Alternatives to Swamp Rats

I have wondered for a long time about the swamp rat and busse craze. I have all the other mentioned knives in this thread with the exception of the trident, and mineral mountain, but have yet to get a busse or swamp rat. I have ordered a howling rat, and will be purchasing a busse as soon as I am able to beat the porkers to the trough for one. I use knives fairly heavily, and have broken a few (to be honest, it was probably my fault more than the involved knives). I will reserve speaking about them until I have had a chance to use them alongside my other knives. I wonder, mr. Benchmyke, if you have owned/used busse and rat knives, or if you are just assuming them to be overhyped? I am definitely not trying to stir the pot, just asking a question. Mr. Stamp, whether you like or hate him, seems to have owned, abused, tested, and broken just about every damn knife around, and he seems to like the rats and busses. When my survival, or even my weekend is on the line, I don't care what I have to spend (as long as it doesn't put me in the poorhouse) to make sure I have the best tool for the job that has the least likely chance of failure, and if it's a busse or swamp rat, then I will own it and call it an excellent tool, not an overhyped product.
 
bigbcustom said:
... and will be purchasing a busse as soon as I am able to beat the porkers to the trough for one...
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:D

I wish you all the best in this endeavour, although I'm not sure this is possible. I think those folks have some kind of "INFI-Sense" that lets them know something is coming up on the Exchange forum (maybe something like the Minority Report... the INFI Precogs :)

I have knives by Busse, Swamp Rat, Dozier, Chris Reeves and a Mora... I bought each of them becuase they are top of the line in functional/user blades. Each brings their own strength and beauty to the table!
 
I responded to a particular argument in the thread instead of to the thread in general in my last post.....guess I shouldn't get offtrack like that. So, with out further adeau, my opinion on the subject of the post.... I really like the Fallkniven line of knives, I have five of them, have used the hell out of them, and they take it all in stride and don't let me down. As stated previously, I don't own a swamp rat or a busse as of yet, so I can't say how these compare, but, as of right now, the fallknivens are tops in my book. I also have had very good luck with Becker (bk-1,-2,-7,-11), the ontario rats (RAT-3,-7, rtak, and tak (waiting on rat 5 and D2 versions of tak and rat-7)), Ka-bar heavy bowie, queens D2 premium hunters, spyderco temperance, perrin fixed, and moran fixed (these are definitely not choppers/for batonning, but are incredibly efficient slicers), the gerber asek, kershaw echo, and outcast, benchmade nimravous, rant, gamer, and yes...even a couple of bucks (the steel isn't the best but they do okay) I find that the trick is to suit the knife to the task at hand. I have done things to knives that they weren't meant for and destroyed them as well as had some take way more abuse than I would have imagined. If you think about what you want to do with a knife, pick the right knife for the job, and don't go crazy, almost any knife from a reputable manufacturer will do a credible job.
 
[Quote:
Originally Posted by bigbcustom
I have wondered for a long time about the swamp rat and busse craze. I have all the other mentioned knives in this thread with the exception of the trident, and mineral mountain, but have yet to get a busse or swamp rat. I have ordered a howling rat, and will be purchasing a busse as soon as I am able to beat the porkers to the trough for one. I use knives fairly heavily, and have broken a few (to be honest, it was probably my fault more than the involved knives). I will reserve speaking about them until I have had a chance to use them alongside my other knives. I wonder, mr. Benchmyke, if you have owned/used busse and rat knives, or if you are just assuming them to be overhyped? I am definitely not trying to stir the pot, just asking a question. Mr. Stamp, whether you like or hate him, seems to have owned, abused, tested, and broken just about every damn knife around, and he seems to like the rats and busses. When my survival, or even my weekend is on the line, I don't care what I have to spend (as long as it doesn't put me in the poorhouse) to make sure I have the best tool for the job that has the least likely chance of failure, and if it's a busse or swamp rat, then I will own it and call it an excellent tool, not an overhyped product. ]


