What thinner/lighter but more premium steel blade would you take over a Becker BK2

B

bananasushi

Joined
Feb 3, 2018
Messages
33
Ok so everyone says the Becker BK2 is a prybar due to how thick it is (I own one) but it is very heavy for it's size and being so thick it's maybe not a good slicer.
Now that there are tougher steels, I'm wondering what thinner yet tougher steel knives around the 5" range do you think could be just as strong or almost as strong?
Here are some knives that I am considering with their length, thickness, weight and steel type. (Some I own). Seems the next in line in terms of thickness is the Fallkniven S1x, S1pro at almost 0.24" thick yet half the weight. Seems like CPM3V and Magnacut are pretty tough but the knives made in those steels are considerably thinner which might be ok? I wonder about the Demko Freereign, Reiff F5 and Architect AK5.5 especially.

Becker BK2 - 5" - 0.25" thick - 1lb - 1095 crovan (I own it)
ESEE 5 - 5.25" - 0.25" thick - 1lb - 1095 steel
Ontario RD6 5.5" 0.25" thick 1lb - 5160 steel (I own it)

Fallkniven S1x/S1pro - 5" - 0.236" thick - 9oz - Laminated CoS
Fallkniven S1 - 5" - 0.2" thick - 6.7oz - VG10 (not so tough?)
Lionsteel T5 - 5" - 0.2" thick - 9.39oz - Niolox (I own it)
ANV P300 - 5.1"- 0.2" thick - 9oz - Sleipner
Joker Nomad 5" 0.197" thick 10oz Bohler N695
Demko Freereign - 5" - 0.187" - 7.2oz - Magnacut
TRC Mille Cuori - 5.2" - 0.18" thick - 10.74oz - Vanadis 4E
Reiff F5 - 5" - 0.18" thick - 10oz - CPM3V
Architect AK5.5 - 5.5" - 0.156" thick - 10.4oz - Magnacut or CPM3V
Gerber Strongarm - 4.88" - 0.19" thick - 7.1oz 420 steel (I own it)
Terrava Jaakaripuukko - 5.5" - 0.17" thick - 6.7oz 80CrV2 (I own it) (DBK claim it's indestructable)
Peltonen M95 5.91" 0.17" thick - 7oz Carbon Steel (I own it) (DBK claim it's indestructable)
Bark River Bravo 1.25 5.81" 0.16" thick - 7.1oz CPM3V
Rokka Korpisutori 4" 0.19" thick - 4.24oz 80CrV2 (DBK claim it's indestructable)
Jaktkit Knv2 4.45" 0.2" thick - 7.6oz 9Cr18MoV (I own it) (DBK claim it's indestructable)



Feel free to suggest any other tough but lighter prybars that could be good alternatives.
 
As politely as I can say it, and as an owner of a BK2, the list of knives I would take out in the woods over the BK2....let's just say that list is extensive and I don't think there's enough time in the day for me to possibly list them all. It's a boat anchor, and entirely too heavy for anything else other than a car camping fireside bit of chopping and batoning. So many other knives out there that can do those things, but also do them without weighing 13 lbs.

And this is me saying this, a guy who's been EDCing a titanium AD10 for the past couple of weeks, and that knife weighs like two lbs. 🤷
 
IMG_4827.jpeg

PBK Crazy Horse 80crv2 steel

IMG_4831.jpeg

B Goode Camp Knife 01 steel

IMG_4623.jpeg

Esee 6 1095 steel

IMG_4608.jpeg

Carothers B5 Delta 3V steel

IMG_4592.jpeg

Scrap Yard 711 52100 steel & Busse Basic 7 M-INFI Steel

I’d trust any of these as a primary belt / camp knife

BK7 & 9 are excellent as well - especially for the price
 
Last edited:
luethge said:
thanks for the suggestions. I do have a ESEE 6 among other knives. I guess I was just kinda wondering about knives that are the same length as a BK2 (about 5"). So about the same length but lighter and thinner, yet just as strong or almost as strong. I'm curious if almost half the thickness in CPM3V or Magnacut could be just as strong since they are known to be such tough steels. I will check out those other knives you showed as well. I'm always open to new knives.
Click to expand...
 
