Not a big fan of the 2 or 9

I think there's a lot of substance to this pick a 2 or a 10 thought. they are similar in OAL and application, but I can respect that the 2 might be too heavy or the 10 might not be pointy enough, etc. But I suppose it's just a question of which tradeoffs you prefer.

I also think that there's a similar thing going with the 9 or the machax. Heck, I can never make up my mind which one to grab since they handle similar tasks, so I just settle for whichever is closest :D
 
the 2 and 9 happen to be my favorites. I have 2 of each. Sold everything else except the machax and bk17.
 
jimh0220 said:
I know, it's shocking. A Beckerhead that is not in love, dare I say LUST, with either one. Nothing wrong with the 9, just not practical for a lot of things. The 2 and I have history. I've owned and used and then sold 2. Tried and tried again. Just too much pry bar, not enough knife.

Now, I love me some Beckers. The Tweeners are awesome, my 14 is amazing, and a BK3 under my truck seat always. Love my Machax, too. But there seems to be a cult following that seems to run with the 2 and 9 lovers. I just don't feel that love for either.

My questions:

a: Am I missing something?
b: Am I going to have my Beckerhead status revoked for this?
c: Am I going to Hell for this?
d: Will I have to sell all my Beckers and only be allowed on the CS forums from now on? (Arguably worse than Hell)
Click to expand...

a:yes
b:dunno
c:maybe
d: up to the mods :D

To be fair I don't use either that much lately, guess it's the tweeners fault, but when it comes down to chopping I still grab the 9 now and then, it's just that I have so many big knives I like to give each one a chance to play. Today I did some branch removal in my backyard and the weapon of choice was my Condor kuk - the thing is a beast when you get that belly in the spot. Same for the boomslang, awesome chopper. And the Junglas. And the 911. And the... you get the drift.
 
I prefer the 16, 10, & 12 to the 2. (I even traded a 2 for a 17.)
mmmmmmmmmm.......... Pack Golok!!!!!!! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
 
The BK9 is my favorite knife ever. You may not need a knife that big for most things but it can do most things you would ask of a knife. On my last camping trip my buddy forgot to pack a spatula so I battoned a plank from a chunk of firewood and set about making a spatula. What I ended up with worked well enough that he actually kept it when we left.

As for the BK2, well, I think it's a great knife to have around in case you get into trouble. It's plenty capable and you don't have to worry about breaking it. A true "survival" knife if you will. But it's not one I reach for normally. It's what I would take with me hiking just-in-case. Something like the BK10 or BK16 is better for typical knife tasks, I think.
 
My 2 is my main blade, it rides in my truck. The only large blade I have at the moment....my 5...rides a shelf in my safe, for now. I really like the 9. I want one. I love seeing all these mods, like seeing the 9 stripped with the thumb ramp removed and really dig the "user" pics. It's a beautiful blade, more beautiful than a 2 for sure. However, there are many other smaller blades I want first though, so honestly, the 9 is, at this point, last on my list. My family and I camp a lot and I have never needed anything larger than my 2, so the 9 seems impractical to me at this point.
 
I can grasp where you are coming from. My 9 really doesn't see that much action anymore either. I am fortunate enough to own a 1 and a 6 so for chopping, I have options.

The 2 is another story, it is kind of like that girl next door. The one you have ignored for years, she's pretty but not overly sexy. Then one day you look and go, wow, how did I not notice that before. She can do everything! And she's loyal, and she's low maintenance, and she won't let me down when I need her.

I am about half way to that point,
From last week,
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1090077-An-afternoon-with-my-BK-2
 
Captain Airyca said:
I think you may be going to hell.

Jk... have you used the 9 a lot? I find it satisfying to cut down entire forests with it. All kidding aside.... I found I liked the 10 more than the 2 if that helps any.
Click to expand...

LMAO this had me cracking up
 
If i may: & this is just my .02cents: Most people who don't like the BK2 feel that way because it just don't seem to cut as well as a thinner knife stock. However, after the blade edge/angle has been thinned out some, it becomes a whole different beast. It slices & cuts much better. As far as the BK9, Most dont like it because it is difficult to do smaller things with such a large knife. The cure is to make your own choil & jimping. It turns it into a whole different beast. Smaller tasks become easier.




I have had people who are not BK9 fans, handle my 9 after my mods. They really seemed to like it. "Seems to make it so much more useful" was a common comment.
 
They're both a little too wide for my liking. But, as others have said, there's plenty of other models to like!
 
I think it's about the job at hand.

If you need the sharpened pry bar, there you go... 2 to the rescue.

I like the shape and would love a 2 shaped blade but thin as a 10 and with a high handle so I could use it as my main kitchen knife.

