Horace Kephart was an influential American outdoorsman and writer who was perhaps best known for the fact that he spent three years of his life in near complete isolation in the Great Smoky Mountains, as well as for his book, Camping and Woodcraft, which is still a gospel for outdoorsmen around the world to the present day.
After a mental breakdown following struggles with alcohol and disillusionment with academia, he retreated to a remote corner of western North Carolina, where he lived in a cabin along Hazel Creek, and spent several years mastering mountain culture, becoming a part of the landscape, and mastering self-reliance.
Now, to fast-forward a bit, an outdoorsman needs a dependable knife, and there is a pattern that is so closely associated with Kephart that it is often billed as a “Kephart knife” which is the name of one of Becker Knives’ patterns, and it’s one that every outdoorsman should not just own but use.
About the BK62 Kephart Knife
Like other patterns commonly referred to as “Kephart knives” the BK62 sports a mid-length spear point blade, which is in this case just over 5”
Spear point blades are typical of Kephart knife patterns and also very popular for bushcraft, because of their symmetry and versatility. A spear point can do most if not all of what a drop point can do, but it can also be used to drill holes. Also like a drop point, a spear point is very robust.
In a nod to what might have been available to Horace Kephart (or contemporaries) at the time, the BK62 is made with 1095 steel. In this case it is referred to as “Cro-Van” steel, which means it has been fortified with vanadium for strength and toughness and chromium for a modicum of corrosion-resistance.
That said, while it probably offers better corrosion resistance than typical 1095 steel, this is a knife you will still want to keep clean and well-oiled to prevent rust. This knife will definitely patina or rust if you let it, so be aware of that.
The full flat grind of the knife makes it an excellent slicer, and there is a small swedge near the tip, which aids somewhat in piercing. All in all, this take on the Kephart knife, like the original, will prove practical for everything from cleaning harvests to food prep and firecraft and everything in between.
It’s also made with walnut scales that are classic, yet tough, and which offer good traction under a wide range of conditions. Also, unlike many other modern scale materials, the wood scales of this knife will be more comfortable to handle in colder weather.
It also comes with a leather sheath, in a nod to tradition. It offers an excellent fit to the knife that will only improve with time, and is much more comfortable to carry than modern plastics like Kydex. Plus, it’s impossible for the imagination to fathom a pioneering woodsman like Horace Kephart carrying a knife in anything but a leather sheath.
All in all, this is an excellent take on the original Kephart knife and one that any outdoorsman should be proud to own and use.
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