I bought the BK2 for its Quarter inch thick spine, the full tang spine, and the extended pommel.  The strength that comes from the thick stock will do well in batoning and other chores that put a lot of torque and pressure on the blade.  I didn't know how the edge would do on smaller tasks such as feather sticking and carving, but knowing that the BK2 could hold up to most everything I would use it for was reassuring. 

 

       This is the out of box look of the BK2 as you would see it.  The knife's lines are defined and the coating and extended pommel add to the look. 

 

        After I removed the knife from the box I examined it to see what 70.00 dollars had bought me.  I thought that the knife felt solid in the hand, and that the balance of the blade was good.  Sitting right behind the first screw, the "Balance Point" provided a good feel for a forward motion.  I could see that this would be a good chopper.  The Coating looked like it was quality, though most coatings come off after some use.  The handle was smooth, and made of a very solid plastic they call "grivory".  The width of the handles was solid for my hands.  Because of the contours in the handles, I could position the knife in almost any position.   The size and the shape of the handles also allowed me to have a positive and effective grip.

       As I had browsed the internet for reviews on this and other knives, I saw the many different modifications people were doing to this knife.  There were different handles I could buy, with a multitude of materials at my disposal if I were to make them myself.  For anyone with a dremel or sodering iron, the handles could be notched or groved in a desired way for the grip and look desired.  There was also acid etching, Damascus look-alikes, and mustard patterns that were being put on this blade.   I thought that these modifications added the custom look and feel that some were going towards.  I thought to hold of until I had my own idea of the knife

       I brought some wood together and thought I would used it for some batoning.  I chose a stump for my work area and started to process the wood.  Right out of the factory the BK2 came sharp enough.  It went through the wood and batoned pretty well.   I continued to process the wood using different size batons, and different sized wood to get a better feel for the BK2.  The mid saber grind gives the knife a wedge shape that works well for a splitting.  I noticed the coating was coming off, and wondered exactly how much friction was going on while I batoned.  Having seen some videos on Youtube about removing the coating for cosmetic reasons, I wondered if there could be other uses for removing the coating.   Since I wanted to strip indoors, and I was sort of lazy, I bought Citristrip, an indoor stripping gel.  Although it would take longer for the paint to strip, there would be no fumes, it was safe indoors, and it would be strong enough for multiple layers.  I found a scrape box, cut it up, and made an area to work on.  I removed the handles from the knife, and applied the stripping compound generously.  I waited for a couple of hours while I tended to other things and then began to scrape off the paint.  The paint came off easily enough, and I stared to see the guts of the blade.  There were some minor imperfections, and since I was already working on the blade I filed the spine to a 90 degree angle and sanded the blade for a more uniform look.  I had bought some bluing compound that is put on guns to prevent oxidation, but I thought that I would apply it later on.  Here is the knife after the stripping and some sanding.  I used 100 grit.
 

      The Becker BK2 is a very good knife.   The price for the knife is modest compared to other knives of similar size.  The 1095 steel has held up to the batoning and other activities that I have used it for.  It also holds an edge very well.   The thickness of the Blade makes for a good chopper.  The handles fit well in the hand.  Some modifications that I may perform on this knife are new handles, an asymmetrical grind ( for better feather sticking and smaller tasks), adding a bluing agent to the metal, and a different Kydex sheath.  The stock sheath performs well, but I want more rigidity when I carry it on my person.