NZ Hunter Gatherer's New Becker BK2

[coote]

I've made and bought dozens of knives, but I always enjoy looking at more. A couple of weeks ago my wife suggested that seeing I have a birthday coming up ('a big one with a zero in it'), that I should buy one of these knives that I look at, and want, but don't really need.


I chose a Becker BK2. Why? Because it represented good value for the money, it has a good reputation, my buddy DOC-Canada has a Becker which he likes, the designer seems like a good guy who stays in touch with his customers... and because I don't have anything quite like it. Plus I simply like the look of it.


It arrived yesterday. I took off the handle scales and, with the aid of a small rotary grinder, I rounded off the sharp edges on the spine and handle and on the edges of the tang cut-outs. I also rounded off the edges within the choil using a needle file and fine emery paper. This was probably totally unnecessary, but as a metalworking engineer I have come to believe that cracks can start on sharp corners. I was pleased to see that the tang cut-outs had radiused corners.


Naturally I had read or watched a number of reviews on the BK2, so a number of my comments will relate to some re-occurring themes in those reviews. My first such comment is that I found that the three capscrews holding the scales were properly tightened and I doubt that they would have worked loose. However I did put some teflon tape on the threads to provide a bit more 'grab', just in case. I will be very surprised if those screws ever come out un-noticed. Below is a picture showing some of the 'rounding' I did to the edges:

I like the sheath on the knife. Sure, it would be great if the rig didn't flop on its side as soon as the retaining strap is undone.... but it is a nice secure, safe and relatively hygienic sheath. I like it. I found that this unit hung well on my belt, and by tucking the sheath into my pocket it didn't tip over, and probably presented less of a threatening look to knife-phobic passers-by.

I like to grow and gather my own food, and I am a very keen 'primitive' trapper. So naturally I had to go and set some traps. Here is a picture showing the hilly area near my home where I often go hunting or trapping:

And here is the view back down the valley. We are fortunate to live in this beautiful area.

In this area it is possible to come across rabbits, hares, feral goats, feral pigs and brushtailed possums. All these animals are introduced species and we can hunt them all year round. I have had great success setting pole snares for the possums. These are very similar to the pole snares that are evidently used for squirrels in the US. I used the BK2 to cut a dead kanuka pole. This wood is one of the toughest/hardest timbers that we have, but I had no problems chopping through it with the Becker.

Here is the pole snare baited and ready to go. I sometimes will place a bit of white paper or a similar object above the snare to attract the animal's attention... and hopefully to give it something to focus on as it enters the snare rather than sniffing or poking at the snare itself. I placed a slice of apple above the snare, and I also wiped an aniseed scented flour lure on the base of the pole. The snare cord is relatively stiff and strong. It is called ‘Magnet’ and is used for making trawl nets. The cord is supported by a piece of thin galvanised wire.

To be continued.....

 

[abrasion]

I'm in!!! Lets see it...

 

[coote]

I set four pole-type snares in total. Below is a snare set on the side branch of a Pinus radiata tree. This is a good way to set these snares because there is only one practical way for the possum to reach the bait... and that is by going up the tree and along the branch. With a pole leaned up against a tree, the possum may climb the tree rather than going up the pole.

To be continued....

 

[coote]

Currently my favorite DIY trap is a spring-up leg snare. There are many descriptions of these on the internet, although there can be variations in the trigger and spring mechanisms. I like these traps because they are the closest to a 'one size fits all' design. I have spent a lot of time trapping pigs, and initially I used simple fixed neck snares made from synthetic cord or rope. These simple snares work very well, but when I'm setting them I'm always trying to guess how big the first pig along the track will be. A small pig might go under the snare and perhaps disturb it as it passes. A big pig might simply crash over a smaller noose set for a small pig. But with a noose of maybe eight inches in diameter placed flat on the ground, it is possible to catch any animal which places a foot on the trigger platform. Last year I trapped several pigs in our valley using a spring leg snare. In one particular trap I caught pigs, possums, a feral cat and a large bird. I should add that I don't use a lock on my snares, so if an animal breaks the tether the snare is free to work loose and drop off. The cord I currently prefer for these leg snares is a black braided nylon with a 300kg breaking load. I have used thinner and thicker cords successfully.


