I own several BK knives, bought over the last 10 or 15 years. I always stipple the plastic scales and then sand them to my preference. It is a cheap way of making them 100% better than factory, without spending a bunch of money on micarta aftermarket scales.
I did the same for a bunch of scales 20+ years ago. I got a little dizzy from the fumes coming off the soldering gun tip. I'm pretty sure it has not adversely affected me in the slightest.
@@knifetimestory it's nice to see a collector more concerned with function, over form. A fine example...your mods to a Randall or 2. I've modded Bark Rivers and felt like it was no longer "mint in box"...lol. nowadays, I don't mind making, nearly anything, work for me. 15 years back, or so, I'd have just toughed it out, instead of making stuff work. For this alone, I applaud your chutzpah.
“The only place that doesn’t see a lot of action is the butt.” 😂🤣😂🤣😂👍🏻👍🏻 Love your vids! Love all the very interesting & common sense improvements you’ve made on your knives! You really do a great job. Patient & methodical 👍🏻. Love the humor too. The opening lines & casket being carried was gold!! 😂😂 Take care & all the best to you and yours!
This is one of those comments that makes me super happy! And… Makes me want to keep doing it. I really appreciate it. Glad you found some value in it! Best to you as well!
I like the BK-2 as the "sharpened prybar" I keep for emergencies in my vehicle. I prefer to have The Harpoon, BK-18, as a wood processing knife while camping and The Nessmuk, BK-19, for the lighter tasks. Definitely reccomend the micarta scales for both! Love your customization work!
Sorry, that is not in my list of things I want to do with a knife. Flattered that you asked. But, I'll be sticking with Micarta and G-10. I'm sure Bamboo would be very cool, I just don't have a source or machinery to do it.
Ahhh. I believe I did a video about that. I did it to an ESEE 3 and showed on video how to do it. I use a drill bit much larger than the rivet. Then come at it from the back (in case I slip and gouge the plastic, it is hidden. I then put the sheath on a bench with the rivet against the bench. Apply down pressure on the sheath to sort of smash the rivet into the bench with friction. Then use the drill and slowly and lightly start drilling. They are usually very soft material and will slowly wear away. Then I use a nail set from the back and push the rivet out. Look for my other video and that will help too. Hope you have success.
@@knifetimestory I liked your video so much I bought a BK2 and plan to modify it along the lines you suggest. Years ago I owned one and found it to be a somewhat sharpened manhole cover. I never really found a use for it. But, your ideas have encouraged me to give this model another opportunity to prove it’s worth. Thank you.
Good question. I cold blue the rounded butt just to deter rust. It works for the most part. As far as being food safe...I haven't a clue. If you use your knife, there is absolutely no need to protect the cutting edge. It will constantly clean itself. With that in mind, any bluing you put on the edge will wear off almost immediately. So, it's not worth the effort.
I absolutely loved this video. Your mods are some of the best and I believe the most aesthetically pleasing. This will definitely be a video I rewatch. Right after I watched it the first time I looked up belt grinders to start some mods on my knives. Do you have suggestions on a belt grinder?
Very kind of you to say! I do appreciate it! As you know from watching the video, I’ve been doing this model long time. And I will probably do it again in the not too distant future. If you want to get a decent grinder, you can get a Delta like the one I have in the video. I’ve modified it of course. More so than just taking the platten off. I removed some of the top cast iron housing to expose the surface of the top pulley. It just gave me more room to do some of the stuff that I like to do. Even without that modification, it’s a reliable grinder!
I am thrilled that you found it! Thank you very much! No… You did not miss it. Because I’m only firing on seven cylinders right now, I forgot to put a link in the description to the blog. When I get near a computer, I will be sure to do that. Thank you for the heads up!
@@knifetimestory no sweat, it's hard to find Chanels on knives as informative as yours. I've got hold on yes $3500.00 worth of knife sharpening equipment and I suck at it. 56 years old and still can't get it right. Tormek, Wicked Edge pro WE320 etc.. the knife gods are against me. Thank you for your response take care
It would be nice if someone actually knew what type of steel was used in the Becker Campanion made by Camillus. Thanks for your video and all the best.