Yes, I have owned Swamp Rats and my friend has plenty of Busse knives for me to check out any time I like. I'm definately not the only one who thinks these knives are over hyped. But, really I don't want use the word overhyped because I feel that I'm going in the wrong direction with that statement honestly. I would like to retract that statement if possible. The point I'm trying to get across is that you don't need over 3 hundred dollars to have a decent knife. I've already stated in this thread that I believe Busse/Rats are excellent knives. It's mainly certain people who attack others who have an opinion against Busse/Rats. For example go back in this thread and you'll see where another member had a negative opinion about Busse/Rat knives. He was responded to by the same guy who responded so rudely to me. There's enough room on this forum for many opinions. As far as Mr. Stamp is concerned, do a search on the internet and you'll see that he spends a great deal of time promoting Busse/Rats on many sites across the net. He also publicly stated on here that he wouldn't recommend getting a Chris Reeves knife and suggested that the other member get a Busse/Rat knife instead. The knife designer Bill Harsey met him head-on about his statements as did S30v steel creator Dick Barber. I had a problem with him using a Buck 119 to do a comparison with a Chris Reeves knife. He stated here that maybe that wasn't such a good comparison after I mentioned it here. If you wanna spend that kind of money for a knife, that's your right. I personally wouldn't. A lot of people attack Cold Steel knives also, I love my SRK and think it's better than a Camp Tramp because it will do everything I need it to without costing me a lot. Cliff Stamp has stated that it (Busse knife) will stay sharper longer. I know how to sharpen a knife. My SRK is razor sharp right now. It's not worth it to me to pay out hundreds of dollars for a knife because it will stay sharper for a little longer than a $30 SRK. (about this knife being $30, go on Ebay and keep bidding $30.03 and you'll reel one in, if u dont mind it being used a little; you can get one cheaper than that even) Go back in Tactical Knives magazine and look under the "Survival" section in each magazine for the last year and you'll see the Cold Steel getting the go ahead in almost every issue from real survivalist.

Also, ivan51 posted on here;[ most of the cold steel knives in carbon V is generaly good knife.I have used many custom and production knives and i think for the price(E-bay) carbon V is good.David Alloway a desert survival expert who practiced his survival skills in the deserts of the southwest and Australia used a SRK as his main fixed blade."Buckshot" Hemming from Michigan a trapper and survival skills teacher praises his Recon Scout.A friend of mine here in Washington State is a boy scout leader/Scoutmaster has been teaching outdoors/survival skills for years and his main knife is a Recon Scout that he says is a great all around camp knife.Is there better knives out there? sure. But i think for the price and what you get cold steel knives are not that bad.]

If this knife is a piece of junk; then I wouldn't be sticking up for it. I will also stick up for any person to voice his opinion whether it's right or wrong. It's just an opinion for pete's sake.
 
I'm in the camp that thinks Busse knives are overhyped. I'm not looking for nor do I think it is necessarry for a knife to chop concrete.
The SRK is much more widely owned than any Busse model. The vast majority of those users seem perfectly content with the performance of this knife.
In fact, there are many real world users that would consider the SRK overbuilt.
As far as corrosion, infi seems pretty much as succeptable to this as other high carbon knives I have owned.
As far as knives - they don't resemble anything built by master smiths.
So I guess Busse is the only one who's got it right and the ABS has it all wrong.
 
averageguy said:
As far as knives - they don't resemble anything built by master smiths.
So I guess Busse is the only one who's got it right and the ABS has it all wrong.
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And you continue with this same old line of yours. I've handled plenty of master smith knives and hundreds(if not thousands) of Busse knives and I'll just flatly say your statement is wrong.

In all honesty I'm not even posting this for you, but rather to offset the incorrect information that you continue to post about Busse knives. I don't care if you like the knives or not, but at least be honest about your dislike and stop posting information that is completely inaccurate.

Eric
 
averageguy said:
As far as knives - they don't resemble anything built by master smiths.
So I guess Busse is the only one who's got it right and the ABS has it all wrong.
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As far as I know every modern fixed blade is built differently than knives made by master smiths, even Ranger knives, Dozier, Fallkniven, Strider, Busse, Swamp Rat, Spyderco, Benchmade and Becker, just to name a few, even the good old Ka-Bar and Camillus. So let's just ask it this way: are every modern knifemaker and manufacturer wrong from the '30's? There's nothing wrong with classic designs and manufacturing processes, but modern times demand modern stuff.
 
beefangusbeef said:
Check out the gallery I have a picture of a custom in the works from Justin. The RD line is great, but if you're looking for something different he'll work with any steel.
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Wow he needs to put that on his web site when done. What is the handle material?
 
