The BK2 vs the SCHF10 (sort of) and their sheaths

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Lawrence Helm

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I mentioned in another thread that I got a second BK2 plus three custom sheaths. I mentioned liking one especially well and a second that was a horizontal carry that I liked. I didn't say much about the third sheath. In an earlier post I described buying a "custom" sheath from eBay that would purportedly fit both the BK2 and the Schrade SCHF10. It was because I doubted that one was going to be a really good sheath (how could it be, I thought if it is intended to fit to very different looking knives?) And sure enough when I got it I couldn't get the BK2 into it as far as it needed to go. Maybe with a lot of work I could eventually get it to work, but since I was happy with two of the sheaths I got with the second BK2 I decided to use it for something else.

I decided to order a SCHF10. The reviews I watched of this knife praised it; except one guy broke one of the micarta scales, presumably from batoning with it, and except for the sheath. No one liked the sheath that came with it. But I thought that surely one of the sheaths I had, either the one intended to fit both the BK2 and SCHF10 or the third sheath I got with my second BK2 (they look btw as though they were made by the same sheath-maker) ought to fit an SCHF10. In any case I'm expecting to receive the SCHF10 tomorrow. I'm hoping that the third sheath that came with the BK2 will fit the SCHF10 because it is better made than the earlier one that, it was claimed, would fit both the BK2 and the SCHF10.

After thinking over what Ethan Becker said in an earlier post today, I think that cleared up for me something about the BK2. To put it in my own words, it would work as the only knife you had if you could take but one into an Armageddon type emergency. It would do everything you needed a knife to do plus not break or fail while doing it. I personally like having the BK2. I like the idea of it even though I hope I never have to experience the sort of scenario the knife is designed to be able to cope with. And if it turned out to rub against my hip bone, for example, and bother me on hikes I will still like keeping it because I really like it -- as do others, apparently, for similar reasons. Other knives, like the SCHF10, while being in the same "range" aren't going to be quite as good in all the respects the BK2 is, but their manufacturers can be excused for wanting to try. Becker mentioned the BK10 and BK16 as reasonable alternatives for that if you aren't in immediate need of a knife that will do everything during Armageddon. So if we agree that the BK2 is the king of the Armageddon-hill, we can see that at least Schrade intends to contest Becker's position. I do get the impression though that Schrade did understand the concept of the one and only knife you would take into an Armageddon-type scenario and believes that the SCHF10 would do the job (for less money than the BK2). Maybe I'm wrong about that but some of the reviewers thought the SCHF10 either succeeded or came close. Since the only serious complaint about it was the sheath, and I had two sheaths one of which could be expected to fit the SCHF10, I decided to find out what I thought about it.

I took my first BK2 and the best custom sheath on a hike this morning. I found it comfortable, but when it started getting hot, and Ben started running from shady spot to shady spot to wait for me, we turned back; so it wasn't a very test.

I'll probably have more to say once I get the SCHF10 and see how it compares to the BK2 -- at least in terms of fitting in the sheaths I have. :rolleyes:

Lawrence
 
I'm personally not a Schrade fan. Nothing against them, but they've just not put out anything in the last 10 years that has caught my eye. I just googled the knife you mentioned. It has a good look to it, micarta handles are a plus. Made in China would sway me from buying it. These are all personal opinions though. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.
 
It's japan high carbon steel with a recurve right ? ( I hate the term high carbon, give me numbers ) I hear it's bang on for the buck. Hope we see the results soon w/pics.
 
I just got the SCHF10 from my postwoman. As the reviewers indicated, the sheath is unacceptable. So I tried with the sheath I bought on eBay that was designed, supposedly to fit both the SCHF10 and the BK2. It failed to fit the BK2 but it fits the SCHF10 perfectly.

I compared their weight. The BK2 with the sheath I intend to use weighs 1 pound 4 1/2 ounces. The knife by itself weighs 14 1/2 ounces. The SCHF10 with its leather sheath weighs 1 pound 1 ounce. The knife by itself weighs 13 ounces.

The width of the SCHF10 presents a narrower profile on my belt, about 1 1/4 inches outward from my belt as compared to the BK2 in its sheath which extends outward about 2 inches. I wondered about that on the hike yesterday. We did push through some brush here and there and I discovered a few faint scratches on the leather after I got home. I put some mink oil on it, but I'll be looking for something more protective. The SCHF10 doesn't present quite as much leather as we move forward. Also the outward curve is relatively sharp compared to the curve of the sheath on the BK2 which will presents a flatter surface.

