...I worked up a serious sweat though. Chopping and taking pics is hard..I kept stopping and picking up the camera...breathing like a pregnant warthog. Rough!
 
Mountain Mike said:
Very nice! Love the look of your knife in the middle on the second to last pic. (insert drool smiley here)
Click to expand...

Thanks. I am going to make another with a couple of tweaks...first of all, I am going to get Ethan's blessing, because the BK7 was twice as comfortable, and I want one with his handle now...that would be sick! I see it with the canted handle of the BK4...now I am drooling a little.

The BK7 was the lightest of the three by a big margin. I didn't give it much of a chance in the chopping aspect, and although, overall, the heavier knives beat it out in chopping, quick snap cuts did some serious biting. I love the BK7, since my mods to the handle, its one of my favorites.
The Devil fish (left knife in the second to last pic) is .270 3V and my knife is 1/4" O1 fully convexed..its heavier than the Devilfish. Both are almost twice the BK7, which overall, I took imaginary points away for...against the 2 customs. I tried to be fair, but the BK7 just seemed better at everything Except chopping. My custom you like doesn't lend itself well to reverse grip positions...something I like to do when trap making.
I didn't make any traps on Monday, but I did make notches like crazy. With all the knives shown.
The best whittler was my Rosewood custom (3/16 O1 convexed) and then the BK16, and then the BK7, then the BK9....and so on. My Junglas is sharp, but overall, other than being the best chopper of the bunch...it has no soul. It feels dead in my hands, not really a good thing, since I am a knife crazy woods bum.
Its a solid tool or zombie killer...but something about it just falls short. Great sheath it has though.
 
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Lookin good man! All y'all have convinced me I need to try the 7 out.

After using them at Ethan's I agree with your assessment of the junglas..Great chopper, but thats about it. I still kinda want one, but it aint near the all-around useful knife the 9 is. IMHO

loving that rosewood custom too! nice looking blade for sure
 
In reference to the Junglas.. I've got both the niner and Junglas. I agree that the Junglas is a choppin machine. But also, put up next to the nine, the Junglas just has to win the "bad ass" in the looks department. Though the nine is certainly no slouch and feels much better in hand than the Junglas. As far as what "feels dead" in my hands.....at my age, something else comes to mind and it's not a knife. But, I digress. Very impressive display of steel. Very nice!
Cheers
Balding
 
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gunknifenut said:
Guys and Gals,
I was doing all this alone, so I wish I was able to take more action shots...I worked up a serious sweat though. Chopping and taking pics is hard..I kept stopping and picking up the camera...breathing like a pregnant warthog. Rough!
Click to expand...

I know how ya feel man! It's a pain trying to do reviews alone. Good stuff though! Thanks for the pics you did get!
 
Good review, Gene. I was quite interested in your opinon of the 7. I had a Cam 7 and sold it - I wasn't impressed at all. I'm thinking because of your review and handling a KaBar 7 in a brick and mortar, when I bought my 9, I might revisit it.

Doc
 
DOC-CANADA said:
Good review, Gene. I was quite interested in your opinon of the 7. I had a Cam 7 and sold it - I wasn't impressed at all. I'm thinking because of your review and handling a KaBar 7 in a brick and mortar, when I bought my 9, I might revisit it.

Doc
Click to expand...

I will say, I much prefer the BK7 since my mods to it. I know I am not the first to nock off the thumb ramp and the "nub" at the choil handle, I wish I could remember where I saw the mod first done...but anyway. I am really just into the 7 right now, Its not like I don't see the benefits of the rest of the line.
I have always loved the BK2, and now the BK7 is as comfortable for me...thats pretty cool.
I like the BK4 a lot due to the same reasons. The edge is close to the handle, the handle is one of the best in the business and the it doesn't have the thumb ramp.
A feature that just doesn't work for me.
 
BaldingEagle said:
In reference to the Junglas.. I've got both the niner and Junglas. I agree that the Junglas is a choppin machine. But also, put up next to the nine, the Junglas just has to win the "bad ass" in the looks department. Though the nine is certainly no slouch and feels much better in hand than the Junglas. As far as what "feels dead" in my hands.....at my age, something else comes to mind and it's not a knife. But, I digress. Very impressive display of steel. Very nice!
Cheers
Balding
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thats a damn shame..:)
thanks for the kind words.
 
GKN, very cool line up. Your designs are unique! I like that. You'll have a new one to test soon, I dropped the T.M. Hunt Grunt in the mail yesterday.
 
I really like these types of threads. Very informitive.
It's good for potential buyers also.
It's always nice to see what certain knives are capable of.
And yes, that is a sweet line up of blades.
Thanks for sharing.
 
Murphnuge said:
GKN, very cool line up. Your designs are unique! I like that. You'll have a new one to test soon, I dropped the T.M. Hunt Grunt in the mail yesterday.
Click to expand...

THANKS Bro!
I can't wait!

Johny1280
Thanks a bunch

If anyone has any questions...let me have it. If you have any pics of knives, food or beer...feel free to post away!
 
Now I am really torn between the 9 and 4! The 4 is an awesome all-arounder in my opinion, but the 9 just looks so badass! But seriously I gotta have some dirt time like you just had and I think is the formative factor in knife opinion/preference. Thanks for the review! :cool: :thumbup:
 
If you would redo your mini-phat-parang, what would change about it? I asked because after seeing a review of the Potbelly, I developed an appreciation for knives with big belly's :-)
 
Man, some good stuff here.

And I'll mimic others responses, the BK7 is quite under appreciated. It was my first BKT love, and still one of the best.

Moose
 
Nice thread. I never felt the need for the 7, with the others I have. Granted, I've never held one, just sayin'.
 
Great post! Those are some wicked blades. It never ceases to amaze me how that BK2 always trumps the larger blades :confused:
 
namida said:
If you would redo your mini-phat-parang, what would change about it? I asked because after seeing a review of the Potbelly, I developed an appreciation for knives with big belly's :-)
Click to expand...

:)..I would make it more "Becker", with a little of my style in there. I will make another fully on my own this summer, I already have a sketch done. I think it will be a sexy beast!
 
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