KA-BAR BK22 Becker Campanion Fixed Blade Knife 5.25" Drop Point 1095 Cro-Van Black Blade Ultramid Handle Black

Is it overkill? Yes, most definitely. Is it cool? HECK YEAH! I love this knife! KNIFE EVOLUTION I have a theory on how this knife evolved. For years, survivalist experts have been clamoring for the ultimate survival end-of-the-world knife: full tang, thick blade, indestructible – etc. etc. etc. Any knife produced under the umbrella of a survival knife was quickly subjected to torture tests that involved hammers, vices, blow torches, and knives being used in a manner that they were never designed to be. This was very good because survivalists quickly whittled away the "JUNK" that was being passed along as survival knives. This crucible of testing produced knives that a nomadic Neanderthal living at the edge of an ice age would dream about all his entire short life. I'm confident Neanderthals dreams of this Kabar BK-22! (I DID, for decades). It’s quite frankly the very best hunk of steel a nomadic close to extinction Neanderthal living at the edge of an Ice Age would dream of carrying. In knife evolution, all of these inventions were being used to fell full size trees, dig holes through rocks, skill wooly mammoths, etc. Videos were posted of all of this. In time, the industry responded by producing knives that were tougher and tougher. Sturdy full-tang knives like the excellent Marine Corps Kabar were relegated to the degrading rat-tail tang category. This knife is at that long line of survival-knife-abuse evolution. It’s the toughest, baddest, most well designed and engineered survival knife on the planet. I am confident of that. Sure, you can pay a guy $4,000 to go make you a custom crowbar…but for us simple folk who deal with mass produced tools – this is the Apex Predator of our realm. Is this knife going camping with me from now on? HELL YES. Does it replace my Axe? HELL NO. Does it replace my .357 magnum? HELL NO. Does this mean my SOG Pup or my folding knife aren’t going with me? HELL NO! I always carry at least two knives with me – my main side knife and a folding knife that actually sees all the action while camping. Mind you, I’m not a big fan of using knives as crowbars. In my humble opinion, it’s not the kind of work that knives were designed for. Use an axe to fell a tree. Use a crowbar to pry things. Just because a knife is at your side does not mean that it should be used as a hammer, crowbar, axe, and chisel – but that’s just me and experts do disagree – as evidenced by the creation of this brute! Also, without survivalists torture testing knives, this beast would not have evolved and it would be a much more boring world-of-knives with junk knives being peddled as survival knives – so thank you to all you torture testers out there. This knife though is now more than just the ultimate survival tool, it’s an image – it’s fashion. Most of these knives are not going to see much action, they are going to be heirloom display pieces, which is just fine. BEING SERIOUS I’m a backpacking camper. I’m not Rambo. I don’t expect to go out into the woods and have to survive a Zombie Apocalypse. The knife I always carry is a Coast DX356 Double Lock Folding Knife . It’s a smaller folding blade knife that I wind up using all the time to cut line, whittle a stick, etc. It’s cheap, it locks, the blade geometry is great (that means its thick enough and wide enough that I like it and robust enough that it’ll cut through bark etc.). It’s a perfect camping knife. I will turn the house upside down before I go camping if I can’t find that little folding knife. If I were to lose that little knife, I would cry because I use it so much but I know that I could just buy another one for very little money. I almost always carry a bigger knife at my side that doesn’t see almost any action out in the woods. It’s more of a showpiece that’s there in case the Zombie Apocalypse hits. The thunder is stolen from that show-knife by my folding knife and by my camping axe. The knife that almost always winds up on my side is a nice and sturdy SOG Specialty Knives & Tools E37N-CP Seal Pup Elite Knife with Straight Edge Fixed 4.85-Inch Steel Blade and GRN Handle, Satin Finish . It’s light and its short enough that it’s not a weapon but it’s a proper knife. I posted some pictures that compares a SOG pup and my little Coast knife to this knife. I put on a 40lb pack, hike for a day, camp and then do it again the next day. Weight is everything to me. The best purchase I made was a Estwing E45ASE 26-Inch Special Edition Camper's Axe-All Steel with Shock Reduction Grip . I probably shouldn’t say this because it’ll give up my secret, but what I find is that most campers will gather all the small wood and leave the larger dead pieces that they can’t harvest – a 28inch camper’s axe allows me to harvest wood that less experienced campers cannot. Yes, that axe weighs 3lbs but those are the very best 3lbs I carry. STEEL People get all wrapped up around the