Are Busses really that great?

To me, they're worth the price. Great blades, INFI steel, AWESOME customer service, and backed by an incredible warranty. If for whatever reason, you find that you don't like one that you purchased, you can easily sell it and recoup some money. Even used, they can fetch a good price.

As mentioned above, the reason you've been seeing a lot in the exchange forums lately, is Blade 2007 is coming up. Also there are other smaller venues like Knob Creek, and the ganzas that have been popping up. Rare and custom Busses are there, and people are trying to scrape money together for them. :D

-Dan
 
I have to disagree with the fit and finish some of you have mentioned was only average...

I have handled a few, and they are about as perfect finish as I can imagine... the warranty sticks with the knife, so no matter who you get it from, if it breaks, Busse have a 'no questions asked' guarantee so it'll get fixed up like new...

Choppers aren't shaving sharp, but the grinds are to suit the task, the smaller knives are usually razor as well...

INFI is the toughest steel in the business... period


I think that they are worth the money.. ps - the customer service is 2nd to NONE, best I've ever dealt with...


I will be buying more, and I use them as well... they aren't just for show, they do a fine job of anything you ask of them too ;)
 
I briefly owned a Busse BM that I bought off of a friend who needed to raise cash for a medical emergency. My thoughts:

1. A pretty decent investment vehicle in that he could convert it into a like new cash amount.

2. The piece was well made and showed every indication that it could take anything thrown at it.

3. The handle didn't really do it for me.

4. It began my "what's the point of this type of knife?" questioning. I have used machetes that were easier to wield all afternoon and the thing couldn't hope to cut as easily or as well as a short 4-5" inch drop point hunter despite the INFI. The grind and the unwieldy size just wouldn't allow for it.

5. I don't like the Busse business model. As an owner of multiple Bark River knives, I understand the limits of a semi-custom shop as far as availability of certain models is concerned, but the situation with Busse availability for popular models borders on the ridiculous.

6. Fortunately, my friend got over his illness and I was able to sell him back his INFI. It had taken him a long time to acquire it and he loved it more than I ever did.

So they are probably worth what they command, though I have a hard heart towards the merits of the tactical machete. The availability is part actual scarcity and part profiteering enabled by the way business is conducted.

There are plenty of other makers out there who can give you most of what a Busse has to offer without the hassle one has to go through to get a Busse firsthand.
 
Boats said:
I briefly owned a Busse BM that I bought off of a friend who needed to raise cash for a medical emergency. My thoughts:

1. A pretty decent investment vehicle in that he could convert it into a like new cash amount.

2. The piece was well made and showed every indication that it could take anything thrown at it.

3. The handle didn't really do it for me.

4. It began my "what's the point of this type of knife?" questioning. I have used machetes that were easier to wield all afternoon and the thing couldn't hope to cut as easily or as well as a short 4-5" inch drop point hunter despite the INFI. The grind and the unwieldy size just wouldn't allow for it.

5. I don't like the Busse business model. As an owner of multiple Bark River knives, I understand the limits of a semi-custom shop as far as availability of certain models is concerned, but the situation with Busse availability for popular models borders on the ridiculous.

6. Fortunately, my friend got over his illness and I was able to sell him back his INFI. It had taken him a long time to acquire it and he loved it more than I ever did.

So they are probably worth what they command, though I have a hard heart towards the merits of the tactical machete. The availability is part actual scarcity and part profiteering enabled by the way business is conducted.

There are plenty of other makers out there who can give you most of what a Busse has to offer without the hassle one has to go through to get a Busse firsthand.
Click to expand...



That is an excellent summary and I agree with all of your points.

It would be nice to see more practical products with a 4" to 5" blade length instead of all the Rambo knives. And it would be nice to be able to buy one without the hassles....

For the price, I think a custom from an up and coming smith might be a good alternative.
 
It would be nice to see more practical products with a 4" to 5" blade length instead of all the Rambo knives. And it would be nice to be able to buy one without the hassles....
Click to expand...

There's the Badger Attack Tac, (available now), Active Duty, Meaner Street, Leaner Street, multiple variations of the Game Wardens, and others. You just have to get them when they're available or when they pop up in the secondary market.

