BK2, BK7, BK9 Different Scales?

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wmc1982

Joined
Oct 2, 2010
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What are the options in getting a new set of scales for a BK 2/7/9? Are there more than one manufacturer that makes them or are they all the same but you can stain or mod them if you want?

I'm not so much asking about price, but wondering what types of materials the scales are made of and how many different kinds exist.

I know they could be custom made, but for a reasonable price, who "mass produces" them? I've seen a similar looking pair at two different internet stores and I'm wondering if there is only 1 main set like that.

Thanks
 
Check the FAQ! :D

Ka-Bar makes the micarta scales for the Becker line. They will fit both the Camillus and the Becker knives (and, I'm told, the new Ritter/Becker knife that is forthcoming). These are the only "mass produced" scales for Becker knives that I'm aware of.

Several online vendors sell them. Just Google "Becker micarta scales." Several hits on that first Google page will get you what you're looking for.
 
foxx said:
I've looked as well, and the ones I found seem to be the same.
There is this option, http://www.chestnutridgeknifeshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=82&products_id=898
Look at their other Beckers, they have several that they modify. Tom is pretty responsive to questions, and maybe they could sell you different color micarta scales.
I'd be interested in what else is out there.
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yea that's the reason why I asked if there were others. I remember the one from Chestnut looking different so I wondered if there was a place making them for different colors.

Man, and after shipping you pay almost $50 for the scales. A few more dollars and you could buy a whole other BK2. But I guess the handles are the difference between ESSE and Becker basically (which means Becker is great quality, and you save half the cost because of the kind of grips.)
 
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wmc1982 said:
Man, and after shipping you pay almost $50 for the scales. A few more dollars and you could buy a whole other BK2. But I guess the handles are the difference between ESSE and Becker basically.
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That's why you order a knife with the scales. To offset some of the shipping. :D

Yours is a fair assessment. With Becker, you get the option. With ESEE, you don't. Different strokes for different folks. The steel is top quality carbon steel in both lines.

Also remember that some folks have done some good mods to change the grip on the Grivory scales. I really like the soldering iron stippling I saw in a recent picture. I may have to try that with a set of scales.
 
Guyon said:
That's why you order a knife with the scales. To offset some of the shipping. :D

Yours is a fair assessment. With Becker, you get the option. With ESEE, you don't. Different strokes for different folks. The steel is top quality carbon steel in both lines.

Also remember that some folks have done some good mods to change the grip on the Grivory scales. I really like the soldering iron stippling I saw in a recent picture. I may have to try that with a set of scales.
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yea i saw that picture too. I might try some hockey stick tape, but I'm not having any grip problems really. I only find the grip slippery if your grip is loose. With a firm grip I think somehow it becomes the opposite and holds extra tight.

I was thinking though for that one favorite knife it might be worth getting the scales.

I liked the blueish ones Chestnut had. I wonder if they stained them.



Edit: wow, that hockey grip tape helped 2x!

I put the black on and it looked great then I found this digital camo cloth tape and put it on. Doesn't look as good but now it's very cushiony. I will probably take the camo off and leave the black hockey tape though. Hockey tape seems to work much better than tennis grip tape.
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And here's something to remember, with a 5/16" allen, and about 1min, a set of micarta scales will fit all your Becker knives, except the BK11/BK14, obviously. That's what I do, as I constantly am changing grips, I only have 2 sets, and one set is still NIB, I've never needed to take them out. Now, if you want a set of scales for everyone, you'll need to buy, but I have found that not all knives work best for me, with Micarta. I actually prefer the grivory on my BK2, and the Micarta on my BK9.

I change them around just for fun, but for gettin' in there and whoopin' some woodland ass, grivory on the 2, micarta on the 9, micarta on the 6, micarta on the 7. I just change them out before I hit the woods. Plus, I have a ton of allens stored just about everywhere, so if I change my mind or just want to do something different, boom, there ya go.

Moose
 
I store Allen wrenches inside my Grivory scales. ;) :D
 
wmc1982 said:
yea i saw that picture too. I might try some hockey stick tape, but I'm not having any grip problems really. I only find the grip slippery if your grip is loose. With a firm grip I think somehow it becomes the opposite and holds extra tight.

I was thinking though for that one favorite knife it might be worth getting the scales.

I liked the blueish ones Chestnut had. I wonder if they stained them.



Edit: wow, that hockey grip tape helped 2x!

I put the black on and it looked great then I found this digital camo cloth tape and put it on. Doesn't look as good but now it's very cushiony. I will probably take the camo off and leave the black hockey tape though. Hockey tape seems to work much better than tennis grip tape.
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e6e7edd8ac1f69d816eeae97b758aa58
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I had hockey tape on a larger Becker for several years and it held up to the tasks. I now have micarta on it and it feels\looks great. I don't smoke or drink anymore, but find it curious that guys will spend 50 plus in a bar or for a bottle of booze and smokes, to be gone the next day. I have no qualms about spending 50 bucks for a set of micarta handles which will last me essentially for a lifetime. That's just my perspective, yours may vary according to mileage. :D
 
i just take the grips off. they get in the way :)
 
There is just no way I could justify spending $40 plus shipping to get the micart scales for knife that I paid $55 for including shipping.

