Today we’re checking off the Becker box.
A subscriber sent me an electronic mail, and said I’d like to donate some knives what
would you like?
So either he likes this sort of Youtube bullshit or because eventually I’m gonna lose a limb,
and he wants to be the one who enabled it.
That’ll teach him to say mean things about Swiss Army Knives (laughs).
Both are good reasons… and since people have been asking for Beckers I said any Becker
will do.
But then because I'm an idiot I also bought another Becker.
So up on the literal chopping stump we’re treated to some tactical bushcraft whatever
from the Ka-Bar Manufactured Becker Prybar line, the BK-9 and BK-10.
The BK-10 being a small big ass chopping knife, and the Bk-9 a standard big ass chopping knife.
Both denoted by their sick ass murdered out appearance, and same sized handles, but different
blade sizes.
Not pictured in this video, but also in their current line up would be the BK-7 a 7 inch
version of the BK-9, and the BK-2 a similar size to the BK-10, but with a slightly different
blade shape, for those who baton.
There's also a few kukris, machetes, and smaller knives in the Becker line too- so collect
all of those.
But before we get into that, in a loud chorus let's all say it together let's look at the
dimensions like the overall lengths and weights.
With and without the sheath.
Ok you shouldn’t use a knife for prying.
I feel like I should state the obvious this time, because someone said I shouldn't have
hit my axe with the oversize bushcraft mallet on my last video.
Blade size and cutting edge.
Prying as you know is a job best left for a $100 Instagram/Kickstarter/Massdrop titanium
prybar bottle opener thingy.
Handle Size and grip area.
It’ll go well with your $150 Rexford R.U.T. and all of your other terrible life choices.
Spine and Handle thickness behind the edge.
They don't know it now, but robot anthropologists one day will use damascus razor blades, as
the indicator of where it all went wrong.
Tallnesses.
The influencers, and portrait mode were ultimately responsible.
The influencers will shoulder a lot of the blame for trying to sell a planet full of
dumbasses tons of useless artisan bullshit.
They'd rather buy a pry bar than food for their family.
"Hey bro long time fan of the channel, I would like to know if you're interested in reviewing
my kickstarter neck knife.
It's the first fixed blade with a virtual diamond ceramic detent, and bluetooth.
Starts at 700 for the base model.
I'm down to jokes now that only people with Youtube channels get.
So the Becker BK-9 and BK-10 as the sorts of people who watch knife videos know is part
of the collaboration between Becker Tool and Knife and Ka-Bar.
Ka-Bar makes the damn knives for Monsieur Becker, and I have little interest in researching
when that collaboration happened- after 20 minutes of looking at flame fucking anodized
deep carry pocket pry bars.
Just know that at some point it happened and I don't really care when.
The steel used on these is that Ka-Bar special 1095 Cro-Van carbon steel, found in their
whole line of fighting knives used in approximately 3-5 actual fights a year, after both guys
forgot their guns.
This here’s my fighting knife- cool ever fought anyone with it?
If you remember my Ka-Bar Dogs Head video art review about a month ago you might remember
that knives blade has more of a slick black coating.
This one is more like found on your spray on truck liner bed.
Thick texture, not slick, kind of like an Esee’s but with a just slightly rougher
grain.
Both are flat ground knives, with 20 degree per side edge grind, which should match up
to Spydercos sharp maker 40 degree setting well.
Both gots a clip point with an unsharpened swedge on the tip…
Which in theory could chew up you baton.
Remember the Campanion BK-2 is a standard drop point slightly better for batoning on
the job site.
BK-7 though also has that bowie clip point fight knife tactical blade style.
The handle is that plastic Zytel on some product pages, then it's called Ultramid on the official
website, as to not sound so poor and plastic-y.
To us standard idiots it's a high impact plastic that’s kind of smooth and very durable.
The handle is nice and meaty with a generous grip area- a reason why these knives are popular
with assholes with Youtube channels and who post on knife forums.
You can buy some $40 half-the-price-of-the knives-after market micarta handles, which
I of course did.
I learned from the knife nuts podcast that tooling is the biggest reason for high prices,
on what seem like simple objects.
And the $40 ones you can buy on Amazon are the cheapest.
If you have problems with money you can find some G10 scales on the knife connection for
$60.
As you can see the knives naked have weight saving holes drilled in the handle area, and
the zytel handles are semi hollow.
The fabric bandage colored micarta scales are solid.
As I foreshadowed earlier the scales are swappable on most of the full size beckers because they
all have the same handle scale size and grip area.
Like these two.
Here are the models these scales are compatible with, I will link them in the description.
You also have some spine jimping.
It’s that thick texture for hard use situations.
I will commend Becker for keeping that sort of jimping just on the thumb ramp, because
I know it’s temping as shit to put that all around the handles for all sorts of tactical
grips.
I like fine spyderco jimping or thumbs ramps without imping a little better in case you
weren't wondering.
The center of balance is about near the middle of the front quillion on the BK-10 and the
weight is all in the business and of the BK-9.
The sheath.
Becker sheaths rarely get raves, except from the accountants at Becker.
If you own a Schrade SCHF pryer series knife, and know what those sheaths look like then
this is one of those.
I mean not exactly, but similar construction.
You even get the pouch for your sharpening stone or weed.