Anyway... I made a spring-up leg snare using the BK2. Instead of a springy branch or a bungee cord supplying the 'lift', I prefer to use a weighted lever. The weighted lever is probably not as quick to respond as the other choices, but I think the lifting power remains constant and more reliable over a longer period of time. Branches can lose some of their springiness, and bungee cords can deteriorate. Mind you, I've had great success with bungee (shock) cord.... and a bent over branch works just fine. So... after I found a good location for the trap, I cut a lever stick. The stick was cut from a barberry bush... a nasty pest species with little 'caltrop' spikes. It has a bright yellow inner bark.

I've been having trouble uploading these posts. So I'm keeping them short. To be continued.....

 

[coote]

Below is a picture showing the spring-up trap mechanism before I laid a camouflaged platform over the trigger bar. Naturally I cut all the pegs and sticks I needed with my new knife. I was pleased when I found that I could easily drive the pegs into the ground with the back of my BK2. I tied a forked stick to my anchor peg to give the toggle stick something to hook under, but I have made a similar trap by driving a nail into the side of a longer anchor peg. I figure the Becker would provide an adequate means of hammering a small nail into the peg:

And here is the trap when finally set and ready to go. Instead of using lots of sticks and leaves to create the platform, I used a plastic lid from a 2 litre icecream tub, and simply spread some soil and dead leaves on it. You can see the weighted lever to the left of the picture. I've lashed a rock to the end of the lever stick to provide some weight.

More to come....

 

[coote]

Unfortunately I caught nothing in the traps that night. I removed all the pole snares and the noose cord from the leg snare. If things are the same as previous years, then I'll be expecting some pigs to move into the area as early as March. So it will be easy to resurrect the leg snare then if necessary. Here are pics showing a possum and a pig in primitive traps that were set near home:

 

[coote]

I had hoped to try using the Becker for skinning and butchering.... and I'm sure it will do the job well enough. I should have some success soon, so I must remember to take my Becker and my camera when I have an animal to deal with.


If I could carry only one tool with me when trapping, then the Becker would be a good choice. I generally would take a 12 inch Tramontina machete and a smaller knife. Below is a picture showing my other blades and their crude, but very functional, safe and hygienic sheaths made from low density polyethylene water pipe.

I am very aware that not all folks share my enthusiasm for edged tools and harvesting wild meat. And sometimes I might want to trap in areas where other people may see me. So the relatively short BK2 is easy to keep out of sight compared to my machete. It is also capable of many tasks. Besides being a decent knife and a great chopper, it enables me to hammer stakes or nails without having to carry another tool or go hunting for a suitable stick or rock. And I will be very surprised if I ever break the danged thing.


Some have complained about the weight of the BK2. But weight is a relative thing. If you want to drive a peg or a nail, or chop through a decent branch then you need some weight. According to our kitchen scales, the BK2 weighs 14.6 ounces. My modified 12" machete weighs 10.3 ounces. And the handy little karda-style knife (made from a bandsaw blade) weighs only 1.2 ounces. I can do a heck of a lot with that little knife, but it isn't a tool for driving nails or chopping trap poles.


Reviewers have indicated that the 'factory' handle scales are not the best. Well I like them. And when you consider what our early ancestors achieved just with sharp hunks of rock with no handles, the Becker scales are pure, functional luxury.


Did I baton through a barrow-load of wood? Err, no. What is it with YouTube, knives and batoning? I do occasionally use a baton though. One thing my family and I do is use a machete and baton when we want to split a carcass down through the spine. It is heaps easier to do this compared to trying to keep a saw or a cleaver on track. It makes a neat job.


The BK2 is an adequate chopper for casual use. It may not have the reach of a machete for getting into thorny scrub, but it is a heckuva lot better than a pocket knife. It is also good for 'bluntening' the sharp sticks that you've just chopped. Here's what I mean... when you are cutting obstructing sticks on a trail, they are generally cut at an angle. This often creates a hazard as the ends of the chopped sticks can be quite sharp and if someone pressed against, or fell on, them they could be speared by the sticks. So if I can't cut off a stick at right angles, or flush with the ground, I like to smack it with something to blunten it. The side of the BK2 blade is pretty good for this. (I think we should always be aware of the hazards we may create when cutting through branches on the trail, particularly at head level). Here is a picture showing a Becker-bluntened stick.

And while I'm harping on about chopping scrub, I should note that I avoid cutting any live plant unnecessarily (especially on someone else's property). If I do cut off a branch I like to cut it to cause the least damage to a tree. So I try to avoid tearing the bark on the remaining part of the tree. And I like to cut off side branches cleanly, not quite flush with the trunk, so that they have a better chance of healing over. I batoned the Becker upwards through this side branch to demonstrate what I mean. I was impressed with the way that the knife cut cleanly through the olive wood.

