Reddit reviews KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife

Honestly? You're going to want to just go to a knife forum- this is a good example of one, or BladeForums.com is another- and just immerse yourself in it. Read posts, ask questions, salivate over knives, etc.

Here's a guide on knife grinds and the differences between them. Here's another.

Some good, popular companies for folding knives are Spyderco, Benchmade, Kershaw, and Cold Steel. All of these also make fixed blades, but only Cold Steel has anywhere near as many fixed blade designs available as they have folders.

Some popular companies for fixed blade knives are Ka-Bar, Morakniv, Ontario Knife Company, ESEE knives, BlackJack Knives and Fallkniven.

Any knives by any of those companies will likely be good, solid knives for whatever their intended purpose is- which brings us to another point, the intended purpose of a knife.

Different knives are obviously intended for different things, and a good knife for bushcraft might make an incredibly shitty one for cooking, with the While the Becker BK2 might happily slash apart a log or firewood, it's so fucking thick that it'll take a lot more work to push it through food, for example. Alternatively, while the Benchmade 530 is a great EDC knife that will happily cut food or cardboard all day, if you try its super-thing blade against wood or rope you'll be in for a bad time and might even need a new knife. Basically, there isn't really any knife that's "good" for everything. There are knives that are BAD for everything, but that's a different story entirely.

If you have any questions about anything I said, feel free to ask. Like I said- that's a good way to learn about knives.

If your gonna carry a knife make it one that can be used for more than one thing. I keep a Becker Kabar in my glovebox. Its a pound of razor sharp steel that will work as anything you need in a survival situation and lop off any part of someone you swing it at if you have too.

I regularly travel deep outdoors so I keep a Flint steel, lifestraw, crank powered flashlight, Becker Kabar, along with cordage and wire for snares. All in a neat little kit I sling over my shoulder if I get out of my car on a hike or in case I breakdown deep woods.

Ok that was longer than needed but point being if you need a knife buy a damn knife

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK2-Campanion-Fixed/dp/B001N1DPDE/ref=pd_sbs_sg_37

The BK2 is a better all purpose knife. It can baton wood or aide in meal prep. Also has a kydex sheath which won't hold moisture like a leather sheath will.

Cutting things can be done in probably an infinite number of ways, so it's really about having the right tool for the job. You could thicken the blade, sure, but that makes cutting with the knife harder. This is why kitchen knives are thin in the first place. Buy a Becker BKII (a ~$100 knife) or some other glorified crowbar and you won't have this problem, you'll have others.

Ka-Bar Becker BK2 short of the mythical 'valyrian steel', this is the knife you would pick up when you see the Night King proceeding. Failed torture test.

Morakniv Companion HD Think Sweden without the girl with the dragon tattoo but a dragon waiting to shave you on a budget. Bang for the buck, come razor sharp out of the box.

No, these aren't EDC, even though you could carry them around.

now If you actually want a functional knife that will cut off branches without breaking, get a bk2

Honestly Id go fixed blade and I'd get something decently sized, ive been looking at the Becker BK2 (you can find this for $50 a few other places)
http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK2-Campanion-Fixed/dp/B001N1DPDE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302310192&sr=8-1

Reason why is that its alot easier to work with wood, fixed blades are going to be alot stronger then any folding knife, its just all around going to be better for most situations.

Things to look for in a knife, well to start with you have to think about what you may use it for, is it a survival knife are you going to have to use it to work with wood, make fires, or maybe pitch up a shelter? Maybe just for cutting bandages, moleskin? Prepping food?
Alot of people will argue about the type of steel, stainless is supposed to be harder to sharpen but honestly its a some metal with a sharp edge pretty much anything will do, just watch out for the $5 wall mart knives, reading a few reviews will help.

Don't buy a kbar or something like that, anything that comes to a very sharp point is used for stabbing people, not for cutting stuff and I hope you dont plan on doing alot of that.

