Is the Ka Bar BK2 the best camping/hunting knife for the money?

[PreppedForLife]

Hey guys, I did a review video on the BK2 including the modifications I've made: I Love This Knife! Ka Bar BK2: Unboxing, Testing, and Mods - YouTube

Let me know what you think!

 

[Lockster]

Personally, and opinions are only ever a personal opinion, the BK2 is very heavy for its blade length, and has two potential challenges:

it is a short blade for its weight

it is a very thick blade and isn't ideal blade grind angle for slicing due to its overall thickness.

I'd suggest perhaps an Esee 6 as a fantastic alternative, it has a longer blade and has a far superior sheath system.

Another strong alternative is the Cold Steel SRK, very sturdy blade and good sheath.

if you do want to go with the Becker line, the BK7 is a better overall option than the BK2 in my opinion.

if you are happier with a shorter blade then the Esee 4 or Becker BK16 or BK17 would offer a fine option.

I'd happily take either of these models out bush and feel very well covered.

 

[kaboku68]

Knives of Alaska Camp Knife in D2. Costs less can do what ever the Becker can do for less money. However, if you can get ahold of a Hultafors General utility knife you can think an over built mora for the same money. In fact the Mora Companion Heavy Duty MG for like $8 could probably give the Becker a run. So no.

 

[Lockster]

Hultafors and/or Mora would be better VALUE than the Becker since they are around $10-15, but they are not in the same league as far as the durability as a knife since they only have a rat-tail tang. They are excellent knives for the money though, and I have several of them as back up or utility knives for the car, stuffed in day hiking packs etc.

 

[Cgeb]

Becker is a tank, but the trade off is weight. I'll usually go with something lighter like a Mora or even a Tops Bushcrafter if I need something a little "meatier". I don't usually use my knives as choppers. I usually have a folding saw or hatchet for those tasks.

 

[ezmorningrebel]

if you want to chop wood with your knife it's a great option but i'd rather have a folding saw like the bahco laplander and a smaller knife. i baton firewood into kindling with a mora companion and have never had a problem. and it's way too big of a blade for field dressing or breaking down animals for me.

 

[nwbow87]

I'm a big fan of the essee line. Great blades and a killer warranty, if anything ever goes wrong. I own 3 of them and over 4 years they've never let me down. I also own a mora and it's a solid blade.
It boils down to the end user. If the Becker works for you, that's going to be your best bet. Nice knife, just heavy.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[adamm88]

to big, too thick, too heavy for a hunting knife, most times i carry a bk 16 that fits the hunting knife/Survival knife if needed bill perfectly.

 

[PreppedForLife]

Love the thoughts, and I'm very interested in the Esee (looking at it for the next purchase). You're right on the weight, but that wasn't my concern with this purchase...I wanted an absolute tank that could take abuse

 

[MontanaMarine]

Looks like a great survival/bushcraft/camping tool.

Just too heavy for me to consider carrying while hunting, and I'm trying to keep my load as light as reasonably possible.

 

[MontanaMarine]

I have a Fiskars X7 hatchet that I'll pack if I really want a chopping tool. But that BK2 looks like it could handle most chopping, tent stake pounding, etc that I normally use the hatchet for, and save about a half pound.

 

[Lockster]

Love the thoughts, and I'm very interested in the Esee (looking at it for the next purchase). You're right on the weight, but that wasn't my concern with this purchase...I wanted an absolute tank that could take abuse

in that case I'll throw in something like the Ontario SP50 or SP51, they are the same thickness as the BK2 but give around 9" blade, you can then chop and baton larger, thicker logs with it also. The BK9 is is also exceptional.

I owned a BK2, when I placed the order I couldn't wait for it to arrive due to all the hype. When it arrived I was thrilled, it is an impressive blade. But when it came time to pick a knife to take out, it always seemed to get left at the altar in favor of an Esee 4, or Esee 6, or BK16, or...

my point is that if weight was an issue, I didn't carry it, if weight was no issue I tended to carry a bigger, heavier blade that had even more functionality. I ended up trading to a mate who used it for a few months then bought my Esee Laser Strike from me .

just some personal observations from a former owner, good luck with your deliberations.