Are Busse worth the $?

IMHO, yes they are. Jerry Busse is one of the best people (on a manufacturer level) I've ever had dealings with. They are perfect for some folks, but they're just a little too "over-engineered" for my needs at the moment.

I'm on the fence with them . . . teetering . . . and I know, sooner or later, I'm going to fall over into the Busse side of the pasture and buy one.

thx - cpr
 
Not being a collector myself, I find the prices on the second market for some models insane, but then again, it's a matter of supply and demand.

On the other side, the Busses that I own and have used are absolutely top-notch and I can't find anything negative about them. And the NMSFNO's have something magic in them which I can't describe, but it is like an addiction, and after having three of them I want more!

From the point of fit & finish, I prefer Fehrman, which I regard just as highly as Busse, perhaps even higher. And from the point of design & usability, I like my Fällknivens (a lot) better.

But honestly, if I were to have just one knife in my life it would be a Busse. Completely irrational, I know, but Busses do magic!
 
as far as saying the warranty alone is worth the price.... There are other companies (wont mention the name because I dont intend to start a X vs. Y war) that have the same warranty, and it wont cost you near as much as busse.
 
It depends on what you want. Like with everything in life, of course.

If you aim for getting the best bang for your buck, then don't get a Busse. There are countless cheaper knives that can perform well enough.

But, if you like the idea of having a knife that is absolutely ridiculously, absurdly tough and durable, with a steel that still holds a great edge and is easy to sharpen and is quite resistant to corrosion, then you should consider getting a Busse. If you like the idea of having a bulletproof warranty on your knife, even if you bought it second, third or fourth hand, then you should consider a Busse. Or if you just like choppers, then you should get a Battle Mistress from Busse...

Perhaps it is saying something, that even though I've collected and used knives all my life, and most of my knives are fairly simple, traditional Scandinavian designs, I've also got a growing pile of Busses over here, all of which I use. They're not woodworking knives, but they are great knives for what they were built for: extremely hard, even abusive use, survival and/or combat use and with the larger models chopping up stuff. There is a lot of variation of all kinds in the models, which gives you a lot of options: two handle sizes, for example, make it easier to find the kind of handle more comfortable to your hand size. There are small Busses, and there are really big ones. Some are thinner, some are thicker.

Personally, to me, yes, they are worth the $. There are some models that I don't like at all, and some models that I find literally perfect. :thumbup: If you can, get one and try it yourself. Visit the Busse forum and have a look. Perhaps you might even find that someone is having a meet or a chop-off near your location, and you could stop by and perhaps try some blades yourself. Busses, as I see it, aren't about having flawless fit and finish (which is a rare thing these days anyway) or pretty designs. They're just about raw performance and in particular durability in what they were designed to do.

In closing, I would like to say:

Busse_NMSFNO_LE.jpg


:D
 
for a big chopper I would say yes, their performance is worth the price - maybe not the collectable/custom models b/c part of their value comes from rarity not performance. And for smaller slicers you can find knives that will perform as well for less. But I can't think of any knives of comparable durability and with similar edge-holding that would cost much less than a Busse. The design + build quality + of course the INFI put them well ahead of any other production knife, and similar big knives from Fehrman or other makers using top-end steels will cost close to as much.
 
I have only some older, less expensive models. However, they have performed well and I can afford them so I don't regret the purchases. Some of my friends think Busses are overpriced but they own items like $4,000 guitars. I think it's just a matter of whether you have sufficient funds and whether you would personally value a Busse more than other things on which you might spend the same money. Because the resale value is generally good, you probably wouldn't lose much even if you didn't like a Busse you had bought and decided to sell it.

DancesWithKnives
 
I never have had a Busse so I can't comment whether they're worth it, I only know they are priced beyond my range.
 
The downside for Europeans concerning Busses are the outrageous import taxes! I usually pay up to a third (including shipping costs!) for an American knife. As said before, I only import what we don't have in Europe as production blades. For smaller, lets say < 5 inch blades, we have good alternatives, but for big high quality choppers we are dependent on Busses, Swamprats and Fehrmans.