The two snaps up top secure the BK-10 however they aren’t super easy to snap, and have
to be situated precisely to get both to snap over the handles.
The BK-9 has just one snap, which means it's still kind of hard to snap, but 50% less because
there's only one.
The sheaths are Molle compatible, have some velcro and loops butt of handle rides just
at the belt line which is acceptable.
Ok comparisons.
Or I were reviewing the BK-2 we’d call it camp-parisons oh I’m so funny.
First the BK-10.
As far as American Made Pry Bar knives go the Beckers are some of the most popular styles
because you can find most of them well under $100.
This one is about $70 on Amazon.
Think Esee’s but with shittier warranties and sheaths.
That’s why they’re cheaper.
Lot’s of after market handles, sheaths, tactical accessories, and scales so you can
pay more than an Esee though.
Now my Laser Strike.
Until one day I get a regular Esee 6 which are about $110-$140, this is my favorite and
about $100.
To be honest if you gave the Becker Micarta Scales, and a better sheath both are very
similar other than cutting edges.
If you often screw around with starting fires, ferro rods, building shelters, chopping, getting
footage for your Youtube baton porn channel- these are the sorts of knives good for that.
If you’re hunting, maybe look at something lighter and smaller, and also don't forget
your gun.
Now the Ka-Bar Dogs Head Utility at $65.
Batoning and building shelters is not this knives strong suit… but looking military
as shit is though.
I’m not sure what you’d do with a 7 inch blade outside other than batoning and murdering
teenagers on halloween- but I’m sure you have your reasons.
The differential heat treat on the rat tail tang means it could bend during especially
vigorous baton sessions like it did with me.
Bending is better than breaking though.
Let’s see how about my Schrade SCHF52 big and about $40.
Don’t mind the duck tape and dings in the top of the blade.
This was a loaner knife- and if you’re watching this video you know who you are and I won’t
publicly shame you.
A less drag blade coating, made in china, kinda cheap but functional sheath.
Good for batoning.
Not that Becker designer name though.
How about a Buck 119 about $50 and made in the USA.
This knife is a little lighter, has a more pronounced clip, the smaller version of the
one that murdered people in the Scream movie and probably better at food and corpse prep
overall than the Becker.
If I’m stabbing people in a horror movie about horror movies, the glint of an uncoated
blade would be slightly more frightening.
Now a the BK-9.
It's the biggest becker knife, on a technicality.
The bigger beckers are kukris or machetes and broad swords.
It's often compared to the Esee Junglas and Junglas II.
The Junglas bigger, the junglas 2 is smaller.
I don't own the Junglas I but the Junglas II has a different center of gravity and feels
heavier in the hand, because of the larger handle and the handle isn't skeletonized.
I think all handles on fixed blades should be skeltonized.
Now the Skrama, this knife has a very similar blade cutting edge, and feels lighter in the
hand.
The Skrama is a good chopper with a larger comfortable handle.
Comes with a nice dangler sheath, and costs about $100 shipped to USA, maybe a bit less
for the Carbon steel flavor.
Now the Carothers HD 10" chopper.
I plan on reviewing this one soon.
This is heavier, heavier in a good way, as in in the blade area.
With a high end steel.
It's a $500, so it's not even something I could afford, even with that massive tax cut
my employer got this year.
It's on loan from a subscriber, who out of the blue asked if I wanted to review it.
I can't say if an $500 chopper is worth it, but if a knife were to be worth that much,
then maybe this one.
This is the best at chopping.
Out of all of the non axes seen in this video.
Get out your batons fellows.
Ok maybe I really do like my Zombie Tools Vakra.
One of these days I'm gonna buy a nice authentic kukri, I mean I have a cheap one, but I'd
like another.
Until then, my Zombie tools is my best largest chopper.
Are we done?
We're getting close right?
Axes are for smart people, big ass knives are for people more like myself.
Sometimes a dude needs to split and chop wood with a knife.
Bk-10 is better as a standard knife, with just a little wood play thrown in.
The BK-9 works better for full on bushcraft Larping.
Thicker than a machete blade stock, so you can just go out and whack things.
I prefer whacking Kukris…
However Kukris are not as good for batoning.
So you chop wood with a Kukri, you bring your BK-9 along for batoning.
You bring your machete along for clearing brush.
You bring your BK-10 along to look cool, then use your Spyderco Para Military for the real
knife stuff.
If I had to give one up I'd give up the BK-10, because I have lighter slightly smaller knives
I can get the same done with.
I slightly prefer Esees to Becker because of the better unconditional warranty and the
nicer standard options.
However that Skeletonized handle gives the beckers an edge over similar sized esees,
in lightness in the palm- Plus they are a bit cheaper.
A blade should never break but sometimes they do.
The more you whack on them or pry with them, then the more likely it is.
If you plan on battening 3 inch or less logs then maybe go with the BK-2 instead of the
BK-10, just to further confuse you.
I think I prefer the BK-9 to my Junglas 2 slightly, though I'll have to wait a little
longer to know for sure.
The handle with the micarta scales has a bit better palm swell, and feels a bit less loose
in the hand than the Junglas II.
And remember children knives with a slight drop point are best for log whacking.
If you like this sort of review, subscribe to the channel, donate to my Patreon- give
the video a thumbs up.
Thanks for watching!