Coming this Spring - KA-BAR Becker BK40 Folder
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I think it's a bit big myself.
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daizee
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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I think that's right, they they nailed it.
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She sure is a chunky monkey. For what it is, i dont mind the size, ill reiterate, “for what it is”. Not only is the handle chunky, the blade is too. Choil needs to be bigger to actually fit a finger otherwise its oversized as sharpening choil. It maybe helps clear the thumbstuds when sharpening? It is aesthetically pleasing at least.
If it sounds like im bashing it, i am not (at least not yet). I am happy with everything about it except the obvious low quality of the blade. It reminds me of some of the kershaws i have, great design, great everything, but a poorly produced blade keeps me from carrying it. Better steel and better grinds, and this would be a great heavy duty folding knife. Even with those small changes it wouldnt rival what hogue or someone else could have done. But as long as the price stayed around 60, it would be a home run.
shes chunky yet comfortable. Blade to handle ratio is great. Contour on the scales are more left hand friendly than the ontario rat. For the price, we cant complain too much. Im curious if there will be changes in development as ethan and/or kabar see fit, a la, the bk16 grind change.
If it sounds like im bashing it, i am not (at least not yet). I am happy with everything about it except the obvious low quality of the blade. It reminds me of some of the kershaws i have, great design, great everything, but a poorly produced blade keeps me from carrying it. Better steel and better grinds, and this would be a great heavy duty folding knife. Even with those small changes it wouldnt rival what hogue or someone else could have done. But as long as the price stayed around 60, it would be a home run.
shes chunky yet comfortable. Blade to handle ratio is great. Contour on the scales are more left hand friendly than the ontario rat. For the price, we cant complain too much. Im curious if there will be changes in development as ethan and/or kabar see fit, a la, the bk16 grind change.
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Hmmm maybe I did get a dud. Maybe I'll mess with it a bit this weekend and see if I can get the action smoothed out and play eliminated. If not, I'll contact kabar and see what they say. I love the size, but then again I like bigger folders. I regularly carry a spyderco shaman and hinderer xm-18, so this fits right in. Aus 8 works just fine for me, I think it's an excellent, easy to sharpen steel.
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The action on mine seems good. As daizee had said, it should loosen up a bit with use.
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Im not sure why people compare this with the rat 1. Maybe size? Maybe the indention for the index finger? Maybe palm swell? Maybe price point? Plenty of knives meet this criteria. I think its mostly due to people have an undying habit of pitting kabar/becker knives against ontario (and also esee knives). Heres a few pictures for picture sake
they dont have much in common really. One issue ive always disliked on the rat1 was how far away the edge is from your hand. On the becker, the cutting edge starts .75” from my finger. The rat1 measures 1.125”.
im not sure why the photos rotate nor do i know if these are huge or tiny...
they dont have much in common really. One issue ive always disliked on the rat1 was how far away the edge is from your hand. On the becker, the cutting edge starts .75” from my finger. The rat1 measures 1.125”.
im not sure why the photos rotate nor do i know if these are huge or tiny...
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I thought about this and have a spare Lynch clip; just couldn’t do it, the clip is more expensive than the knife.
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I compared it to the RAT because imho the RAT is THE tried and true budget knife. That’s all. Yes, I agree with you; the two knives are very different. Btw, I like the RAT2 better than the RAT1. I find the smaller size to be more useful.
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My $0.02, FWIW
The comparison with the Rat-1 is not based only on shape or ergos or how does it skin a goat, it's more on what they represent.
It wasn't that long ago, when a company named ESEE did not exist; it was a series named Randall Adventure Team within the Ontario lineup, and it was/is an excellent series of knives.
But I do remember the huffing and puffing, robe-tearing upheaval that followed the - gasp!! - Ontario decision to have a folder with the RAT moniker made overseas...oh, the drama....the aftermath produced a separate company that has been doing very well and it's the closest thing to BKs, made here in the US. The compounded irony was that the oriental folder turned out to be a homerun, still referred to as a benchmark for bang for the buck budget pocket knives, so it was a win-win for both sides.
Fast forward some years and guess what? The company that was created out of a perceived treason against made-in-the-USA knives (I bet there were more reasons than that, but this was the most public highlight) came out with not one but TWO folders - made overseas...there was some grumbling that faded out rather quickly, and people just ignored the country of origin and were happy to get an ESEE folder.