How thick the knife is, thicker blades tend to be better for prying or hacking stuff, but they will be heavier too.
Watch out for how the blade attaches to the handle, alot of knives skimp out on the steel and the blade is kind of just glued on or lightly bolted on and it makes them really flimsy. I know with the kbar the steel for the blade goes all the way back and the handle is bolted on to the steel for the blade, most non-cheap knives should be like this.
Blade length, longer blades will be better for hacking/chopping think mechette, but it will be more difficult to use them to cut smaller things like moleskin, bandages, or doing food prep.
well that's a few things to look at someone else suggested a SOG seal pup that's a good knife as well something else to look at. I probably wouldn't spend more then maybe $60-70 and avoid anything super cheap.

If you really want a monster sized knife, sure. But I'd definitely get the carbon steel version that some others have suggested as well. It sounds like their quality isn't too bad.

However, I don't know if I'd really want to take something that huge hiking. Maybe SHTF-type hiking I suppose.

A couple of knives that I'd think would be similar priced or less (and have proven reputations) and would slightly more practically fall into the "only 1" category:

• Ka Bar Becker BK2
  
• Ka Bar Becker BK16
  
• Condor Bushlore - there are other Condor models that are great values as well, but might need a little touchup love.
  
• Morakniv - there is even one with a firesteel built into the handle
  
• ESEE 4 (this might be a tad more expensive)
  
• Ka Bar Becker BK7 or BK9 if you really want a huge knife, but I would definitely consider something smaller to piggyback on the sheath.
  
  Good luck regardless!

Ka-Bar Becker BK2

Ontario RAT-3

Becker BK-16

Depending how big of a knife you want

so BK2 or BK7?

Anyone have experience between the two? For camping I want a big ass knife that can take a beating, and both look like they can do that. I have a kabar USMC. Do I need to buy another knife?

If I was facing the end of the world and had to have an absolutely bomb-proof knife for under $70, I'd choose the Becker BK-2 and never, ever look back. Thing's a dang tank.

For $50, you can get a good knife from Glock, and that would leave you with enough money to get another one if you wanted.
YOu could also go with the Becker BK2
I also have good experiences with this

Though this may be a little smaller than what you're looking for, my favorite fixed blade right now is the Dajo Survivor

BK2 is a similar size and use, but with a better reputation for quality.

Here's a few:

Becker BK-2 carbon steel, decently sized though maybe big by your definition. This knife will take anything you throw at it, comes with a sheath.

The ESEE Izula is also pretty popular around here, definitely a lot smaller.

Can we get specifics on:

Carbon/Stainless?

Approx length?

Price range?

These will help us figure out what would be ideal.

EDIT: clarity

It really depends on what you want, size/price/use. Are you using it for wood processing or just general light use? Are you looking to spend under say $100? If you want something that can take anything you throw at it for a decent price check out this http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK2-Campanion-Fixed/dp/B001N1DPDE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=IR4DJ93EW5I7A&colid=3DVWN7LG1J27P

It's definitely enough for a nice knife, though you might want to go a bit higher for a great knife. The KaBar BK2 is actually designed with things like batoning (hammering the knife through wood as a kind of faux hatchet using another piece of wood against the blade of the knife as the hammer itself) or chopping. It's a bit over $60, currently available for $69 to be precise, but as long as you don't flat out abuse it (prying heavy things, for example) it'll serve you well and quite possibly for the rest of your natural life.

At a lower price, you can get the Condor Bushlore, which at $35 is a perfectly valid choice that will serve you well indeed.

For an even lower price yet, the Mora Heavy Companion is from one of those few cheaper knife companies that does incredible work. I wouldn't baton with it, honestly, but even if you did it'd probably hold up just fine.

At a more expensive range, the Ontario Rat-5 is an amazing bushcraft knife. The Fallkniven Pilot Survival Knife is also an amazing knife. The Benchmade Bone Collector is spectacular knife made in D2 tool steel, one of the better steels available at that price. Another amazing knife is the Spyderco Bushcraft made in O1 tool steel. Finally, the Benchmade 162 is a pretty amazing knife.

One thing you'll notice about all of these knives with the exception of the Pilot Survival knife and the BM 162 is that they're all carbon steel knives. Carbon steel is a lot tougher than stainless (with a few very, very rare exceptions I'd never trust a long knife to be stainless steel) with the trade off of being a lot more of a hassle to take care of, since it needs to be regularly cleaned and oiled.

If you want a fire starter, carry a magnesium fire starter. With the carbon steel knives, you can probably strike it against the back of the blade to create the sparks you'll want and if not (like with some of the coated ones) you'll be carrying the striker anyway.

For sharpening, you'll want to get a decent sharpening setup and start stropping. A couple of easy sharpening systems would be the superior Spyderco Sharpermaker (usually available on Amazon around the $50 mark) or the Lansky Sharpening system which while cheaper isn't as good. You could take the time to learn how to free hand it, but most casual users don't care that much because it takes a long time to get proficient at freehand sharpening. Stropping is running the blade against something like smooth leather (usually smooth leather, actually) to remove burrs along the blade of a knife made by use and sharpening and the restore a blade to a better edge without removing metal. Stropping allows for a level of sharpness unachievable by sharpening alone and extends a knife's lifetime by allowing sharpness to be achieved for longer without removing metal from the blade. To learn how to strop, watch videos on YouTube or check out guides from the sidebar of /r/knives.

Finally, if you want a whistle, just carry a whistle. If you want a mirror for signaling, carry a small signaling mirror or mirror polish the knife you buy (a process where you sand the blade with increasing grit level sandpaper until it shines like the sun and you can see yourself in the blade).

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Let's see...

http://www.fedtacticaldirect.com/Kershaw-Camp-10-1077_p_49809.html

Kershaw Camp. Great kukri style blade on a budget that performs excellently.

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Kershaw-Cryo-Spring-Assisted--11101

Kershaw Cryo. Hinderer design for a cheap price! Small blade, but feels big in the hand. The Cryo 2, the larger version, will be coming out soon.

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Made-in-Sweden-511/dp/B004GAVOUU/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1372063610&sr=1-2&keywords=mora

http://www.amazon.com/Mora-Companion-Heavy-Duty-Knife/dp/B009NZVZ3E/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1372063610&sr=1-3&keywords=mora

Moras. 1095 carbon steel, strong and used to do a lot of good things in the woods. Very tough, very sharp, very cheap.

At higher prices, the BK2

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK7-Combat-Utility/dp/B001IPMG8K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1372063915&sr=8-2&keywords=bk2

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK2-Campanion-Fixed/dp/B001N1DPDE


And of course, the tried and true classic Kabar

http://www.bladehq.com/item--Ka-Bar-Short-USA-FightingUtility--16358

A few to get you started, though, with knives, you generally get what you pay for. Generally, you'll want to figure out exactly what you want in knives, especially in how you use them to find the best deals and blades.


Collecting knives is an expensive habit that ends up going into 500 dollars knives and 1k customs. ;) Budget and collecting don't mix!

I was going to say Esee is a good starting point. My personal favorite are Survive! knives. https://surviveknives.com/

They're just very hard to get.

From more mass-produced stuff on the lower end:

https://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-Combat-Bowie-Fixed/dp/B001IPKL7I/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=BK-9&qid=1565302535&s=gateway&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Becker-Campanion-Fixed-Blade/dp/B001N1DPDE/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=BK-9&qid=1565302535&s=gateway&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/Ontario-8604-RAT-7-Knife-Tan/dp/B0013AW8D8/ref=sr_1_30?crid=18LHTWFQCW6Y3&keywords=rat+knife+ontario&qid=1565302569&s=gateway&sprefix=rat+knife%2Caps%2C211&sr=8-30

https://www.amazon.com/TOPS-Knives-Brothers-Bushcraft-Handle/dp/B004GAM1UC?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_9741493011

Higher end is a toss up between a lot of small batch and completely custom-made knives.

I go here for most of my knife info: https://www.bladeforums.com/

:)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001N1DPDE

Idk I'd prefer less than 5" for bushcraft. I generally like 3 or 4.

OP, check out the Becker BK2 for 62

That was also my worry as well. I got mine off amazon and it is the second generation in spite of the product photo which shows a first gen.

edit: Price was $52.40, free shipping, no tax of course. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001N1DPDE/ref=ox_ya_os_product

Others have mentioned it but the Ka-Bar Becker BK2 is widely loved as a survival/do everything knife.

If the BK2's blade is too big and heavy for you, you might consider its little brother the BK16.

Also consider one of the Scrapyard Knives like the 311, 411, or 511.

Good luck!

It's going to be hard to find a good quality knife of that size with serrations.

My suggestion would be the Essee 4 https://www.amazon.com/ESEE-Sheath-Blades-Micarta-ESEE-4P-B/dp/B00UY4NS6K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1527453497&sr=8-2&keywords=essee+4

Or a Kabar BK2 https://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-Campanion-Fixed-Blade/dp/B001N1DPDE/ref=pd_sbs_200_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001N1DPDE&pd_rd_r=FWQNG5WTZ9CEV0ZC6D3V&pd_rd_w=tjCQ6&pd_rd_wg=CtqJV&psc=1&refRID=FWQNG5WTZ9CEV0ZC6D3V


I would also suggest going to a brick and mortar store and handling each one to make sure they fit your hand well.

Pros: classic design with a lot of history behind it, fairly rugged, easy to sharpen, holds an edge, not too heavy, inexpensive, good for batoning wood, I've opened plenty of cans with mine

Cons: if you spend more money you can get a slightly better steel in some knives

This is the one I have.

Ka-Bar 2-1212-3 Black Fighting Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BSY9D0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_c2wNzbZPACSBG

A good alternative could be the Becker BK2 variant of the KABAR which is a little newer and more heavy duty. Better at batoning and holds up a little better. But to me it has more of a kitchen knife appearance instead of the traditional KABAR military/survival appearance.

Ka-Bar Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001N1DPDE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_dgrNzbTY2SGCD

Both are solid outdoors knives though.

Beckers are nice, http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK2-Campanion-Fixed/dp/B001N1DPDE/ref=pd_sim_sg_1 also comes in 7 inches

The Becker BK-2 is a fine beater of knife for your first decent quality fixed-blade. Great size, great price.

Edit: If you really want something "cool-looking" but still functional, the new Becker BK-5 could fit the bill.

My wife has to bring a go-girl when we go camping. She swears by it. As a man, I would have to advise bringing some type of blade. I would suggest a fixed one not a folder in case you need to split wood etc. An affordable but capable option is the KaBar Becker. It should last you a long time and is very versatile. Have fun!

Sorry bout that I thought I had a link:

Becker

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK2-Campanion-Fixed/dp/B001N1DPDE

I'm currently eyeing the BK10 or the BK2

The BK2 seems better suited to heavier tasks, some light chopping and batoning whereas the BK10 seems like a nicer all around knife that can handle batoning and the abuse but is also thinner so it can carve and feather stuff.

Here are some recommendations. If you are doing batoning and splitting, I would recommend something with a thick spine (and learning how to do it correctly). I wouldn't open cans with my knife because it's a poor tool choice for that and there are plenty of dirt cheap can openers.

Here are a few options:

KA Bar Becker companion in 1095 steel

Ontario Rat 3 in 1095

Morakniv Companion Heavy Duty carbon blade

cheap US army can openers so you don't damage your knife or hands opening cans

​

These are some good high carbon blades in a variety of prices. I do recommend buying one you can feel to get a good idea if the grip is right, but this should give you some variety of makes and what they offer. These are all black anodized coatings which will help keep rust away. My preference is for a knife in the 7 inch length range for chopping, no serrations (pain to upkeep and don't cut, they rip) and a neutral finish because black knives are hard to find if you drop it in the dark. NEVER buy a knife that isn't full tang.

