Photos Kepharts...They just Work

Uncle Timbo said:
Now wait a cotton picking minute. I know you, one for your left hand and one for your right...eh?
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I'm getting really good at holding the pieces of wood with my toes and then carving things up from both sides. And wouldn't you know it, 4 times as fast instead of just double the speed.

In truth, this is one that I could see being nice enough that I didn't want to chance it getting disco'ed and bought it for the boy. It will be a few years before he can use it though. Pre-order prices with Tomars was really good so I got in on that one.
 
Ha! You're one talented individual.
Seriously, that's one lucky little boy. You've bought him a knife that is ageless in design, style, function.......etc.
He won't realize just how wise ol Dad was until he's a young man. Good job Dad. :thumbsup:
 
bikerector said:
Got another one today
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That's the nicest Becker knife I have ever seen!
The story around the project is great reading and a bit of Amercan history at the very best.

Regards
Mikael
 
Mikael W said:
That's the nicest Becker knife I have ever seen!
The story around the project is great reading and a bit of Amercan history at the very best.

Regards
Mikael
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Ethan did a great job designing these. It's also been fun to use which is a big plus when it comes to using knives as an escape from daily grind, including as part of hiking, hunting, etc. outdoors activities. I could manage a lot of tasks between this and a big blade (18" machete or shorter golok-like blade) for the thick brushy areas I adventure out into in SE Michigan.
 
Mikael W said:
That's the nicest Becker knife I have ever seen!
The story around the project is great reading and a bit of Amercan history at the very best.

Regards
Mikael
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Mikael, I agree with you and BE, Ethan knocked this one outta the park. Home run baby.
 
I finally got my Becker BK-62 Kephart. I like it and Yes, Kabar and Ethan knocked this one out of the park!

It is pretty much exactly the Kephart that I have been wanting at 5". So, my Condor has a partner.
 
22rimfire - I'm jealous. I guess there's only one cure for that itch. Will she be a user?
That's the thing, I think a Kepart in general just cries out to be used.
 
Uncle Timbo said:
22rimfire - I'm jealous. I guess there's only one cure for that itch. Will she be a user?
That's the thing, I think a Kepart in general just cries out to be used.
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I have already sharpened it a bit and yes it will be a user. Plan on treating the walnut handle, probably linseed oil. Never really considered that it would be anything other than a user. I'm calling it my Smoky Mountain knife. Frankly it is all I will ever need in the woods, but I do have other choices available in my stable.

It is a good one if you are comfortable with the 5" blade. That is the blade length I wanted with a Kephart as most are in the 4-4.5" range. Till this point, it seemed that the only way to get a 5" Kephart was to go custom. For a woods knife, I prefer something in the 5 > 6" range.
 
I guess I'm a little bit different. I like the shorter blade length. 4 to 4 1/2. To me, personally, I find it suits my needs better. Plus, it doesn't get in my way as much when strapped on my hip.
This is the knife I want to, 'strap on' whenever I head out to where ever. I want it to be a part of me. Something I'd feel naked without.
Let's face it, you could have the best knife in the world, but if you're not carrying it when you need it, what good is it. That's always been my philosophy.
But ultimately, it's what works for you the individual. Everybody is uniquely different.
 
Uncle Timbo said:
I guess I'm a little bit different. I like the shorter blade length. 4 to 4 1/2. To me, personally, I find it suits my needs better. Plus, it doesn't get in my way as much when strapped on my hip.
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The shorter blade length is certainly easier to manage in most cases. I have a number in the 4" area already. The BK-15 is just about the right size for me at 5.5" for a general use blade. When I want to go smaller, the White River Backpacker Pro will get the nod, I think. I got it this year and quite impressed with it. The thing about fixed blades in the woods is that I seldom really need one and they get left at home a lot in favor of a folder. Most of my camping is car camping now and I can bring along as much junk as I want to for the most part including different sizes of blades.
 
Uncle Timbo said:
I guess I'm a little bit different. I like the shorter blade length. 4 to 4 1/2. To me, personally, I find it suits my needs better. Plus, it doesn't get in my way as much when strapped on my hip.
This is the knife I want to, 'strap on' whenever I head out to where ever. I want it to be a part of me. Something I'd feel naked without.
Let's face it, you could have the best knife in the world, but if you're not carrying it when you need it, what good is it. That's always been my philosophy.
But ultimately, it's what works for you the individual. Everybody is uniquely different.
Click to expand...

One thing the BK-62 did really well is get you a full-tang, with good blade length, and at a lightweight. Balance is great with the tapered tang, which is rare on production knives.

Probably the biggest reason I like the longer blades is that I've become more and more a fan of using the knee lever technique and I have massive legs. Pretty much anything under 4.5" won't span my knee unless I have much of the handle on my knee too, which is fine since I don't need to hold knife too tightly since pulling on the stuck and leaning in with the legs do all the work. I really like planing planks this way with an even larger knife but that's more for my arts and crafts time.

If I'm doing all the work with just my hands, 3.5"-4" is plenty. The BK16 makes a nice option here. Heck, take the design concepts of the BK62 and size it to a Bk16 and you would have another big winner. I think the tall handle concept would need to be adapted a bit to continue fill the hand but maybe not.

For such a long knife, the 62 is surprisingly agile. It's a horrible chopper and batoner, in case you were wondering. It's a slicing demon. I feel like it batons like a machete, it's just too thin to really spread and pop the wood open but that's not a problem if you know how to make a wedge.

I'm almost curious what you would have if you took this the other direction and went to 7" with the design so it's like a Kephart mixed with the dimensions of the kabar... the one you don't even have to mention the model name of an everyone knows what you're talking about.
 
Anyone have that esee kephart from the camplore series? Seems like it could be a fan favorite after seeing the comments about a slightly smaller BK62.
 
I just can't do food prep as easily with a longer blade. Never could. Maybe I sacrifice a tad in other areas but for me the shorter blade just works.
But if I'm camping out of my vehicle I have a whole slew of tools to help me out.
InfiRatweiler.
Granfors Bruk Wildlife Axe
Martindale Golock
Larger Axe I inherited from my Dad
Brush Axe (I have GOT to get y'all a pic of this one)
These are all fun to use. The Kephart? I look at it as a potential lifesaver. I won't be carrying an Axe when I'm on a hike.
 
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