Coming this Spring - KA-BAR Becker BK40 Folder

I would expect a worthy Becker folder to be more like a modern take on the classic Air Force bailout machetes from Case, Imperial and others. Something with a generous handle capable of real work and a slow but solid locking system that equally capable.

It need not be this big, but this would be the general idea:
https://www.auctionzip.com/auction-lot/imperial-military-folding-machete-and-sheath_E0D4135A34/

It doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination to envision any of the classic Becker blade shapes incorporated into such a folder, and no one else is making anything like that.

N2s
 
MolokaiRider said:
China makes a compelling case for manufacturing. Way cheaper than making it in US.

Putting the Olean,NY is misleading.
Click to expand...

The deception of labeling Olean, NY is more disappointing to me than the country of manufacture.
Kabar/Cutco chose a long time ago that it was in their best interest to use off shore manufacturing.
I will not buy any of the Chinese Kabar's, but I will not hold it against them. Hopefully they get it figured out before release and remove the Olean, NY from the side of the blade.
 
BTW, what is AUS8A? I know AUS8 is a classic Japanese cutlery steel made by the Aichi Steel Corporation, Japan. Is this stuff sourced there or is it made in China? Then again, the marking is likely as credible as the Olean marking; so likely 8CR....whatever...

n2s
 
not2sharp said:
I would expect a worthy Becker folder to be more like a modern take on the classic Air Force bailout machetes from Case, Imperial and others. Something with a generous handle capable of real work and a slow but solid locking system that equally capable.

It need not be this big, but this would be the general idea:
https://www.auctionzip.com/auction-lot/imperial-military-folding-machete-and-sheath_E0D4135A34/

It doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination to envision any of the classic Becker blade shapes incorporated into such a folder, and no one else is making anything like that.

N2s
Click to expand...
I have one of those. :thumbsup:
 
I can deal with the AUS8, and for a budget folder I can try to ignore where it was manufactured. But a friggin liner lock? Those liners better be THICK, or it might as well be a throwaway gas station knife.
 
China is not a deal breaker. There is plenty of quality coming from there. AUS8 is fine with me. I just do not see anything special about this knife, or anything that a Rat II (or I) doesn’t do for me.
 
GingivitisKahn said:
Yeah - slave labor (which it is, more or less under a commie regime) is cost effective.
Click to expand...

Where I work, a few years ago Appl* was a customer. One of our salesmen went to China to spec out their needs.

He came back and told us about their working conditions....they needed to put net/trampoline looking devices around the perimeters of their factories.

Too many people were commiting Suicide, instead of working.... Life was That bad.

Enjoy Your Phones.....
 
The quality knives that come from china are from companies like “we” and “kizer”. This china kabar will not be made in any factory that puts out this type of quality.

just because something can be done is no reason to assume it would be done.
 
Aus8 as I understand it is similar to 440. It is very rust resistant, but dulls down very quickly. However, it can be sharpened easily.
 
Kayakflyfisher said:
Aus8 as I understand it is similar to 440. It is very rust resistant, but dulls down very quickly. However, it can be sharpened easily.
Click to expand...
I don't have a problem with the steel it holds a decent edge yet can be sharpened with common sharpening methods including a flat rock if necessary. My experience in manufacturing tells me you can't depend on chinese steel to be what they say it is. I worked 8 years in a factory that we heat treated auto parts chinese steel had to have chemical and physical certification from a US lab before we would use it. Because it isn't what they say it is it won't properly harden
 
1066vik said:
pretty sure that's just their standard blade etch because it's where kabar is based and the country of origin will be marked elsewhere on the blade.
at least they learned from the mark98 not to accept the lowest grade of chinesium alloy for the blade.
Click to expand...
The Warrior said:
I was gonna say the same thing.
Click to expand...
Xr6x said:
Looks like they even have a different blade etch for the lowest grade chinesium alloy :p
View attachment 1494956
Click to expand...
This has been bugging me. It does sort of look like a Becker thing that KaBar just threw on the blade. They do a similar thing with the logos of other makers they work with. Sort of makes sense in that way I guess.

The problem is, it comes across as being purposefully dishonest. We see the same thing from the likes of MTech. Their logo includes the acronym "USA" even though the knives are made in China at the lowest possible price point:

219604_219608.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top