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Ethan Becker Creates Smaller Version of KA-BAR Folder

June 30, 2023

KA-BAR is poised to make a lot of fans happy, with the incoming release of the BK41 Becker Mini Folder, a scaled down version of the BK40 Ethan Becker folder from 2021. The Mini Folder is a more compact version of the same ergonomic, outdoors-centric knife.

Ethan Becker is a legend in the knife world, a master of the outdoors fixed blade. Becker’s work is defined by an ergonomics-first philosophy that has won acclaim in custom and production arenas for decades. Becker has been a frequent collaborator at KA-BAR, responsible for a whole series of fixed blades in their catalog. In 2021, he wowed with the release of the BK40, the first production folding outdoors knife imbued with the Becker greatness.

The D2 blade steel is a nice upgrade here

With a blade length of 3.56 inches, the BK40 was a reasonable choice for everyday carry, but obviously spec’d for more specialized applications out of doors. The BK41 has the same wide drop point blade, but with a significant reduction in length; the cutting edge here is just 2.84 inches. That makes the BK41 legal in more places, and obviously a much more practical everyday carry companion. The blade opens in the same way, too, with a thumb stud, but the steel has been upgraded. The BK41 is made from D2 rather than AUS-8 – that means it trades in a bit of stain resistance but makes notable gains in edge retention.

The handle scales are brown rather than black, and obviously the frame here is smaller, but the BK41’s handle shape mimics its bigger brother’s almost exactly. It’s a curvaceous bracket-style handle, neutral to allow for different grips for different jobs, but with just enough ergonomic landmarks to keep the hand in place no matter which grip is in use. Underneath the scales is a liner lock, and the loop over wire clip is repositionable to all four sides – not something you see often these days.

There is no hard release date for the BK41, but it should arrive sooner rather than later.

Knife in Featured Image: KA-BAR BK41

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