ASHBM - tang construction? Hollow, LB, or Solid?

DTOM 1776

DTOM 1776

Joined
Feb 7, 2008
Messages
856
My Googlefu is weak. I've not been able to find an answer to this question:

What is the tang construction under the scales of a ASHBM? Is it solid, light brigade "I Beam" or hollow?

Has Jerry, Garth or any of the Busse crew answered this? Has anyone removed their scales or x-rayed their knife?
 
I am pretty sure it is solid.....but someone with more knowledge should be along shortly to check me on this. After all, I am just a wee piglet still!;)
 
I thought it was partly hollow, with holes in the tang to reduce weight.
 
Garth Reckner said:
There are a series of holes that help reduce handle weight.

Garth
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Yes, it's a curious thing. Some years ago, Jerry wrote here that lightening holes in the tang of a chopper were a bad thing, as it caused increased vibration to the hand of the user. Later he created the interesting Light Brigade treatment of carving metal away to leave the I-beam profile. Yet, when the ASHBM came along, he chose to not use that LB process, but instead went with simple holes in the tang. :confused: We have asked, but Jerry has never explained this change of heart. :(
 
Well, I can speak from experience, there's no vibration from the holes in the tang. It feels rock solid when chopping and fast in the hand.
 
resinguy said:
Yes, it's a curious thing. Some years ago, Jerry wrote here that lightening holes in the tang of a chopper were a bad thing, as it caused increased vibration to the hand of the user. Later he created the interesting Light Brigade treatment of carving metal away to leave the I-beam profile. Yet, when the ASHBM came along, he chose to not use that LB process, but instead went with simple holes in the tang. :confused: We have asked, but Jerry has never explained this change of heart. :(
Click to expand...

Your old post commenting on that reminded me of the tang design, with the holes to reduce weight yet vibrations causing by doing such.
 
RobStanley said:
Well, I can speak from experience, there's no vibration from the holes in the tang. It feels rock solid when chopping and fast in the hand.
Click to expand...

My friend and I both had the opposite effect. We have larger hands and I believe that's why.
 
The reason I asked the question was two fold: the knife feels surprisingly light in the hand (similar to my TGLB) and an older thread wherein Resinguy brought up the article that he mentioned again here.

The ASHBM is the only BM I've owned, and the only large Busse(kin) that I have any real chopping experience with was a CG Dogfather. I've read several references to "Busse Pinky" so I guess I'm going to have to chop some with one of my ASHBMs to find out if I'm going to be one of the afflicted.
 
DTOM 1776 said:
The ASHBM is the only BM I've owned, and the only large Busse(kin) that I have any real chopping experience with was a CG Dogfather. I've read several references to "Busse Pinky" so I guess I'm going to have to chop some with one of my ASHBMs to find out if I'm going to be one of the afflicted.
Click to expand...

I've had Busse pinky with fusion handles and when I used jd4320t's ASHBM. My hands tend to slide when chopping and my pinky usually gets rubbed. But, I don't go out and chop like I used to. Your pinky does get used to it being rubbed, calluses form, and your hands get stronger. Like the first time you use a knife or tomahawk with sharp G-10 scales. The first couple times, it hurts, after that, your hands get used to it.
 
"Busse pinky" is a problem related to handle shape/design, and the users interaction with that handle. It is independent of the design of the tang, holes or no holes. Busse pinky is most associated with the original SH knives, especially the 1st gen Battle Mistress. Jerry and Garth have said that they worked quite a bit on the handle design of the new Anni SHBM to eliminate the problem. Most reports here on that score have been positive.
 
Thanks for the additional info. M67's comment about getting Bussy Pinky with a Fusion is the only one I've read (but I have read a few posts where you've commented on it). Everyone else relates their experiences with a SH (esp. the early SH as mentioned by Resinguy). I have a couple of NMFSH and a couple of ASHBM, but haven't actually used either yet. The NMFSH handle feels HUGE in my hand, but the ASHBM feels about right. I guess I'm going to have to just use one of each to see what I like better. From holding them in Fort Living Room, it would seem to me that the NMFSH would be much less comfortable, but this is mainly due to the size and my feeling that I might not have good control with it. The ASHBM feels better, but seems a little loose around the pinky area.

From just fondling my various knives, I think a scaled down Fusion handle would feel best to me.

I wear a size large glove, but my fingers aren't long enough to reach the end. I guess I have wide palms and shortish fingers.
 
I googled "hand size" and found a website that stated an average male hand is:

3.3" across the palm and 7.44" from wrist to middle finger tip.

My hand measured 3.8" across the palm and 7.25" from wrist to middle finger tip.

This is probably why I feel the NMFSH handle is large - my fingers are shorter than average so its greater circumference makes it difficult for me to securely grasp.
 
I'm a little concerned about using these knives and finding neither to be comfortable. I've not had an opportunity to handle the other Mistresses. Is there a Mistress that has a handle size that falls between the NMFSH and ASHBM?
 
DTOM 1776 said:
I googled "hand size" and found a website that stated an average male hand is:

3.3" across the palm and 7.44" from wrist to middle finger tip.
Click to expand...

I'm sure like many national "averages"....they understate the true size of things so when people are larger than stated average, they feel better about themselves.

It's like South Park and the TMI equation





:)
 
I always question the age of the data used to calculate "averages". People seem to be getting larger.
 
Hmm. I wear a xxl glove and my hand measures 4.25 across the palm and 7.5 to the tip of my middle finger. NMFSH feels fine in the hand chopping. Haven't handled a mistress of any type tho. I can compair it directly to the browning comp cutter tho which feels smaller and gives me pinkie rub. My hands are not overly long, just chunky like a cinder block.
 
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