Becker’s Big-Ass Campanion–The BK2
Ka-Bar’s Becker Campanion BK2 is meant to be a camp knife (see what they did there?). Hunters, campers–it excels at the kinds of tasks you might encounter in the woods. But this beast is so much more than that.
If I had to get rid of all of the sheath knives I own–all but one–this would be the one I’d keep. The Becker BK2 is, in my reasonably considered and tested opinion, a nearly perfect design. When I was a kid and thought about survival knives that would get me out of any jam, this is the capability and potential I imagined.
BK2 Specs
- Weight 1 lb
- Blade Type Fixed Blade
- Blade Length 5.25 inches
- Overall length 10.5 inches
- Edge Angles 20 Degrees
- Shape Drop Point
- Tang Stamp KA-BAR/BK&T
- NSN 1095–01–493–1798 KNIFE-COMBAT
- Knife Material 1095 Cro-Van
- Grind Flat
- Handle Material Ultramid®
- Rockwell Hardness 56–58
- Manufactured In United States
- Blade Thickness 0.25 inches
- Blade Width 1.625 inches
I don’t usually jump straight into the physical dimensions of a knife in my knife reviews, but they matter here more than most. Three stand out: the .25″ thickness of the blade, the 1.625″ width of the blade, and the short 5.25″ blade length.
The first two dimensions are why I love the knife so much. The BK2 is over-built and more robust than any other sheath knives I own. The knife weighs in at one pound, which isn’t the heaviest knife I have in rotation–but it is the heaviest practical knife I use regularly.
The weight and size remind me somewhat of the 1911s I still carry on occasion. I’ve got a Springfield Armory TRP that remains my favorite production model single-action. It isn’t as fast and nimble as some of my other handguns, and it certainly weighs more, but that weight inspires confidence.
Carrying the Becker BK2 Campanion
I’ve hiked hundreds of miles with this knife. It has also been on a couple of long river trips. I tend to carry it strong side, and its weight is often a psychological comfort of sorts as the Scouts frown on Scoutmasters open-carrying sidearms.
I’ve carried lighter knives on similar trips and even lost a couple without noticing. I’d know if this one came loose. Though the length of the blade is hardly obtrusive, the weight is a constant reminder of its presence.
I tend to pair the Becker BK2 with a thinner pocketknife. The big blade is suitable for big chores. However, the BK2 is less adept at slicing or any work that requires some finesse.
I like to think of the Becker BK2 as a cross between a hatchet and a froe. It is ideal for batoning wood. The weight of the blade allows it to take deep bites into wood when cutting, precisely like a hatchet, and is it even better than a hatchet (because it has more surface area to its blade) for splitting. Where a hatchet gets clunky when trying to turn basic kindling into really thin stock for starting fires, the BK2 shines.
Modding the Becker Line
I am not a fan of the stock handles on these knives. They feel slick. The plastic is light and strong and doesn’t look bad, but I’m not a fan.
Micarta and G10 scales are available from Ka-Bar and others. These came from DLT Trading. The texture of these feels far more aggressive in the hand.
I’ve left the blade coating intact, though some Becker-Heads, as they’re known, will strip it back to the bare A2. The more I wear off the finish, the more I like that option. A2, like many high carbon steels, will need to be cleaned with some attention to prevent tarnishing and rust, but it isn’t challenging to do.
The Becker BK2 Campanion Sheath
The sheath itself is functional and highly adaptable. The plastic body can be oriented in several directions. Clips are available to attach to belts or bags, and this belt-loop setup is standard.
I’ve added a pouch initially made for an ESSEE sheath to the front. I like it better here. The size is perfect on this short sheath, and it holds an Altoid tin very securely.
When I disappear into the woods for any time, I tend to carry an old brass Optimus Svea stove. It is easy to keep running with some base spare parts that I tend to keep corralled in the tin I keep on this knife sheath.
Too much knife?
At one pound, the Becker BK2 is heavy. I’ve tried carrying it on my belt and a pack, and I’m more inclined to belt carry. If you build a bugout bag or a go-bag that needs a knife like this, that one pound should be considered. It isn’t light.
For my purposes, weight is balanced by the practical length. At just over five inches, this blade isn’t long enough to meet those mid-century fighting knife specs (most were seven inches). But this still has the potential to be a solid fighting blade.
The weight of the complete tang design behind the short blade means it moves fast. In some of the other Becker designs (some of the Ka-Bar Beckers are built like short swords), the wide, thick, and long blades are slow precisely because of their mass. The Becker BK2 Campanion balances just above the hilt, allowing it to pivot well in hand.
And when the blade does come down, the weight follows through.
Finding a Becker BK2 Campanion isn’t hard–but a note about Beckers; some of them don’t stick around. The MSRP on this one is $146 and change, but they sometimes sell for below $100. Well worth it.
About the Author:
David Higginbotham is a writer and editor who specializes in everyday carry. David is a former backcountry guide in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Boundary Waters Canoe Area who was a college professor for 20 years. He ultimately left behind the academy for a more practical profession in the firearms industry and was (among other editorial positions) the Managing Editor for a nascent Mag Life blog. In that Higginbotham helped establish The Maglife’s tone and secure its early success. Though he went on to an even more practical firearms industry profession still, he continues to contribute articles and op-eds as time and life allow.
