Still the Best Chopper

19-3ben said:
Ya know, I know I'm the dissenting opinion, but I MUCH prefer the BK4 as a chopper. So much so, that I sold my Bk9. I sold two BK9s actually.

Weight to utility ratio, the 4 performs better for me, and I love it as a draw knife, and for keeping the part of the edge closer to the handle screaming sharp for good wood shavings.

At first, I wasn't sure about the 4. Funky offset handle, kinda kukri-ish shape but not really, not a thin knife but not very thick... it was unusual. But the more I used it, the further I came to appreciate it, and before long it supplanted my other chopping knives, and now it's THE knife on my hip if I expect to chop anything.

It's an acquired taste, for sure. But I have acquired the taste for it and now I can't imagine a better or more generally capable big knife.

I know others disagree. Snark me if you must.
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I will take the Snark hit with ya 19-3 I love my 4. Weight to work ratio is crazy
 
The 9 is not the best chopper. It is the best knife that chops or I suppose the best chopper that knifes. :) It is able to do both surprisingly well. There is usually a lot of compromise built into choppers but with the 9 not so much.

The 4 is awesome and I love it. No doubt about it. The 20 and 21 are better choppers for sure. However, neither the 4, the 20 or the 21 are as good at being knives as the 9 is. On the other hand the 5 is better at being a knife than the 9 but does not chop as well. It is that perfect balance between knife and chopper that makes it the king IMO.
 
So not that long ago, we are at Ethans, and we are setting up for the gathering, and I see the usual shuffle to find the right spot, and I see someone bust out a BK20 to cut down some small saplings that are in the way of their hammock. It is a huge knife, and it is not light like the BK9, and they struggle with it a little because it is so dang big and so dang heavy. They weren't cutting down a six inch thick tree, they were cutting down three quarter inch saplings.

I have cut down a six inch tree with a BK9. I have cut down three quarter inch saplings with a BK9. Neither was difficult, or strenuous. The BK9 wasn't unwieldy or difficult or tiring to use.

To me, that is why the BK9 is king. Because it is the right amount of knife for the job. It isn't too much, it is the right amount.
 
DerekH said:
So not that long ago, we are at Ethans, and we are setting up for the gathering, and I see the usual shuffle to find the right spot, and I see someone bust out a BK20 to cut down some small saplings that are in the way of their hammock. It is a huge knife, and it is not light like the BK9, and they struggle with it a little because it is so dang big and so dang heavy. They weren't cutting down a six inch thick tree, they were cutting down three quarter inch saplings.

I have cut down a six inch tree with a BK9. I have cut down three quarter inch saplings with a BK9. Neither was difficult, or strenuous. The BK9 wasn't unwieldy or difficult or tiring to use.

To me, that is why the BK9 is king. Because it is the right amount of knife for the job. It isn't too much, it is the right amount.
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That's one of the reasons I just sold my 20. Great blade, but heavy. I walked up the lane to the cabin, snap cutting thick weeds that were hanging over into the lane. I couldn't even finish, with my forearm getting massive cramps. The 9 would have been the best choice with what I had with me, fo sho. A machete would have been better in that instance, but I don't have one. The wife does, but she's stingy with her machete, haha.
 
DerekH said:
So not that long ago, we are at Ethans, and we are setting up for the gathering, and I see the usual shuffle to find the right spot, and I see someone bust out a BK20 to cut down some small saplings that are in the way of their hammock. It is a huge knife, and it is not light like the BK9, and they struggle with it a little because it is so dang big and so dang heavy. They weren't cutting down a six inch thick tree, they were cutting down three quarter inch saplings.

I have cut down a six inch tree with a BK9. I have cut down three quarter inch saplings with a BK9. Neither was difficult, or strenuous. The BK9 wasn't unwieldy or difficult or tiring to use.

To me, that is why the BK9 is king. Because it is the right amount of knife for the job. It isn't too much, it is the right amount.
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:D The 9er is Awesome as is the 4 ;) both perfect bring a longs. But when at camp or Cabin it's the 21 for me and the 20 too :thumbsup:
 
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I have a BK9 and an RTAK2. Both about the same size. Tried to compare their chopping power. The RTAK actually bit deeper with it's full flat grind, then it got interesting. On a number of occasions it got stuck. Particularly with softer wood and palm wood. On the other hand the BK9, with it's sabre grind never got stuck. So sometimes the ability to bite into the object can be a con, not a pro. Great work by the BK9 workhorse.
 
The BK9 is my favorite Becker knife, good all-around knife. Light enough to carry for extended periods of time, does the job of bigger knives and smaller knives and can be used as a weapon/stabber if needed.
 
I really wanted the 9, seeing that I already have a 1211 USMC but I wanted something of that size that I could baton with and beat on a little more
 
My next knife, not just next becker but my next knife will be a 9. I've been checking out the 4 for the last hour or so. It may be the next after I get the 9. I have been a lurker here for quite a while and I have to say, the addiction is REAL!!!
 
animalinstinct said:
My next knife, not just next becker but my next knife will be a 9. I've been checking out the 4 for the last hour or so. It may be the next after I get the 9. I have been a lurker here for quite a while and I have to say, the addiction is REAL!!!
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Get the 4 now its out of production. The 9 ain't going nowhere anytime soon. You will not be disappointed with the 4. Its actually my favorite... well depending on the task in front of me. The 4 is the Hand to the King
 
Tanker 1/66 said:
Get the 4 now its out of production. The 9 ain't going nowhere anytime soon. You will not be disappointed with the 4. Its actually my favorite... well depending on the task in front of me. The 4 is the Hand to the King
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Oh I didn't know that. Well I guess it will be the 4 :D
 
The BK 9 isn't the BEST chopper but its pretty well up there. Where better choppers are more designed for that job, the BK 9 can do a good job in chopping and batoning yet do decent knife jobs making it a good all round multitool.

As stated many times here, the BK 9 is great at chopping and batoning and still able to do all things knifey. That is what makes it stand out as what other blades are measured against.
 
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