My point? I'm a Beckerhead, and we are known for being aggressively loyal. I'm willing to hold an olive branch to both Uncle E and KB, and try out their new product without the added whine. It's not like KB doesn't make folders overseas (shoot, there is not a SINGLE US-made folder in their current lineup), I have some of them and they are decently made. Could they have better steel? yes. Could they be made in the US? probably, but that is a business decision not for me to make, a calculated risk that KB might be willing or not to jump into, but I guess they are keeping track of our opinions.
Got mine yesterday. I like it. The blade is centered, it opens, it closes, it's very sharp. Took it apart, sanded the brass washers, put it back together and oiled it, now it needs to be used. Time will tell if it measures up or not to the RAT.
The comparison with the Rat-1 is not based only on shape or ergos or how does it skin a goat, it's more on what they represent.
It wasn't that long ago, when a company named ESEE did not exist; it was a series named Randall Adventure Team within the Ontario lineup, and it was/is an excellent series of knives.
But I do remember the huffing and puffing, robe-tearing upheaval that followed the - gasp!! - Ontario decision to have a folder with the RAT moniker made overseas...oh, the drama....the aftermath produced a separate company that has been doing very well and it's the closest thing to BKs, made here in the US. The compounded irony was that the oriental folder turned out to be a homerun, still referred to as a benchmark for bang for the buck budget pocket knives, so it was a win-win for both sides.
Fast forward some years and guess what? The company that was created out of a perceived treason against made-in-the-USA knives (I bet there were more reasons than that, but this was the most public highlight) came out with not one but TWO folders - made overseas...there was some grumbling that faded out rather quickly, and people just ignored the country of origin and were happy to get an ESEE folder.
My point? I'm a Beckerhead, and we are known for being aggressively loyal. I'm willing to hold an olive branch to both Uncle E and KB, and try out their new product without the added whine. It's not like KB doesn't make folders overseas (shoot, there is not a SINGLE US-made folder in their current lineup), I have some of them and they are decently made. Could they have better steel? yes. Could they be made in the US? probably, but that is a business decision not for me to make, a calculated risk that KB might be willing or not to jump into, but I guess they are keeping track of our opinions.
Got mine yesterday. I like it. The blade is centered, it opens, it closes, it's very sharp. Took it apart, sanded the brass washers, put it back together and oiled it, now it needs to be used. Time will tell if it measures up or not to the RAT.
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Tried to get the down low shot, but just got the blade:
Better, but off center:
Not bad, but the camera focused on the giant gum tree, haha. I give up:
Better, but off center:
Not bad, but the camera focused on the giant gum tree, haha. I give up:
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Next to the 16:
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Took some other pictures comparing this knife to a $30 knife and a $100 knife. Just to show the lines and an attempt to show the thickness behind the edge. At $45, i think this fits right here between these two. While blade shape, and handle ergos are pretty different, these are the knives that came to mind especially since there had been early speculation of a hogue made becker folder awhile back. So this is just to show a difference in quality.
first is the bk40.
Here is a china made kershaw. Note the similarities of the lines. And also the thickness behind the edge even though it has a slight hollow grind to it. This knife is so chunky, i
Now heres the hogue, you can see the tight lines and . Also notice how thin it is behind the edge. Obviously its a higher price point.
obviously, at $45 i dont expect the bk40 to be at the hogue level so im not trying to compare the two, just showing an example how kabar could do better with it.
first is the bk40.
Here is a china made kershaw. Note the similarities of the lines. And also the thickness behind the edge even though it has a slight hollow grind to it. This knife is so chunky, i
Now heres the hogue, you can see the tight lines and . Also notice how thin it is behind the edge. Obviously its a higher price point.
obviously, at $45 i dont expect the bk40 to be at the hogue level so im not trying to compare the two, just showing an example how kabar could do better with it.
SALTY
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I am still waiting for my favored retailer to get these in but I cannot help but to think what the BK-40 would have been if Ethan's handles were married to perhaps something like a 4-Max Scout; that would be a winner ... in the realm of a BK-2 as a folder.
I know that Ethan is affiliated with KaBar so obviously that's where his name and designs will be produced but and sort of just thinking out loud.
Looking forward to getting my BK-40.
I know that Ethan is affiliated with KaBar so obviously that's where his name and designs will be produced but and sort of just thinking out loud.
Looking forward to getting my BK-40.