My comparison of scales vs paracord for the BK14

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Jul 27, 2011
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So I have two BK14's, one with the factory Ka-Bar scales and one that I did a two-layer paracord wrap on. The scales turned out to be much narrower than I had pictured in my mind so I though I might show them off and compare them to my paracord wrap in case anyone was on the fence about getting the factory scales.

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As you can see below both handles are close to the same thickness at their widest point, however the scales have some taper at the ends where the wrap is more consistent.
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Didn't get the tap lined up perfectly but you can see they're both right about 1/2" thinck.
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Here's where it makes the difference for me. The factory scales follow the handles lines while the wrapping increases the dimensions in every direction giving the handle a little more width and filling my hand better.
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I suppose you could do this with scales too but with the wrap the lanyard nestles into the handle nicely and stays put.
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In these two shots I'm trying to show the space left empty in my hand by the scales vs the paracord. Hopefully you'll be able to see that the wrap fills my hand better.
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Here you can see the balance point of the knife with the paracord wrap. Keep in mind this is a double layered warp and there is a square lanyard attached that just barely out of frame.
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And here is the balance point of the scales with no lanyard. You will notice it's a bit farther back. I don't really notice it in the hand but the scales do weigh more and shift the balance more into the handle. Maybe you'd prefer it or maybe you won't even notice.
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I personally prefer the cord wrap but the scales are growing on me a little. Not sure if I'll keep them or not. If you have medium or large hands you will probably think the scales are too small. Paracord has the advantage of being more customizeable for both looks and handle size. I would say the cord offers a little more grip than the scales but they don't seem to be as slick as some of the grivory scales I've handled and they can always be modified to give more traction. An advantage to the scales is that they are easy to remove for whatever reason and they also won't absorb fluids which is a definite plus.

In conclusion, the BK14 rocks. You should get one. Or two. Or a dozen.
 
Excellent conclusion :)

My 14 was cord wrapped for a long time but I really prefer the zytel scales. Cord wraps feel nice but they do seem to shift under duress and as you mention they absorb fluids and such.
 
If you dip your cord wrapped handles in boiling water for a few seconds it really tightens up the wrap. It'll never move. Epoxy dip to seal it from the elements.
 
If you dip your cord wrapped handles in boiling water for a few seconds it really tightens up the wrap. It'll never move. Epoxy dip to seal it from the elements.

But what if I get lost in the woods for an hour and need to take the cord off to build a survival townhouse with flatscreen tv and a robot butler to fetch me steaks from the store? :D
 
Yep scales for me, for sanitation easily cleanable.

Yea i like paracord wrap better on the 11 than any micarta i have seen for the 11, but i do feel i need to change the paracord out every other week or so for sanitation reasons. if i cut anything with blood then i change it out at the end of the day, this can get old i guess but it doesnt really bother me

If you dip your cord wrapped handles in boiling water for a few seconds it really tightens up the wrap. It'll never move. Epoxy dip to seal it from the elements.

I wouldnt epoxy it just beacuse i would want to be able to use it in a survival situation but i have tried the boiling water. i soaked the paracord in boiling water before i wrapped the handle. then wrapped it as tight as i could. it stayed tighter for longer but still stretched back out after a week or so. I also tried this on my 11s sheath before it was painted to try and get more retention out the sheath by really tightening the cord. it didnt work. i didnt try wrapping the handle first and then dipping it in boiling water though.... maybe i will now, thanks
 
Bleach wash will sanitize it, it just gets nasty regardless. If I am counting on the paracord on my knife handle to survive I'm really up the creek...But Bear Gryles or Chuck Norris could easily use a non-epoxied hank of cord to survive. They would build the robot first though not a butler robot but a carpenter/electronics expert robot to build the townhouse and TV:thumbup:
 
I haven't sharpened that one. The one with the wrap I muffed up on my worksharp.

Been there, make sure you pull through even. I can get the tip sharpened now on the worksharp but on higher end knives I usually sharpen by hand. I rounded a few tips when I first got mine. They work pretty well for putting a hair popping edge on in just a few minutes, works great on lawnmower blades too without even removing the blade from the mower...
 
Yeah I've had more success with the 50 degree outdoor knife guide but I still struggle a little with it.
 
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