Ka-Bar, Can We Please Have a Standard Release of the BK98?

GeofS

GeofS

“Nostra-bladus”
Gold Member
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Mar 9, 2018
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Hello Ka-Bar,

I know I am jumping the gun and nobody actually has this in hand yet, but the BK98 sure looks like a beautiful and practical design.

The limited edition is a great start, however, the cost is prohibitive and not everyone who wants one will be able to budget for it. Life happens and family comes first.

Would it be possible to have a standard release somewhere down the road? Preferably, sooner than later.

Remember, Becker knives work for a living. Please make the new BK98 more widely available.

I appreciate your consideration,
Geof
 
no. stop it.

y'all have been begging for a premium styled tweener, in premium steel, with premium quality sheath materials, etc, etc.

did you think it was just going to be $20 more? silly.

i really hate to be harsh here, but the price is entirely in line with offerings of a lot of other companies.

this is the first run of a custom knife from KaBar's non CutCo custom shoppe... it's special.

regular? you mean in 1095? maybe. maybe not? it's pretty clearly a food prep knife, and that typically means stainless.

this sentiment, generally, is why KaBar was probably reluctant to release a special knife. we beg, they do it, the complaints start.

why? false expectations? not really. special and custom means it costs more.
 
ralphtt said:
Totally agree. $200 is not that prohibitive for a complete SET of kitchen knives but for a single?
Click to expand...

i don't want to single you out but ... and i'm not going to name names, but you're probably perfectly aware of a company that produces small batch customs, as single knives, with okay sheaths, and $200 is practically a starting price, let alone much higher.

they sell those knives all day long, at those prices.

why is it unreasonable for a custom shop knife from KaBar / Becker in premium materals to charge such a price? these are not your Daddy's Beckers.

we ask for nice, we get nice, the price is nice, why are we complaining? it's a bargain given the overall market.

i can understand if someone wants it, but doesn't have the money.

i can't understand if someone wants it, but feels it's too much money. it's not.

i REALLY can't understand when some people i know drop $400 on customs all the time, and think this is too expensive? jeeeeeezuzzzzzz.

adjust expectations? it's not a 1095 knife.

but really, why the sour grapes? i don't understand (though i expect it, we see it time and time again)

edited to add: given that some Becker knives now command huge prices because they are discontinued, like the BK15, and certain flavors of saber grinds and all that, in the overall knive world, $200 is a pretty low average for something like this imho.
 
You can stop it.

Thread starter here, I don’t think the limited edition is too expensive. I bought one immediately. Almost bought two.

I’m not complaining. Nor am I begging. It wasn’t necessary to write either. That was rather harsh.

I wouldn’t be opposed if they offered the same blade in 1095 with grivory grips and a nylon sheath. It’ll put it in the hands of others who recently paid the $200 on doctor bills, car expenses, rent, etc.

It’s new, different, and very cool. I’ll buy a few more.
 
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I welcome the new knife, the new-to-Becker steel and think the price fair.

The real excitement is the State and Union Custom Shop that started with a Becker knife and can only hope will continue throughout the line. Back to the 98 - I would love to see a BK-98 in 1095 with regular Grivory handle slabs at more regular pricing. I also wouldn't at all mind seeing a 16 in S35VN with Micarta handles and a knice sheath. In fact, carrying this thought to its logical extreme, who among us would not appreciate a BK-2 beater and an SU -2, and (oh my!) a BK-9 and an SU-9 and so forth and so on.

I will need a minute alone to even begin thinking about (excuse me while I try to control my respiration) an SU-15 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just hope that no one outside of our group of faithful pieces together the letters for the State and Union Custom Shop to form a four letter acronym - it just wouldn't be right. ;)
 
I think the disconnect is special editions are usually a popular knife offered with upgrades for a higher price. I think a bk16, bk2, bk14, bk9, etc, special editions would have been bettered received than a new model at a higher price point. Seems like the recent Bowie, kukri, bk98, etc have been at price points higher than the “working man’s” price point that made the line so popular. Just my .02. But my idea of cooking is putting in a pop tart so the standard BK’s will do me just fine:)
 
I think some folks run into difficulty when they decide they have to have a specific item but can't afford it. Instead of accepting that they can't buy it right now and going with a less expensive but perfectly functional alternative, they expect the manufacturer to make it in their price range. If we expect that, we are bound to be disappointed.
 
Bladite said:
no. stop it.

y'all have been begging for a premium styled tweener, in premium steel, with premium quality sheath materials, etc, etc.
<snip>
Click to expand...
If you remember correctly, we have also been begging for a new tweener.

We know why it costs more, and most, if not all, are comfortable with the pricing on it. If you were to add all of those goodies onto a standard Becker, you are in a similar ballpark.

Sounds like a golden opportunity to strike while the iron is hot. Many folks want this, but can't (and a few electively won't) afford it.

Take myself for example, the Misses and I cook for our three year old daughter, depending upon who is working at the time. All of my knife purchases are planned, and saved for since funds aren't superfluous. Dropping two bills on a knife is acceptable, but infrequent.