Getting them can be a hassle, but that's Busse. They don't produce volumes of knives like Spyderco or Benchmade. They do a run of a knife, and take orders for it. When that run's done, they do a different knife. That's part of what makes the knives desireable. They aren't "mass produced" so to speak. If you miss out on a particular knife, you have to try and get on on the secondary market. :)

-Dan
 
The current badger attack LE is nice, but at nearly $400, a bit pricey in my opinion. The others (Active Duty, Meaner Street, etc.) don't really have the best blade shape for a good hunting knife. The Game Warden is a little small but would be great with about a 4" blade...

I would like to see something like the Swamp Rat Howling Rat. That is the perfect size and shape blade for hunting, etc. I don't know why all the smaller Busse knives are so narrow- would be nice to see a full belly like the Game Warden but a bit bigger....
 
$400 is for the LE version. Standard is $227. Definately a good price for the knife.

Can't forget about the Busse Basic line either. Especially the 3 and 5. :thumbup:

Edited to add: I really like the LE too, but I opted for a snakeskin handled combat grade BATAC
 
Interesting comments. Busse knives have almost a 'cult' following and a business model that uses basic psychology to touch the dominant buying urge in those who would think they 'need' a wonder steel piece of cutlery. I push their product because they actually do work and deliver in the field, time after time, day after day. Is INFI the 'magna cum laude' of cutlery steel? Well, it is a stellar performer, certainly in the upper echelon of knifedom. An amusing assumption is that if someone purchases a Busse, it will magically transform them into a great warrior or a chopping demon. Those of us who have been down the road for a while know that it is the skill of the user more than the quality of the knife which counts in the real world. Countless folk in Brazil wield a cheap tramontina with such skill that it is dazzling to the eye. They use files to keep the blades in working order and would never have the ability to pay for the Busse line. People here have created large collections of 'safe queen's' which will never see the light of day. Perhaps we love to live in delectable fantasy while the credit card companies prosper from our greedy notions of addictive behavior.
 
I liked the way Busse used to be, say 10-12 years ago. Call up, get Jerry himself on the phone, order your knife and get it in about a month or so. I liked the designs a lot better back then too. I have owned several of the original BM's, SH's, BA's and MS'es. They were excellent, reasonably priced tools.

The knives coming out now seem to be more collectors items that command high prices on the secondary, which is all cool by me. But they seem to have gotten away from the affordable working tools that most guys can afford. (I know Swamp Rat and Scrapyard are supposed to fill that niche, but they are hard to get as well, and the rubber type handles frankly are nowhere near as good as Micarta.)

I know as a company grows things change, and the business is obviously booming which is what a company should strive for. But I miss the old days.
 
If you were to bet your life on surviving with only one knife a Busse is the ticket. They are made to be rough rugged users but many collect them because of their excellent marketing and supply/demand program. Most never see fresh air after they are purchased.
 
Is there a difference between buying from the Busse website and the Company Store website?
 
The store will have a particular model after the shop has moved on to the next. This is your last chance to buy the knife at list price- when the store runs out, you'll be dependent on the secondary market for that knife. You usually get it faster from the company store as they are already in stock when you place your order.
 
Jerry still answers the phone when needs be. He picked up last year when the office staff was busy and entertained me until someone was available to take an order. People mention the customer service aspect of doing business with Busse and that experience was a pretty good example. Since then, I have tried to pick up the phone at my own office on a regular basis (I am a pediatrician) and I can hear the same surprise and appreciation on the other end of the line. All businesses grow, but only the good business owners stay in touch with their customers (2 years later, I am still waiting for my call-back from the Jeppesen CEO). I'm 99% sure that if I call Busse Combat tomorrow and ask to speak with Jerry that I could do so without a hassle. That's worth a fair premium nowadays. Also, if you read these forums, you will see that Jerry is an absolutely decent, honest, friendly guy -- I'll pay more just to do business with someone like him!

As far as durability goes, just read the forums. I am often in the position where I can only have one knife available, and I frequently choose to take a Busse. As far as designs go, I think - hope - that the Badgers I've ordered will be my favorite so far. Supposed to be here this week! And it didn't cost me more than any of the other similar high end knives out there. (Got a Chris Reeve One Piece that cost almost exactly the same amount).

That's all sort of rambling. But bottom line is that when I buy a Busse knife, I always enjoy myself and I never worry that I or a loved one will be let down by it in a bad situation.
 
For a hard use knife, they are hard to beat. Some knives are better "fighter" type blades with thinner cutting edges, but for a hard use fixed blade they are excellent.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top