Chris of Prepared Minds loved the grip of the SCHF10 better than any other that he had reviewed recently -- not sure what those knives are, but he definitely liked the SCHF10. I can't say that I like it as well as he did, but it is worth having.

The edge of the BK2 is 5 inches compared to the SCHF10 which is a little bit over 5 1/4 inches. Also, the edge of the SCHF10 swoops a bit so the actual distance of travel, if I can use that expression makes the edge of the SCHF10 even longer.

The scales of on the SCHF10 are inferior to those of the BK2, from what I saw on Youtube reviews, by a considerable distance. One reviewer broke his SCHF10 scales within an hour of the time he got it during a batoning test. Apparently he hit the scales at some point and one of them broke. The knife was still usable, he hastened to add, but he called Schrade and at first they said he shouldn't have been using the knife that way, but whoever he spoke to backed away and sent him a new knife. He took the scales off and honed down the part that had broken on his previous knife with a grinder before he tried any further batoning.

My initial opinion of the handle material is negative. In the past my favorite fixed-bladed knives were mostly Buck. I have the 119, 120, 121, 124, and liked their look and build but hated the handle material because it was way too slick. The knife I carried on hikes back then was either the Buck 639V (which had a greenish soft material on its handle) or the Schrade Old Timer 150Twhich if memory serves me has scales made of Delrin. I beat up the Old Timer over the years and recently bought a second one, I still like that knife. (It weighs 7 ounces and has an edge that is 5 inches long. It comes with a leather sheath and together they weigh 10 ounces.)

The better Bucks were too slick and I thought about that when I first handled the grivory handles of the BK2. I preferred them a lot better. The Old Timer was a bit more grippy which was okay, but the SCHF10 is a lot more . . . something. I'm not sure I'd use the word griippy. I'd be tempted if this was my main go-to knife to do a modification on the SCHF-10 handle, but if I'm just looking for a comfortable carry, on a hike, something a step down from a BK2, I might leave it as it is.

As one of the Youtube reviewers said, it will make you a good number one or number two survival knife. Since I already have the BK2 and BK7 it can be no higher than number three, but it seems worth while having for all of that, if you are careful around its limitations. IMHO

Lawrence
 
Ah, one more thing,when I hold the knife up to the light, I can see light between the scales and the tang at the tips -- not much, only 1/4 to 1/2 an inch depending upon the location. Is that a defect? I guess it depends upon how you're going to use the knife. It wouldn't bother me on my hikes -- other than the fact that I've found one more thing that isn't quite right. Schrade must know these scales don't fit against the tang perfectly because when I removed them I could see a lot of oil between the scales and the tang. For those who intend to use this knife for food, I don't know how you could keep these areas free from food and other debris. I spent some time trying to tighten up these Chicago-screws but they cut into the micarta and I was afraid of damaging it if I kept on.

I checked both of my BK2s and could find no such gaps between the scales and the tang.

I worked at Douglas which merged with McDonnell and was bought out by Boeing for 39 years, a lot of those years interfacing with the Air Force. I still think in those terms. If I were trying to get the AF to buy this product, the Schrade SCHF10, I would be obligated to disclose any known defect. If this were an expensive item, they might demand that I put different scales on it in order to eliminate the gaps. If it were an "off-the-shelf" item they were considering buying "as is," they would determine whether these gaps were acceptable for the intended use. They might say they would accept the knife if I reduced the price. Or, much more likely, they might declare it unacceptable and demand that I find some other "off-the-shelf" knife to present to them.

One additional thing, the sheath I thought fit the SCHF10 perfectly, probably doesn't. The first few times I had it in the sheath it was fine, the a bit ago I tilted the sheath up and the knife fell out. Is that acceptable to me? It might be as long as I don't fall down on my hikes. However I saw a statistic a while ago that said that people over the age of about 65 fall down an average of three times a year. I can imagine on one of my falls impaling myself on my Schrade. :(

Lawrence
 
Another thing: I mentioned above that I had taken off the scales (of the SCHF10) in order to see if I could eliminate the gaps between the scales and the tang. Just now I picked up the knife and noticed a powdery residue surrounding each of the 4 screw-holes Apparently the little messing around I did abraded the scale material in the areas of the Chicago screws, turning a bit of it to powder.

