, Sharp User Team
This has been one of my faithful companions for many years on all kinds of outings, from a simple picnic to self-sufficient treks and bivouacs: it is one of my small do-it-all blades.
Photos: my personal, modified BK 14s.
Handling
I like its size, which makes it a discreet, compact knife that can be carried almost anywhere. Its unaggressive, versatile lines are also a major asset.
The simple, no-frills handle, about 9 cm long, offers a comfortable grip in many positions. A large lower guard also provides maximum safety in use: it is one of my selection criteria and I very rarely make an exception to it.
For added comfort, it comes with a length of paracord that can be braided around the handle. You can also buy plastic or micarta scales, but given the size of my hands I opted for “home-made” ones to get a nice round handle that fills the hand. With this modification I have no ergonomic problems or fatigue, even during long jobs (around 1 to 2 hours).
A Becker × Esee collaboration
This knife is the result of a collaboration between Becker and Esee, following many requests for a blend of the excellent blade of the Becker BK 11 and the simple, ergonomic handle of the Esee Izula. Many comments concerned the useless bottle opener and poor ergonomics on the Becker side, and the lack of blade length on the Esee side. The result was a great success!
The blade
The 8.5 cm cutting edge and full flat grind of this model are really perfect for all small tasks, from food preparation to crafts. The steel is 1095 Cro-Van (carbon steel), which has the advantage of being easy to sharpen even with little equipment; the basic version has a coating to protect it from rust.
The only thing I would change to suit my taste is the thickness. I find 4 mm rather excessive on such a small blade: you lose cutting ability and working precision. Personally, 2.5 to 3 mm is more than enough for the work you ask of this kind of knife. Small as 1 mm may seem, it makes a huge difference in fine work.
Nothing beats a thin blade for preparing food, and the same goes for crafts: preparing feathers to fletch arrows, fibre for basketry, or simply carving.
The sheath
The original sheath is injection-moulded plastic with a small lock at the guard. It comes with no attachment system (molle, belt loop, etc.) but has hollow rivets around its edge so you can run paracord through it to attach it as you wish or wear it around the neck.
The knife has quite a bit of play inside, which makes noise when moving, and the sheath is particularly bulky. It is no beauty either, but for the price of the set it has the merit of existing. Personally, I soon replaced it with a leather sheath.
Verdict
In short, this is an excellent small fixed-blade knife, highly versatile, at a very affordable price that means you won't hesitate to use it or modify it to your taste. One might almost regret that the scales are not fitted as standard and must be ordered separately, but that is a matter of preference: some will opt for the skeleton handle, lighter and less bulky for neck carry, for example.
— Arnaud, Tellknives Sharp User