1095CroVan. That is what they used. The same guy was in charge of heat treat there and then when Camillus shut down, he went to KaBar. He has since retired.
@@knifetimestory I found my old one after it has been in storage for quite awhile . Some of the black coating in gone from the edge and I did a vinegar soak to see if the edge would react. No real darkening occurred . Thanks for your interesting input.
The fact it reacted at all means it is carbon. I assure you that it is 1095CroVan. There is actually a different name for it, but I can't recall it off the top of my head. I've found it to be superior to plain old 1095, regardless of who heat-treated the 1095.
@@knifetimestory There was a magazine years ago - Tactical Knives . One of the editors and contributors was Chuck Karwan. He wrote about the Camillus combat knife as issued back in the 60s' - 70s' . Karwan stated that the Camillus was 1095 , but with a higher chromium and vanadium content than the 1095 which Kabar was using. More than a few soldiers and users thought the Camillus had superior edge holding and rust resistance over the Kabars of the time. Karwan worked with Kabar on various projects during the demise of the Camillus company. There is some speculation that "cro van" is an abbreviation for chromium vanadium. Karwan is the guy credited for the development of the Kabar D-2 extreme and the Dogs Head / both made without a top guard , which Karwan felt was useless and in the way for utility work.
I think they're great, and I own one, but they look like they were made by fisher price. They would be a beast of a knife if they were made with cpm 3v.
I do have micarta scales. I did a custom dye job on some. Just the overall design made it look and feel like fisher price made it. It is a good knife though.
@@jhonrutger3508 it is, I have this and also a 1993 pattern MOD arctic warfare knife, that has some similarities in design and use. Bubinga wooden scales on the latter.
Odd question. But I’ll answer it. We keep it on the cool side in our house. We find it more comfortable that way. And I like wearing fleece jackets and cardigan sweaters.
You are not happy with anything. Some people just can't leave a good thing alone. They just have to ruin it to show their butt and superior intelligence so we must all look stupider! Have a nice day mod king..
So, when you buy a car, you never add seat covers? How about floor mats. Perhaps some fuzzy dice? How about a cell phone holder. Trunk organizer? Window Tint? Nothing? Well, what I do to knives is just like anything else. I mod and customize them to my desire. It's quite a normal behavior and has been done for eons, to houses, cars, and just about everything. Do you always write to people with such venom and snarkiness? Just curious. It takes much more intellect to come up with a civil way to address people. Sad and angry people usually go your route.
Do you sell knives that you've modified in such a way sir? Unfortunately, I don't have your level of skill to be reliably modifying pricey knives in such a way that may ruin them.
Hi, I get asked that a lot. Nope. I do not. I used to modify Chris Reeve Knives for people, but alas, it is not the 80's or 90's when people were civil and had not yet become Chads and Karens. It only took a couple of people like that to put the brakes on any "mods for hire" I was doing. I did it for fun and relaxation. So, now I show people what is possible and leave it up to them to take it from there. I hope you find one "pre-modded" that you like. They pop up on eBay every now and then,
@@knifetimestory Completely understood sir. Something is only fun until you turn it into a job. I think I'll pick up a BK2 and give your mods a try. Thanks for the great example.
Wait. What?? Where have my comments gone?!? I just came back to this video to check something, and voila! Gone! I put up clever and witty comments on this video! Ohhh.... I get it. Its cuz I'm Canadian, right? Who cares what the crazy Canuk says. I see how it is. Seriously. I wonder were did my commemts go?
I don’t mean to say anything… But I actually said to my wife, I bet my Canadian friend is on vacation for Father’s Day cause I haven’t heard from him. I have all the levers, switched and options, chosen to allow any comments from anybody. And there’s also a special spot for a special commenters who could write any in the same thing they want to write, and it is allowed. There’s actually an option for that. So bottom line is, I have no idea what happened. I’m glad you are still amongst us! 😅
@@knifetimestory Awesome to hear. Must be the Canadian internet, then... 😒😆 One more week and then back to the bucket! Doc says GTG, so that's good, eh? 👍🏻
Hey you are wrong about the stock Becker knives ! Everyone knows you want your blade coating way more grippy than the handle. It’s a safety feature. The blade sticks to the cutting material and your hand freely and without friction slips of the handle. Making sure the object and yourself does not get cut !!!!
Everyone. Are you sure? Hmmm 🤔. Sticky blade. Actually think about how absurd that is. Otherwise it would be on scalpels and sawblades and chisels and skinning blades and… Wait for it… Chef knives! But, of course I appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment.
@@knifetimestory Yes, it would be a plaesure for me to answer you. First of all its about carbon steels and coatings. I talk about survival knifes here and in my opinion a survival knife should made out of stainless steels with the appropriate heat threatment and geometrie. Its mostly about corrosion and longer use of sharpness. because a knife should care for me and not me caring for a knife. Now back to the topic. As long as nobody invents a coating to protect the edge from rusting or corroding with a carbon steel knife, coatings are just a gimmick to make a knife look cooler but zero effect on effency to the edge itself.
I almost have you convinced huh!? My blog is supported by blogger. So it would most likely be knifetime story.blogspot.com or something like that. I have a few articles about Randall knives, the bench made AFCK, and other stuff. Lots of pictures!
You have a blog? Did not realize that. Do you have a link or sumfin? Great video. Been a while. Really enjoyed it. I have a BK2 and I've wondered why. Your mods are awesome and seem like they would make the blade useful...er. Usefuller. More useful? Sadly, I fear I'll not get a round tuit. 😞
Not only do we learn from this video, we also get a standup knife comedy skit! Love it!
Awesome! I’m glad you found it entertaining! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on it. Makes me feel good and want to keep doing them!
I own several BK knives, bought over the last 10 or 15 years. I always stipple the plastic scales and then sand them to my preference. It is a cheap way of making them 100% better than factory, without spending a bunch of money on micarta aftermarket scales.
I did the same for a bunch of scales 20+ years ago. I got a little dizzy from the fumes coming off the soldering gun tip. I'm pretty sure it has not adversely affected me in the slightest.
Another awesome video, Mr Tom. Always great to hear how you get your projects done. Thanks much, as always.
You are very nice to shower me with such a nice comment. Very much appreciated!
@@knifetimestory it's nice to see a collector more concerned with function, over form. A fine example...your mods to a Randall or 2. I've modded Bark Rivers and felt like it was no longer "mint in box"...lol. nowadays, I don't mind making, nearly anything, work for me. 15 years back, or so, I'd have just toughed it out, instead of making stuff work. For this alone, I applaud your chutzpah.
“The only place that doesn’t see a lot of action is the butt.” 😂🤣😂🤣😂👍🏻👍🏻
Love your vids! Love all the very interesting & common sense improvements you’ve made on your knives! You really do a great job. Patient & methodical 👍🏻. Love the humor too. The opening lines & casket being carried was gold!! 😂😂
Take care & all the best to you and yours!
This is one of those comments that makes me super happy! And… Makes me want to keep doing it. I really appreciate it. Glad you found some value in it!
Best to you as well!
Very informative and dryly hilarious as usual.
I love it when somebody “gets” me! Thank you for watching and letting me know that you are a member of that very small but exclusive club!
It’s a great chopper, for sure. I just wrapped the handle in tennis tape, and it’s very comfy.
Good to know! Thank you!
Nice modified and I’m loving it 👍💪😍
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m glad you like it. Thank you for watching and taking the time to tell me so.
love the mods. really cool. and yeah, tend to agree with the "stamping" - much better (imho)
Glad you like it. Thanks for letting me know.
I like the BK-2 as the "sharpened prybar" I keep for emergencies in my vehicle. I prefer to have The Harpoon, BK-18, as a wood processing knife while camping and The Nessmuk, BK-19, for the lighter tasks. Definitely reccomend the micarta scales for both! Love your customization work!
Glad you liked my description. Thanks. Also glad you like the customization.
