My first Becker (BK 16) arrives tomorrow - advice? Got it!

S

strangegeek

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Jul 27, 2013
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So after long and, thanks to this forum, very thorough research I finally decided that the first knife I'm going to buy for camping would be a Becker BK 16 - and if the tracking information is right it will arrive tomorrow:D


This forum has been great for getting tips and advice so I thought I'd ask

I want to know if there is anything I should know right from the start about knife care? I'm looking forward to learning all the nuances of good quality knife care/use but I realize that I have no clue where to start.

Some of the things I'm unsure of are:

-what type of oil, if any, should I use on my blade, I know you should not store your knife in it's sheath and clean it after each use. I keep reading about oiling the metal but I can't find a definite answer on what type of oil to use.

-what type of sharpening stones should I buy to keep it nice and sharp -whetstones, Arkansas, Japanese, India stones - and what grit(s) should I be using? I know you want at least 1 finer and 1 course grit but I've seen grit numbers from 300 - 8,000! What oil should I be using on this?

-Sheath - I've read that kydex sheaths can dull blades as you withdraw it over and over but I've also heard that leather sheaths can retain moisture which is bad for your blade.

and lastly, LOL, I know I've asked a ton of questions just now but - once I get my BK 16 in my hand, like the first minute, what should I do??? Hold it up and say "I have the power!" :)

Thanks again!
 
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taker out too the woods make a fire with here and then sit back and enjoy the great becker knife you now own!!!
 
Great knife.
I like olive oil or WD-40.
I use a lansky system for sharpening but Ive played with a india stone and had great results on my moras.
I have kydex sheaths and have had no dulling issues.
The first thing you should do with the BK16 is go out and use it.
Welcome.
 
First off, strip the blade and add some liners to the handle, it'll make a lot of difference to the knife.

For oil, I use mineral oil, fluid film or petroleum jelly most of the time though olive oil, WD-40 and 3 in 1 are also decent options.

I sharpen most of my Beckers with sandpaper on a leather backing. A few licks with 1500 or 2000 is enough for a light touch up though if you're edge is a bit more messed up, 400 or 600 grit first.

Never had problems with kydex dulling my knife but it may scratch the blade if there's any abrasive grit left over from sanding it. Though Ka-Bars GFN sheaths sometimes do dull the blade.
 
Food grade Mineral oil (found in laxative section of any pharmacy). It does a great job and is ok to cut food with. Just use dish detergent for cleaning.

Part of the sharpening learning curve is wasting money on a number of systems you won't really use. Learn how to free hand so you can always sharpen your knife. Start cheap with sand paper on a mouse pad, then learn to strop on an old leather belt, then try some basic oil or water stones (400 and 1000 or something) then try a guided system like lansky. Don't be afraid and just jump into to it. It's not as hard as people try and make it. The sharpie on the edge is a great trick for beginners and I still find myself doing it sometimes.

Sheaths are a very personal thing. For a great knife like a bk16 its worth having a few options. The stock molle sheath is great. I would compliment it with an azwelke taco kydex and a nice custom leather sheath. But that's just me.

As for when you first get... I would enjoy and use it as is for a while. After the coating starts to wear off a lot on its own, then strip it. When that gets old try some custom scales (micarta or tommythewho wooden scales, etc). There is always time later to customize it, I hate to see the great stock knife get looked past right away.

Enjoy the knife. I enjoyed reading your post. Lol you will need the bk14 for Edc and something big like a bk2 or the king, bk9 :)
 
Congrats! The 16 is a joy to use.

I personally prefer food grade mineral oil to keep things rust free (can find it at most drug stores).
As far as sharpening stones, I use a Arkansas stone. If I recall correctly it's a 1000/6000 grit stone. I just use water with mine. For something a little quicker and easier though, DMT travel stones work great.
The factory sheath for the tweeners are fine and I have yet to experience any dulling from mine. If you still want something different though, there are tons of high quality sheath makers here on the forums, and we are graced with the presence of the best of the best here in the Becker sub forum, just ask!
Now, what to do with your newly aquired 16.... get out and use it!! Getting a new knife is an excellent excuse to head out into the woods.
 
-any oil really. Just be weary if you ever plan to use it to prep food.

-With the exception of the pull-through type sharpeners, anything will work. Bench stones, spyderco sharpmaker, lansky's, worksharp, plain old sandpaper, a brick...

-a well made kydex sheath won't even touch the edge and even if it did the knife will hold an edge well enough that you'll have to sharpen it from normal use before the kydex dulls it.

