KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife
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Get all your camping chores done with this affordable, durable, and sharp bushcraft knife!Â
This is the Ultimate KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife review by Insider Business School…
What is the best knife for bushcraft under $100? Let’s cut to the chase… Â
We tested the top 10 bushcraft or survival knives on the market, and the best one is the KA-BAR BECKER BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife.Â
Want to know why? Well, in this review, we’re going to cover:
- A detailed description and specifications of the KA-BAR Becker BK2 fixed blade knife;
- Its pros, cons, and what makes it our Editor’s Choice;
- How it compares to other knives on the market based on each metric;
- Its overall score and how it fared compared to other products;
- A detailed explanation of how and why we scored the knife with regards to the metrics; and
- Lots more…
From the plastic sheath to the blade, and then the handle material – this knife won’t disappoint you!
So if you want to know whether or not you can rely on this single tool for bushcraft, survival, and outdoor adventures, you’ll love this guide.
Gear up.
The wild awaits…
Table Of Contents
Table of Contents
Recent posts
Categories
Editor’s Choice Award
KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife
- Manufacturer: Ka-Bar
- Type: Fixed blade; Full-tang
- Dimension: 10.5 inches (5.25-inch blade) x 1 inch
- Weight: 1 pound
- Handle: Thermoplastic; Cro-van steel
- Weight/ Length Ratio: 0.01 pound/inch
Bottom Line: A heavy-duty knife for cutting, carving, skinning, and other camping chores.
Pros
- Durable
- Sharp
- Comes with a durable Kydex plastic sheath
Cons
- Heavy
- The coating is too thick
Our Verdict: KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife
The KA-BAR Becker BK3 Campanion knife comprises Cro-Van high carbon steel blade. The handle is thermoplastic, and so is its custom sheath.
It’s 10.5 inches by 1 inch in dimension, with a 5.25-inch blade length, and weighs about one pound.
With those dimensions, weight, and materials…
KA-BAR just gave us a balanced and durable Becker knife that’s perfect for your next camping trip!Â
It’s our Editor’s Choice because it’s a great knife for heavy-duty outdoor chores like chopping wood, splitting logs, skinning animals, batoning, and other cutting tasks.
Like most Becker knives…
BK2 is a heavy knife – at least compared to other brands. But you can let that extra weight pass when you find it has excellent edge retention.Â
The quarter-inch-thick blade with a drop point and flat grind maintain its sharpness even after you use it for a while.
Aside from being made of highly durable blade material, this field knife has a thick coating to prevent rust. You might complain that it’s one of the thickest blades you’ve seen, but it adds to the knife’s sturdiness.
Plus…
It comes with a plastic sheath that’s as durable as the knife itself. There are complaints about it causing some damage to the blade steel, especially in sharpness.Â
But it’s nothing that proper handling can’t prevent. If you carefully slide the blade and store it clean and dry, it can keep its nice edge.
The plastic sheath protects both the knife and the owner. You can carry it in your backpack or use the nylon belt loop for easier access.
And another thing…
The BK2’s handle material is zytel – a high-density plastic material. The combination of good handle material and a generous palm swell makes this knife easy to grip and safe to use.Â
As you use it, it won’t slip off or drop out of your hand.
And it doesn’t hurt that there’s a lanyard hole so you won’t lose it!
Overall…
For the price, KA-BAR is a steal both for the knife collector and the survivalist. It’s a great knife to take on a hunting trip, and it looks good too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: How does it match up to the Sk-5 Blackbird survival knife?
A - Blackbird is sharper than Becker, but it’s made of SK-5 - a Japanese alloy that’s not as rust-resistant as high carbon steel.
Question 2: Is there a particular knife sharpener that works well with the BK2?
A - Stones, rods, or any sharpener work well with the BK2. But honing it freehand may need more practice because of its particular grind and style combination. It would be better if you had an aligner.
Question 3: Does the sheath come with the knife?
A - Yes, the knife comes with a glass-reinforced nylon sheath.
Question 3: Is this knife ideal for defense?
A - You can use BK2 for self-defense, but it’s not the best KA-BAR knife for that specific purpose.
Our Analysis. Comparisons & Test Results
Value of Money
Who knew there’s a lot you can do with less than $100? And we mean less. This KA-BAR knife falls in the middle of the price range of the knives we found on the market.
But you won’t guess that by the looks of it.
From blade material to the sheath…
You’ll find it’s a good knife that can complete your camping gear.
The blade thickness and design make it useful for many outdoor chores. And since it’s sturdy and durable, there’s no need to hone it every so often.
Consequently, it will be a long time before you’ll need to buy a new one. This one knife will last you more camping trips than you can count!
Value for Money Rating
KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion
Condor Tool & Knife, Bushlore Camp Knife
Schrade SCHF36 Frontier 10.4in Stainless Steel Full Tang
Morakniv Garberg Full Tang
Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Steel Survival
Buck Knives 0863BRS Selkirk
Ka-Bar BK-22 Becker Companion
Survival Camping Knife | Fixed Hunting Knife
Ka-Bar 7503 KA bar, Jarosz "Turok"/Ultramid Handle with Celcon Sheath
ESEE Knives 3P Fixed Knife with Molded Polymer
Balance
The BK2 Campanion knife is 10.5 inches in overall length and weighs one pound. And the blade length is 5.25 inches.
Those may just be numbers. But if you carry the knife in your hands, the first thing you’ll notice is that it’s a heavy one – especially in comparison to other brands.
But…
Its weight to length ratio is 0.01 pounds per inch. Again, let’s compare it to others.
Some knives are lightweight but long, while others are heavy yet short. This knife is just the right weight for its size. That creates a balance that makes it very comfortable to use.
