What’s to say about the Ka-Bar BK2 that hasn’t been said before? It’s bullet-proof, weighty, and can baton a car in half if you will it to do so. It can be sharpened to take on most bushcraft tasks adequately, but it can definitely thwack down a shelter in no-time.

Ka-bar BK2 Specs That Matter

This Crocodile Dundee knife is a knoife. It’s thick. Here are the specs that matter:

• 1095 Cro-Van Steel
• 5.25in blade, 10.5in overall
• A WHOLE POUND
• 0.25in THICK
• 20-degree edge grind

The Bk2 Review

My Ka-Bar Bk2 is actually the first real fixed blade I ever purchased. After watching a buddy of mine split some firewood with a beautiful custom, I needed to be able to do the same. I purchased mine from Amazon for ~$85 at the time and have put the thing through hell and back. I’ve even hit it with a hammer at times.

 

Bk2 Pros

The Bk2 rides in my truck at all times. When car camping, weight isn’t really an issue. It’s the knife I know will get the heavier camp chores done. I don’t carry an axe, so the Bk2 takes on wood splitting duty. If I want to chop bone, the Bk2 will do it. The biggest pro of this knife is how stout it is. I’ve never felt worried about something breaking, no matter the tasks.

Edge retention on this knife is amazing. Did I mention I put this thing through hell? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a real chip in this knife in stock-grind. While I can’t say it remains hair-splitting sharp, it keeps on keeping on for the chores I put it through.

While the big tasks are a gimme, the small tasks are likely more questionable. I will say that small tasks can be done with the Bk2 due to a reasonable blade size and thick handle.

I’ve made feather sticks with the Bk2. While they were poor, they were feathery. Technique is key in working a stick into curls. With a thinner, more aggressive-grind knife, thin curls can be made as if by mind-tricks. With the big ol’ Becker Bk2, more care is needed. I tend to only work the highest raised point on the stick, or edges I would create by whittling the stick down.

That’s a long-winded way of saying that small tasks can be completed with this big knife.

Bk2 Cons

It sure is heavy.

Being on the thicker side, it isn’t much of a knife to use for detailed cuts. It will get the job done, thanks to its stout nature, but there are better options when cutting delicate mushroom bases. I’m really hard pressed to say it can’t be done, because I’ve done it.

Secondly, while 1-lb doesn’t seem like a ton of weight to be carrying around, it does feel like a chore. If my task for the day is hiking hills and hunting, I’m generally wearing my Esee 4HM. The 4HM feels like a mini BK2 in some ways, but the weight doesn’t feel offensive when lugging it on the hip.

The sheath sure is garbage.

I don’t think I’ve ever worn the sheath that it came with on my belt. While the kydex or plastic is nice and sturdy, the designers at Ka-Bar decided to make it dangle. I don’t know why one would suggest dangling a 1-lb knife below the hip, but they made it so. A custom sheath in kydex or leather from eBay would be nice to have.

Bk2 Review Final Thoughts

If I were to hypothetically put myself in a situation where I could only pick one knife to take with me and not come back, I’d take a long hard look at this one. It CAN do anything you ask of it. The Ka-Bar Bk2 can act as a small machete, a large knife, and can take on small tasks due to the stout blade size. The knife feels smaller in the hand than a full pound. The stock grips feel nice in the hand to take on detailed tasks.

There’s an old adage about how a big knife can do what a small knife can, but a small knife can’t do what a bigger knife can.

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