Newest BK&T! The BUSH HOG!!!!! [pic]

Will Fennell

Will Fennell

Joined
Oct 4, 1998
Messages
1,597
The Becker family is still GROWING!

Part of the philosophy behind BK&T is designing knives and tools for specific tasks, instead of making different lenghts of the same basic knife design and hoping they work well for whatever the customer wants to do. The MACHAX is a chopper. The TACTOOL is a LE and rescue sharpened pry-bar. The MAGNUM CAMP is well....a camp knife. Etc.

Well, Ethan Becker hasn't been idle. After a few trips down south where vegetation is typically lighter, he started thinking about machete's. After testing quite a few existing models on thee market, and consulting with expert users in the field, including BladeForums own Jeff Randall, we got down to the drawing board. Then the prototype room. Then out in the field....the fun part.

Its looking pretty good
biggrin.gif



Its got a 14" blade.

Its fully flat ground out of .188" stock[0170-6C]

Its got a BK&T handle.

Its called the ....

bkt-bushhog.jpg


Expected delivery the first of November....suggested retail price will be under $100. Tell me what you think.

------------------
Stay Sharp!
Will Fennell
Camillus Cutlery www.camillusknives.com

[This message has been edited by Will Fennell (edited 10-08-2000).]
 
This one really caught my eye. Under $100? That is excellent!

Do the blade have distal taper? How thick is it at say, an inch from the tip?
 
Will,

Can we see more pix?

Will this be the object/prize of a contest?

Thanks!

Harry
 
Looks promising. Roughly, what will be its overall weight?

Given the toughness of 0170-6C, why not consider going even slightly thinner, to 1/8" stock?

Glen
 
Sarge,
We are finalizing the sheath now. It will not be Kydex. It will be 'Propex' nylon with internal 'stiffeners'[sp] to keep the sheath relatively rigid. I will have a retaining strap w/snap at the handle for additional retention, and eyelets for 'lash down points'.

vertically un-challenged goat,
It will be thinner 1" from the tip than at the handle, but not a true distal taper. With a 14" blade that would make it too thin at the tip to hold up to heavy use. Keep in mind that this BK&T is THINNER[than say the BRUTE] to start with.

KOZAK,
I'll try to get some more pics soon. We'll see about contests after I get it going out the door first. The fall is a busy time for us, and I'm going to be on the road quite a bit, so it may have to wait.

Thanks for the interest.......its gonna be REAL KEWL
biggrin.gif


------------------
Stay Sharp!
Will Fennell
Camillus Cutlery
www.camillusknives.com
 
OH, SURE, Will, wait until I have spent all of my money elsewhere and then come out with this cool looking brush killer! Thanks alot!
tongue.gif
man.
Which of the Wholesalers will be carrying this new one? (BlueRidge,Moteng?)

rolleyes.gif
eek.gif



------------------
Ron,
Bremerton, Washington
 
Will,

Just one word....SSSWWEETTTT!!!!
smile.gif
It's about time a production company went forward and made a QUALITY machete/large chopper, and Ethan (not to mention Jeff Randall)couldn't have been a better designer. To be honest, it's very refreshing to see makers/manufacturers again tackling fixed blades, and there is a huge gap in the market for a quality, well priced brush tool. I'm glad to see that it's Camillus breaking out of the small knife barrier. A nine inch blade has it's place, but for dense vegetation, it takes a longer, lighter, blade, hands down. BTW, any chance I could field test one, since I just moved to the Deep South (Savannah GA)???
wink.gif
My garden alone has enough creeping vines to keep me busy for quite some time!
biggrin.gif
On a serious note, where is the approximate balance point relative to the ricasso? Where's the "sweet spot" on the blade for chopping? Will there be a drainage hole on the sheath? Any chance of the sheath being canted slightly for a cross-draw? Wow...finally, a stretched and thinned Machax!

Take care,
John Johnson
 
(deep growl...)
YEAH!!!!!!!!

Can't believe it will be under $100...

Can't wait!!
Orion
 
Yup, it's a nice one. I'm putting it on my Christmas list.
Thanks Camillus!!


------------------
Buck Collectors Club Member # 572
Dedicated ELU
Talonite fan
Knifeknut(just ask my wife)
 
Seems similar in intention to the RCM from Livesay. Not really a machete at 3/16" but more of a parang class blade.

