- Joined
- Jul 24, 2014
- Messages
- 328
In the late 70s and early 80s I acquired a number of Buck knives, all I thought I'd need for hiking and roughing it. Time passed. I ended up carrying the Buck 639V most of the time and my other Buck knives resided in a box. The 119 was my favorite Buck knife but I hated the sheath because it made the 119 rattle as I hiked. I used the 124 more often than the 119 because it rattled less. Anyway and primarily because of my recent interest in Becker knives I've learned about the sheath-makers on eBay and bought new sheaths for my 119, 120 and 124. This morning I hiked with my old 119 in a rattlesnake-skin sheath and it didn't rattle a bit. 
I like Becker knives a lot. When I was younger (I'll be 80 next month) I could hike all day and all the next as well, but my hikes only last a few hours at a time nowadays so I don't mind carrying a heavy Becker. In the old days I checked the weight of all my gear and the 639V qualified as a very effective light-weight knife.
On the other hand after the novelty of the Becker knives wears off a bit I will probably go back to hiking with a lighter-weight knife. I thought I would use the Ka-Bar 1250. It is 3/4 the size of the USMC fighting knife. The edged part of the blade is 5 inches long. In terms of lighter-weight knives I'd be willing to carry nowadays, the next step up seemed to be the full-sized USMC fighting knife with a 6 1/2 inch blade. But after hiking today with the non-rattling 5 1/2 inch bladed 119 I've added it to my hiking arsenal. Figuring I was going to like the 119 in the snake-skin sheath I ordered a 119BR which I got later in the day (after the hike). I suspect I'm going to like it better than my old 119. It is heavier and inspires more confidence.
I liked the Ka-Bar 1250 but it seemed a little dainty and the old 119 seemed only a little less so. I knew it was a tough knife from all I'd read, but there is a huge difference between the 119 and the 119BR. The BR is 3 ounces heavier, perhaps someone knows whether all of that weight is accounted for by the handle material. In any case there is nothing dainty about the 119BR. I'm probably over enthusiastic because I just got it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it became my favorite hiking knife.
Lawrence
I like Becker knives a lot. When I was younger (I'll be 80 next month) I could hike all day and all the next as well, but my hikes only last a few hours at a time nowadays so I don't mind carrying a heavy Becker. In the old days I checked the weight of all my gear and the 639V qualified as a very effective light-weight knife.
On the other hand after the novelty of the Becker knives wears off a bit I will probably go back to hiking with a lighter-weight knife. I thought I would use the Ka-Bar 1250. It is 3/4 the size of the USMC fighting knife. The edged part of the blade is 5 inches long. In terms of lighter-weight knives I'd be willing to carry nowadays, the next step up seemed to be the full-sized USMC fighting knife with a 6 1/2 inch blade. But after hiking today with the non-rattling 5 1/2 inch bladed 119 I've added it to my hiking arsenal. Figuring I was going to like the 119 in the snake-skin sheath I ordered a 119BR which I got later in the day (after the hike). I suspect I'm going to like it better than my old 119. It is heavier and inspires more confidence.
I liked the Ka-Bar 1250 but it seemed a little dainty and the old 119 seemed only a little less so. I knew it was a tough knife from all I'd read, but there is a huge difference between the 119 and the 119BR. The BR is 3 ounces heavier, perhaps someone knows whether all of that weight is accounted for by the handle material. In any case there is nothing dainty about the 119BR. I'm probably over enthusiastic because I just got it, but I wouldn't be surprised if it became my favorite hiking knife.
Lawrence
