Agent Iron's comparison between the Becker BK9 and the SOD got me to wondering how the Becker BK7 would do against it. Of course mine have sharper edges than factory, but with equal edges how would they compare? Just for fun, how would the Ranger RD7 and Swamp Rat Ratweiler do?


First up was the Becker. I used a pine sapling trunk. I don't feel like chopping through 5" maple logs with 7" blades today. Good grief, the little Becker took over 20 chops just to get through. The knife weighs about 13 oz, but the balance point is on the first finger. It's a light, fast fighter, not a chopper.

My super sharp SOD did it in just 11 chops. It also weighs abut 13 oz, but balances at the peak of the thumb ramp.

My very sharp Ratweiler did it in just 9 whacks!

My old Ranger RD7 with a super edge did in in 12 chops.

That thinned out convex edge makes the SODLE comparable to my best 7" choppers.

But just to keep things fair, I thinned the edge on the Becker a bit more. You can see where the belt hit the coating as I went for the thinnest edge possible on the BK7. It did a bit better, but still way behind the others.

I think it is the balance point.
As you can see here, the Ratweiler is blade heavy but the the "fighting knife" Becker balances on the first finger.

The Ranger and SODLE are both blade heavy, too.

So here is how they placed in this little test. In all honesty, there is not much difference in chopping between the SOD, RW, and RD7.
[img]http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w64/rivershaman/SYKCO/Sevens009.jpg[/img]
Next I plan on putting the DFLE up against the BK9. That should be close.