Info on Becker knives

[Gator762]

I'm looking at getting a new fixed blade knife . Does anyone have any info on Becker knives? The knife is going to be worked hard and alot.

 

[tyler34]

beckers are good to go.

 

[Knife Lady]

USA made and they are good knives. I just happen to sell them.

 

[Gator762]

Knife Lady I have bought off of you before, do you think they are as good as esee knives?

 

[Knife Lady]

The handles are much better on the ESEE knives and the warranty is better as well. I think Rowen does a great job in making the ESEE's also.
Becker makes a great product too but I am just a bigger fan of the ESEE.
Becker does not use the heat differential process as ESEE does.

Sheila

 

[Gator762]

Ok, what is the price difference in a 5" blade? I was going to make my own handles. Isn't both of them rc hardness 57-59? Thanks again.

 

[Bradsknives]

Ok, what is the price difference in a 5" blade? I was going to make my own handles. Isn't both of them rc hardness 57-59? Thanks again.

ESEE knives have a Rockwell hardness rating of 57rc. Becker knives have a Rockwell hardness rating between 56-59 depending on the model. Example: The BK9 usually is 58-59 and the Companion model can be as low as 56rc. The biggest difference is the heating treating process that is used between the two companies. ESEE's heating treating process is far superior than the process Kabar/Becker uses. ESEE uses the differential heat treating process on their blades allowing them to control the hardness rating in different sections/areas on the blade. Example: a harder rating on the cutting edge for edge retention and then a little softer hardness on the spine of the blade for shock absorption and give.

 

[sadclownwp]

When I was camping last week, I battoned 4 days worth of firewood with my BK-2 as well as used it for a camp knife and filleted a few fish. I will say, i butchered the fillets, but its still a great knife.

 

[Knife Lady]

Yeah using your becker companion as a fillet knife is not what they are desinged for.

 

[Boomstick]

For the money you cant go wrong with Becker bk2, also look at the ESEE 5 (or the 6) Swamp Rat Knife Works RatManDu if you want heavy duty knife. If something lighter is what you are after check out the ESEE 4, and Blind Horse Knives Bushcrafter.

 

[Gator762]

Are there any flaws on the becker knives? And if so let me know. Thanks

 

[ISP 5353]

My BK2 , Bought from Knife Lady, has been awesome. No problems at all. It is a beast of a knife and very tough. You cannot really go wrong with Becker or ESEE.

 

[Knife Lady]

Becker and ESEE are good knives.

 

[TopDog]

paddling man provided some great info from this thread:

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/the_cutting_edge/139852-not_crazy_about_the_bk2.html

It depends on what you call gen1 & gen2. Really, it would be gen1, gen2 and gen3.

gen1 would be when Ethan was having the blades produced in concert with Blackjack knives (associated with Mike Stewart of later Bark River.) The Blackjack days were reasonable.

gen2 would be the Camillus years before Camillus went toes-up from poor management and further union issues. The Camillus days were spotty... the earlier ones were fine but as Camillus ground to a halt, there were a lot of "Friday afternoon" knives. Avoid the digicamo ones from the end... that was in the death throes of the factory when unfamiliar folks (management) might be trying to make a knife. The Camillus years always used 0170-6 steel, with the exception of the bk-77 that used s30v. (S30V is a great folder steel but not one that I would recommend for a chopper...)

gen3 - The current batch. This is now Ethan working with ka-bar. Any issues you have now could/should be able to be solved by working directly with ka-bar.


Ethan Becker is "good folks." Seriously. A man of honor and of the highest caliber. Some of the folks he had to work with in the past? Not so much.

I own(ed) a few Beckers. A Campanion, a BK11, a BK7 and two BK9s. They could take a keen edge, are relatively tough, tended to chip rather than roll though, and the exposed edge would rust/corrode if you breathed on it. His designs are well thought out but while the machete-like handles work well for large blades (7"+) they seemed overly large for any blade smaller.

They are, like ESEE, very good deals for the price.

Is your blade defective? Probably not. If it had taken a BIG chunk out of it rather than edge deformation, then "yes." If it bothers you, then talk directly to ka-bar/becker. They may (should) replace it just to keep you happy. I would replicate the same chopping on the replacement if it is what you regularly plan to do. If it performs the same, then you should expect that as typical behavior and deal with it or search for another steel/manufacturer that performs as you expect. I certainly wouldn't, in good conscience, ask for a *second* replacement if it performs the same. Your expectations and the steel's attributes just may not be a match.


BK2 compared to a lil Gerber boot knife.

Ranger Knives RD9 and a BK91 (Justin Gingrich... he nows has Ontario making his stuff but this was the early years when he still made them in the garage in Columbus, GA.)

Another size comp with a Swamp Rat Howling Rat at the top.

I would still like to have one of the BK6 becker patrol.

Some of the variations of the Campanion. (Not mine or my pic)

EVERYTHING you likely want to know about Beckers.