Would BK&T #BK9 Crewman be a good replacement for the TOPS Tracker?

Tennessee

Tennessee

Joined
Apr 27, 2000
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I am contemplating whether to spend the money on the TOPS Tracker or just get a #BK10 as my hiking/tracking knife. there is a huge gab in terms of pricing.
Pls advice
 
There is quite a difference between the BK-9 (Combat Bowie...9 inch blade), and the BK-10 (Crewman...5.5 inch blade). Which one did you mean?

If you are talking about the BK-9 Combat Bowie, by all means get it, as it's an excellent knife (short machete) at a very reasonable price.
 
Check out the tracker's website.
The tracker does indeed have more uses, but if you're not going to use them then get the Becker.
the Tracker is a pretty specialized tool, and I think if you check it out, you'll know right away what's right for you.
Not to mention the amazing price difference.
 
I have the BK 9 and have been very pleased with it. I am not a big fan of the TOPS Tracker. So my vote would go towards the BK 9. Easy to sharpen, holds the edge pretty well, chops fine on most things. I am not a huge fan of the scales (very smooth) on the handle but some sand paper cleared that up, for me at least. It is alot of knife for the money and as you noted there is a big price gap between the two of them.
 
I imagine most folks won't agree with me, but TOPS knives are excellent. You might want to look at other models. The ergonomics on a TOPS knife is incredible, it feels like part of your hand.
IMO unless you need a tracker, TOPS offers other high quality alternatives.
 
Sorry guys, wrong model for the BK&T, indeed should be #BK 10.
I was thinking about #BK9 while typing this thread.

Sorry once again.
 
It's my opinion that the Tracker, no matter how well made, is a convoluted "Jack of all trades, but no good at any of them" tool. I'd much rather be in posession of a nice swedish hatchet, a Swedish Army utility knife and one of them military issue wire saws.
 
But if you can't lug all that around the woods, but the Tracker. Buy a Dave Beck Tracker if you can afford one. I just like knives that can have other features on them. Personally I think having the saw and hook and hatchet face on the knife are really handy to have in one package.

Your best bet is to handle them both, get a feel for them and try to imagine what you'll be using them for. That's the best was to make a decision.
 
Some folks, myself included, hate the scales on the BK&T. They are fat and way too slick. Walking Man is no doubt correct in stating the the TOPS is very superior in ergonomics.

I have read some posts where BK&T owners have had the scales sand blasted, and said this greatly improved them.
 
The handles might be fat, but even with my fairly small hands, it does fit it quite well for the Becker
 
I just got a BK7 and found the scales very easy to fix. I filed down the bump on the right rear side to my liking, then removed them and sanded all over with 40 grit. This worked great and now I like them even better that the handle on my Swamp Rat Camp Tramp (which is too thin, but still OK).
 
I have big hands and the Beckers I handled at Blade felt very well fitted to me. Just from looking at the pictures and handling a few Beckers, I like the Becker better. I'm typing tongue twisters here unintentionally, I apologize. I agree with Melancholy Mutt. I have no doubt the Tracker is well made and works well for the tasks for which is designed. Personally I prefer the simplicity of the Becker, plus it's a lot cheaper. Getting a pocket chainsaw and putting it in the accessory pouch of the Becker, or putting together a small survival kit with a saw included, seems to me a better option. Another suggestion I have for a small, versatile chopper is the Pen knife from Himalayan Imports. It's priced between the Becker and the Tracker and has quite a following among khukuri aficianados. There's a huge review thread of it on the HI forum if you're interested. Good luck with your purchase.
 
I have small to average hands and personally think the Becker handles suck dick. I've talked to Ethan and the folks at Camillus about it and was told I was wrong, but still can't change my opinion.

I have a Becker 7 and love the knife, except for the handle. The blade design and steel are great, but the handle is a bit fat and way too slick for me. I've been meaning to put some micarta slabs on it, but i'm lazy. There are a lot of knives out there with better handle design, but not as many with a great blade like the Becker. TOPS handles are way better IMHO... but I don't really think they are worth the price.

Personally I'd look at Swamp Rat or just settle on the Becker handles....
 
Untill you actually work with the bigger Beckers, it might seem the handles are too fat, probably due to muscle memory from all the small knives we handle daily requirng fine motor control. Major muscle groups are required for the work I do with my Beckers. When I think of all the tools used in a similar fashion with the same muscle groups, the grips are always larger. I took about 1/8 total off the thickness of the handles on my BK7 but decided I liked 'em better before so I switched 'em with the handles on the BK9. Now both are the same width. They are slick though. I think the Tracker is an interesting knife, but if I had money to burn on novelty knifes I'd get the Beck model. I've considered the BK2 and the BK10 off and on, but they are getting down to the size knife where I would want a different handle and maybe a thinner blade with less depth. What I use as hunter/trackers are Buck's 105 & 119. What I want is a Fallkniven S1.
 
I have a dozen or so blades in the same size class as my BK9 and FOR THE MONEY, none compare (and I'm a huge TOPS fan.) It's very easy to find this knife in the $50-60 range. It's possible to spend 2 and 3 times that for a knife with a similar intended purpose as the BK9. I have not heard of anyone being sorry they purchased this blade. The slabs may be slippery to some, but you can't have the world for $50.
Cris
 
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