I think the real reason most guys buy the micarta scales is because they love the knive and want to accessorise it. There's nothing wrong with that regardless of the price. If you're going to spend you money one something it might as well be on something you like.

What bugs me is that guys are implying that there's something wrong with the factory scales. The factory scales are perfect as they are and the factory sheath is designed to fit the knife with the factory scales. It's a system that works perfectly as it comes from the factory.

But guys change the scales and then complain that the sheath doesn't retain the knife anymore. They creat their own problem and then blame the manufacture. Real smart?
 
collecter said:
There is just no way I could justify spending $40 plus shipping to get the micart scales for knife that I paid $55 for including shipping.

I think the real reason most guys buy the micarta scales is because they love the knive and want to accessorise it. There's nothing wrong with that regardless of the price. If you're going to spend you money one something it might as well be on something you like.

What bugs me is that guys are implying that there's something wrong with the factory scales. The factory scales are perfect as they are and the factory sheath is designed to fit the knife with the factory scales. It's a system that works perfectly as it comes from the factory.

But guys change the scales and then complain that the sheath doesn't retain the knife anymore. They creat their own problem and then blame the manufacture. Real smart?
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well, that's why you bundle your orders :) flat rate shipping on multiple items. or FREE shippings.

MOST users are fine with factory scales. a growing number want ... more. options. some people LOVE options. for them, optional cost is part of it :> no downside.

now, if KaBar or any manufacturer for that matter, were to have higher demand for a thing, like micarta, like say, 50% sales based on knives moved, the prices might come down. however, what percentage of end users buying the micarta? 25%? 10%? 5%? custom options cost more.

lotta guys just toss factory sheaths and make their own, or buy further customs. see it all the time. that's why there's a market for plastic benders and leather buffers :) and more!

i mostly like my stuff as is. i don't do much modding, unless necessity says to - if the tool gets in the way, it gets fixed but good ;) otherwise, i'm usually too busy to worry about anything but the edge, and the tasks to be done.
 
It doesn't make sense to me to buy several knives to make the shipping cost seem more "fair". The point of buying a BK2 is that you don't need another fixed blade and you probably already have several great folders so why spend more money? That reminds me of a girl I once new who's belief about things being on sale was, "the more you spend the more you save"...yes she was blonde and very sexy.

Now if Kabar/Becker offered the BK2 with their micarta scales for a reasonable upcharge such as $10 over the cost of the standard BK2, I'd probably buy one.
 
collecter said:
There is just no way I could justify spending $40 plus shipping to get the micart scales for knife that I paid $55 for including shipping.
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Thats kinda how I feel. I also feel why spend $130 on similar brands that have the same steel just fancy handles. I put hockey tape one one for hacking just in case it gets wet and I love my BK2 the way it handles and the way it looks. It's worth every cent of the $55 and maybe a bit more, but not $100 imo for fancy add ons.

But hey, if you have the money to spend, go all out. If I had $1000 to spend I would get a few fancy knives then I would upgrade all my Beckers just for the fun of it. It just depends who you are, what you want, and how much you have to spend.
 
I think it's all subjective here, fellas. If you like the grivory, keep 'em. If you want micarta, buy 'em. I have two BK7's, one with micarta and one stock. I also have a BK2, and decided I wanted micarta for that as well. That doesn't make one material superior to the other, but it's what I wanted. Are they (micarta) a tad pricey? Yeah, I suppose they are, but I had sold some stuff and had a few extra dollars, so I didn't really mind.

I personally don't find any fault with the stock grivory scales. I even kept one pair that I removed. It's all about what you want, and what you are willing to spend. Other's mileage may vary...
 
I understand what you guys are saying about buying a $50-$65 knife and then another$50 for scales and another $65 for a leather sheath.
But since most of us have more knives than we will ever use.
Why not buy a BK2, BK7, or a BK9 with micarta scales and a leather sheath and have one knife you really love instead of three you kinda like.
This is a observation not a challenge. Only my thoughts.
 
trailbum said:
I understand what you guys are saying about buying a $50-$65 knife and then another$50 for scales and another $65 for a leather sheath.
But since most of us have more knives than we will ever use.
Why not buy a BK2, BK7, or a BK9 with micarta scales and a leather sheath and have one knife you really love instead of three you kinda like.
This is a observation not a challenge. Only my thoughts.
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I agree completely. I have the same philosophy with my guns.
 
SpookyPistolero said:
I agree completely. I have the same philosophy with my guns.
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I feel ya there. I buy a $425 GI SA, and since I tune 1911's, before long, I got over $1200 in it and its a tack driver. Doesn't really look that different either, so, WTF did I waste $700 on?:confused:

Moose
 
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