Rat 5 D2 or Becker BK2 with micarta?

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Kyeg

Joined
Nov 4, 2010
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title says it all, its for camping, backpacking, hiking... which is all around better and more worth the money? thanks
 
Tough one.

The Rat should be a better cuter with a proper edge and hold it longer.

The BK-2 should be tougher ... if I dare say ... chop better and with a good edge should cut well.

Chestnut Ridge has some good deal going on the OKC Rat knives.

Both bulky for packing IMO.
 
i'd go with the bk-2 over an ontario rat 5 any day. the becker has a better warranty. also tooj (pretty high up in the ka-bar company) & ethan becker are regular posters here in their own sub-forum. good luck having that kind of access to higher ups in ontario.

i also trust ka-bar's heat treat (based on several beckers i have that i've beaten the crap out). a closer competition to the bk-2 would be the rat cutlery rc-5/esee esee-5 imho.

i have a bk-2 and used to have an esee-5.
 
JV3 I had an RC5 and got rid of it but feel like the BK2 looks to be something I might be much happier with. I hated the handle on the RC5 when chopping...my hand would slide off the end and needed to be constantly regripped, I hated it for that reason. Baton...I liked it but I am yet to run into a knife in this size or bigger that really struggled. The RC5 was also massively limited in what it can do.

JV3 let me know why you have the BK2 now over the RC5? I am on the fence with this blade, I want it for my primary camping knife. I carried my RC4 this weekend in the Molle Back sheath and hated the way it wore. It was hard to pull out and rode up high on the belt. I do like the RC4 and think it is a very good bushcraft blade but I find my Fallknivens to absolutely out perform them. But the BK2 is a total beater, I want a basic chopper and something to baton with but also dig and pry if need be. I have seen some guys do some nice carving with them as well. Once again let me know what you think, Thanks
 
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Ontario RAT 5 has a 3/16" thick blade, BK2 is 1/4" thick.
D2 should hold an edge better than 1095cro-van
to me the RAT handle is more comfortable than the BK grivory - but I haven't had a chance to try their micarta, and that may make all the difference.
I suspect the D2 blade will be a better slicer, but the 1095 will be more tolerant of, um, "emthusiastic" use.
whick one do you like better and which feels better in your hand?
 
i have both the bk2 and the esee 5. i really like the look of the esee 5 but the feel of the bk2 is more natural in my hand (more comfortable). i would never treat my esee 5 like i treat my bk2 just because the bk2 is more affordable. so i would say the bk2 is my favorite because of the ergonomics of the handle, but if i had a bk2 handle on my esee 5 that would change everything.
 
bombaclot said:
i have both the bk2 and the esee 5. i really like the look of the esee 5 but the feel of the bk2 is more natural in my hand (more comfortable). i would never treat my esee 5 like i treat my bk2 just because the bk2 is more affordable. so i would say the bk2 is my favorite because of the ergonomics of the handle, but if i had a bk2 handle on my esee 5 that would change everything.
Click to expand...

Just in case you didn't know the Rat 5 and ESEE 5 are different knives. :thumbup:
 
Kyeg said:
title says it all, its for camping, backpacking, hiking... which is all around better and more worth the money? thanks
Click to expand...

Ka-Bar Becker BK2 CAMPanion

Saber-convex BK2
From: virtuovice | August 26, 2010 | 1,619 views
It took much time to be strict on perfect bevel grinding.
http://www.youtube.com/user/virtuovice#p/search/0/3H76iosa5r0

BK2 chops wood well. But this knife is expected to fight a brown bear well.
http://www.youtube.com/user/virtuovice#p/u/38/NDrhw061ICc
 
i forgot to mention that i took the esee 5 belt clip and instaled it on the bk2 sheath and it makes a hell of a difference, and i didnt have to alter it in any way to make it fit.
 
I have an OKC Rat 7 in D2 that I got from Chestnut Ridge. It was somewhat dull out of box, but after a good sharpen job on it, it's super sharp and that D2 holds a good edge. I find the blockish slabs not the most comfortable, even with my fairly large hands, but they're acceptable. I can't comment on the BK2.
 
soapboxpreacher said:
JV3 I had an RC5 and got rid of it but feel like the BK2 looks to be something I might be much happier with. I hated the handle on the RC5 when chopping...my hand would slide off the end and needed to be constantly regripped, I hated it for that reason. Baton...I liked it but I am yet to run into a knife in this size or bigger that really struggled. The RC5 was also massively limited in what it can do.

JV3 let me know why you have the BK2 now over the RC5? I am on the fence with this blade, I want it for my primary camping knife. I carried my RC4 this weekend in the Molle Back sheath and hated the way it wore. It was hard to pull out and rode up high on the belt. I do like the RC4 and think it is a very good bushcraft blade but I find my Fallknivens to absolutely out perform them. But the BK2 is a total beater, I want a basic chopper and something to baton with but also dig and pry if need be. I have seen some guys do some nice carving with them as well. Once again let me know what you think, Thanks
Click to expand...

i was happy to have both the bk-2 and rc-5 until i got the junglas. after a few outings it quickly became obvious to me that the junglas can do everything those two can and more except prying and digging (i have yet to pry or dig with a knife).

after getting the junglas i had no desire anymore to hike with the bk-2 or rc-5 so they both sat in the drawer for awhile. i'm a complete opposite of a pack rat so in short order i had the itch to get rid of unused knives. the rc-5's grip is not very comfortable since it's too blocky. i'd rather use the bk-2 any day over it so off it went. i'm keeping my bk-2 pretty much for sentimental value at this point (it's one of my first beckers and also one of my first hard use knives). curiously enough, someone is about to buy my bk-9 (my first becker) so too much for sentimental value there :o maybe i just find the bk-2's lines and thickness sexy :eek::D


bombaclot said:
i forgot to mention that i took the esee 5 belt clip and instaled it on the bk2 sheath and it makes a hell of a difference, and i didnt have to alter it in any way to make it fit.
Click to expand...

interesting. is that with the bk-2's new sheath? i have the old sheath and didn't think about trying that. can you take a pic and how high does it ride on the belt?
 
I know you did not ask, but if you are looking at Ontario then I would suggest you check out the Ranger lineup of knives, especially the RD series (1/4" thick blades ), and the Ranger Bush series. ( 3/16" thick blades )
 
Oh - an easy question. BK-2 all the way!

20100911_ac_04.jpg
 
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