axle over steel types for knives: S5, 1095, ATS-34, AUS8A. You can have arguments with engineers who are experts at metallurgy and you can have countless arguments with people who know nothing about steel but who will still argue that their knife is best. Just know that there are thousands of different types of steel. One of the most common knife steels out there is ANSI 1095, which is a high carbon steel that keeps a great edge. The major issue with 1095 is that it rusts easily. To combat this, the folks at Kabar have always added Chrome and Vanadium to their steel – hence 1095CV or ChroVan. It’s one of the distinguishing characteristics of Kabar – they made knives for the Marine Corps and those knives had to withstand marine environments. This Kabar is made out of 1095CV steel – which is the same as Sharon 170-06 – steel from Sharon Pennsylvania. It’s basically ANSI 1095 with a bit of Chrome, Vanadium, Nickel and Molybdenum to help protect it. So, it’s not pure 1095 but 1095+. The blade is coated to further inhibit corrosion. Will it rust? All steels rust if subjected to the right conditions. If you throw it in the ground and leave it there for two months in the rain – yes, it will rust – you can, of course, polish those rust stains out. But, if you take care of this blade, keep it sharp and clean, with maybe a drop of oil now and again, it will last three lifetimes and you’ll never have a problem. WEIGHT When you have a hunk of steel like this one, you’re going to pay with the weight. It weighs in at 15 ounces. That’s a pound of solid steel because the handles don’t weigh much. The sheath adds another 5 ounces – 20 ounces total. That’s heavier than my .357 Magnum Snubby – which is always at my side. By comparison, the SOG pup comes in at 5 ounces and the sheath adds another 5 ounces for a total of 50% weight savings. It bears repeating, this knife weighs as much as 3 SOG Pups and more than my .357 Magnum!! Bear in mind, my 28” camping axe weighs 46 ounces – this knife weighs 20 ounces. If you give me a choice of taking my axe or this knife, I will take the axe every day of the week. If you’re a light camper that is concerned with weight, this knife weighs you down. If you’re a diehard survivalist, you’ll gladly carry it. FIGHTING Quite realistically, you are not going to fight with this knife. It’s too heavy. As a trained knife fighter, I’d say that the full size KA-BAR Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife, Straight or even the SOG Pup are better knives for fighting. This thing is a brute…you could use it as a hatchet maybe and crack a skull or a femur but you can find better fighting knives. Of course, if I’m fighting a Grizzly Bear or the Alien Predator from the Schwarzenegger movies, and I’ve lost my rifle and gun, this is the knife I want in my hands when they find my dismembered body. SHEATH This new nylon sheath is much more in line with a high quality sheath for this knife than the previous generation. It does have a kydex-like liner to protect the nylon, just like the SOG sheath, and it has an outer pocket which is perfect for a fire starter magnesium block. I love that the belt loop is held together with Velcro (hook and loop) and with a snap closure, so I don’t have to take off my belt to don this. It also comes with a variety of attach points that you can use to latch this to an Alice pack or for you to use paracord to strap this to your leg, if you so choose. It’s a really nice sheath in my opinion. Basically, the BK2 had the old sheath and the BK22 has the new sheath. I recommend the new model. THE LAW In my state, it is illegal to carry a knife whose blade is 5” or longer. Because this knife is 5.25”, you would need a weapons carry license to lug this bad boy around the woods. I am a licensed carrier so I can carry this knife but I always check up on my laws and the laws of the states I visit. The last thing you want is to go camping and wind up with a felony weapons charge. Know your knives and know your knife laws. The SOG pup’s blade is 4.75” which makes it easier to carry without legal entanglements. Personally, I think it’s ridiculous to have laws of this sort but they exist – ignore them at your grave peril. WHO SHOULD CARRY THIS KNIFE - If your name is Arnold Schwarzenegger, you should carry this knife - If your name is Vin Diesel, aka Riddick, you should carry this knife - If your name is The Mountain, from Game of Thrones, you should carry this knife - If your name is Quartermain’s towering travel companion, you should carry this knife - If you are a guide in Alaska, you should carry this knife - If you are a bush craft master and a knife is the only tool you are allowed to take into the woods, take this knife - If you drive a Hummer or an F250, you should carry this knife - If you want to impress a bunch of 5-year-old boy scouts, you should carry this knife - When the Zombie apocalypse hits, carry this knife - If you are a red-blooded American, you should carry this knife.