averageguy said:
I'm not looking for nor do I think it is necessarry for a knife to chop concrete.
The SRK is much more widely owned than any Busse model. The vast majority of those users seem perfectly content with the performance of this knife.
In fact, there are many real world users that would consider the SRK overbuilt.
As far as corrosion, infi seems pretty much as succeptable to this as other high carbon knives I have owned.
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Last part first. ABSOLUTELY WRONG! INFI is excellent in the corrosion resistant area.
.
Second of all. BUSSE knives aren't going to fail on you. They aren't. SRKs can do all the stuff in the PROOF videos, however, as stated on the videos, much of it is considered gross abuse by CS. NOT BY BUSSE! If you're using a SRK roughly and it breaks because of a bad heat treat or other flaw, you're NOT going to get your money back. You'll get a kick in the pants. I want a knife I can rely on, and is backed up by a guarantee. You just never know.
 
I juts ordered myself a Ranger RD6, with orange micarta. I bought it because all that I have read here about the quality AND amazing customer service. I would LOVE a Busse, a Bark River, and a Fehrman, I just can not afford them right now.
 
"And you continue with this same old line of yours. I've handled plenty of master smith knives and hundreds(if not thousands) of Busse knives and I'll just flatly say your statement is wrong.

In all honesty I'm not even posting this for you, but rather to offset the incorrect information that you continue to post about Busse knives. I don't care if you like the knives or not, but at least be honest about your dislike and stop posting information that is completely inaccurate."


Eric - I am being honest. You, on the other hand are an integral part of the Busse hype and marketing machine.
 
Eric Isaacson said:
And you continue with this same old line of yours. I've handled plenty of master smith knives and hundreds(if not thousands) of Busse knives and I'll just flatly say your statement is wrong.

In all honesty I'm not even posting this for you, but rather to offset the incorrect information that you continue to post about Busse knives. I don't care if you like the knives or not, but at least be honest about your dislike and stop posting information that is completely inaccurate.

Eric
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Another Busse/Rat guy slamming another member for a negative opinion on Busse/Rats. He didn't post any information here that was "completely inacurate".
 
It is time for you fellows to apologize to Ian111 for sending his thread strait to hell and then take your personal arguments to email or W&C. You're acting like a bunch of children
 
I too kind of wonder what all the hype surrounding them is about.

I own a low-end fixed blade, an Ontario Spec Plus something or other. I've never once told myself, "No, I won't do that, it might damage the knife."

I've chopped straight at solid concrete steps, not crumbly cinder blocks. Only thing that happened were some slight defects in the blade I could sharpen out. I've batoned with it before I even knew what the term for doing such a thing was. I've thrown it at stuff, tried my best to bend and break it with my hands, accidently left it in my backyard a few times, so on and so forth. All I've got to show for it are some goofy looking surface marks on the black coating and my crappy sharpening job.

I just don't see anything so far that my 30$ fixed blade can't handle that I'd use it for. I've gone out of my way to abuse it, so I really don't see it failing when put up to normal usage.

Theoretically, any blade can fail. But if I had a Busse and it failed, even if it were covered by warranty and such, I'd have to ship it out and wait for a new one to come back. With my Ontario, if I ever manage to break it, I run down to my local camping store 2 miles from home and drop 30$. I think I can handle that.
 
On the good foot. Try the Benchmade Combat Survival knife . It's D2 steel and is sweet. I obtained mine for $90 brand new. It has a sweet sheath with a removable pouch for storing any small thing you like.
156csk.jpg
 
nozh2002 said:
What about MadDog knives?

Thanks, Vassili.
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Now you are really starting to hit the stratosphere price wise.

I was going to post some other stuff, but this thread has already gone to hell in a hand basket, so I won't take it any farther down that road.
 
nozh2002 said:
What about MadDog knives?
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Hmmm.

Let's see...

Ian111 said:
Any good alternatives to Swamp Rats out there with similar features/steel and of course price point? What would you get?
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Similar features? Maybe. I've seen some field tests on the net... :rolleyes:

Similar steel? O1 and SR101 (51200) are both carbon steels, but the similarities end here.

Similar pricepoint? No way. Mad Dog's MSRP is 3-4 times higher.

But since it's a Mad dog vs. Swamp Rat thing, maybe it's time to put flameproof suit on, get the popcorn, sit back and watch the show. :D
 
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