Yard Test: 7" Combat Knives

Today I rounded up eight 7" combat/utility knives for some light chopping and wood splitting. They ranged in weight from 11 oz. to 15 oz. and from 5/32" to nearly 5/16" in blade thickness. These knives are all about the same size.

The knives tested are the SYKCO Yard Guard, Becker BK-7, SOG Seal 2000, Gryphon Combat/Utility, Benchmade Offsider, Ontario RAT-7, Ka-Bar Next Generation Combat, and the Ontario Marine Combat.
First up was the Gryphon. It chopped soft green wax myrtle and pine pretty well.

Next came the Yard Guard. The YG's heavy recurve blade outchopped the Gryphon easily.

Next up was the Benchmade Offsider. The thin handle scales and light feeling blade make it more of a fighter and less of a camp knife or chopper, but it did reasonably well.

The SOG Seal 2000 was up next. It has a .25" thick blade of AUS-6 Stainless steel. The handle is checkered Zytel. It is like holding a green pine cone after a few chops. Those Seals are tough! Mine is good and sharp, but the Gryphon will out chop it.

I actually preferred the Ka-Bar because of the kraton handle, but it chopped about as well as the SOG.

Time to bring out the bad boys now. I put this RAT-7 through hell today, chopping and splitting live oak. This knife works!


The RAT is in a whole different class than the Ka-Bar type knives.

The Becker was up next. I gave it some hard use, too. It chops and batons as well as the RAT-7. The 0170-6C steel stayed sharp all the way through, as did the 1095 on the RAT.


Both the Becker and the RAT-7 are superb camp knives.

The Ontario Marine Combat did about the same as the Ka-Bar. They take little bites at a time, but they will chop. I did not even try chopping through the live oak with them. I was getting too tired to waste energy!

Time to do some splitting with the Yard Guard.

The YG beats both the Becker and the Ontario RAT-7 in splitting oak!
These are the three knives that stand out for camp use.

Very informative. Thanks for sharing.

Nice review Vic!

The best thing about this little test is the realization that all these seven inch blades will chop. None of them will beat a machete or big chopper, but they will get the job done. I expected the Yard Guard to chop way better than the Becker and the RAT, but that was not the case. The thinner edge profiles on the Becker and Ontario bit deep. The weight of the blade on the YG made it a little less fatiguing to chop the hard stuff, but the other two chopped about as well. The handles on all three of the finalists were comfortable for me, with a slight edge going to the Yard Guard. I did not do any prying, but I am pretty sure that the Guard is the toughest of the seven inchers. The Yard Guard excelled in splitting, using a baton.
My daughter, Linda is holding the overall winner.

cool review

Thanks, Vance. I wanted to chop something bigger, but all these tests have used up my wood!

great review Vic, awesome photos.... the Yard Guard reigns supreme... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />
FWIW the D2 on my Ontario TAK was also a great stabber through interior door testing...the edge was unscathed... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
A day in the woods chopping is 500x better than a day stuck in your house stabbing an old door... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Very thorough review Vic! Glad to see that the YG took the center podium! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Very nice review and pics.

What do you think of the Offsider as a fighter? I love Scrappers but they are to thick and slow for a fighter and I have been considering a Fallkniven or Offsider
ever since checking out my buddys Chris Reeve Neil Roberts knife. I am a big fan of 440C and the Offsider is a good price as well.

I prefer the Scrapper 6 as a fighter. It has better balance than the Benchmade. In fact, the S6 may be my favorite all-around knife.

Seconded Vic (re S6), even though your knives get a little more use than mine!

Great little mini test, thanks for sharing! Just going to go look at the Benchmade site.. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hmm the Benchmade warranty is quite a long section isn't it? Not quite 'bring it on forever'! Great looking knife though..

Great review bro!!!

Looks like a great time. I like the pic of them all together.

Nice review, I am thinking that way too. I think Dan was sure to but his best foot forward.

man those knives are cool. i just realized that ever since my knife liquidation i haven't had anything in the 6"-8" department. didn't even feel it.

Good pics and review. Was the Scrapper the overall champ?

Yes, the Yard Guard just beat out the RAT-7 and the BK-7 due to its superior batoning on oak. All three knives are very good choppers for the 7" class. I did not do a prying test (don't want to break my knives), but just looking at the thickness of the blade on the YG alone, it would surely win. I wish I had a Camp Tramp included, but I am guessing the Yard Guard and Camp Tramp would be pretty close.