I ordered the BK22 the other day and received it today. I opened the box which was sealed at both ends and when I took the protective sleeve off the blade it wasn’t a BK22 😳 it’s a BK2 with the BK22 sheath. After doing some research I found out that the only difference in a BK2 and a BK22 is the sheath. The BK2 is supposed to come with a plain plastic sheath. What I got was the nylon sheath with the front pouch that the BK22 comes with. Not a deal breaker but still strange. Another thing that was odd is the coating on the blade is smooth. Not rough like my BK9. Only thing I could find online was that it may be an older model BK2. I’m not really sure what’s going on. I don’t think it’s a fake but part of me is saying it could be. I guess I’ll email KA-BAR and ask them what’s going. Unless it’s a fake I am over all impressed with knife. Pictures don’t give it justice of how beefy this thing is. When you hold it, it just feels like you could chop a tree down with it. I’ve seen some reviews that said it was too heavy but I like the weight of it. It feels extremely durable.

Having been a lifelong owner of Buck, United, etc knives...this is the nicest blade I've owned. The blade thickness gives me great confidence that I'd be able to tackle any outdoors task without fear of blade failure/injury...and that's just not the case with many of my cheaper knives. The handle feels great in my XL hands. I can see, however, how the Micarta grips would be an upgrade if a rainy/snowy environment is expected. For the extra $50, you'd lose a lot of the "value" of this tool, but I might eventually go down that road anyway. For someone who likes Japanese-style blades in the kitchen, you might find this knife too bulky/unwieldy for finer work. However, for someone who likes beefier Henckels/Wusthoff-styled German blades, you'd feel comfortable with this. Although it wouldn't be my first choice, I'm confident that I could process a deer or a trout with this knife. As for the weight, if you're comfortable front-pants-pocket carrying a "snubbie", the weight and "tugging" sensation on your pants is very comparable...and not much of a concern. Otherwise, you might want to consider a lighter knife. The front pocket is the perfect size for a magnesium/ferro "combination" block (such as from Coghlan's) AND a swedish firesteel if you prefer that combination of fire starters. The sheath is nice and tight, and fortunately the snaps loosened up a bit after the first dozen times or so that it went back in. Very pleased with this purchase and I look forward to many years of dependable use.

