Alternatives to Swamp Rats

I bought a Ranger RD6 for $89.94 including shipping!! I can not wait until it arrives!
 
averageguy said:
I'm not looking for nor do I think it is necessarry for a knife to chop concrete.
Click to expand...

Lots of ABS smiths realize that knives may have to take concrete impacts, I was asked to do it by one specifically before Busse started with the live demo's. Most people working with large knives of that class realize that you will hit inclusions and dirt and rock when using large brush blades, even bark is filled with grit and dirt. Concrete blocks just provide a fairly uniform testing medium from one person to the next. As has been clearifed time and time again, it doesn't represent an actual specific piece of intended work, just like when Fikes cuts bundles of newsprint, few people actually needs to cut bundles of newsprint, it is just a test medium.

As far as knives - they don't resemble anything built by master smiths.
Click to expand...

Both run high flat grinds, 1/4" is a common steel stock, and 2" a common width, and INFI is a low alloy high toughness steel, similar to what many ABS forgers tend to run. The main difference is in edge geometry and this difference is not nearly as great as you like to imply.

The latest one I handled, a Ratweiler was 0.035" x 20 degrees. You can't go significantly under this and still handle heavy wood working. And as has been pointed out to you every time you bring this up, Busse has made it clear that they will customize edges to user request.

-Cliff
 
I just wonder how a person can claim that knives are over priced when they don't know what production cost and time is, and how they can claim the price is only indicative of hype rather than performance when they have no testing or experiences to prove this, while the people they are attacking do.

It all seems like sour grapes and silly brand alliances to me. What's the point in bashing people for collecting something they enjoy? I've never seen any of the Hogs or Rats here bashing other brands that offer good fixed blades, unless you consider stating and linking documented facts bashing, which I certainly don't.

Nobody ever said you need a Busse or a Rat to fill your fixed blade needs, they have only stated that they are higher in performance and construction integrity than a lot of brands, and the results show that they certainly are in most cases, which reflects cost, and makes perfect sense to anybody that is willing to be rational about it.

Basically, the anti-Busse/Rat rants are silly, unproductive and backed by nothing more than some sort of vendetta and no real sense at all.
 
averageguy said:
As far as corrosion, infi seems pretty much as succeptable to this as other high carbon knives I have owned.
Click to expand...
THIS statement is completely inaccurate.:thumbdn:
 
J85909266 said:
Basically, the anti-Busse/Rat rants are silly, unproductive and backed by nothing more than some sort of vendetta and no real sense at all.
Click to expand...

I don't think saving literally hundreds of dollars is silly. It makes plenty of sense to someone who doesn't have extra money to throw to the four winds. You're saying that anyone who wants to save money has a vandetta?
 
averageguy said:
" You, on the other hand are an integral part of the Busse hype and marketing machine.
Click to expand...

Oh Crap! You have discovered our plot to take over the world. I'm the one on the grassy knoll, everyone thinks I'm holding an umbrella but it was really an early prototype of the Battle Mistress.

:eek:
 
I have a becker knife and tool BK9 and it is a great knife that won't break the budget. I have only sharpened it once and this was due to a very small roll on the edge. I have batoned, chopped, sliced, pryed, and thrown this knife and all it has to show are a few beauty marks;) . That handle fits my hand nicely and i have medium sized hands.


As for the whole busse argument: First of all i don't own a busse. All these guys standing up for the swamp and busse knives are that these are knives you will never ever have to worry about no matter what. The cold steel knife is a great camp knife for the money and is highly respected BUT it cannot take the abuse busse and swamp rat can. Period.
 
BenchMyke said:
I don't think saving literally hundreds of dollars is silly. It makes plenty of sense to someone who doesn't have extra money to throw to the four winds. You're saying that anyone who wants to save money has a vandetta?
Click to expand...

Anyone trying to convince other people that the knives they buy are “over hyped” because they cost more- has a vendetta . (Or is just plain ignorant) In your case, both seem to apply.
 
BenchMyke said:
I don't think saving literally hundreds of dollars is silly. It makes plenty of sense to someone who doesn't have extra money to throw to the four winds. You're saying that anyone who wants to save money has a vandetta?
Click to expand...
That's not what I said at all. The fact that you read what I said that way shows that you do have some sort of vendetta. If you don't want to spend the extra money on a Busse (Rats from the factory aren't really that expensive at all), then by all means, don't. You have every right to say that you don't want to spend that kind of money, and that the extra performance isn't necessary for you. However, to say they the extra performance isn't there simply isn't true, and it is bashing the company simply because they aren't for you.
 