That and a five and a 15 would be all I'd need in the kitchen.

I got the 10 and that's a beast of a blade and I think, all I would need in the woods as, shocking as it may seem, I'd hope to have an actual ax or hatchet for messing with wood. Blades should be reserved for cutting. That said, it's nice to know that the capacity to fill in in a contingency situation is there.

Here apparently is the genius of these blades.... Enough of a choice to cover all the bases (except for that aforementioned high handled 2 shaped kitchen killer) and at a price point where you can get what you want/need and even modify to your hearts content.

TG
 
The 9 is my go to blade and I think its very handy indeed. For my mileage its just what I need for a lot of tasks and I have tested and used the 9 extensively. I understand how some see it as impractical because of its size but thats just the school of thought they are from. Doesnt make anyone wrong or right its just their experience. I find the 9 perfectly capable of handling most tasks once you understand large blade mechanics and how to get the most out of a large knife... Even if I am just using that blade I still utilize my 15 or 14 for smaller tasks not because I have to, but because its handy.

as for the 2 its a lot of blade in a small package, but in my mind its a short hatchet, and once you have the edge dialed in for me its a very formidable blade. Its definitely not a lightweight backpacker or a super thin slicer, its the polar opposite but can still accomplish those tasks just fine if called upon to do so. Its also in a different school of thought when it comes to "survival" blades. Its a blade that you really dont have to worry about breaking in half should certain needs arise, but still I know the benefit of a 5 or so inch thinner slicer like the 15, and a .25" thick piece of 1095 crovan alongside and 9 inch strap of the same.

It just all boils down to preference and the users experience. I always am reminded of something I heard about early American astronauts like Niel Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin being dropped off into the middle of the desert to survive with just a SAK and the clothes on their backs. They knew that being lost out there was a real possibility and that their tools would be limited to what they had on them. In essence their experience told them what they needed, and it tells us all what we need.
 
It's ok not to like the beast and the king. Plenty of others to choose from. That is perfectly fine. The beast is a favorite and probably the most popular Becker there is but what makes it special and loved is probably what others don't like about it. The beast and the king are my main blades and I really like them both, the beast I probably like more. I have used it for a variety of tasks and it has performed well for my needs. If it works for you, then that is all there is to it.
 
I love both the 9 & the 2, the 9 has seen a lot of use & my 2 rides in my truck & goes everywhere with me
my 9 -
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my 2 -
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The cool thing about the lineup is that there are enough models for people to choose so that they will find something they like that fits into their particular system. I've found that I need different knives for different types of expeditions. If I know there are going to be decent machetes around, a folder will (and has) gotten me by. I have 3 Beckers that I use all the time. One is the Necker, which sits in my work bag. It alternates with a blade that TM Hunt made me. I like both and I just like to switch things up to make it interesting. The next Becker that I use ALL the time is the BK-5. I tend to cook huge pieces of meat. I have a family of 5 and it is much more economical for me to buy big pieces of meat and make meals out of that. For example - a whole bone in ham will make deli sandwiches, a ham dinner, hot ham sandwiches, deviled ham sandwiches, ham and eggs, bean soup, red beans and rice, ham fried rice and on and on. Buy 1 ham and feed your whole family for a week. Anyway the 5 comes in handy in the kitchen a lot.

The last Becker that I use a lot, although for more adventurous purposes is the BK-16. I've got some threads up somewhere of the one I took on the Amazon 5000 expedition. I'm currently working on my own fixed blade that is of similar dimensions/uses, but until I get a model of my own that I like, the BK-16 is my go-to knife in that class.

BK-2: I really really really want to figure out a way to work this knife into my system. Sam Hensley had one that was really nice and I used that and liked it, but I can't find the right fit for the BK-2 with my personal systems. The handle is excellent, the knife is excellent and I see no problems with it, I just do things a certain way (because I'm ignorant). I'm going to buy a BK-2 and force myself to learn that knife someday. Once upon a time I had the same goal with an ESEE-5 and I tried it. I couldn't make that particular knife work for me, but I donated the knife to a charity so it works for someone now.

BK-9: Probably the best of the big affordable choppers that I've used. I bought mine from 1066-VIC. I haven't seen every chopper known to man. I've used the BUSSE kin offerings, ESEE offering and others. For the money, BK-9 has it in my hands. The handle is better. I don't understand why people put flat sided slabs of mycarta on a tang and call that any kind of a handle. Yeah I know it works, but I also know a teeny tiny bit about the anatomy of the hand and Mr. Becker is doing it right. I used my BK-9 a lot for a long time. I still have it, but I've since forged some parangs out of old lawnmower blades and those work a little better for me, but only because I have owner's pride.
 
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