Let me preface this review by stating that I love this tool! It's a beast in terms of strength and functionality, and had it not been for a manufacturing issue (to be discussed), I would have rated it at 100% without equivocation. First, the good stuff. This knife is built like a tank. 1095 CroVan is KaBar's highly corrosion-resistant form of 1095, which they use with impressive results. It's tough, resilient, and highly sharpenable - razor-sharp, in fact. I have the finger slice to prove it (more on that later). The blade geometry adds much to the knife's overall toughness, with its 1/4" spine and flat ground blade with a very slight drop point, leaving a whole lot of material supporting the tip. At 5.5" in blade length, the 20% grind angle, combined with a short ricasso, and equally small sharpening choil, the cutting edge is almost the entire length of the edge. Part of the knife's toughness is derived from the full tang construction, which you can see sandwiched between the scales. It's often described as a "sharpened pry bar!" It's highly overbuilt and will likely outlive me by several lifetimes. If you want to see just how tough this knife is, look up Joe X Becker BK2 on YT! He tears down a car with it, uses it as a climbing step, and beats it to death to find its breaking point. It's truly amazing. Please keep in mind that contrary to many YT reviewers, this is not a bushcraft knife - it's a hard-core survival knife that can also process wood and, if kept sharp, can be used for rudimentary food prep. It's not the best, but it's serviceable. It's a true "jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none," fulfilling many knife needs but excelling at few. At the top of the success list - being nearly indestructible and unexpectedly ergonomic, despite weighing in at just over a pound. The handle shape makes it exceptionally comfortable to hold and offers surprisingly good balance. One of the things that makes this knife so popular is the incredible array of aftermarket parts you can use to customize the knife. Many users swap out the handle scales for Micarta to improve the grip, and there are boatloads of custom sheaths. That said, I ordered the BK22 version, which includes the BK2 knife, but swaps the Kydex sheath for a Molle-compatible, Taiwanese-made reinforced nylon sheath. I really like the softer sheath, especially the front pouch that can be used for a sharpener, a survival kit, a lighter, or anything else. In addition, this sheath allows for a much wider array of carry options - from inverted backpack-strap carry to belt, dangle, and scout carry. It also has multiple lashing points, allowing you to make a leg strap and other tying options. Speaking of variety, you can do hundreds of mods on the knife and an equal number of video reviews and how-to's you can watch. This knife makes its way onto most top-knife lists, and for good reason. It's a great survival tool that does many things well but very little perfectly. For example, the 5.5" blade is less useful for wood processing and batoning than an Ontario RAT7 of KaBar Jurosz Camp. It works but is less efficient and requires a little more finesse in handling. Now, on to the bad thing (and how I cut my finger). The tip is cut unevenly. Looking down at the spine, the left grind is a fill 3/16" longer than the right grind, making the tip uneven laterally. While making a video to show the uneven grind, I touched the blade to my ring finger and made a 1/8" deep cut just by touching the blade. That makes it the sharpest blade I've ever received. When I did the cut pressure test, it scored an unbelievable 105. Now that's sharp! I contacted KaBar about the issue and was rather shocked by their response. They asked for pictures showing the issue, advising that since the blades are hand-ground by humans, an uneven grind is not uncommon. They stated that it was likely "within tolerances." They offered to allow me to send it in for review but advised that I would be responsible for the shipping cost if it were within specs. At the opposite end of the customer service spectrum, Amazon was highly supportive, offering a clean resolution - they offered a free return for a full refund, but we ended up agreeing to a discount, and I will keep it. I contacted a knife repair company here in Arizona, and they advised that, given the minor offset, it won't impact blade strength. Apparently, it's just cosmetic. All in all, the Becker BK22 is a proper end-of-time survival tool that will let you do anything from building a shelter to cutting your way out of a downed aircraft fuselage. It is ergonomic, nicely balanced, and looks the business. I highly recommend this knife in the BK22 format.

I am an avid collector of knives and have many great knives by , Al Mar, Chris Reeve, Cold Steel, Topps, CRKT, Morakniv Garberg and many others. I have been reading and looking at this one for a while. Well finally purchased it and had a WOW moment. This is the true beast and indestructible knife that has been described and there are no arguments from myself. I should have purchased long ago. Knife is incredible. Although other reviewers say that the sheath is low quality, I find it to be great and to fit great. Also, some people have been critical of the handles. They are replaceable but I love the handles just the way they are. I may never purchase another blade after finding this perfect gem of a tool.

ive not had a chance to put this to the test in the bush yet. (soon i will, going on a cold weather hike soon) but by all measures and tests ive given this knife. It is simply topnotch. Update: Ive now used this knife a few times out hiking/camping and frankly, its a beast. From shaping wood for a shelter, to batoning wood down from fuel, to kindling, to tinder, it never missed a beat. I Even used it on fuel wood as wide as the blade (not always recommended) but didnt go down the middle but took it in 1/3rds and it worked flawlessly. The handle and the tip both took batoning well and made very short work of the wood i was working with. I was out for a week excursion, and didnt even bother to sharpen the blade as it continued doing its job just fine all week long. Of course once back home I took it to my favorite stones, and the edge is better than new. The black finish held up very well, tho not perfectly (understandable, I was beating crap out of it) and one of the allen screws started coming loose after much use. (again no big deal, i keep a small set of tools in my pack anyway HINT!!) All in all, this knife far exceeded my expectations, as I planned on giving it a big workout with possible breakage in back of my mind.... I never once even considered having to dig out my backup belt knife. HIGHLY recommended.

