Pick one- USMC or BK2

Jonny1280

Jonny1280

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I'll be recieving a short Ka-bar and a BK11 in the mail today. Super excited! My next knife will definately be either the full size USMC or the Becker BK2. I was wondering if you guys could list some pros and cons for each knife. I'm new to BF but there sure seems to be alot of knowledge floating around here. I'd appreciate any help on this.
 
Oh and welcome to BladeForums, and the Ka-Bar forum. Glad you stoped in. Hope you can stay with us for a while. :D
 
Thanks for the welcome. I agree, they both are a great value. Unfortunately it may be a day or two before I can buy both. If you HAD to pick one of the two which would it be?
 
Jonny1280 said:
Thanks for the welcome. I agree, they both are a great value. Unfortunately it may be a day or two before I can buy both. If you HAD to pick one of the two which would it be?
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Well buddy, it really depends on what you are gonna be using it for.

I'm a police officer, and I carry My Ka-Bar 1211 (7 inch fighting utility, except with kraton handle, same thing really) every day. I carry it concealed inside the waistband.

but, when I'm in the woods, I carry my BK-2. One is a Combat knife, one is an outdoor knife.
 
I'd probably go with the BK-2 if it were me mostly due to the fact that I don't really like to carry a fixed blade with much more than a 5 inch blade also while short in length you can chop and baton with the BK-2. I feel the BK-2 is a lot of knife in a compact but dense package.
 
BK2, anyday. I sold USMC and just got a BK2 for christmas, its my go to knife for the woods, it chops and batons like my hatchet and still makes feathersticks. You wont be disappointed with it, unless you are using it for knife fighting... then I guess the USMC would be better... because it has a swedge?
 
It will definately be more of a woods knife than a fighter. I've seen great reviews and demos from the BK2 on the web. I just havn't handled one personally. I love the feel of the USMC, I guess I was just wondering what the BK2 can do that the Ka-bar cannot. Thanks for the replies!
 
Both knives are good, are made out of 1095CV, have black coatings and are made in the US. Thats about where the similarities end. That said, they're both quite good knives, they're just good at different things.

The BK2 is a great woods knife, and has a full width full length tang. Its pretty heavy for its size, and carrying it around can cause some people to grumble. The thing can do just about anything, even chopping and featherstick making. I think I've heard of like one BK2 that has broken, and it was because the guy was throwing it repeatedly. The BK2 is the knife that I use when I know that it needs to be done, and will likely be hard on the knife. I batoned a ZK War Sword into a nasty knot and got like a 30 degree bend in the blade (.20in thick FFG). I used the BK2 to extract it, and it didn't even show a sign of bending.

Its a beast, but it does quite well at the smaller stuff as well.

The USMC is a classic, and has stood the test of time as being a great all around knife. It is lightweight (like less than half the weight of the BK2 I believe) and comfy, and a good size. If I was taking a knife on a dayhike, I might just take the USMC. I have heard of many more of them being broken, but overall its a dang tough knife, and I know I could rely on it.

Can't go wrong either way, so good luck with whatever you do :).
 
USMC is an amazingly cool knife caked with history but...

IMG_0002_20110305.jpg


It's ridiculously versatile

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Beckerhead #42
 
Id say BK-2 but they are both great!
You could also Check out the BK-7 which is much more comparable in size.
 
I resolved that quandary myself last year by buying both.:rolleyes:
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I feel that EVERY serious student of American knives should own an example of the USMC KABAR or its current issue version made by Ontario. It is not only a piece of Military history but of American Sporting cutlery as well. The basic design of that knife goes back WAY farther than KABAR'S contract to build knives during WW2. The father of the USMC knife is the full quillion 7" Marbles IDEAL. Which was- you guessed it- a general purpose sporting knife.

In the BK2's defense-whoever said the USMC was less than half the weight of the BK -2 is wrong. It is lighter but not by that much. The USMC knife weighs 10.8 ounces on my highly accurate digital scales. The BK-2 weights 14.8 ounces. The important thing about the USMC is that it only weighs 14.2 ounces WITH the sheath.;)

And speaking of sheaths, I feel the USMC has a usable leather sheath out of the box, while the BK2 factory sheath needs serious mods or replacement (IMHO it's not worthy of the knife).

As the policemen said above, the BK-2 is a great woods knife and the USMC is a great combat knife. Due to the longer blade, I do feel the USMC is the more versatile knife overall. It was doing bushcraft work in both combat and wilderness settings for two generations before the BK2 was a gleam in Ethan Becker's eyes.. And he would be the first to admit that.

To illustrate that point here is a great You tube bushcraft review of the USMC knife-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C-l5vRqByk

Both are great knives and great values. As a matter of fact, you can find both on sale on that popular auction site right right now. One seller has them as low as for $41 for the USMC shipped and $48 shipped for the BK-2 for a grand total of $89 shipped for two of the best KABAR knives ever made !!

At those prices how can a guy NOT buy both?:D
 
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Different critters, for sure.

I love them both, and have them both, and I couldn't make that decision either.

If I was to say which one to get FIRST (:D), it would be the 1217.

Icon, American embodiment of steel, etc., the most important thing to remember is, its a Fighting/Utility knife. Fighting comes first in that name, for a reason. Its light, comfortable in the hand, solid build, and a very, very versitile blade.

It was my first "real knife" and I will never be without on in my pack, or at the very least, in my collection. There is nothing in the woods that it won't do. Baton, whittle, chop, pry, bore holes, etc. I've done all of it with mine.

Does it have some short comings? Not really the way I see it, I just say it fits all the features that it has and few more.

Is it as tough as the BK2? No, but not much is. The BK2 is my "the knife", you know, the one knife that we all look for? That's mine. If I had only 2secs to pick a knife to take into any unknown situation, it would be my BK2. But just like the 1217, there are some that say it has its limits, to which I reply, "Yeah, what are they?"

Too thick, its a matter of each persons perspective.

Stick tangs are weak, not really, Randall Made Knives has been making stick tangs for years, as well as tens of thousands of other knives that are still going strong, Kabar F/U knives are most certainly one of them.

I say, get the 1217 first, and get used to the feel of American quality, then, get the BK2 and get used to the feel of American ingenuity.

Both will serve you well, and for a long time.

Moose
 
Thank you all for taking the time to answer my questions. I cant wait to get my hands on both knives!
 
Jonny1280 said:
Thank you all for taking the time to answer my questions. I cant wait to get my hands on both knives!
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There are some guys and gals gathering in your neck of the woods, in the spring.

You might want to bounce over to the BKT forum and check out the Beckerheads West Gathering thread in the stickies at the top.

Be sure and let us know which one you get.

Moose
 
Thanks Moose. I've been over on the BK&T forum quite a bit. Seems like a real close knit group. Cant wait to meet everyone.
 
McGrain said:
Now... If there would be a BK2 with leather stacked handles...
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Damn, now we are talking, and talking about the right stuff. That would be so badass, they might have to ship to us in a cage. :D

Moose
 
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