Balance Rating
KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion
Condor Tool & Knife, Bushlore Camp Knife
Morakniv Garberg Full Tang
Schrade SCHF36 Frontier 10.4in Stainless Steel Full Tang
Buck Knives 0863BRS Selkirk
Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Steel Survival
ESEE Knives 3P Fixed Knife with Molded Polymer
Survival Camping Knife | Fixed Hunting Knife
Ka-Bar BK-22 Becker Companion
Ka-Bar 7503 KA bar, Jarosz "Turok"/Ultramid Handle
Steel Quality
In this metric, we didn’t just look at edge retention, and there’s also the matter of the grind, design, and blade thickness.
The BK2 knife has a quarter-inch-thick blade, a drop point design, and a high flat grind.Â
All those combined make a very sturdy blade.
Its chopping power is no joke! It’s a good survival knife for both small tasks and hard ones.Â
You can use it for chopping and batoning wood, but it’s also an excellent knife if you want to split logs. Don’t worry about its sharpness. We used it so many times before we had to hone the blade.
Not to mention…
Becker uses 1095 high carbon steel for its knives, which is a reliable blade material for durability and sharpness.
Steel Quality Rating
Morakniv Garberg Full Tang
KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion
Condor Tool & Knife, Bushlore Camp Knife
Schrade SCHF36 Frontier 10.4in Stainless Steel Full Tang
Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Steel Survival
Buck Knives 0863BRS Selkirk
Ka-Bar BK-22 Becker Companion
Ka-Bar 7503 KA bar, Jarosz "Turok"/Ultramid Handle with Celcon Sheath
ESEE Knives 3P Fixed Knife with Molded Polymer
Survival Camping Knife | Fixed Hunting Knife
Blade Sharpness
Straight from the box, the BK2 knife’s blade was already sharp. We didn’t have to sharpen it initially before using it.
We deem sharpness as a more important feature than size for survival, camping, and pocket knives. So we didn’t mind that it didn’t look like it would be of much use.
Especially…
Because when you want to chop and split wood, you’d prefer axes and other big knives. A smaller knife might not appeal to you, but BK2 might just break that standard.
It’s sharp enough to pass our paper test, skinning test, and others with flying colors. But the real test was when we took it to camp.
Needless to say…
The knife served us so well. The blade just sliced through wood, meat, ropes, etc.
Blade Sharpness Rating
KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion
Condor Tool & Knife, Bushlore Camp Knife
Morakniv Garberg Full Tang
Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Steel Survival
Schrade SCHF36 Frontier 10.4in Stainless Steel Full Tang
Ka-Bar BK-22 Becker Companion
Ka-Bar 7503 KA bar, Jarosz "Turok"/Ultramid Handle with Celcon Sheath
ESEE Knives 3P Fixed Knife with Molded Polymer
Buck Knives 0863BRS Selkirk
Survival Camping Knife | Fixed Hunting Knife
Versatility
An excellent survival knife should be versatile.
And the Becker BK2 knife is as versatile as it can be.
The BK2 is still a shorter knife than those designed for heavy tasks. But it can keep up with them.
It can be a utility knife when you want to use it for skinning, carving, and other delicate tasks. But it’s also our favorite knife for hard tasks.
As mentioned before…
The BK2 knife can chop, slice, split, and baton. Its durability, sharpness, and balance make this one tool a piece of all-around camping equipment.
Versatility Rating
KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion
Condor Tool & Knife, Bushlore Camp Knife
Schrade SCHF36 Frontier 10.4in Stainless Steel
Morakniv Garberg Full Tang
Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Steel Survival Knife
Buck Knives 0863BRS Selkirk
Ka-Bar BK-22 Becker Companion
Ka-Bar 7503 KA bar, Jarosz "Turok"/Ultramid Handle with Celcon Sheath
ESEE Knives 3P Fixed Knife with Molded Polymer
Survival Camping Knife | Fixed Hunting Knife
Our Final Verdict: KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife
Surely, now you’ll agree that our Editor’s Choice is the perfect knife to complete your camping gear. Both the blade material and handle material are reliably durable and don’t easily wear out.
No other knife can have the kind of balance, sharpness, sturdiness, and quality as KA-BAR Becker BK2 – all for less than $100 too!
Add to that…
It comes with a bonus – the durable sheath that completes the whole package. So it’s affordable, high-quality, and safe!
Our Final Verdict: KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife Rating
KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion
Condor Tool & Knife, Bushlore Camp Knife
Morakniv Garberg Full Tang
Schrade SCHF36 Frontier 10.4in Stainless Steel Full Tang
Morakniv Bushcraft Carbon Steel Survival Knife
Buck Knives 0863BRS Selkirk
Ka-Bar BK-22 Becker Companion
Ka-Bar 7503 KA bar, Jarosz "Turok"/Ultramid Handle with Celcon Sheath
ESEE Knives 3P Fixed Knife with Molded Polymer
Survival Camping Knife | Fixed Hunting Knife
Conclusion: KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife
It may be heavier than other bushcraft knives on the market… It may not be the best tool to use with a ferro rod to start a fire…
But…
The KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion is the only knife that’s compact yet useful for camping chores that you’ll usually need big knives for.Â
For an affordable price, you’ll have an all-around bushcraft knife that you can skin and dress meat with and chop wood for kindling at the same time.
What are you waiting for?
Complete your go-bag with KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed blade knife now!
Other Versions:
If you’re looking for other Becker knives…
There’s a lot of KA-BAR to choose from. And they’re all affordable and high-quality full-tang fixed blades!
If you’re into self-defense, the BK9 Combat Bowie is designed especially for that. On the other hand, the BK10 Crewman is best for delicate bushcraft tasks, and the BK22 is great for camping chores.
Just take your pick!
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