I'm really sorry I bought this knife. :(

Lawrence
 
I've been critical of the SCHF10 for batoning (because the scales are easily broken), for food preparation (because food can get in between the scales and the tang), and for using with the very poor sheath it comes with, but I bought a "custom" sheath on eBay designed to fit both the SCHF10 and BK2. It didn't fit the BK2 very well, but the SCHF10 went into it; so this morning I took the eBay sheath and the SCHF10 on a hike.

The first thing I noticed was that the sheath didn't grasp the knife. The SCHF10 slipped in and out of the sheath easily. The sheath provided no resistance to the knife coming out. Now perhaps I ruined any possible resistance by forcing the BK2 into it (even though the seller advertised it for use by the BK2). I checked the eBay order to see if perhaps it said BK2 or SCHF10, but it doesn't:
"Custom Leather Schrade SCHF10 KA-BAR BECKER BK-2 Sheath." The cost was $38.99 plus shipping and it does hold the SCHF10, but only if I remain in a vertical direction.

In hiking along a somewhat-overgrown former jeep trail I tripped over a branch. My first thought was that I was about to break my perfect record for 2014 (somewhere I read that people over 65 fall an average of 3 times a year). My second thought was to hope I found a good place to land and I looked about hoping to maneuver toward one. However in thrashing about I managed to regain my balance and avoid falling. It wasn't until after that that I wondered what my SCHF10 would have been doing during my fall if I had fallen. Would it have come partly out and since I had been worrying about it would I have unconsciously grabbed it and cut myself? Perhaps it would have fallen all the way out and as I crashed through the brush cut me more severely. Neither of those things happened, but I am nevertheless retiring this knife/sheath combination from a hiking role.

If I really liked the knife I could either reconcile myself to the poor sheath it came with (doubtful) or have a custom sheath made for it (and I don't like it well enough spend the money for that).

I expect to get my BK10 in the mail today. I'm wondering if it will fit in one of the sheaths I already have or if I'll have to order a custom sheath for it as well -- this is the one remaining mystery for the day. My experience with the SCHF10 has in addition to finding this knife inadequate for my purposes caused me to become critical of the Youtube knife reviewers who declared this knife an unqualified success and great value.

Lawrence
 
I have both (well, in full disclosure I have the BK22 but the difference is the sheath) and feel the Schrade SCHF10 delivers 95% of what the Becker does at less than half what I paid for the Becker. Also, being SS, I prefer it when quading in remote areas in S. America where it'll be covered in mud and water for the entire time. Sheaths aside, I've grown to prefer it, actually. Once used it as a winch-pin when pulling another quad out of a river. After about two years of hard use, it's still doing fine. The Becker stays home more often but is a fantastic knife as well - but costs twice as much.
 
There's really no comparison between anything Becker and schrade.

With the majority of Beckers your getting a high quality product made in the USA with quality materials at a low cost.

Schrade on the the other hand your getting a low to medium quality product made overseas at a budget price with questionable materials at times.

That being said, I have a few schrades and for the price they're decent knives, however if I were to choose between the 2 I'd pick Becker all day every day, especially if I'm in a situation where my life could possibly rely on the knife I'm carrying.
 
MrPink5282 said:
The Becker stays home more often but is a fantastic knife as well - but costs twice as much.
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... Which is still nothing, yet you do get a better design, better steel, better ergos, made in usa and - imo- better company behind the product. Then I haven't said anything yet about Ethan :).

@Lawrence: thanks for the honest review & side by side. It was wel written and I enjoyed reading it. We need more pics though :D
 
Growing up in the 80s and 90s, Schrade was synonymous with Walmart and hardware stores.
So-so surgical stainless that did "okay". A lot of old timers I personally know, haven't really branched out much just because their Old Henry/Schrade/Old Timer folders and skinners have served them so well.

To my knowledge, it's only recently that they've started offering blades made of 1095, that seem to be geared to the outdoors/survivalist/prepper crowd. Again, to my knowledge, they're made overseas.

For me, they don't have long enough of a track record with high value to performance ratio for me to try them, especially since theres at least a few long tested American companies and patterns for around the same price point.

In my book, I'll take American, if I can afford it, but I'm not super political about where my blades cone from, as long as the QC is stellar.
I keep coming back to three knife companies, Cold Steel for my folders (though until quite recently they've used "meh" steel in the majority of their folders), Ontario for my budget fixed/survival blades, and Ka-Bar's Becker line because they're so freaken tough, customizable, well designed, and reliable.
Different strokes for different folks.
 