This is what I carry on my belt when I'm camping/practicing bushcraft. It's a very thick knife, so it'll handle what's thrown at it no problem. It also takes a great edge; I'm now a big fan of Cro-Van. The price might seem too good to be true, but for me at least, there were some needed modifications to make it what I wanted, which puts it more inline with its competitors. The first is, I stripped the finish off. It would be really nice if they didn't put it on in the first place; it's really not that much trouble to maintain a carbon steel blade. The spine is pretty rough after the powder coat is off, so I filed it to a fairly smooth 90 degree flat surface, so it'll strike ferrocerium. The second thing I did was replace the plastic scales. They aren't terrible, but they don't absorb any vibration, so chopping can be uncomfortable after a while. The wooden scales I got not only feel way better, they look nicer too. Lastly, the sheath. Yeah, it's a bit cheap, but honestly it's not that bad. It seems to be holding up fine for now. I plan on making my own out of leather soon. So, even with all the added work and expense to make it what I really wanted, would I buy it again? Yes I would; absolutely. It's a fantastic knife out of the box, and with a little extra effort, it is absolutely spectacular. I am really impressed with Ka-Bar and wouldn't hesitate to buy their other products based on this knife's performance.

I normally do not chose a KA-Bar as my first choice for anything. However, this knife has changed that completely. People complain that the sheath is not perfect however i think its great. You have to remember that you didn't just pay $300 for a knife and awesome sheath. This BK-22's updated sheath is sturdy and even has a pocket large enough to carry a small survival kit. The coating on the knife was quickly and cost effectively changed to a custom Cerakote job in my case to prevent rust and keep the knife almost maintenance free (any knife you get needs to be maintained just as you would a gun or it will rust). I changed the scales immediately to a set of custom wood scales that are pretty cool as far as looks go but don't perform well (just personal preference). You can get the several different set of scales for the knife or if you don't want to spend any money you can stipple the stock ones and have a bad set of grips for free. Back to the knife. This thing is amazing as any educated you tube search will show you. You could tear down a house with this thing. Its heavy and durable for the big jobs and yet nimble when it comes to fine work. I can not say enough good about this knife and truly made the changes that I did for fun, not because they had to be done. Some will say that you "have" to change grips or the coating and then you are in the same price range as the better knives, but to me that is just laziness. I would have done the same changes to the expensive knives as well just because i cant leave anything alone. Conclusion, Buy this knife as this collection has completely converted me. If you do not like the grips stipple them yourself its free, put a little mineral oil on the blade every now and again and you will have the most capable knife you could ever want for the rest of your life. (blade came absolutely razor sharp and the difference between this and the BK-2 is the sheath/finish. This sheath will not dull your knife) Amazing knife BUY BUY BUY!!!!!

das ist ein Ungetüm von einem Messer. Es wiegt gefühlte 100 kg und allein schon wenn man es das erste Mal in die Hand nimmt hat man das Gefühl es handelt sich hier nicht um ein Messern sondern um eine Primärangriffswaffe. Die Klinge ist extrem massiv und robust. Ich habe damit Eichenscheite gespalten und es war der Klinge egal. Ich habe sie in einen Baumstamm gerammt und als Trittstufe benutzt (btw. ich wiege rd. 150 kg) und es war ihr egal - sie hat sich überhaupt nicht verbogen. Ich habe damit einen gebrannten Ziegelstein zertrümmt und sie war immer noch scharf genug um die Haare von meinem Arm zu rasieren. Ich sage es ganz einfach.... ICH LIEBE DIESES MESSER! Es ist definitiv eine Klinge auf die man sich 100%ig verlassen kann. So ein Messer zu so einem Preis - unschlagbar! All jenen die Fällkniven oder Bark River für zu teuer empfinden, all denen die ein Messer suchen, dass etwas größer ist als ein Morakniv - all diese Suchenden werden hier fündig! Ich bin einfach begeistert.