-CUT ALL TEH THINGS!!!!!
 
Mineral oil if you plan to cut food with it. I was one of the Lemmings that went along with blade stripping a couple of years ago. Then I realized that I didn't want more maintenance and added susceptibility to rust. It is a wonderful knife, get outdoors and use it.
 
Hold it up and scream "Thunder...Thunder...Thunder Cats!!" If it doesn't turn into a sword, go find something that needs cutting. If it does turn into a sword, let us know... :)
 
strangegeek said:
So after long and, thanks to this forum, very thorough research I finally decided that the first knife I'm going to buy for camping would be a Becker BK 16 - and if the tracking information is right it will arrive tomorrow:D

This forum has been great for getting tips and advice so I thought I'd ask

I want to know if there is anything I should know right from the start about knife care? I'm looking forward to learning all the nuances of good quality knife care/use but I realize that I have no clue where to start.

Some of the things I'm unsure of are:

-what type of oil, if any, should I use on my blade, I know you should not store your knife in it's sheath and clean it after each use. I keep reading about oiling the metal but I can't find a definite answer on what type of oil to use.

-what type of sharpening stones should I buy to keep it nice and sharp -whetstones, Arkansas, Japanese, India stones - and what grit(s) should I be using? I know you want at least 1 finer and 1 course grit but I've seen grit numbers from 300 - 8,000! What oil should I be using on this?

-Sheath - I've read that kydex sheaths can dull blades as you withdraw it over and over but I've also heard that leather sheaths can retain moisture which is bad for your blade.

and lastly, LOL, I know I've asked a ton of questions just now but - once I get my BK 16 in my hand, like the first minute, what should I do??? Hold it up and say "I have the power!" :)

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

You certainly came to the right place. I'm not sure where you heard it by kydex itself is not some super knife dulling material, simply it, like any other material that you put that edge against, will dull it. There are pros and cons, but put simply the benefits and payoffs pretty much even out depending on how good a quality of material you get. A waxed leather sheath that you inserted a knife into covered in oil will retain the oil and apply it to the knife each time you sheath it, while being fairly water resistant. Either way will work, so get what you like.

As far as what to use to sharpen, personally I recommend that people new to knives start off trying to learn to freehand. In my opinion that makes you able to sharpen a knife with darn near anything, and is an incredibly useful skill to have. Moose I believe (I could be wrong, it's been awhile since we had that conversation now that he is a vampire) recommends a sharpening system (KME) as he believes that gives one a better grasp of edge geometry right off the bat. Or you could get a worksharp (new Ken Onion model is pretty sweet from what I hear), but at the end of the day look at the options and go with the one you are comfortable with. Or multiple, either way, so long as you get your knife sharp, you're doing fine.

If you use your knife on a regular basis oil isn't a concern unless you live on the coast. If so, mineral oil works, or really anything you are comfortable with putting on your knife. If you leave the coating, that will protect it far better than oil though. While the coating does start out rough, it will lessen with use and eventually smooth out, or you can help it along with some sandpaper.

As far as what to do when you first get it, go cut something. Paper, wood, your enemies, whatever, but get out there and put it to use. Becker knives like to work for a living!
 
Never had an issue with the sheath dulling my Beckers, but I did get some mean scratches on the knife from the sheath.

When I first received my BK-2 (older style with the smooth black coating), the knife developed deep scratches running down the knife. This may have been from dirt inside the sheath, however this happened before I had a chance to take the knife out for some outdoor use. The sheath was also insanely tight, and I believe this may have led to the issue (or al least been partly to blame).

I contacted Kabar and explained the issue to them and the asked me to send the knife in. Regardless if this was a sheath issue or from me unknowingly getting dirt in the sheath, Kabar was simply amazing with their customer service. They sent me a new BK-2 (with the new baked on matte coating) and a new sheath.

Long story short, don't worry too much about the knife because Kabar has amazing customer service and a great warranty, even for small superficial issues that could easily been my fault.

Enjoy the new knife, and know that Kabar will stand behind the knives they make.
 
Don't cut yourself..... Congrats, your now part of the tribe, now go forth and make us proud.
 
It's here!

Wow, I remember being impressed with it when I was handling one in the store but I'm still blown away by just how...elegant...it feels. Sturdy, solid, and I was very surprised by how sharp it came right out of the box. I even liked the sheath which I didn't think I would. Here is the first picture of my new baby, hopefully I'll get a chance to get outside this weekend and take some more.

First pic

BK162_zps8ec4ecae.jpg
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