Nothing better than a good companion, (bk2 all variants)imo I don't believe the mighty bk2 can be beaten by any shrade at all ,starting with the fact that is USA made
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regards !!!
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Comparing one knife against the other is fun and informative - if not entertaining reading; it's often done on the internet and on BF. That said, we all know that there is that extra something that comes with the BK&T knife ... whether it be the blending of some extra Chromium and Vanadium into the venerable 1095, the ergos, the blade shapes and designs, the connection to Ethan, KaBar's manufacturing or a combination of the foregoing but there is that extra something that comes with carrying and using a Becker knife. That (those) extra something(s) is more than worth the price delta as compared to similar looking but less expensive knives.

This the BK&T sub-forum after all and most of us here are Becker fans - the knives and the man!

That disclosure out of the way, there's nothing terribly wrong with the latest series of Schrade fixed blade knives at their price point - but let's be clear, they certainly ain't no Becker and the SCHF-10 certainly isn't in the same league as the BK-2.
 
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Lawrence Helm said:
Chris of Prepared Minds loved the grip of the SCHF10 better than any other that he had reviewed recently -- not sure what those knives are, but he definitely liked the SCHF10. I can't say that I like it as well as he did, but it is worth having.
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My experience with the SCHF10 has in addition to finding this knife inadequate for my purposes caused me to become critical of the Youtube knife reviewers who declared this knife an unqualified success and great value.
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That's cuz he's a compensated reviewer and gets free product from Schrade. So of course he luvs everything they put out.

Ya know that old saying about taking what someone says with a grain of salt. Well, with them, take a whole pound!
 
TravisH said:
That's cuz he's a compensated reviewer and gets free product from Schrade. So of course he luvs everything they put out.

Ya know that old saying about taking what someone says with a grain of salt. Well, with them, take a whole pound!
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I've been watching a couple of his vids, this guy made me laugh every time with what he calls the squeeze test that perform every time, don't think he's gonna hesitate in giving good reviews at all kind of stuff since he's making a living of it
 
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I keep seeing people online say well pm101 said this about this about that when referring to knives... Just like most of his loyal following has been nipping at his heels for the release of that monstrosity he designed for schrade. He honestly thinks in his mind he reinvented the knife with that thing, and god forbid someone criticise it. If so he's right there jumping down your throat blaming all the reviewers who had negative comments saying it's them not the tool.

Out of all the youtube knife and gear channels his is the biggest waste of cyber space.
 
Kentwood33 said:
PM101 that guy is such a clown ,who plagued YouTube with his vids, he made me laugh every time with what he calls the squeeze test that perform every time, don't think he's gonna hesitate in giving good reviews at all kind of stuff since he's making a living of it
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I agree.
The only thing he's got going for himself in my book is that before he became the unofficial spokesman for Schrade, he raved about the Beckers, and not knowing much about them at the time, it led me to watching other guys (wealljuggleknives and nutnfancy) who I know will slam a knife if it's not well made or poorly designed and don't deal in b.s., though even with them, a grain of salt is necessary at times. ;)
I've got my own data points now, and not only are the Beckers probably the best for the money, the guys up top and the companies involved are amazing to say the least.
 
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please keep it knife focused people, esp Becker knife focused ;)

compare the knives. not the people.

personal slams on people not even affiliated with this sub forum should be taken elsewhere

unless they bring their dirt here first ;) which they did not. so.

thanks
 
It's been mentioned, but the one thing that Bk&T has over anything else in the price point of knives is a fraternity of sorts.
There is a community that is self sustaining, self propagating, and self policing.
Pretty much all blades/knife companies have their fans, but Becker has something others don't: Ethan Becker himself. The guy is pretty much awesome, I've only interacted with him online, and seen him on YouTube talking knife to the camera, but I feel like I get the sense that he's a guy who a. Is an old school craftsmen. B. He actually uses the stuff he makes. And C. He gives a rip about the blades with his name on them....

After having a warranty claim on my 2, a 1 in 15,000 heat treat issue, I found Ethan, the Beckerheads, and Ka-Bar there to hold my hand and help me figure out what needed to be done.

In my experience, the 2 IS a boat anchor of a knife, and that may tempt guys to try to replace it with something equally "boat-anchorish", but without the well established track record.
But I don't see how a 5" blade can EVER be made tougher, and beefier while still being as comfortable as the BK2. It chops and batons better than any 5" blade I've ever encountered.
If I had a high quality axe, and my bk2, I think i could live like a king in the wilderness...
The only other knives (at this price point, that I have experience with) I'd say that about would have to be Beckers.
 
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