badger comparisons?

i now own a straight handled badger attack - and yes. it is perfection.

there are niggles - but the core design is fatastic....

im kind of used to a thumb ramp, but the raised finger section of the handle gives enough backward traction to make up for it, and MAN... i forgot just how thick a 1/4" handle tang looks like.... HUUGE.

but to be honest, if i someone asked me for a midsized knife to do everything, and they didn't no anything about knives, id give them the swamp rat howling rat. all things considered, i think its a better daily use knife. virtually indestructable in the handes, grippy handle, great 3rd gen badger blade shape, and cheap.

but i cant argue with the shba. i do notice however that the tip is assymetrically ground, but everything past the inch of the tip is not? was this factory standard?/is the purpose to give the tip a higher level of strength?

i'll try to post a pic compareing the badger to the howler when i get home....

great stuff....
 
BADGER VS. HOWLER!!!

interesting comparison... for whatever reason, carry both of these feels more right then carrying the howler and active duty/active duty and an assault shaker... maybe im just more in tune with larger blades.

everyone is intrigued by the crinkle coating on the howler. im so used to it, i never give it a second thought, but it is a rare breed of coating, same with the desert/jungle... no one gives a second glance at the badgers smooth coat.

also, everyone looks at the badger and goes "yep. thats a knife." where as when they see the howler there is always a different comment on one aspect of it or another, the handle, the handle material, the blade shape, the feel in the hand, the coating...

interesting stuff.
 

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Let us not forget the Basic #3.
I have had a few Straight handled Badgers,(I have 5 now)
I have one E model Badger.
My Basic#3 has seen more use than all the others put together.
People used to compare the Basic#5 to the Badger.
I can carry pretty much any small knife made by man or woman on this planet
The #3 does it for me just fine.
The hunt continues for a better one.
Good hunting,
 
i dont know why the little amount of blade extra between the badger attack and the active duty makes so much diffence to me, but having that little extra slice room feels like a vast improvement (for what i wanted)...

this knife fits every single one of my criteria for a good knife.
must have: solid handle that wont degrade/fail (or, must be easily replaced/refabricated)
ergonomic handle, but one that will allow for varied holds, and wont grate on the hand
small choil/no choil
at least 3 1/2" of edge
have the ability to pry, wich means saber grind if its a moderately thin knife, or full grind if its thick enough
must be made of a strong steel.

this knife feels like... i dont know... the ultimate knife? something like that...

id like to handle a 6" and 8" pure bred fighter one of these days... most of the reponses ive gotten about them were that other blades are better for daily chores, satin jack and badger being the two main choices... but id still like to see for myself
 
SethMurdoc said:
whats the purpose of grinding off the coating on the spine and handle?
Click to expand...

Not sure about the spine, but for the handle it makes for a smoother grip. Flushing the edge of the micarta to the steel. I have some where the grip only is polished and others where the grip and spine are polished.

Nice looking SHBA. I thought I had one with the tube fasteners, but can't seem to locate it right off the bat. It may be lurking in the safe somewhere. The 1/4" has slotted fasteners. The 5/16" that I believe is INFI has smooth and the other 5/16" that I know is A2 also has smooth fasteners. Hope none come up for sale cause it is the one Busse that really gets my juices flowing and I'm broke. Sad to say, that wouldn't stop me.

Hi Andre!

Glad to see you back. Good take on the Basic 3. Had one and let it go. Just a dab too small for my taste at the time. I did keep a Basic 5 and think it is the handiest of the Basics. I really don't see much of a comparison between it and the SHBA though other than the blade size. That may just be me. As time goes on I find I use my smaller Busses more and more. Say 5" on down. The simple facts of trying to carry concealed. The SHBA and the Basic 5 is about as large as I can go, comfortably. Even the BA-E with it's slightly larger size and handle is not as comfortable, nor does it conceal as well, even though it has the same rig as the SHBA.

I may give the Basic 3 another look-see now that I'm leaning toward the smaller blades. Not going to get rid of my SHBM's, SHSH's or my Uncle, they just don't get to come out and play very much.

Rob
 
how do you think the micarta would take to sanding? specifically - bringing it down to a 200 grit or so, roughing it up for better grip....
 
60 grit gives a very grippy surface, but changes the visual flow of the Badger.

Asthetics for the hand rather than for the eye, so to speak.
 
SethMurdoc - I wouldn't mess with the smooth micarta on the SHBA. It might not feel grippy, but it is better than you think. I learned this from using my Doziers, which usually have smooth Micarta handles. Try this - get the SHBA wet or coat it in blood (not your own) and see how it feels compared to another knife you think should be grippier. I think you will be surprised. Grooves in the handle scales can actually hold grease and other slippery substances and make a handle much more slippery than when dry. The best thing to do is try out handles covered in different substances until you know how it behaves in a variety of situations.
 
Another vote for not putzing with the grips. The way I carry mine, the grips are very tightly tucked into my skin and this is why I like the smooth grips so much. I'd say carry it a bit before doing anything like that. At the most, perhaps a bead blast on the grips will 'sticky' them up enough for you, or perhaps some skateboard tape if you're hardcore, but hold off on doing anything that can't easily be undone. JMO

Rob
 
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