So... The BK2 is a versatile tool and I like it. I intend to post some more here after I've done some successful trapping.

 

[The Warrior]

Congrats on the 2. It was my introduction into Becker knives. An awesome blade. An awesome thread too, i really enjoyed reading it.

 

[cold one]

Very cool, thanks for posting all the pics looking forward to seeing more.

 

[CM_Rick]

Congrats on the 2. It seems to be most people's first. This is a great thread with lots of good info. I wish primitive trapping were legal here in the states. It's the only trapping I know.

 

[Gassy]

Great pics and beautiful country Coote. The BK22 remains my favourite Becker blade, closely followed by the 16 and 7. That was a good size possum! I would recommend some Tommythewho timber scales on the BK2, makes the knife feel brilliant in hand.

 

[trailbum]

Great post.
Thanks for the pics of a Becker being used in the outdoors.
Are possums good eating.

 

[Guyon]

Very cool set of posts. :thumbup: Thanks for sharing your skills. That is the brownest possum I've ever seen.

 

[Moosez45]

Hot damn!!!!!

Now this is a post!!!!

Knife mods, dead animals, and woodland skills. Plus, a DOC CANADA reference.......

Excellent stuff, coote!!!!

Dubz, you payin' attention????

Moose

 

[grogimus]

That possum is much less disgusting looking than the ones I trap around the chicken house here. Actually it looks like a decent coat.

Excellent posts, thank you!

 

[The Warrior]

Dubz, you payin' attention????

Moose

Payin' attention to what? Oh, that my threads suck? Duly noted.

 

[coote]

Thanks for all the comments.

Are our possums good eating? Some of them certainly are. If they are freshly killed and they look tender, I may keep them for human consumption. Otherwise they make great dog tucker. I have likened possum meat to a mixture of rabbit and chicken, but only because I can't think of better words. I've even called it my favourite meat at times. If you are going to eat a brush tail possum, it is advisable to make sure that you carefully cut out the two 'stink' glands that are found next to the bum hole. Fat on game meat is comparatively rare in my experience, but sometimes a possum will have some good fat on it... and to me that is a desirable quality. Lizzy, our faithful companion, is very interested in possums.

Yes, they sometimes have good fur. There has been a market for whole pelts, and more recently there's been a demand for plucked fur. A while back we were offered NZ$100 for a kilo of plucked fibre, and this would typically be the fur from a dozen big possums. When freshly killed, they are relatively easy to pluck. When they are cold and stiff, it is a real challenge to pull the fur out.

Below is a picture of a possum being plucked. That is a khukuri (15 inch I think) on my belt. Anybody who thinks a BK2 is too heavy should try lugging round one of these. I never did get used to the 'bent' blade. I gave it to my son-in-law who is bigger than me.

To be continued.....

 

[coote]

Our possums were introduced from Australia. Their Latin name is Trichosurus vulpecula. They are marsupials (having a pouch like a kangaroo) and I've only ever seen them with one baby. When the young grow too big for the pouch, they sometimes cling to their mother's back.

The first possum picture in this thread showed a particularly brown one. But there can be quite a variation in colour. Here's a blacker one:

And here is what we'd call a 'silver grey':

And here is the skull of a Trichosurus vulpecula:

Yeah, its a pity that primitive trapping is illegal or frowned upon in some places. I doubt that the 'law' would be interested in what you do in your own buildings though. I've had a lot of fun whittlin' triggers for figure-four deadfalls, and I've caught quite a few rats and mice in them. Below is a pic showing the success we had with a figure 4 deadfall in my cousin's garden shed.

 

[coote]

Just continuing with the hunting gathering theme. Tonight I cut up a small portion of a fillet of yellowtail kingfish for dinner. My nephew, Zach, speared it.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

G'day, SC. Great thread although I'm saddened to learn of your inability to love a curved blade . And, of course, you're correct regarding my affection for Becker blades, although my 2 isn't one of my more favourites. IMHO, too short for the weight, although it seems to suit your purposes to a T. Personally, I would like to see it 3 inches longer - 8" long and 1/4" thick, now that would be awesome.

For those of you who don’t know, Coote is the author of 2 great little books, one on Primitive Skills and one on Primitive Trapping which used to be available as a free download at one time – maybe still is. SC?

Anyway, Coote, looking forward to your future posts about your experiences with your BK-2.

BTW, love the picture of the skull with the BK-2.

Catch you later,

Doc

ETA, Moose, it’s good to see you around here a bit more.