Awesome knife!! Strong and sharp as heck!! This is a survival knife with a serious backbone!! You can pay way more for an Esee 5, but will only get a marginally better knife - IMO. Sheath is perfectly fine, knife takes a wicked edge easily. 2017/04/24 - Update Blade has gotten lots of love!! Modded with custom micarta scales and a forced patina on blade - stealth tiger stripe. Spine has been sharpened, throws sparks off a firesteel with ease. Have processed a small forest with this knife 👍 Imo, still one of the best one tool options out there. SCARY sharp!!

I originally wanted something longer but while shopping drunk I mistakenly impulsively-bought this knife thinking it was the BK7. But upon receiving this I was very happy with it. It's by no means a knife for light camping. I would recommend if you have a need to work with wood. I wanted a knife I could use for batoning wood (hence the desire for a longer knife) but the weight and thickness of this steel more than makes up for the shorter blade (BK7 is lighter). This thing is heavy and works well as a knife and a mini axe capable of dealing damage to wood (of course you won't be chopping through tree trunks with it but branches are fair game). But the shorter blade also means you can be quite precise with it. The blade comes very sharp. I've already cut myself deeply more times than I'd like to admit, but then again I'm a clumsy plonker. It's dulled a little bit as I've been using it but is still very sharp and I can still cut everything I've needed it to. The sheath is... meh... but does the job, and has a small pocket to store things in. Can be attached to your belt easily. The handle is plastic and a bit slippery in dry hands but if it really bothered me I could probably wrap it in something like self adhesive tape.

Increíble, un filo de fabrica muy bueno, la funda es de buena calidad, el peso del cuchillo es considerable, sientes una seguridad de que no va a fallarte, el mango se acomoda bastante bien a la mano, no te arrepentirás de haberlo comprado

まず箱出し。 あれ？思ったより刃が短めなんだなぁとの印象も、手に持ってそのズッシリ感に納得、、、！ そしてその分厚さに驚愕。 こりゃあ折れるわけねぇや、、、。 海外のレビューで木にブッ刺したBK2に足で乗ってたのありましたが、あれは嘘じゃないですね。 切れ味は黒い塗膜のせいで肉とか切るには向きませんが、薪割りならパンパン行けます。 かなり強力にバトニングしても平気です。削れたところがむしろ味になる感じ。 刃については、実は研げばかなり切れ味が良くなり、紙はおろか毛も剃れるくらいまで化けます。 もう黒塗膜剥がして鏡面仕上げすれば、動物の解体にも使えるはず。実際改造してる方多いですしね。 私は狩猟で動物の肋骨叩き切るのにマジで重宝してます。 黒塗膜無い部分は錆びやすいため、私は黒サビ加工してます。かなり快適。 ハンドルが滑りやすいってのが弱点っちゃ弱点。なので私はハンドル自作して取り付けたら、、、もう可愛くて愛おしくて手放せませんw ka-barという社名自体が、グリズリーを撃退した所持者からの感謝の手紙に書かれたキル ア ベアという拙い文字から付けられた、、、という胸熱な由来。 私は深山に入る時は必ずコイツを連れて行きます。熊に勝てるとは言わないが、とにかく信用できる。 刺すには向かないが、熊に組み付かれても、決死覚悟で頭を叩き割る事なら、、、出来るかも！と思わせてくれる信頼性があります。 BK22ならシースも問題なく、メッチャ気に入ってます。収納部にはメタルマッチと、同じくハンドル加工したオピネルを入れてます。 マジで相棒。 一生もののナイフとはこうゆうナイフの事をいうと思います。 とにかく実戦向き！値段も耐久性も、ガンガン使ってなんぼで、研ぎやすいし改造もしやすい！ 重さについては、、、私は気になった事ないなぁ。むしろ安心感だと思いますよ？コレで細かい解体を長時間する訳じゃなし。 改造ありきなナイフなので、海外サイト見れば、お手本が山ほど見れます。 好きなように相棒をカッコよくしてあげましょう！ なお先述の海外サイトではこのナイフをこう称していましたね。 『Unleash Beast』(放たれた野獣) と、、、！ 買って損はありませんよ！