The struggle for THE edc - plead for an updated BK11/14

[NCSlice]

So I took the knife, extended the handle a bit, made nice scales for it and was very happy. Unfortunately, it started to rust smell like rust beneath the scales. As I mainly use it for food preparation, I wash the grease off and if there’s water under the scales it will rust no matter what I do.

Did you epoxy the scales to the tang? A thorough layer under each scale, then on the tang before attaching should seal everything up nicely. This should be plenty of security against any moisture wicking through to the cavity or any place it could become trapped. Adding liners as well would be another layer of protection. This of course would eliminate your ability to remove the scales without pretty much a total redo but should resolve the issue.

Pics, or it didn't happen!

 

[beckerbrain]

It wouldn't look pretty, but I wonder how several layers of that tool dip would work. It has a rubbery feel, which I don't prefer on knives, but it should be nice and sealed up for water/corrosion resistance. I might try it on a little cheap knife to see how it turns out.

 

[Wasty]

Did you epoxy the scales to the tang? A thorough layer under each scale, then on the tang before attaching should seal everything up nicely. This should be plenty of security against any moisture wicking through to the cavity or any place it could become trapped. Adding liners as well would be another layer of protection. This of course would eliminate your ability to remove the scales without pretty much a total redo but should resolve the issue.

Pics, or it didn't happen!

Well, I didn't epoxy them on, but I may recoat it one was or the other... I posted a pic in "what did you do" but I"ll make a netter one...

I already dipped a knife in Plastidip, yes it works but looks horrible...

I'd love full grivory scales for the 14, but well it seems like there'll be none in the foreseeable Future. ..

 

[Creaky Bones]

I was gifted a custom 11 from forum member Creaky Bones. He added a longer handle to the 11, and ground the finger guard down. Really like that little knife.

Glad you like it bro.

I've asked the same question as the OP in the past. I'd love a 14 with a longer handle. I've posted this pic before, but I added a longer handle to my 14 and it's one of my favorite knives. If ESEE can have an izula and an izula II, maybe we could have an 11.1 or a 14B? I'd be happy to send mine to Mr. Becker and let him play with it for a while if it would help.

 

[daizee]

Heheheheh.
This is more or less exactly why I started making knives.

4.25" handle, 3" blade, 1/8" thick stock. I don't have the goofy front-pocket requirement, but I suppose you can always do 1/8" thick scales.

 

[thatotherguy]

Sure, putting a new knife in production is a pain and takes forever, but we did it with the 14, didn't we?

Seriously though, I personally love the 14 as an EDC fixed blade- I can deal with the somewhat short handle for a compact carry. I like the 14 much more for EDC than I like the 11 because I find the 11's handle to squeeze my fingers together too much in hard use.

That said, a 14 with a longer Izula 2 type handle would be an interesting option for those Becker carriers that have larger hands than I.

ETA: Full coverage Grivory scales for the 14? What exactly do you mean by "full"? The ones that are out now are pretty much the biggest they can be and let the knife still work with the stock sheath. I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything- just trying to get a better understanding of what you're saying

 

[jackal_727]

I wonder if this would be something for dale at tkc to look into. He could do something with the 11/14 similar to the g10 scales he offers for the esee 3/4. A set of scales that would essentially create a larger handle.

 

[flphotog]

Hi together,

first of all, I alread found my perfect EDC. Unfortunately it does not exist yet. There are two knives which are so close to the perfect EDC it nearly hurts.
Yet before I go into details lets start a little earlier in my life.

As a kid in the 80’s, I was with the scouts and everybody had a nice large knife around his belt and a SAK in his pocket. My love for the most versatile tool ever invented was born then. I started with a cheap hollow handle Rambo style knife which was broken quite quickly. There followed others, better, bigger, smaller and more expensive ones.

Yet as we all know the search for the “egg-laying woolly-milk-sow” (german for a hypothetical nonexisting “can do it all perfectly”) knife, mine has come to an end.
I went to a custom knife maker and told him what I want. He built me a nice knife and I was happy for some time…. Well, but as the story does not end here you guess right, the search went on.

Then after a long search I finally found it: The BK11!

Attributes:
- Slicey and easy to sharpen
- Amazing toughness for such a little knife (1095 + good HT rules!)
- Fits in my right front pocket (very, very important)
- Performs like a bigger knife (I cannot stress that enough )
- Looks and feels just great

However after using it for a prolonged time I found the handle just a tad to short for 4 fingers and a bit to big for three fingers. Even with the Micarta scales there is a small hotspot on the ring finger and the shorter part of the handle digs into my finger after working with it for a couple of minutes.