The import costs for Fehrmans are way below Busses and Swamprats, but that's another story.. The only 'risk' with Fehrmans are the second market prices. While I can get at least my money back with Busses, my impression is that the Fehrmans tend to loose their value on the second hand market. At least, I got my (mint) Fehrmans for 70 - 80% of the catalogue prices.

One more reason to get myself another Busse. Damn!!!
 
Nope, not worth it for me. I'm sure they're great. but I'll (heresy!! burn im e's a witch!!) probably never shell out the money for a knife at that price.

I'd probably buy a carbon knife of 1095 with an even better kind of warrantee for about a fourth of the money before I'd ever even think about buying a Busse.
 
Yes.
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This life is so absurdly short, why not buy what you want? The knives are tough and great performers, Almost stainless, and they have the best warranty- even covering intentional abuse.

People spend $30,000+ on crappy cars without blinking and balk at spending a couple hundred or so on a knife that will likely outlast that car by decades. I have to question the agenda of anyone who tries to tell another person how to spend their money. Do what you like.
 
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At $327-00 a NMSFNO (still available from the company store) is one of the best value for money knife buys out there.

You get INFI steel, fantastic design, strength and a warranty from Jerry Busse that Rolls Royce wishes they could offer.....

Add to this the fact that you can almost always get most of your money back immediately even on users and you have a knife that is well worth the money

Some may not be able to justify the cost of a $300-00 knife and I understand that. But that has nothing to do with Busse's being excellent value for money.

If you want to start with Busse limited editions and collectibles expect to pay over the odds just as you would for Case, Randall or any other knife limited edition. That is simply about supply and demand.

But from the company store (and some excellent vendors here on BF) Busse knives are an awesome buy.
 
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imho for the $$ the busse is as good a FB as any, better than some costing 2X the busse, i think they are certainly worth the money and are as good as some which are a lot higher.
 
I own a number of them and like them a lot. All the positives have been covered so I won't repeat them.

Personally I have never liked the coated blades, so I usually only go for the LE models which the satin finish and tiger hide micarta.

I would say buy one and try, because it's the only way to really decide. If you don't like it, sell it and buy something else from another great knife maker, there are lot's to choose from :D :thumbup:

Good luck
 
No matter what knife this question is ask about, I have the same answer. Only the purchaser can decide if a knife is worth the asking price. Busse's are definately designed for rough use, but if all you do with a knife is slice sandwhiches in half, then you are probably wasting money buying a Busse.
 
Are Busse Knives worth the Money??
ABSOLUTELY!
INFI, combined with Jerry's Heat Treatment, produces a blade that is the finest on the market today. Who would NOT want a knife like that? I was skeptical---until I bought one.
 
Buy one and see :p

They are defo expensive but they are also real hard to beat :thumbup:

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When a friend started showing me some of his collection of Busses, I was in awe. I had never seen a knife with a blade made of 5/16" armor plate. You could field dress a Studebaker with one of their smaller knives... even they are 'BAD'. They even call a 1/4" knife 'skinny'! I'd love to have one, but every time I think about ordering one, I think about the collection of lesser knives that moola would buy. Of course, I'd have one in a heartbeat - if money wasn't an option. I guess they are like a Sebbie to me.

Gotta go see what's on closeout at WallyWorld...

Stainz
 
Without a shadow of a doubt, yes. Quite possibly the toughest knives on the planet. I've been here almost a year and have only seen two tips break and one handle slab, and in all three instances they were obviously abused. Jerry replaced them, graciously. I think he enjoys the destruction. He's a sick sick man.:D;)

As for their customer service, its amazing, I was sent the wrong knife (color combo was incorrect), not only was the matter resolved flawlessly but I was reimbursed generously for my shipping expenses. There may be knife companies as good, but you would be hard pressed to find any better.
 
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