RECOMMENDATION: My Becker BK2 wants a sidekick!

Pokerface

Pokerface

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I'm new here and I'm new to the whole knife-buying ordeal. I liked the Buck 371 and the Skeletool CX so I bought those just because. Earlier this year I decided to do some research and get myself a fixed blade that I could carry while hiking, camping, horse back riding, survival (just in case), or in my bag while mountain biking. The information on knives and steels is way too overwhelming for me to keep researching (lack of time and too many different opinions received). Long story short...I ended up getting a Becker BK2 and now I would like a second carry blade. Any opinions? I was looking at the Gerber LMF ii (420HC), SOG Seal Pup Elite (AUS 8), BenchMade Barrage 580...for no other reason than, "I like the way they look". So now I need real input from people that really know.

I looked up LMF ii, and the results were 50-50...some hate it, others love it.

I looked up 420HC, and people say it's crap

Instead of looking some more, could you guys help with your opinions? Should I even get a second blade?


BTW...Weight is not an issue unless it is more than the Becker. Many thanks in advance.
 
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The BK2 should take care of almost all of your needs as far as batoning and most cutting. It can handle fine s stuff if you do your part but I would suggest a Becker Eskabar. It's a small necker with huge cutting power. Check them out. It would be a great everyday carry blade that will complement the BK2 perfectly.
 
Your BK2 wants a nice BK11 to hang out with. They are made for each other. :D

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Beckerhead #42
 
I have the Seal Pup Elite. It's a wee bit on the expensive side for the materials, but I love it. It's a good knife.

But, keeping the Becker pedigree is nice too. My BK11 is the perfect small work companion to my Campanion. The Eskabar is also good (from what i've read) and I know it's other parent, the ESEE Izula, gets rave reviews across the board. It would be very hard to go wrong with any of these three.
 
try a Fallkniven F1 because the BK2 will take care of chopping and bationing and it while being a bit thick, is a great slicer.
 
I'm not a fan of the "skeletonized" knives and I have a feeling that the BK11 would be too small for my hand. If I don't find anything, I would consider the BK14, eventhough I said that I don't like knives that have no scales. Thanks for the link PRESZ, those tweeners are probably worth the wait. I think the Fallkniven F1 is starting to get out of my price range. I don't really want to pay that much more than my Becker for my secondary knife. I mentioned the SOG because I saw them as low as $72 on Amazon
 
Am I looking in too much at steels? I know I want to stay away from, say a 440A, but should that be a deal breaker in the knives that I look for?
 
420hc and 440c are both perfectly acceptable knife steels, some prefer more premium steels but that doesn't make them crap. Whoever said that 420hc is crap needs a good smack upside the head imo.
I'd say that buck 371 is already a decent knife to pair with the BK2, between those two I can't imagine anything you couldn't do. Maybe look into some of the higher end Buck folding knives if you want something more fancy. Or Maybe look into a folding saw? You can also get scales to put on the Izula and the Becker Necker. And if you want another fixed blade, have a look into the Ontario Ranger line, and Presz mentioned looking into Mora; I second this notion. I don't think its even possible to not like any model of Mora.
 
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just get what catches your eye, feels good in hand and doesn't hurt your wallet. knives are tools. but your blood is what gives them their soul. not the type of steel.
 
I'm going to take a closer look at the Mora's...I didn't know they were that cheap. My 371 has been good to me and for $20-$25, I'd be an idiot to complain.
 
Zombie Zeke said:
just get what catches your eye, feels good in hand and doesn't hurt your wallet. knives are tools. but your blood is what gives them their soul. not the type of steel.
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I like your way of thinking, but I'll end up broke and with a garage full of knives
 
crunky said:
Hey that sounds like somebody I know :D
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I should've decided to collect dirt instead...the more I see, the more I want. I have a general idea of how many knives is too many though(for me)...I'm getting, at most, 3-4 more. I've got waaay too many hobbies going at once.
 
If you pair up a good multitool with a big blade like the Becker, you can rule the planet.
 
I have a few knives (not a lot really, I just bought a few that I thought I'd like) including a BK-2. If I was going camping and taking my BK-2 plus another knife I'd probably go with my Mora HighQ Allround Carbon or Mora HighQ Allround Stainless. The stainless would be if mainly for food prep or the carbon if mainly for wood carving. My HighQ carbon & stainless cost $10 & $11 respectively and are both great. The handles are super comfortable and the tang goes a good 2/3rds of the way into the handle - they should handle whatever I need from them and do a great job. I wouldn't chop or baton with the Mora knives, but with the BK-2 along that sort of task is easily covered. The blades on my Mora HighQ Allrounds are not very big, but that is one of the things I like because I always take a bigger bladed knife as well (like my BK-2 or BK-7 or BK-9).

In short:
Buy a Mora, if you don't like it then you are out of pocket by not very much at all! (If you do like it then you have a knife you like for a bargain price)
 
I like a 'backup' pocket knife. The BM 580 Barrage is nice... but this year's new version, with contoured Al & G10 handles - and a high end steel - M390 - is exquisite. Of course, it's MSRP is >50% more than the 580, too! Both are 'spring assisted' - and open with some authority.

My real suggestion will cost you ~$30, with s/t, at your local WallyWorld, etc - a basic Buck 110 Folding Hunter - a great example of how good 420HC can be. I carried mine by itself on several camping and many hiking trips - over the years. If you want a high end blade steel, go to Buck's site and 'roll you own' custom 110 Folding Hunter. You can get S30V, nickel silver bolsters, Dymondwood scales, and a nylon sheath - delivered - for ~$84. It'll take several weeks - but, it'll be made for you - if you want pins, it'll have exposed pins!

Stainz
 
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