Gossman Tusker 5 - any steel but S7 is what he’s famous for
Carothers FK, FK2, BFK, SDFK
Busse ( many models ) INFI
Reiff F5, F6 3V
Red Beard blades B5 8670 or 80crv2
Swamp Rat RMD Sr101, INFI or 3V
Siegle makes plenty of BK2 killers as well (5160 wizard).

I think anything above is at very least as tough as a bk2 , some of them could be battoned through a BK2.

If you take the time to re profile a convex secondary on a BK2 it will change the knife fit the better.

IMG_4848.jpeg
 
Last edited:
really interested in that Carothers Basic Field Knife! I think that might be the toughness I'm looking for in a thinner lighter knife. But are they like on a long waiting list right now?
 
luethge said:
Gossman Tusker 5 - any steel but S7 is what he’s famous for
Carothers FK, FK2, BFK, SDFK
Busse ( many models ) INFI
Reiff F5, F6 3V
Red Beard blades B5 8670 or 80crv2
Swamp Rat RMD Sr101, INFI or 3V
Siegle makes plenty of BK2 killers as well (5160 wizard).

I think anything above is at very least as tough as a bk2 , some of them could be battoned through a BK2.

If you take the time to re profile a convex secondary on a BK2 it will change the knife fit the better.

View attachment 2699037
Click to expand...

wow! what is that one in the top? I really like that!
 
Scrap Yard has made many lightweight designs in tough steels.

The AD6 is 10.5 ounces and uses 0.21” INFI. Mine came fairly thick behind the edge and I had it thinned by David Mary David Mary and now it chops great.

4D4B2D10-276D-4E76-ADAC-FC41A12A7602.jpeg


The Scrapper 6 is 12.5 ounces and has a relatively indestructible blade of 1/3” thick SR77 (S7 with proprietary heat treatment).

1EF7AC7A-A9AD-46EB-B1B5-A132CF684835.jpeg
 
sNqBF3g.jpeg

Y50hdhn.jpeg

EZCHUCF.jpeg

gZtWXat.jpeg

YuLp7dA.jpeg

7vcsnsB.jpeg


In no particular order…
1. 3V Architect 5.5
2. Gossman S7 5” Tusker
3. Infidu full flat grind
4. SR101 Ratmandu
5. 3V Buck 104
6. 3V SRK
 
Last edited:
I have a bk2 that I carried and used extensively, mostly before I joined this forum. It does better in wood once reprofiled than one would think.

That said, lots of good suggestions above. I'd go with a rmd of some variety to begin to broaden your horizons. The ffg in the middle or the infidu on the right especially.

20241002_173737.jpg
 
By the way I have the freereign. Which is an excellent light knife.

I just haven't tried to snap it. So I have no idea how it fares.
 
Quiet said:
As politely as I can say it, and as an owner of a BK2, the list of knives I would take out in the woods over the BK2....let's just say that list is extensive and I don't think there's enough time in the day for me to possibly list them all. It's a boat anchor, and entirely too heavy for anything else other than a car camping fireside bit of chopping and batoning. So many other knives out there that can do those things, but also do them without weighing 13 lbs.

And this is me saying this, a guy who's been EDCing a titanium AD10 for the past couple of weeks, and that knife weighs like two lbs. 🤷
Click to expand...

As I get older, I just don't like heavy crap. I'm not decrepit or feeble, but over are the days where I want to pack anything remotely like a BK2. If I need to chop, I've got a nice GB axe. If I want to cut things, I much prefer lighter weight stuff. I am currently fretting about what I am going to take for a hiking trip through Yellowstone. I only have like 8 months to figure it ok ;) But I was weighing the option of taking a Tops, and damn are they heavy. I'm going to be walking 10 or 12 miles a day, and everything I take has to fit in a suitcase.

If I'm honest with myself, the best all around bush knife I own that can cut and be pressed into batoning that is actually packable is probably my Fiddleback Woodsman that Andy made for me over 15 years ago. I think it's made out of O1 and has been on my hip for more adventures than any other knife. It's done a lot of work with its 6" blade and maybe 1lb weight.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top