It would be interesting to get Randall's comments on a comparison of the two and see how the heavier tip of the Bush Hog and curvature compared to the straight RCM.

Has the edge been thinned out from the standard profile on the heavier blades like the Brute and Machax? Can you chop hard woods with it or it is a soft and leafy cutter only?

-Cliff
 
The new machete looks like it's going to be a nice addition to the Becker line. Will Fennell gave me a little too much credit though. He sent down a pre-production drawing for me to go over and I merely offered up some ideas. Their design, in my mind, was sound before it ever got to my hands. Hopefully there will be more good designs coming out of Becker and Camillus, and if I know Ethan and Will like I think I do, I know they are already hard at work with ideas.

Our training and adventure company is rapdily evolving into focusing on specific mission gear and doing non-public reviews and field engineering for various companies working on such gear. We're currently working on some neat designs (non-knife) and also on some new knife and tool projects related to specific mission tasks. Most of these projects are long term deals but hopefully some of this work will filter over into the Becker/Camillus line in the future.

Jeff


------------------
Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com
 
Just clicked on this forum to see what a "Bush Hog" was, and there it is.
Saw it at 1sks under "Specials" for $74.99.
I guess that's to preorder, since Will said they won't ship 'til first of November.

I think Camillus is doing a great job with the BK&T lineup. I'm trying to convince myself that I have some use for a Brute. I'm sure if I get one, I'll FIND a use for it!

[This message has been edited by Owen (edited 10-12-2000).]
 
Interesting Jeff, I would have thought it would be too thick and forward balanced for what you prefer for jungle work.


-Cliff
 
Cliff,
The Bush Hog I handled is quite thin at the edge, probably about .025 or so.

The high, deep grind helps to reduce its bulk immensely, while giving it a thick enough spine to beat on it.

 
Cliff, I haven't even handled the blade yet so I don't know if it's going to suit my tastes or not...inital impressions from a 2D drawing is it will, but 2D paper drawings are hard to use when you cut them out and try to whack something with them. When I was a toddler I used to cut out pictures of tractors and cars...but I got pissed when they folded up and wouldn't roll across the floor.....I think I will reserve judgement on this knife until I get the real thing.

I like blade heavy balance....did you not read the posts about my raving love affair with the tip heay Martindale machetes?


Jeff

------------------
Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com
 
Jeff to clarify, based on your comments about jungle work such as those in which you rate a simple Ontario over such knives as the RCM, it was surprising to see the Bush Hog as being something that you would see as a jungle knife. The curvature stood out for example as an obvious point on contention as you and others have stated that this is an aspect that can cause hangups on vines and such as well as concerns about ease of sharpening.

It I was to design a blade for jungle work based on the comments I have read from you, it would be longer than the Bush Hog with a distal taper, a straight edge and possibly a "hump" near the top to provide the necessary balance. Since you do a lot of wrist snap / rolling motion in your chopping, the handle should allow for easy grip piviots. It looks to me like the Camillus ones are much more geared towards fixed wrist power chopping like the Barteaux grips which you didn't like much at all.

Curiously enough though, it fits a spot which I have been wanting for some time. Basically take a Battle Mistress and stretch it out about 4-5", slim it down a little, but not as much as the 1/8" machetes to prevent excessive binding, with a good solid handle for high impact hits. My only concern is that the edge will not hold up on hardwoods. Thanks to Anthony we have a spec., which is a functional design depending on the steel. I'll wait and see what Will Fennell has to say before ordering one.

-Cliff

[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 10-19-2000).]
 
Will Fennell and his dad, Wallace, Ethan Becker and myself spent several hours in a South Carolina river bottom field testing the first two prototypes of the Bush Hog a couple of weeks ago. I was impressed. We cut down a wide variety of vines, cane, and hardwood trees very effectively. As Will can tell you, I chopped down a 6-inch Sweet Gum about as well as I could have with a ¾ axe. The machete threw large chips with out much effort. No problems with the edge chipping. The length may be a bit of a compromise for a machete but I don’t think anyone is going to be disappointed in it for an all-purpose brush clearing tool.
 
Stephen, it is not cutting down hardwood trees that concern me, it is limbing out seasoned wood. The branches would generate contact pressures easily in excess of 25-50 times what the blade wood see cutting down a 6" tree. To be specific, the chopping method would also be full powered with a follow through, not a whipping, loose grip swing.

-Cliff
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top