Check out the Joe x video on that bk2 and then watch the Joe x vid on the Esee 5 for comparison I was said to see the easy destruction of the bk2
Didn't even know you had a blog. I'll bookmark that
Thanks for doing that. Every now and then, I get the urge to think of myself as a journalist and do an article.
New subscriber. Great content. Very informative.
Thank you very kindly for subscribing. I do appreciate it. I appreciate your kind words.
If possible can you show how to make bamboo handles for the bk 2. I have a lot of bamboos lying around and would live to use them.
Sorry, that is not in my list of things I want to do with a knife. Flattered that you asked. But, I'll be sticking with Micarta and G-10. I'm sure Bamboo would be very cool, I just don't have a source or machinery to do it.
Noob here….how in the “Heck” did you remove the brass fitting from the sheath…I’m having a helluva time getting it off!!! Love your channel!!
Ahhh. I believe I did a video about that. I did it to an ESEE 3 and showed on video how to do it. I use a drill bit much larger than the rivet. Then come at it from the back (in case I slip and gouge the plastic, it is hidden. I then put the sheath on a bench with the rivet against the bench. Apply down pressure on the sheath to sort of smash the rivet into the bench with friction. Then use the drill and slowly and lightly start drilling. They are usually very soft material and will slowly wear away. Then I use a nail set from the back and push the rivet out.
Look for my other video and that will help too. Hope you have success.
👍 NICE! Best ideas I have seen for improving the slicing ability of the BK2.
Glad you like it! I appreciate you watching it and taking the time to leave me a nice comment of praise!
@@knifetimestory I liked your video so much I bought a BK2 and plan to modify it along the lines you suggest. Years ago I owned one and found it to be a somewhat sharpened manhole cover. I never really found a use for it. But, your ideas have encouraged me to give this model another opportunity to prove it’s worth. Thank you.
Can you cold blue the exposed part of the cutting edge? Would it be food safe?
Good question. I cold blue the rounded butt just to deter rust. It works for the most part. As far as being food safe...I haven't a clue. If you use your knife, there is absolutely no need to protect the cutting edge. It will constantly clean itself. With that in mind, any bluing you put on the edge will wear off almost immediately. So, it's not worth the effort.
I absolutely loved this video. Your mods are some of the best and I believe the most aesthetically pleasing. This will definitely be a video I rewatch. Right after I watched it the first time I looked up belt grinders to start some mods on my knives. Do you have suggestions on a belt grinder?
Very kind of you to say! I do appreciate it! As you know from watching the video, I’ve been doing this model long time. And I will probably do it again in the not too distant future.
If you want to get a decent grinder, you can get a Delta like the one I have in the video. I’ve modified it of course. More so than just taking the platten off. I removed some of the top cast iron housing to expose the surface of the top pulley. It just gave me more room to do some of the stuff that I like to do. Even without that modification, it’s a reliable grinder!
@@knifetimestory then that will be the one I look to get. Thank you
Just found this channel sir and its fantastic. I apologize for asking did i miss where your blog is id love to read it thank you.
I am thrilled that you found it! Thank you very much! No… You did not miss it. Because I’m only firing on seven cylinders right now, I forgot to put a link in the description to the blog. When I get near a computer, I will be sure to do that. Thank you for the heads up!
@@knifetimestory no sweat, it's hard to find Chanels on knives as informative as yours. I've got hold on yes $3500.00 worth of knife sharpening equipment and I suck at it. 56 years old and still can't get it right. Tormek, Wicked Edge pro WE320 etc.. the knife gods are against me. Thank you for your response take care
@@knifetimestory I would also like to add I would love to do that with my Becker 2 but no no no am I attempting to do that.
I found my blog. I’m going add it to my description. But here it is. Thank you!!
knifetimestory.blogspot.com/?m=1
hello sir, how did you remove that rivet on the sheath to enable a little less retention? I’ve had the same issue since owning this knife
Hi,
Thank you for watching and your question. Yes. I always remove one or both of the top rivets. Still has plenty of retention without them.