Does anybody else ever get the urge to use the DMs to try and climb things? I don't doubt they could handle that use! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the pictures and info

Dan

Did you see that post about some guy claiming he bent a Dumpster Mutt? I would have to see that to believe it. Scap Yard Knives are all beefy and thick. I have seen the pictures of the Dog Father blade bent way over with a cheater bar without hurting it. Now imagine how rigid a blade half as long of the same thicknes would be.

I remember a comment being posted and then the photo was of a hell razor from being thrown.

I don't see how you could damage the end of the DM without mechanical assistance. After seeing what the DM took when I "used" it, well, the knife is awesome! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I should of got more of them!

I am going to work the edge on the YG a little. Both the RAT-7 and BK-7 had very good edges. When I find some more good chopping wood, The Yard Guard is going against them again. It beat them today, but not as bad as it should have. It just wasn't biting as deeply into the wood as I think it can.

Thinking about thinning the edge a bit HD? Or are you just going to go full polished convex?

I am just going to thin it a little, nothing extreme. Now the other Yard Guard is getting the full combat treatment! Long penetrator point, razor edge.

I would have guessed the Gryphon Combat/Utility to do a little better it is one of the more spendy knifes on the block. Thanks for the report.

Thanks, Outstanding review! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> & great pics!!!

I had picked the Gryphon to beat the Becker and the RAT, but they chopped better. I have a Becker Brute. It has a 1/4" thick recurve with a forward weighted blade, but the Becker Combat Bowie chops better. Go figure. The proof is in the actual using of a blade. I have had a lot of surprises in chop offs.

I cant even imagine what that must have taken. The Dog Father was a boat load of work with a pry bar and there was more blade to work with...I guess anything is possible <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Dan

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> Great work as always HD!!! Thank you for the review!! By the way, I think your daughter is going to want to keep the knife. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Thank you, Dan. I plan on doing a better one soon. No, she likes the Dumpster Mutt. Should have ordered a half dozen of them for stocking stuffers.

Great Lil Review!!!... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I would have loved to see a BRK&T Rogue in the mix! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I don't own one either, but wish I did!...



Once again, great review!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

It's just the tip that bent. He tried to stick it in a white pages phone book and ended up going through and sticking in the concrete floor. I'll try to get a picture Monday, before he's off to the Philippines. If you knew him you'd believe it. He's a walking "Murphy's Law" when it comes to knives.

So HD, how long until you actually drag all your steel out and post a full family photograph! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Victor,
As always your tests are a fount of knowledge.I always wanted to own one of those BK-7's and before they went belly up they were had NEW for as low as $41.00 on E-Bay. Hindsight is such a wonderful thing is it not? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" />
For cosmetics I sure like your Gryphon,looks like a nice custom blade.
The Yard Guard seems to be the fattest in your photos if that is true I'm not surprised at all. Seems that the Yards motto is Stake your life on it.
Every blade turned out seems to be the absolute maximum in steel content. Hight,bevel,grind,and of course thickness. It's little wonder why these seems to be the best kept secret in the globe when talking about hard use knives.
And Victor, I no of nobody that hard uses a knife more often and better than you! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
Thanks for sharing the test. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Peace.

Very cool! Thanks!

Good Lord! That would take lots of photos. They would cover my living room. I still run across knives I had forgotten. Been collecting them since the 1950s.
You haven't seen the Collins WWII collection yet.

Did a little regrinding on the Yard Guard edge this morning. I am hoping that this slightly more acute edge will let the beast chop to its full potential. Here it is along side one right out of the cardboard sheath.



We shall see.

Well done Vic! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Tom

Horn Dog,Oh! that is a Wicked looking edge you put on your Yard Guard!
Great review/chopping pics, thanks for sharing!

The Edge on my Yard hook is nearly as thin as the ones on my Game Wardens. It is also insanely sharp. I was very impressed.

I guess some are ground thinner than others. Mine are rather obtuse. The final edge grinding is likely done free hand, anyway.

I did request a thinned edge when I ordered. . .

Nice pics and review. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Very well done HD, when are you accepting orders? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I took the Yard Guard out back and chopped through a pine limb. It chops much better. All the knives it went against had nice convex edges. Only the YG had the original factory edge. These are not delicate edges, though. They hold up well. Since they have all been done free hand, I don't really know the angle.

Grind dawg...we need a video tutorial!!!!

Maybe my daughter, Linda could record it. I need both hands. That is why you never see me actually chopping unless there is a photographer. I wouldn't mind doing such a video, I just need a little technical help from a 13 year old! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" />

You need to do like I did and get a tripod. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />