Ethan's Trip to KaBar Olean/NY Last Week

[Bladite]

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[Bladite]

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[Bladite]

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[killa_concept]

Wait - is that a BK-2 with cut outs?

 

[Bladite]

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[killa_concept]

Well I'm assuming it is and I'm not too sure if I would agree with the decision: with the BK-7 and 9, it would make sense as they're large knives and you lose nothing in structural integrity, whilst cutting weight and making the balance more tip heavy for chopping. While you probably wouldn't subject the BK-7 or 9 to lateral stress, I know people (including myself) use their BK-2s as improvised prybars because we know it can handle it. What exactly would be the logic behind such a choice with the BK-2 aside from cost cutting and perhaps lowered weight?

 

[Bladite]

Well I'm assuming it is and I'm not too sure if I would agree with the decision: with the BK-7 and 9, it would make sense as they're large knives and you lose nothing in structural integrity, whilst cutting weight and making the balance more tip heavy for chopping. While you probably wouldn't subject the BK-7 or 9 to lateral stress, I know people (including myself) use their BK-2s as improvised prybars because we know it can handle it. What exactly would be the logic behind such a choice with the BK-2 aside from cost cutting and perhaps lowered weight?

i think this was mentioned elsewhere...

less is more! so, you get a bit more with the choppy, lighter weight - people's only real "complaint" and their excuse as desire for a BK-10 Combat Utility... well, now it's a tad lighter.

as a special bonus, people who want a lighter rig, or have smaller hands, can more easily cord wrap a tang with cutouts...

if you can bend that tang, even with slots cut in, at nearly a quarter inch thick? yah, i want to see that i'm guessing you could hammer that into a tree, and jump up and down without a lot of issue.

also, if my third eye doesn't deceive, i think i'm seeing a hammer pommel now too.


Bladite

 

[Ethan Becker]

Hey Killa....

On the strength issue re the cutouts please read my post in solidknife's recent BK-9 thread.....It costs MORE to put the cut outs in and they do NOT detract from the strength AT ALL.....If they did, they would NOT be there.....Please see other post for details.....

All Best....

ethan

 

[daizee]

Wow, this new variation seems ideal.
Ethan, are the blade dimensions otherwise identical?
Thanks for bringing all these spoilers to the forum. It's a real treat to interact with the originator of the knife sitting on my desk right now as I type.
Cheers,

-Daizee

 

[Jake Bauer]

I like those!!!!

What's that he's holding? On the right.

 

[daizee]

Those micarta-handled(?) recurve blades look very cool, but the BK2 is still my first pick.

-Daizee

 

[Ethan Becker]

Hey Everybody......

I thought some of you would appreciate seeing what I got to see and meeting some the fine people who actually make Becker Knives.....At the Top in photo 1 isthe infamous Tooge with the assembly boss Joe......Next-that's Mark putting handles on and then you see a couple of photos of Connie honing a BK-9....She puts an incredible edge on about 100,000 knives a year!!!!!....Truly practice does make perfect......The next three shots are in the Cave of Tooge and the two of us working on the final designs(I hope) of the "little guys" and some "big boys" as well......#8 is a shot of the tool which holds the stamps for the BK-2 and postions the blade in the press.......#9 is Mike and Ed who built ths tool and all the other tools and fixtures that make Beckers.......Next shows a pile of BK-2s, the 45 ton press it takes to stamp the blades, a stamped blade and the press room main guy, Dave.....Somehow a pic of Jason the resident Solidworks genius and designer did not make it to Bladite.......There are also two other guys whose photos I did not post because the photographer screwed up......

I really did enjoy getting a chance to shake hands with the people who are making me look good....I felt a real sense of "GETTER DONE" which I feel should be the national motto......A really good time!!!!!!

All Best....

ethan

 

[Ethan Becker]

Hey Daizee....

All else is the same ....You lose a little weight, have the same strength and gain, as Bladite says, a little choppy.....Also you gain the headache maker cum hammer spot....All it cost Ka-Bar is a little laser time.....A good deal all around....

All Best....

ethan

 

[Ethan Becker]

Hey Everybody.....

The missing pix showed up whil I was stuffing my face......

The nekkid blade is being held by the head grinder Rob and I caught a US made BK-13 on his desk.......The next two shots are of the aforementioned Solidworks genius, Jason....Jason is a huntin', fishin', kayakin, etc....outdoors crazy when he is not being indoors computer crazy..........And that's Grinder Rob about to test sharpness and edge geometry on Tooge.......Musta been something he said!?!?!?.......

 

[daizee]

Thanks, Ethan!
(Do you know when they will be available at retail??)

-Daizee

 

[dl351]

Oh! I'm liking those "little guys!" Will there be ones without the recurve? It's good to see this manufacturing facility in the states! I just ordered a Kershaw blem and was surprised and pleased to see that it is USA made! I do like supporting stateside companies like BK&T!

 

[ejes]

This is great! Thanks for the photos! I love seeing factory and worker photos like that. Makes me look at any production knife I'm holding a little differently when I use it. They look like great folks and it makes me feel good to see quality knives being made in the US.

 

[sqoon]

Such great pics. It's nice to put a face to Tooge. I've been bugging him for the past couple of weeks over email with various gripes and questions about BK&T and he has been nothing but patient, courteous, helpful and polite. The guy isn't even a customer service professional, but he has given me such a different perspective on KA-BAR that I have become a fan for life.

Seeing as how the BK2 looks like it is getting a hammer pommel, does this mean that we will not be seeing a Crewman comeback this year? It seems almost as if you guys are adding some of the lacking features into the BK2. This makes sense as the BK10 does seem like it almost competes a little too much with the BK2. Adding a pommel makes pretty good sense.

 

[rifon2]

Just ordered a BK2 today. (Sold my Camillus version a couple of years ago.)

Guess I'll be picking up another when the hammer pommel version is released.

 

[rifon2]

Thanks, Ethan!
(Do you know when they will be available at retail??)

-Daizee

I'd also love to know when those new style BK2's are going to be available...