Testing the chopping ability

[Gadgetaholic]

I went camping in the weekend and tested 4 choppers:
HI Ganga Ram Khukuri
KA-BAR Kukri Machete
BK-9
BK-7
Details and a bunch of pics in this thread in W&S:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=718438


Anyway the important details as far as the Becker knives are concerned:
I really didn't find the BK-7 that good at chopping - it can do it but it is hard work. I didn't even bother finishing the test with it to find out how long it takes. I did test out the BK-7 for batoning though and it handled that task very easily, it is a great knife for batoning!
I found that the BK-9 did bind in the wood a few times, but overall it was a great chopper - not really that far behind the bigger & heavier Kukri & Khukuri knives. The BK-9 bit deep into the wood and chopped through it in a respectfully short time.
Being smaller & lighter than the Kukri & Khukuri made the BK-9 less of a chore to use and if the wood isn't too thick (and there isn't too much of it) then it really isn't hard to process some wood to get a fire going.

The edges took no damage (no chips, no rolled edges) from chopping and batoning - I really like the 1095 CroVan, it is a great steel! After the chopping the knife was a bit blunter, but you have to expect that - a few minutes of sharpening and all was good again.

If anyone thinks their BK-7 is a decent chopper then I would have to presume you haven't tried a BK-9 - if that's the case then I would suggest getting a BK-9, you'll be impressed!

I have been impressed by how good the Becker knives are - the steel is great and the knives are a good solid design! There is nothing gimmicky about them then are an all business sort of knife that can get the job done. When you look at other knives that work as good you can't help but be amazed at how well priced the Beckers are! I am also impressed that the coating hasn't worn off yet - chopping & batoning have to be a fairly severe test for that.

Now that I am back and have gotten the edges back to the great 'shaving sharp' that I like I am again losing arm and leg hair. The trouble is that I like to get the knives to easily shave . . . on both sides . . . along the entire length! It means I lose a lot of hair to be sure that the knives are really sharp along the entire length - especially with the BK-9, but the BK-7 also has a decent length of cutting edge too.

 

[cody1]

Looks like you had a fun time testing. I have a cutlass machete from Ka-bar and love it. The only thing I think needs to happen is tooge needs to get rid of that horrible hollow grind on it. It makes the blade bind, and chip easily. I ground the holllow grind down and convexed the edge. Now it rocks!

I removed as little stock as was needed on the sweet spot. It rocks now.

 

[AF]

what did you hit that caused that chip?

 

[dawsonbob]

That's one heck of a ding, and the point seems to be missing, too. Did you attack an M1 Abrams with it?

Nice work on the re-grind, though.

 

[Gadgetaholic]

Looks like you had a fun time testing. I have a cutlass machete from Ka-bar and love it.

The KA-BAR Kukri Machete is pretty similar and makes a respectable chopper - I paid $46 for mine and it certainly is not bad value for money at that price.

 

[killa_concept]

Looks like you had a fun time testing. I have a cutlass machete from Ka-bar and love it. The only thing I think needs to happen is tooge needs to get rid of that horrible hollow grind on it. It makes the blade bind, and chip easily. I ground the holllow grind down and convexed the edge. Now it rocks!

Agreed - I had a kabar kukri machete just prior to purchasing an HI khuk (followed by another two). The thing was great for machete usage... but the second you took it against anything that it couldn't hack through in one swing, it would bind hopelessly in the wood... and if you weren't careful in pulling it out without exerting lateral stress, I'm sure it would have easily chipped or dented. I also ended up putting a convex edge on mine... but with a file and sandpaper as I don't have a belt sander. Process took a good 2 or 3 hours, but the difference was night and day. That all said, I still prefer my HI m43 to it now that I know what authentic khuks feel like

 

[Gadgetaholic]

but the second you took it against anything that it couldn't hack through in one swing, it would bind hopelessly in the wood...

I haven't found mine to be that bad, maybe it varies with the type of wood being cut? I have been thinking about picking up a cheap belt sander for reprofiling my bigger knives - it would be so much hard work by hand. My HI Khuk was the quickest at chopping through the wood in my test, but it was the heaviest - I am wondering about thinning it a bit to reduce weight and help it to cut deeper. The HI was definitely hard to baton through the wood - being a thick wedge of the blade made it much worse than my BK-7 for that task.

 

[cody1]

what did you hit that caused that chip?

I was harvesting some fatwood and hit a knot at an angle. I heard the chip fly away like a bullet ricochet. Got pissed and threw the cutlass into a stump and broke the tip. The hollow grind is too dramatic, as it's a very deep grind. Either a much shallower hollow, to keep manufacturing cost down, or a flat grind would be best. I know asking for a convex grind is not possible.

 

[Ethan Becker]

Hey Gadgetaholic......

A GREAT post and fine pix....Your testing really tends to parallel mine own.....I do not own the kuk you mention but I have a bunch and I love them.....

I tend to think that in the current BK&T line that the perfect combo is a BK-9 for the big stuff and a BK-11 for the fine stuff......

The seven was designed in part to stay within the "acceptability" envelope of many commanders who insist that a man who can be trusted with a machine gun, high explosive devices, and grenade launchers CANNOT be trusted with a knife longer than a Ka-Bar.......

If I need to go shorter than the nine I tend toward the Campanion (BK-2)....It is the second knife I designed and I still think I done real good with it......

Anyway thanks for the kind words and the "real" testing.....

Looks like you had a rollicking good time....

All Best.....

ethan

 

[Gadgetaholic]

The seven was designed in part to stay within the "acceptability" envelope of many commanders who insist that a man who can be trusted with a machine gun, high explosive devices, and grenade launchers CANNOT be trusted with a knife longer than a Ka-Bar.......

After playing with it on the weekend I kinda like the 7 a bit more than I did - it is pretty good when you combine it with a baton. The BK-7 responds more to the stick than the carrot - after smacking it on the spine a few times it just says "please sir, can I have some more!".

The BK-9 is clearly the better chopper, now doubt about it. But if someone doesn't intend to chop, but wants a knife that could chop in a pinch . . .
Or if you are taking a saw or an axe or a large Khukuri and you want a knife to baton with - there's nothing wrong with the seven as a batoning knife!

I wouldn't take the BK-7 to use as my main chopping knife - I have 3 better choices so far. But I don't think I'll be looking to get rid of the seven any time soon - it is still a great little tough knife!