I think he uses a drill to remove the rivets from the sheath
Fantastic vid! 👍
Thank you very much. I truly appreciate it!!
It would be nice if someone actually knew what type of steel was used in the Becker Campanion made by Camillus.
Thanks for your video and all the best.
1095CroVan. That is what they used. The same guy was in charge of heat treat there and then when Camillus shut down, he went to KaBar. He has since retired.
@@knifetimestory I found my old one after it has been in storage for quite awhile . Some of the black coating in gone from the edge and I did a vinegar soak to see if the edge would react. No real darkening occurred .
Thanks for your interesting input.
The fact it reacted at all means it is carbon. I assure you that it is 1095CroVan. There is actually a different name for it, but I can't recall it off the top of my head. I've found it to be superior to plain old 1095, regardless of who heat-treated the 1095.
@@knifetimestory There was a magazine years ago - Tactical Knives . One of the editors and contributors was Chuck Karwan. He wrote about the Camillus combat knife as issued back in the 60s' - 70s' . Karwan stated that the Camillus was 1095 , but with a higher chromium and vanadium content than the 1095 which Kabar was using. More than a few soldiers and users thought the Camillus had superior edge holding and rust resistance over the Kabars of the time.
Karwan worked with Kabar on various projects during the demise of the Camillus company. There is some speculation that "cro van" is an abbreviation for chromium vanadium.
Karwan is the guy credited for the development of the Kabar D-2 extreme and the Dogs Head / both made without a top guard , which Karwan felt was useless and in the way for utility work.
Yes… That is exactly what CroVan stands for. Thank you for the extra info. I love it when people share that stuff with me. I truly appreciate it!!
Where did you buy the handles for the knife ?
From someone in eBay 20 something years ago and then did the mods to it myself.
Look at the BK72 by Knives&Tools😍👌
I'll check it out. Thank you.
I think they're great, and I own one, but they look like they were made by fisher price. They would be a beast of a knife if they were made with cpm 3v.
No kidding. That would be amazing!!
If you mean the plastic scales, you can get micarta replacement, but not cheap.
I do have micarta scales. I did a custom dye job on some. Just the overall design made it look and feel like fisher price made it. It is a good knife though.
@@jhonrutger3508 it is, I have this and also a 1993 pattern MOD arctic warfare knife, that has some similarities in design and use. Bubinga wooden scales on the latter.
Why do you have your coat on inside the house? Did your furnace go out?
Odd question. But I’ll answer it. We keep it on the cool side in our house. We find it more comfortable that way. And I like wearing fleece jackets and cardigan sweaters.
Blade needs that grippy feel in case you need to grip it with your teeth like a pirate.
Ahhh. Thank you. I’ll give it a whirl and compare it to the smooth coating!!!
You are not happy with anything. Some people just can't leave a good thing alone. They just have to ruin it to show their butt and superior intelligence so we must all look stupider! Have a nice day mod king..
So, when you buy a car, you never add seat covers? How about floor mats. Perhaps some fuzzy dice? How about a cell phone holder. Trunk organizer? Window Tint? Nothing?
Well, what I do to knives is just like anything else. I mod and customize them to my desire. It's quite a normal behavior and has been done for eons, to houses, cars, and just about everything.
Do you always write to people with such venom and snarkiness? Just curious. It takes much more intellect to come up with a civil way to address people. Sad and angry people usually go your route.
The way he giggled when he said bastard file was extra cringy. 8:30
I know right!!!
Acquired the BK-Two around 14 years ago @ $ 62.00 bucks delivered. It's a heavy bastard but I will love it like a good whore till the end of time.
A heavy bastard and a good whore? Sounds like you’ve found the perfect relationship-reliable, sturdy, and always ready for action!
Where can I find the grips
You can get Micarta grips on eBay. I did the grooves with a rat tail round file.
Thanks
Sorry I missed that part
No worries.
Can you do these mods for a small fee?
So sorry. I only do this sort of thing for myself. Thanks for asking though.
Do you sell knives that you've modified in such a way sir? Unfortunately, I don't have your level of skill to be reliably modifying pricey knives in such a way that may ruin them.