So I took the knife, extended the handle a bit, made nice scales for it and was very happy. Unfortunately, it started to rust smell like rust beneath the scales. As I mainly use it for food preparation, I wash the grease off and if there’s water under the scales it will rust no matter what I do.

Alright, now there`s the BK14 (born here on BF and much loved):

-Bought it with the grivory scales, and was very happy for a little time.
Argh, but ergonomics is a *****!

So these are the nearly perfect EDCs for me:

The BK14 would be THE edc if the handle would be just a little bit beefier just behind the blade(tang width like the 11) , to get a more secure and powerful grip on it.

The BK11 would also be THE edc with a 6-8mm longer handle where the bottle opener is not digging into the ring finger and the 4 finger grip is comfortable?

Well, as the Big Beckers and the Tweeners are the most comfortable and ergonomical knives I’ve ever used, is there any chance the small ones will get ergonomical brothers?

Thanks for reading this quite long text, but as my heart is now with the Becker Knives, I've put some effort into thinking it trough…

I think what you are looking for is a BK14 with an EESE 3 handle, now that would be a great knife. It's on my wish list as well. I've got the BK14 but it just doesn't quite do it for me either.

 

[Ethan Becker]

I do hear ya......!!!!!!

E

 

[RichardBay]

^^ the Man

 

[Wasty]

I do hear ya......!!!!!!

E

Dear Ethan,

thank you so much for reading my post!

I truly admire your knives for their design, strength, ergonomics and overall thought you put into it!
The knives literally ask me to use them and they are working with and for me everyday.

The necker has the perfect edc blade shape, and handles are so near to perfection.


I think the necker with a 1/4 longer handle would accommodate the little finger so well it would just be great!

 

[The Warrior]

As a person with big hands, I always appreciate a longer handle. However, when it gets longer, it's a bit harder to edc. Also, a shorter handle works for me, as long as the handle is straightish. If it's contoured, it always seems to hit my hand wrong. Case in point, on an ESEE 3, the handle is too short, but since there aren't any "protrusions" in the contouring, it works okay for me. Same with the BK14. Works out fine, although I can't get all my digits on it.

Here's a shot with a 3 in my hand:

The 16, however, didn't work out for me, because my hand hit right were the rear contouring is:

Also, Creaky Bones had a thread on this: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1118367-Big-hands-and-little-handles-11-and-14-mods

Where Ethan responded: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...andles-11-and-14-mods?p=12759677#post12759677

So, let's hope between that response, and the response he left here, there is something in the works. :thumbup:

 

[granitestateofmind]

I had the same idea (without having seen the thread) as Creaky, but took it a step further (belt grinder = easier than Dremel).....took the guard off my 11 and smoothed out the finger notch. I don't have much more than medium sized hands, but wanted to get at least 3 fingers on there more comfortably. A friend of mine with pretty ginormous hands likes the feel of it, even with the bottle opener intact. Granted, the bulk of the scales makes it less easy to neck carry; certainly it's not concealable anymore. I do like the idea of the 14/24 having a smoothly contoured handle that doesn't force one's finger into a certain position. Anywho, nice to see Uncle E chime in.

The thread with my 11 mod

A couple more pics:

Looking at it now (not that I don't us it almost every day ), it looks like I pretty much "daizee-fied" the whole thing, blade and handle. Well, handle profile, anyway - daizee doesn't put any palm swell in his handles.

Be interesting to see where this goes......

 

[LG&M]

I like seeing how people mod their knives to make them work better for their personal preference.
I have medium hands and the 11 is great as is for me. So reading this thread just makes me want to carry / use my 11 more .
Still if the boss wants to design a new knife I would like to see it.

 

[NCSlice]

This is prob a little off topic but...
I've been carrying mine like this all weekend and been working great.



Only one person noticed but prob because(as she stated) her son is a knife nut and thought it was a neat way to carry and liked my straps.

If the handle was any longer I'm not sure how it'd work out. I'm thinking about adding something to make it look more like a buckle/decorative.

If I tuck the handle under the belt loop its even more incognito.

The actual buckle is over on my right hip near the pocket.

This belt is a bit slim, not sure how it'd be with a thicker belt and large buckle.

My brains sorting out ways of making it an actual buckle. The type that just uses the little hook that sorta stabs in and catches the hole.

Maybe just attaching it to a buckle of that type, but I don't want it to be bulky or sit out more, it's nice riding snug on my waist.