So educate me on the BK-16 please

B

Blackie Scantling

Joined
Dec 26, 2013
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Specifically the saber grind. There was the FPR with the autograph on the blade and then I read about people holding out for a second run. Never learned what became of that. Then there is the vid of the guy that happened upon a clean BK-16 saber grind with no autographs or limited edition etchings and he says they are extremely rare to the point Ka-bar didn't know it was out there. It also happened to be the next knife I wanted. How rare is the 16 with plain saber grind and is Ka-bar even producing them?
If not than I'd be happy with a BK-2 saber grind but...I would want to modify the handle to look like the BK-16.

Which brings me to the second question. Can the BK-2's bulbous pommel be reshaped to match the 16 and would the hex screw holes match so BK-16 Micarta scales would fit? If thats the case I could use 16's scales as a template. If not I still wouldn't be opposed to reshaping it as long I could get Micartas to fit.
 
Mine is flat ground as I prefer. The 16 & 2 are very different handles are not interchangeable. I an sure you will get a more informed response in the Becker sub forum.
 
Do you know where one of these BK-16 are? If I liked the blade and found one, I'd buy it. Not sure why you want a BK-2 if you can't find this BK-16?
 
22-rimfire said:
Do you know where one of these BK-16 are? If I liked the blade and found one, I'd buy it. Not sure why you want a BK-2 if you can't find this BK-16?
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No. But I'm sure many with much more knife knowledge than me have kept an eye open and would like to know. I doubt if I stumbled across one it would be in my budget as it would be a collector.

The BK-2 appears to be a bigger profile of a 16 drop point saber grind which is what I'm looking for. The saber grind is a thicker, heavier blade and looks great stripped with a convex grind and forced patina.
 
If you are looking for a 16, I doubt you will be satisfied with a 2. Other than general appearance, they are completely different knives. The 16 is more of a "bushcrafty" knife meant to be comfortable in hand when using for several hours, very light, great slicer, etc. The 2 is a 1lb chunk of 1095 that is meant to withstand a nuclear blast, its a big ol blade. Very different in terms of functionality. The non-autographed sabre grind BK16 is pretty rare indeed. I don't believe anyone advertises as having them, but when you order a 16 theres a 1 in a zillion chance a sabre grind will show up. The 17 has a sabre grind, but clip point so that might be a deal breaker for you. I will say that the 17 does feel a good deal beefier in hand than the FFG 16. The TOPS BOB is drop point and Scandivex, which is very similar to Sabre grind and looks/functions the same, but its 3/16" thick and not nearly as good a slicer as the FFG 16 so I don't know if that's what you're looking for either. I'd say order the 16 and hope for a sabre, but if you get a FFG I bet you won't send it back! It's a very comfortable and fun blade and I guarantee you'll love it.
 
BigBert said:
If you are looking for a 16, I doubt you will be satisfied with a 2. Other than general appearance, they are completely different knives. The 16 is more of a "bushcrafty" knife meant to be comfortable in hand when using for several hours, very light, great slicer, etc. The 2 is a 1lb chunk of 1095 that is meant to withstand a nuclear blast, its a big ol blade. Very different in terms of functionality. The non-autographed sabre grind BK16 is pretty rare indeed. I don't believe anyone advertises as having them, but when you order a 16 theres a 1 in a zillion chance a sabre grind will show up. The 17 has a sabre grind, but clip point so that might be a deal breaker for you. I will say that the 17 does feel a good deal beefier in hand than the FFG 16. The TOPS BOB is drop point and Scandivex, which is very similar to Sabre grind and looks/functions the same, but its 3/16" thick and not nearly as good a slicer as the FFG 16 so I don't know if that's what you're looking for either. I'd say order the 16 and hope for a sabre, but if you get a FFG I bet you won't send it back! It's a very comfortable and fun blade and I guarantee you'll love it.
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Thanks B.B.

I found an old thread where a guy had a 2 that he stripped and ground the bulb off the pommel which he said looked and felt like "a war club." He made some Micarta grips and perma pinned them on. Good looking blade that he said handled a whole lot better.

I like the saber grind for looks after it's been stripped and patina'd, especially with a convex re grind.
Unless it's cost prohibitive, I'm not sure why Becker doesn't start producing a much desired BK16 with a saber grind.
I like old knives and like you say, I bet I would be happy with a FFG 16 after it's been stripped and aged, especially if I drop the the point a tad to get a real spearpoint look.
 
The bk16 is a belt knife, great for general tasks in woods and out. The FFG cuts better than a saber in this case because it is expected to cut rather than split, and I don't think the saber ground Beckers are also hollow ground. If they are not, then their cutting performance will not be as strong. When I think of a knife the size of the 16, I ask myself how easily it will slide through what I'm cutting as the added strength of the saber grind isn't warranted at the size. I just woke up, so if I'm repeating myself, I apologize.
 
I just watched some You tubes of the Becker 2 and yeah that is a chunk of steel. At 1/4" thick at the spine and only a little over 5" long it's like a chisel. Probably it would be like trying to do fine whittling and shaving with a piece of lawnmower blade.
 
It really is a beast. The 2 was my first "real knife" and I used it extensively, but I definitely prefer the 16. I will agree with what Remy said, I think the FFG 16 is a better design because you really don't need that added strength in a knife that size. However, the sabre 16 definitely has a cool factor to it and I would love to get my hands on one! I think if Ethan and Ka-Bar would do a limited sabre 16 run they would sell out in all of 3 seconds.
 
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