Hi,
I get asked that a lot. Nope. I do not. I used to modify Chris Reeve Knives for people, but alas, it is not the 80's or 90's when people were civil and had not yet become Chads and Karens. It only took a couple of people like that to put the brakes on any "mods for hire" I was doing. I did it for fun and relaxation. So, now I show people what is possible and leave it up to them to take it from there.
I hope you find one "pre-modded" that you like. They pop up on eBay every now and then,
@@knifetimestory Completely understood sir. Something is only fun until you turn it into a job. I think I'll pick up a BK2 and give your mods a try. Thanks for the great example.
Yep. Thank you for understanding. Good luck and keep me posted.
Wait. What?? Where have my comments gone?!? I just came back to this video to check something, and voila! Gone!
I put up clever and witty comments on this video!
Ohhh.... I get it. Its cuz I'm Canadian, right? Who cares what the crazy Canuk says. I see how it is.
Seriously. I wonder were did my commemts go?
I don’t mean to say anything… But I actually said to my wife, I bet my Canadian friend is on vacation for Father’s Day cause I haven’t heard from him.
I have all the levers, switched and options, chosen to allow any comments from anybody. And there’s also a special spot for a special commenters who could write any in the same thing they want to write, and it is allowed. There’s actually an option for that.
So bottom line is, I have no idea what happened. I’m glad you are still amongst us! 😅
@@knifetimestory Awesome to hear. Must be the Canadian internet, then... 😒😆
One more week and then back to the bucket! Doc says GTG, so that's good, eh? 👍🏻
best shtf knife?
Certainly in the top 5!!
what is no1 and 2 thx?@@knifetimestory
1. Scrap Yard Knife Co. 9"
2. Cold Steel Spetsnaz Trench Shovel
Hey you are wrong about the stock Becker knives ! Everyone knows you want your blade coating way more grippy than the handle. It’s a safety feature. The blade sticks to the cutting material and your hand freely and without friction slips of the handle. Making sure the object and yourself does not get cut !!!!
Everyone. Are you sure?
Hmmm 🤔. Sticky blade.
Actually think about how absurd that is. Otherwise it would be on scalpels and sawblades and chisels and skinning blades and… Wait for it… Chef knives!
But, of course I appreciate you watching and taking the time to comment.
@@knifetimestory I think my sarcasm was missed in my first comment. I appreciate the channel 👍
the edge is coated? must have missed a new invention
I’m not sure what you mean. Coated? Would you mind clarifying?
@@knifetimestory Yes, it would be a plaesure for me to answer you.
First of all its about carbon steels and coatings.
I talk about survival knifes here and in my opinion a survival knife should made out of stainless steels with the appropriate heat threatment and geometrie. Its mostly about corrosion and longer use of sharpness. because a knife should care for me and not me caring for a knife.
Now back to the topic. As long as nobody invents a coating to protect the edge from rusting or corroding with a carbon steel knife, coatings are just a gimmick to make a knife look cooler but zero effect on effency to the edge itself.
Gotcha. Thank you!!
My butt sees a lot of action. No way it will rust😂
😂. Yikes! Hey… Thank you very much for watching and taking the time to comment!
Young Thomas Rodriguez Jennifer Hall Shirley
I have no flipping idea what this comment means? Would you care to elaborate?
To think to heavy of a knife
You are absolutely right. It does weigh a ton!
@@knifetimestory i have one but there is no reason to have a knife that heavy
Thanks for doing this video. I found your instagram account, but can't find a blog. You almost have me convinced I need a BK2. zane
I almost have you convinced huh!?
My blog is supported by blogger. So it would most likely be knifetime story.blogspot.com or something like that.
I have a few articles about Randall knives, the bench made AFCK, and other stuff. Lots of pictures!
You have a blog? Did not realize that. Do you have a link or sumfin?
Great video. Been a while. Really enjoyed it.
I have a BK2 and I've wondered why. Your mods are awesome and seem like they would make the blade useful...er. Usefuller. More useful? Sadly, I fear I'll not get a round tuit. 😞