J85909266 said:
That's not what I said at all. The fact that you read what I said that way shows that you do have some sort of vendetta. If you don't want to spend the extra money on a Busse (Rats from the factory aren't really that expensive at all), then by all means, don't. You have every right to say that you don't want to spend that kind of money, and that the extra performance isn't necessary for you. However, to say they the extra performance isn't there simply isn't true, and it is bashing the company simply because they aren't for you.
Click to expand...

I never stated that the performance wasn't there. Go back and see my post where I state that these knives are excellent knives. In the same thread, I didn't dispute that they would stay sharper longer. For me, it doesn't justify spending hundreds of dollars on because it will stay sharper a little longer than a $30 SRK. The name of this thread is Alternatives to Swamp Rats. Also, as I stated before, 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. I don't think they ever suggest getting a Busse/Rat in a single issue. Do these guys have vandettas also? I probably do have a vandetta against the idea that you need to spend hundreds of dollars to get a quality knife.
 
BenchMyke said:
Go back and see my post where I state that these knives are excellent knives. In the same thread, I didn't dispute that they would stay sharper longer.
Click to expand...
I know you've said it, but you've contradicted that statement 100 times over, so I can't really take you seriously. You have flat out stated that these companies are just hype and aren't worth the money. You can't concede and argue at the same time, man. It doesn't work like that.
 
J85909266 said:
I know you've said it, but you've contradicted that statement 100 times over, so I can't really take you seriously. You have flat out stated that these companies are just hype and aren't worth the money. You can't concede and argue at the same time, man. It doesn't work like that.
Click to expand...

100 times over huh? And I said it's not worth it to me. And, I'm not arguing, just offering an opinion. This thread will be well read and it will be left up to the individual what they want to do with the information here. No need to keep defending my opinions to the same people who attack anyone who has a negative opinion against Busse/Rats.
 
99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer, you take one down smash it around, 98 bottles of beer on the wall.......
 
is there a negative opinion about the knives and their capabilities or just a negative opinion about the enthusiasm of the owners/users/fans? or is it a matter of what one should pay or is willing to pay for a knife?

w/out splitting hairs or tackling semantics the sentiments of some posts seem to be: "i don't like Busse or Swamp rat"

this, i don't understand.
if a knife cannot do what it claims it can, it is overhyped.
if it can do what it claims, it is a good knife.
if i can afford a good knife, that is good for me.
if i can't afford a good knife, that is unfortunate for me.
if i had the knowledge and patience, i could probably make a pointed stick or jagged rock perform on a level as some manufactured knives. yay.

i've had a few inexpensive knives over the years and all of them did anything i ever required of them. no complaints.

i will not dislike a knife company that can perform well and back it up w/ a warranty( unless they publicly support terrorism and/or pedophilia)

tact, patience, understanding would serve everyone well in online discussions.

i have an RD7, i like it. i am waiting for a HR and RW(i will not pay 300 for them on ebay, i will wait) i hope i like them too.

SR's are worth 100-200 according to SR homepage. some will pay much more. i will pay 100-200 dollars for a good knife. yay me. some will pay more, some will pay less- yay them.
that is all.
 
RedEdge77 said:
99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer, you take one down smash it around, 98 bottles of beer on the wall.......
Click to expand...
Nah, I'm done.:eek:
 
Ian111: Did you choose an alternative out of any of the good info here? I do hope you got some good info. out of this.
 
Wow he needs to put that on his web site when done. What is the handle material?
Click to expand...

Green and Tan G-10. He gave me a sheet of about a thousand, well not quite, different colors and materials to choose. I like tantos, but I like recurves so I figured eh why not both!
 
Himalayan Imports makes tough knives. Their prices are reasonable, and they stand behind their products. A Kumar Karda is a solid piece with a 6" blade of handforged 3/16" 5160. It costs $60. Mine was shaving sharp. If you can see the character in the imperfections, it might be a good knife for you.

Then, of course, there are the khukuris. You can get a lot of steel for your dollar. The guarantee on their Chiruwa Ang Khola is crazy. If you can break it, they'll give you two. Not even Busse and Swamp Rat offer a guarantee like that.

Edited to correct spelling.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top