Here is a list of the Becker blades that have multiple makers.
So lets start with the worst Becker, the bk1 brute. Mike Stewart Designed it, asked Ethan if he could put his handle design on it. If your going to get one get the Blackjack, it's much better then the Camillus. The Camillus is way more common but its just crap. The balance is awful, the edge thickness is horrific. The Blackjack is at least lightly convexed and is ground thinner. The Camillus is only good as a froe, the Blackjack can at least imitate a knife but is ultimately a froe as well. The specs are they same but you can see how much extra metal there is on the Camillus version ,with the obtuse grind and lower primary bevel, from the weights.
The bk2 is a tricky one to talk about. I really cant say which version is the best because it really depends on what you want to do with it. If I had to rank them id say Kabar, Cincinnati, Camillus, lastly Blackjack. The Blackjack is nice and usually has a descent convex. However the grinds are not consistent and sometimes lumpy, literally lumpy. The Camillus is thinner stock its .21" thick. Everyone knows the bk2 is a tank, but for people who want a slightly less of a tank bk2 version the Camillus is a good fit. The problem with the Camillus bk2 is the edges are ground so obtuse the Kabar version will just perform better and be so much more slicey. However, you can spend a lot of time on a grinder and fix the obtuse grind (I'd recommend just full hight convexing the whole thing its amazing). Personally I just think the bk2 is better at .25" thick. The Cincinnati bk2 is a great blade high saber and beautiful thin edges. The only reason I like the KaBar better is because it has a slightly lower saber grind, better balance, and better steel. The lower grind makes it better for batoning. I actually like the balance the KaBar has with the tang cutouts (of course early KaBars didn't have the tang cutouts). Lastly I view the bk2 as a hard use blade and I think 1095 is just the best options. Honestly they are all great cant go wrong with any of them. My personal recommendation is the KaBar because its available cheaply and with a warranty. If you break a Cincinnati your probably out a lot of money.
The bk3 is also tricky to talk about. The Camillus and KaBar version are identical except the thickness. The Camillis is .23" where as the KaBar is full .25" So if your watching your carry weight maybe an old Camillus from ebay would be better for you. On top of that there were may variations with the Cincininti and Blackjack versions. So if were just talking about the standard most common version vs kabar I would go with the kabar. I absolute hate the "standard" serrations they put on the Camillus/KaBar. I call them "standard" because its basically the same pattern they use on any blade thats serrated. It is of course for the government, its one of there requirements and they probably buy most of them. The serrations on the divtul version are actually useful and work. I prefer the KaBar because I trust KaBar's steel and heat treat more than the Camillus. Also, I'm not a diver so the Stainless steel of the Blackjack is not needed. I perfer the extra length on the KaBar. Again the KaBar comes with a warranty if you break your divtul your out a ton of green. I don't use this blade that often. I find its best to leave in the trunk of your car and let the use find you.
Click HERE for bk4 comparison.
The bk5 Magnum Camp knife is a Jerry Fisk deign on Ethan's handle. I would hands down say the Blackjack is the best version of this blade. Wonderful convex grind with thin edges. Very even balance and no flex in the blade. The Blackjack is also the thickest heaviest version. The Camillus is second but the blade was thinned out, flat ground, and has a more handle heavy balance. Last the KaBar with an even thinner blade and a fair amount of blade flex. The Kabar also has the most handle heavy balance. The KaBar in my opinion is only a great camp kitchen or meat processing tool. The Blackjack is a (magnum) camp knife. Side note on the Camillus: its one of the hardest to find. Ive seen more bk6s on ebay then bk5s.
The bk7, bk9, and bk10 were made by Camillus first and now KaBar. What you have to understand is that these blade were made for military use. Thats why they had to add the thumb ramp and the clips. Government wont buy it unless it meets there standards they set. The differences are very minor. The bk7 is almost identical to the KaBar, the clip from what I've seen is usually ground thinner on the Camillus models. So if you want to baton a ton with it and you don't want to chew up your baton stick, id go with the KaBar. Plus the KaBar has the warranty. Its a slightly different story with the bk9 and bk10. The saber grinds are higher and the clips are ground thicker on the Camillus versions. This is one of the biggest complaints about these three blades, the clips chew up baton sticks. I still stand by the KaBar being the better version, but if you really want to chew up your baton slightly less maybe the Camillus bk9 or bk10 would be better. Or you could get lucky and pick up a Camillus bk9 without a clip they pop up from time to time. The last thing to talk about is the thickness on the Camillus bk9. It's .21" thick where as the KaBar is .188". People like to think the Camillus is magically better because its thicker. Just hype used to increase the asking price on ebay. I've worked with both and I still think the Kabar is the better pick mostly because even with the higher primary grind the edges on the Camillus bk9s are still way more obtuse compared to a kabar bk9.
BK7 PHOTOS COMING SOON.
The Bk11 started with Camillus and is now currently manufactured by KaBar. The Camillus version usually sells for a pretty penny on ebay The KaBar can be found new for about $40. There is a few differences between the two. The Camillus is thinner at .148" (with coating) and has a high saber grind. The KaBar is full flat ground and is .165" thick. I have a user of each and I prefer the KaBar, but id be more then happy with either one. Generally the edges on the Camillus Bk11 are ground much thicker when compared to the KaBar. It doesn't make that big of a difference, but I personally like a very thin edge.
The Reinhardt kukri's first version from blackjack is very different from the KaBar version. It's basically a machete where as the bk21 from KaBar is a heavy chopper. The Blackjack version has a lower grind height and the cutting edge doesn't go all the way back. They fixed both those problems with the KaBar version. The steel on the Blackjack is also 440A stainless not the best pick for a large blade. If your lucky enough to find a sterile version they are carbon steel, rumor has it a version of 1095. So to answer which one is best? I would say the KaBar. Which do I prefer? The Blackjack. If you live in a jungle-like environment, then the blackjack may be more suitable. The KaBar is definitely more true to the original Reinhardt Combat Kukri.