Go out and get a feel for handles, blade shapes and lengths and try what you can borrow before making a decision.

Cheaper side go with the SOG Seal Pup.

For something of better quality go with the ESEE 4, or the Ka-Bar BK2.

Well there's a different kind of knife for every job. It's hard to do a one-size-fits-all. But, if you're specifically looking at a general purpose camping knife, look no farther than the
Becker Campanion
Also, /r/knives is a good place to ask. I'm recommending the Becker because it's tough and you'll never break it. Can't speak to the Buck, never owned their stuff.

Just checked out the Campanion on Amazon. Currently listed around $80 with free shipping. Get it now.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/ol/B001N1DPDE/ref=mw_dp_olp?ie=UTF8&condition=all

Go with Amazon. You're buying from the same company for a much cheaper price.

The Blackbird SK-5 is a good choice. It's just the right size, fairly affordable (~$120), and has a full tang blade for batoning wood.

Here's a great video on what you should be looking for and why.

The Ka-Bar Becker BK2 would be a more affordable option ~$75.

As has been posted alreadg I do like the Gerber LMF II, but another one to consider, and what I think i will be putting on my pack is the Becker BK2 Campanion. Or it's twin the Becker BK22. They are made in the USA by Kabar out of 1095 crovan steel. This knife is a beast for its size it is good for a chopper, but is still small enough to do delicate work.

https://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-Campanion-Fixed-Blade/dp/B001N1DPDE

https://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-Companion-Polyester-5-25-Inch/dp/B00BT49UVG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1504101875&sr=8-3&keywords=Becker+bk2

The only real difference in the two is the sheath. They are great knives straight out of the box, but with a few personalisations they get even better.

I'd be happy to elaborate on that here or by PM but, will not bore everyone here if not needed. If the BK2/22 isn't your particular ideal check out the rest of the Becker line. Ethan has designed many great knives something is sure to fit the bill.

Thirstyone has the cons of that blade covered, I think. So heres some other options.

You could go with a BK2 or a BK7 over this. The BK9 is an option but it's on the large side.

Straying away from Ka-bar You could go with an ESEE Izula.

In that pricerange I'd spend the extra $10-$15 and get a Becker BK2 instead. Everyone that uses them seems to love them. I don't use one personally because it seems a little oversized, but I've handled them and they have really solid construction.

If you want my tool recommendations, personally, I use the ESEE-4, Gransfors-Bruks Wildlife Hatchet and Tramontina 24" Machete combo. Three tools to do just about anything.

Becker BK2

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK2-Campanion-Fixed/dp/B001N1DPDE

Amazon for about $75

Because one day all your gadgets and your $100 will be useless and you will have to fend for yourself.

http://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-BK2-Campanion-Fixed/dp/B001N1DPDE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1421675419&sr=8-4&keywords=kbar+necker

$300-400 is plenty of budget. You should be able to get a reasonably durable knife, flashlight, and wallet for about $50 a piece.

You could get a Saddleback wallet, which have been popular on reddit. Many different sizes and layouts to choose from. The front pocket ID wallet is popular. I personally prefer Bifold wallets though.

Many of the flashlights suggested are $50 or less, such as the FourSevens Preon line.

After that, you just have the knife left, with about $70-$130 spent depending on your taste. You could get a perfectly acceptable knife from Kershaw or Spyderco for about $50. Any knife from either manufacturer in that price range should be satisfactory, though make sure to at least google a review of it first. I personally own a Kershaw Leek and while it is a good knife, I would not recommend it to you. It's rather delicate.

If you'd like to spend more on a knife, go for some of the more expensive Spyderco knives, or Benchmade. The Benchmade mini griptillian is one of the most highly reviewed modern pocket knives. many different handle colors, blade colors, and blade shapes are available. It's expensive, but you can even design your own.

By this point, you may have spent as little as $163, not factoring in shipping. If you're looking for a true survival knife you need a fixed blade. Folding knives are very helpful, but if you want a "stranded on a desert island" knife or a "lost in the woods, days from civilization" knife, you need fixed blade. The Becker Knife & Tool BK 2 (made by KA-bar) is a great example of such a knife. It's too big to carry on your belt daily without scaring people, but if you keep it in a bag or a car then it's fine. This thing is truly indestructible. The blade is a 1/4" thick. You could use it as a hammer.

The Amazon comments describe it better than I can. HERE
It is a way heavier, way thicker, in all ways a much sturdier knife. You can use this as a prybar, to baton wood, and it still comes sharp enough to shave with out of the box.

I would recommend a Ka-Bar Becker BK-2 Campanion (of course) and a Kershaw Skyline, if you're interested in a folder. Total for less than $100.
(BK-2 Abuse links.) Those two sets of tests should be more than enough evidence for the Campanion's awesomeness. It's $62 on Amazon.
The Kershaw Skyline gets great reviews. Amazon has them for $34.

EDIT: Added all the links, and decided to provide an actually comprehensive and helpful comment.

I'm a fixed blade fan, though what's "EDC" for me (large knife in a belt sheath) isn't for most people. However, a full tang, fixed blade knife will always be more "indestructible" than a folder, so I stand by my opinions.

The KA-BAR BK series are extremely tough knives. My favorite is the BK-2: https://www.amazon.com/KA-BAR-Becker-Campanion-Fixed-Blade/dp/B001N1DPDE/. This is about as close to "impossible to break" as you can get. It's a big, thick chunk of steel and I've used it for everything from cutting rope, splitting wood, removing tile and grout, and as a pry bar.

At about half the price is the Ontario 499: https://www.amazon.com/Ontario-Force-Survival-Knife-Black/dp/B001CZDQPI/ It's smaller than the BKs and has a rough finish, but it's extremely tough. It has been indestructible as far as I can tell: I TRIED to break it by banging it into hard logs and carelessly batoning with it and it barely lost an edge. Great knife for the price.

I could give you some strong examples of folders, but I know other commenters on here will do way better than me on that.

Specs - http://www.kabar.com/knives/detail/1

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Ka-Bar-Becker-Campanion-Fixed-Blade/dp/B001N1DPDE/

Scales (Same kind, different color) - https://www.amazon.com/Custom-Handle-Scales-Becker-KA-BAR/dp/B01H5PFX5O/

I'll remember that for next time. I've already packed it all away, but I might drag it out and take some pics. My foot is pretty banged up so it'll be a minute. But Ill give you a short list :)

Pack: Osprey Exos 58

Sleeping Bag: Teton Sports Tracker

Tent: ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1

Tarp: Ultimate Survival Hex tarp

Mess kit: Mess kit and Mug

Water Filtration: Sawyer Mini

Tools/Defense: Note: Normally I would only take one knife, but I wasn't sure which I would prefer as they're two quite different blades. Ka-Bar Becker BK2, Condor Bushlore, and Bear Spray

Stove: MSR PocketRocket

First Aid: I had the Adventure Medical Kits Day Tripper, and then added to that with Celox and an Israeli Bandage

Trekking Poles: Cascade Mountain Tech CF with Cork Grips

In addition I had a few little things in a small kit; Ferro rod, duct tape, trail blazes, chemical water purifiers in case my Sawyer failed, bug spray, a small thing of sunscreen (which I didn't end up needing as it was overcast), deodorant, TP, etc.

I was all set to send him a tactical knife and a Totoro hat. Maybe next year.

Ka-Bar Becker BK2

Well, there's this :)

You might want to look at the Becker BK2 for a little more money.