Got a BK14 "Eskabar" on order!

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I gave my Dragonfly 2 to my wife for her backpacking gear, so it was an excuse to get a true neck knife.  I'd been keeping my DF2 on my survival lanyard, which also carries my orange Storm whistle, and a ferro-rod and striker.  I'll be putting them on the sheath of the BK when it arrives, with small S-biners, and cord wrapping the handle as well.

Since the BK14 is 1095, will I be able to use it as a striker on the ferro-rod?  It'd be nice to drop the striker if I can get away with it.

Thanks in advance for any info / advice.

[jzmtl]

I'd suggest a new sheath, the FRN sheath stinks, any edge contact will dull it immediately.

For ferro rod all you need is a sharp edge, any steel, rock, glass will all work. the BK14's spine is more or less rounded and covered by paint, you'll need to grind a sharp notch on it, like those on Les Stroud knives.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I'd suggest a new sheath, the FRN sheath stinks, any edge contact will dull it immediately.

For ferro rod all you need is a sharp edge, any steel, rock, glass will all work. the BK14's spine is more or less rounded and covered by paint, you'll need to grind a sharp notch on it, like those on Les Stroud knives.

I've heard that a lot... thanks for the verification...  I'll probably make something in the future, but for now, I'll just use the stock sheath until I get a better idea of what I want/need to carry with it as a neck knife.

[jzmtl]

In the mean time you can use some stopgap measures, cut a strip of plastic from a clam pack, bent into U shape and insert into the sheath so the edge won't touch it.

[Syph007]

Ya I liked the knife, but hated the sheath.  Its bad material and design IMO.  Im not a fan of the paddle style bigger than they need to be sheaths.  Again, good knife though.   I ended up trading mine for an Izula (better neck knife size) but it was a good user while I had it.

I still have some picks of mine.  The coating comes off pretty easy, but this was a user for me so I didnt care, but it was what prompted me to start buying coating free steel blades that dont rust.

Also you seem to be on an eerily similar knife buying pattern as I was... if you get into Fallkniven next then even more so!

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Got home from visiting my mother in law with my wife and kids this evening, and the box with the BK 14 was waiting for me...

Just got done doing a cord wrap on the handle, making a neck cord for the sheath, and wrapping the sheath with 15 ft. of cord as well.

Here's what it looks like.


Syph, I understand about the sheath... it's bulky and heavy for what it is.  For now, it'll do the job, but I'm sure at some point in the future I'll want something better.

One thing I realized after finishing the cord wrap on the handle, is that I should have used an extra foot of cord (6' instead of 5'), because if I had, I'd have had enough at the end to put a cord-lock on it, and knot it off at the end for a wrist lanyard.  I'm not going to do that tonight, but now that I thought of it, I'm going to do it soon.

Seems like a great little knife... now I just have to get out and use it! 

[Ashley]

That looks sweet wrapped in orange.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

That looks sweet wrapped in orange.

Thanks Ash...   I actually rewrapped it, because I wanted a lanyard on it and I was out of orange cord... I didn't want to cut down the piece I put on the sheath, and I wanted something with high visibility, so I used some lime green stuff I had instead. 

I also experimented a bit by wearing it around and found that straight neck carry is a bit of a pain... I tried it over the shoulder, and that seemed to work but the cord I had on it was too short for that to be comfortable, so I did another cord for it, also out of the same green.

My daughter is playing games on my iPhone right now, so I can't take a pic, but I'll post a new one of it ASAP.  Make sure you have your sunglasses on though!!!  The orange and green together are pretty bright!   

I have to say, it's a great little knife... I've already replaced my Gerber Big Rock with it as my dedicated fixed blade hiking/camping/outdoors knife.

[jwh]

The scales they make for the 14 transform the knife to something of a higher level. You also don't have to worry about moisture or rewrapping.

jwh

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

I considered the scales, but for now I'm going to stick with the cord wrap.  Even just the cord wrap is much better than the bare handle, and I want to keep this as small/slim as possible for now.