If this was released in 1095Cro-Van with standard handles, I would pick one up, as I am sure Many others would. Folks like the design, and want one of their own. I am sure you could even charge a bit more than the other tweeners since it is still new and still has the excitement surrounding it (not that the other Beckers don't, but this is a New Becker).

Eta: As far as stainless for food prep goes, most knives for food prep were carbon steel, up until the 1940s, and many still are. I am easily willing ton use 1095 in a kitchen environment. I use O1, 52100, and 1095 frequently for food prep as it is (My thinned BK5 being one of them). A lot of the Old Hickory knives are 1095, and they work just fine in the kitchen. Hell, they are designed for food use.

1095 is fine for food use, especially for folks that carry, use, care for and love a knife line that is made 99%+ of 1095 Cro-Van.

Edited for grammatical composure.
 
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IF you offer a premium version some folks will want a base model. If you offer a base model some folks will want a premium version.

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.
John Lydgate

I want this one but the timing is off. If there was a regular production version I would pick it up at some point.

Part of me thinks it is unfortunate that with only 120 made that many will just be collectors items. The beauty of a good design only shows in use. If only half of these see use that seems like a waste of the effort that went into bringing this to fruition.

They should sell those scales separately. I would buy a set for my 15. ;)
 
I fully plan on using mine. Seems it’s being carried across the coast by slow rented mules. Won’t be here for a few more days!
 
My tracking is telling me it should be delivered today. If it comes, I’ll post some pics when I get home from work.
 
bearfacedkiller said:
Luckily time heals all wounds. Hopefully we can work it out before the next gathering so I can play with your BK98. :D There will be plenty of cooking and eating going on.
Click to expand...

i already got mine, went to the cabin, clear cut all the stumps, half the forest, and sent it back, dulls easily ;)
 
Bladite said:
no. stop it.

y'all have been begging for a premium styled tweener, in premium steel, with premium quality sheath materials, etc, etc.

did you think it was just going to be $20 more? silly.

i really hate to be harsh here, but the price is entirely in line with offerings of a lot of other companies.

this is the first run of a custom knife from KaBar's non CutCo custom shoppe... it's special.

regular? you mean in 1095? maybe. maybe not? it's pretty clearly a food prep knife, and that typically means stainless.

this sentiment, generally, is why KaBar was probably reluctant to release a special knife. we beg, they do it, the complaints start.

why? false expectations? not really. special and custom means it costs more.
Click to expand...

Bladite said:
i don't want to single you out but ... and i'm not going to name names, but you're probably perfectly aware of a company that produces small batch customs, as single knives, with okay sheaths, and $200 is practically a starting price, let alone much higher.

they sell those knives all day long, at those prices.

why is it unreasonable for a custom shop knife from KaBar / Becker in premium materals to charge such a price? these are not your Daddy's Beckers.

we ask for nice, we get nice, the price is nice, why are we complaining? it's a bargain given the overall market.

i can understand if someone wants it, but doesn't have the money.

i can't understand if someone wants it, but feels it's too much money. it's not.

i REALLY can't understand when some people i know drop $400 on customs all the time, and think this is too expensive? jeeeeeezuzzzzzz.

adjust expectations? it's not a 1095 knife.

but really, why the sour grapes? i don't understand (though i expect it, we see it time and time again)

edited to add: given that some Becker knives now command huge prices because they are discontinued, like the BK15, and certain flavors of saber grinds and all that, in the overall knive world, $200 is a pretty low average for something like this imho.
Click to expand...

This is somewhat true, but i believe only describes part of the picture.

The truth is, that when the BK24 was around, it was only about $20 more than the BK14, so there is no reason at all that with appropriate steel choice, the steel is the thing that makes THAT big of a difference. We've also heard a bazillion times, about how the choice in steel is only a small part of the cost of a knife. I'm sure a bigger part of the cost is setting up tooling, HT and a separate production line for these.

Anyway, I also am not persuaded by the notion that the the materials justify this price point. I'm not a pro chef or anything, but I am an avid cook to say the least (probably closer to "fanatical amateur"), and have pretty decent collection of kitchen knives. When the standard KAI Shun, or Global kitchen knives can be had at about 40%-60% the cost of the Kabar, and offer fantastic performance, I have a hard time with the Kabar... I do have a custom Damascus Santoku from New West Knifeworks (and a few others from their G-flex line) that I admit was gratuitous, but is a phenomenal performer. Even then, I'm not arguing it was a strong value. It was way past the point of diminishing returns, but it was just too beautifully made not to get it, so I really do understand dropping some significant coin on kitchen knives. But at this price, I'd rather let my Shun and Global knives "work for a living."

If I camp-cooked more, maybe I'd feel different... but probably not.

I love the design of the BK98. Looks like the usual Becker ergonomic wonder, and was obviously designed by someone with a strong culinary background (Duh). It if was in D2, with the standard micarta scales, for $120, I'd have already bought one.

But I'm terribly practical. I'll spend more for increased performance. But I don't give a lick about "limited edition." The fact that a knife is one of 200 makes it a collector piece but doesn't help me julienne a carrot...
 
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