Where did the BK-15 go wrong?

Rebel Nimrod

Rebel Nimrod

Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
740
I really like most of the different models, but the BK-15 is one of my favorites. Wish I'd gotten more before they started bringing the "crazy money" they do now. Sooo...why weren't they more popular? What caused their demise? Was it the finger choil? Trailing tip? Size? Sheath? What change do you think would have saved them?
 
I would have been happy without the choil.
No other change.
 
I think the BK16 overshadowed the usefullness of the BK15.
Figure "most" folks would probably only purchase 1 tweener. The utilitarian nature of the BK16 probably made for an easy choice over the BK15.
I don't think many people hated the 15. It's a well designed knife. I think most just prefer the 16. And that's probably why the 15 sales suffered. If I were a betting man I'd wager that's probably what might have maybe happened...:D...perhaps.

Now I want a BK15. Lol
 
I think Jonny is probably right....maybe.

My wife loves her 15. It's her favorite blade. For me personally, the tweener handles are just too small for my hands. Otherwise, I would have one of each.
 
Exactly what I was thinking Jonny. The BK16.

I think it came down to $$. Kabar wasn't happy with the $ they were making from the BK15 compared to the BK16.

And that is trailing point vs drop point. As great as the BK15 is more people prefer the drop point on the BK16.

I would like it better without a choil also but I don't think a no choil 5/15 would have made enough of a difference when being compared to the BK16.



I made a picture of a BK5 without a choil last year.

BK5%20No%20Choil_zpsu6cfr2ij.jpg
 
I deeply regret not buying a backup. The only thing I would change is losing the choil, same goes for the 5.

Trailing points, especially this style, just do not seem that popular. I am a fan of the trade knife type patterns myself and would like to see more of them. In many ways they were one of the original bushcraft knives yet the Kephart and Nessmuk patterns seem to be all the rage. The classic thin French and English trade knives as well as the somewhat similar roach belly patterns have lots of potential but people don't seem too interested in them.
 
QUOTE="B.Mauser, post: 17130146, member: 301040"]Exactly what I was thinking Jonny. The BK16.

I think it came down to $$. Kabar wasn't happy with the $ they were making from the BK15 compared to the BK16.

And that is trailing point vs drop point. As great as the BK15 is more people prefer the drop point on the BK16.

I would like it better without a choil also but I don't think a no choil 5/15 would have made enough of a difference when being compared to the BK16.



I made a picture of a BK5 without a choil last year.


B.Mauser nice rendition! Flaten out the spine on that drawing and its a winner.
 
I am a huge fan of trailing points and I am very comfortable with them, more so than most other patterns (casualty of my trade I suppose)...

I have a 15 and a 5 that I have modded heavily. The 15 is in the middle of having a full makeover, so no pics as of yet.
My 5 has been thinned (.027 bte), stripped and finish brought up.

I love these knives enough that I recently jumped on a custom trailing point because it was the only readily available one that fits my edc size range (for when the 15 is too large) on the exchange for a steal.
 
B.Mauser said:
I made a picture of a BK5 without a choil last year.

BK5%20No%20Choil_zpsu6cfr2ij.jpg
Click to expand...

If only they would make a run of these. :thumbsup: Not a big choil fan, personally.

Back on topic: most likely the 16 was just too popular and stole too much thunder from the rest of the tweeners.
 
the reason why is went wrong? not the designer. no kabar (well, marketing harder maybe ;> nah)...

the users. world class knife and lots of people not buying it. not a lot of negativity, though i did here a lot of "too expensive" (what?)
 
wrong timing, maybe. Notice a recent uptick towards a trailing point trend? I made one for a friend recently, and am gonna make at least 2 more, and I also bought one fixed and 2 folders with trailing tips in the last month. So called "persian" blades seem to be hot now. Maybe if they bring it back now, sale numbers would be quite strong.
 
I thought about it this time, I landed on the spine.
Thanks for your concern!
:)
 
I think a lot of it was the "kitchen knife" label a ton of folks put on it. Really turned me off of the 15 (as I wanted it for utility, not just slicing tomatoes) until I got one since it was cheap (got mine for $35) and being discontinued. It's just as capable as a 16 if not moreso and it always makes me a little angry when I see someone say "oh yeah, the 15, it's on kitchen duty."
 
maybe if they spiffied it up a bit? persian-style blades are purdy. How about an old school chrome plate, wood handles and a leather sheath, Ka-Bar?
 
I don't usually post that last pic online. I don't think this subforum minds but if it is too much let me know.
 
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