5/16" Busse's--A2 or INFI?

Will York

Will York

Joined
Jan 21, 2000
Messages
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In doing some knife trading on the exchange forums lately, I've heard a rumor that all of the 5/16" thick Busse knives were made of A2 rather than INFI. I purchased a Mean Street last summer which turned out to be one of the 5/16" thick ones, and I'm assuming it was INFI since I was not advised differently. The one I was bought was through Andy, with the hollow tube handle fasteners and tan micarta handles. Anyone know anything about this rumor or how it got started?

--Will
 
First, grab a ruler and measure the spine thickness between the handles. This will determine for certain if you have a 1/4 or 5/16th thick model.

In most cases, all Busse Combat Knives in 5/16th stock are A-2, though, I am confirming this with the shop, as I think there was a special run from INFI in 5/16th on the Mean Street.

Standby for confirmation my friend in Nuclear Toughness...

------------------
Andy Prisco, Manager
Sharper Instinct, LLC
Phone: 1-201-493-2469
Orders-Toll Free: 1-877-557-5200
Fax: 1-201-493-2039
Visa/Mastercard Accepted

Authorized Dealers:
Busse Combat Knives
Big East Bows
Jersey Rigg Lures

Professional Svcs:
Corporate Training
Stress Mgmt.
Shooting Instruction

Busse Combat Custom Variant HeadQuarters
http://www.sharperinstinct.com/hq

Sharper Instinct Main Website
http://www.sharperinstinct.com/
 
Originally posted by Andy Prisco:
First, grab a ruler and measure the spine thickness between the handles. This will determine for certain if you have a 1/4 or 5/16th thick model.
Click to expand...

I did. It's 5/16".

 
Oh my dear Lord! Can someone get me a 5/16ths thick mean street made of infi. I likes em thick. Mines only 1/4
frown.gif
LOL Seriously though... I want one.
 
Andy, I would like to know this too. I purchased a mean street in 5/16th. I think mine's A2 because it looks older than the newer ms. It had smooth micarta handles and it is pined with bolts not hollow. Really great feel. Sharp as hell and at the price I got it for I am not complaining. I will bring it to the NY show next week and let you check it out. See ya there.

Liong

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Follow The Path of Fantasies.
 
Liong...yours is A-2 for sure.

------------------
Andy Prisco, Manager
Sharper Instinct, LLC
Phone: 1-201-493-2469
Orders-Toll Free: 1-877-557-5200
Fax: 1-201-493-2039
Visa/Mastercard Accepted

Authorized Dealers:
Busse Combat Knives
Big East Bows
Jersey Rigg Lures

Professional Svcs:
Corporate Training
Stress Mgmt.
Shooting Instruction

Busse Combat Custom Variant HeadQuarters
http://www.sharperinstinct.com/hq

Sharper Instinct Main Website
http://www.sharperinstinct.com/
 
Andy--

Thank you very much for following up, especially while you're bucking some chaos on other fronts. I realize this probably isn't considered a priority issue, but my MS in question had already been shipped on a trade to another party when I posted this thread. After I put it in the mail, the other party asked me if I was sure about the 5/16" not being A2. I said I was sure it was INFI since I just bought it new last summer, it had the hollow tube fasteners and quilted tan micarta, and nothing was said about A2. After posting this thread and receiving your quick answer and caveat, which I appreciated, I advised him not to ship his knife in trade until we could get a definitive answer.

I was a little surprised that there was any question about it being INFI, but I'm still betting that's the case, and if so, no harm no foul. If we could possibly get the final word on this today, it certainly would be appreciated.

Jerry...?

BTW, the thickness of the finished steel tang between the handle slabs might be a hair shy of 5/16" when held against a ruler, but it is obviously much thicker than 1/4". It certainly appears to be from a 5/16" blank, and it's much thicker than any of my other three Busses.

Thanks to all--Will
 
Is there a simple, do-it-yourself test one can administer on a Busse Combat knife that will help determine whether the blade is A2 or INFI? One that won't cause too much damage to the blade?

I ask because my Steel Heart II, purchased this year, also has a 5/16" tang, but there was never a question in my mind that it was INFI. The knife has performed astonishingly well, but if there is any question as to its composition, I'd like to be able to get a definitive answer.

My knowledge of metallurgy is cursory at best, but perhaps A2 and INFI posess different, say, corrosion resistance properties that can easily be measured without the use of high-tech lab equipment.

Any thoughts from the steel geeks?

-Derrick

 
I'm new here so excuse my ignorance but, could someone explain to me the differences between the A2 and INFI steels? Is one clearly superior to the other?
confused.gif


-Clay

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Beware the fury of a patient man.
-John Dryden
 
l would like to thank will york for his patience, and very gentlemanly attitude towards our trade. he was fair and understanding and a pleasure to trade with.
l would also like to thank andi prisco and jerry busse, both men who are infinately busy, for taking the time to clear up a matter for me, as l am the one who was trading for the 5/16 mean street. it turned out to be infi steel, and l went through with the trade. they gave of their precious time to help me who wasn't even a direct customer to either of them, just to make me feel better about a trade l was making.
lf this doesn't say what kind of men they are than l don't know what would.
anyway thank you all, and l am just glad to be bonded in Nuclear Toughness with such men
Chris Ozolins
 
Well said panzer. I think the rest of us are jealous that you had the good fortune to deal with Will, Andy and Jerry, all in one transaction.
smile.gif


Welcome the forums, Clay. To address your question very briefly, A2 is a very well respected tool steel that favors toughness somewhat over wear resistance. It is therefore particularly suitable for use in large blades that are often subjected to substantial impact forces. It was once used extensively by Busse Combat, and is still used by several of the top end production knife makers such as Chris Reeve and Mission Knife & Tool. Busse has since moved on to the use of their own proprietary steel which is known as INFI. INFI benefits from a special, closely guarded, manufacturing process and multiple stage heat treat/cryo cycle that results in a steel with a toughness comparable to A2, but with better edge retention/wear resistance characteristics. So, while INFI is more expensive than A2, I think it's fair to say that it is also clearly superior.

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Semper Fi

-Bill
 
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