I am thrilled with my new Ka-Bar. I needed a survival knife that is rugged and durable, big enough to handle the demands of the unknown but a bit smaller than the BK 2 because I'm a petite woman. I am a Ka-Bar kinda at heart and this knife does not disappoint! Its shave sharp right out of the box, and although there's a TINY nick on the blade, its nothing I'm too concerned about- it will smooth out easily enough with little work. It is beautiful and sturdy, fits my hand great, the weight is balanced, and the grip is quite comfortable. It came with a sweet new MOLLE compatible nylon(I assume) sheath that also says Ka-Bar, AND a second kydex grip in a nice tan color I don't remember being in the description but how cool for them to include!! I cant wait to wear it as my everywhere knife. Thank you for the beautiful knife!Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
I like the design of this knife. I know the BK2 is the end-all, be-all survival knife for some, but it’s just way overbuilt for its blade length for me. The BK16 fits my needs far better! It’s still plenty sturdy (too thick maybe for some?) but does everything I ask of it. It is super comfortable in my medium to large hands in all grip positions (more for some than others but always without hotspots). I should qualify that I’m not a huge fan of slick plastic handles, so I have the separately purchased micarta scales. Some say these are overpriced, because they significantly increase the cost of the knife into a completely different price category, but I find them comparable to the competition, such as TKC’s g-10 scales, all things considered. The sheath is the typical polyester type with the plastic sleeve and outside pocket. It is Chinese and a little flimsy, with a little rattle, but mine is fairly well executed. The rattle can be fixed with a heat gun. The grinds on mine are even, with a serviceable toothy edge typical of Beckers I’ve bought before. Sharp enough for general work but easily improved. This isn’t a super steel by any stretch of the imagination but it is fairly easy to sharpen yet holds a tough edge, rolling rather than chipping. I would rank it as a little harder than my Ontario SP’s in 5160 but also a little more brittle, which is what’s to be expected. It’s not stainless, so you have to hit it with a little oil on occasion. The steel is easily sharpened in the field imho. It was first made as a saber grind but now is constructed as a full flat. This has upset some, but is largely due to personal preference. There are pros and cons for both. Just be aware that the older marketing pictures show a different grind than what’s available. This Brings me to part of the reason why I only gave it 4 stars. First, I wanted a saber grind. In and of itself this would not have been enough to lower my rating by itself. The next is the coating. I already don’t like coatings in general, and this one is a “traction” coating. I want traction in my handles, not the blade! It reduces cutting efficiency ands serves no purpose beyond protecting the blade from rust. A good DLC is preferable. These points added to the total cost after adding the micarta scales made me drop it a star. The competition in the $100 and up category is becoming more fierce If you are happy with the way it ships, the included handles , the traction coating, the sheath, then the price of around $70 is great. Far better an option than even a $20-35 piece of imported junk. But if you are going to purchase aftermarket scales, a nice sheath and spend the time removing the coating (and possibly smoothing the machine marks out of the blade), then your options open up from US and European makers. I believe that the “tweeners” were a great development by Mr. Becker and Kabar, but should have a street price that’s $10-20 lower. Just my humble opinion, given the market. My final opinion? Buy the knife, try it out, see if it’s for you. You can progressively mod it and it doesn’t break the bank. It’s a great knife. Read full review
Verified purchase: No
Great knife for your outdoor/survival/preparedness kit!! I bought this knife to mount on the MOLLE webbing on the back of my truck seat covers, it is the right size for most jobs on the woods short of chopping down a tree, (although it could in a pinch). Just the right size for camp cooking, game cleaning/ skinning or most anything you might use a knife for in the woods. Pros: Awesome size, easy to sharpen, holds a great edge. Shop around and you can find a great deal. Feels great in your hand. Made in the USA!! Cons: Handles can be cold if working outside in the winter. The coating on the blade scratches and scuffs,(I removed mine). The biggest downfall is the China made sheath. Do yourself a favor and buy a quality aftermarket one, or better yet be creative and make your own.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Great bang for the buck. You won’t find a better do it all bushcraft knife for the money . The 1095 CroVan steel comes shaving sharp out of the box . It is easy to sharpen ,has excellent edge retention, and is easy to maintain . The handle ergonomics are excellent . It fits comfortably in hand , and is shaped perfect for hands from small, to extra large. It can be used for hours comfortably with little to no hand fatigue. Did I mention that it’s TOUGH AS NAILS TOO. It can handle everything you can throw at it. From doing light crafting , notching , and feather sticks, right up to heavier work like batoning small logs for starting camp fires . It also has a great sheath with a small pouch and an extra pair of tan handle scales , for those days when you want a change of color. It’s a great design from a legendary maker . If your looking for a companion/edc camp knife , then look no further. It will quickly become one of your favoritesRead full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
It's a bk16. Note it is not saber grind like the image, but full flat. Great quality, but your edge bevel may not be the most even. Should be sharp though, and the 50-100b steel is great to sharpen and holds a decent edge. ("1095 Cro-Van" is actually 50-100b, a low alloy carbon steel, the same formula as the old "carbon V"). I prefer the BK17, as I have plenty of ffg slicing knives, (bk15, bk24, bk5, etc.), but I love a good saber grind, and the 17 has it. Even carved wood happily with it, and I rarely stray from a Mora for that. It feels a bit more solid than the 16 in hand. But the 16 is still very good, though I haven't used it like the 17 (just got it to have all three 'tweener's), it's all but the same knife so I'm sure it'll do what you need. The sheath could be great, or crap. Good material quality, laughable qc. One of mine was perfect. Another, the lower strap was too low, so could not be snapped (I removed it, kinda wanted one with one snap anyway), and the last had hilarious crooked and poor stitching (a ball of thread of like six passes in a quarter inch, like what?), and the retention straps were reversed (long on bottom short on top) so the top is very tight, the bottom is very loose. So, hopefully yours is like my good one. The coating is really excellent, feels very "premium" though I hate the term. Some say it has noticeable cutting friction, but I say if you use it enough you'll be fine. However, the texture is deep enough to hold matter. I batoned my bk17 and there is still wood smeared into some of the texture. Could likely be cleaned with a brush. You could always strip the coating and throw a patina on it (I did with my bk15), keeping in mind for those unfamiliar with knives it is carbon steel, not stainless, and thus will rust if left wet for *any* amount of time. Wipe after use. Handle is second to none too, but is that ever a question with beckers? My very large hands find it quite comfortable.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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