Battle mistress info needed

Blade Runner 7

Blade Runner 7

Joined
Oct 26, 2010
Messages
3,275
Hello all. So I got this mistress recently. Just wanted to see if anyone has any info on it. The issues I have are the hollow tubes and the look of the black micarta scales. So the blade seems to be an original Battle Mistress. I have seen some pics of those with hollow tubes. I assume that would be later versions. But the scales look more like the black micarta they use today instead of the old type. Does anyone know if this is original hardware or if something has been replaced? The blade comes in at .257" tall (thick). It has dimples but no Busse logo. I was told it was stripped but I don't see any remnants of coating anywhere or a ghost logo. I doubt it was stripped. Maybe the blade was just sanded. Anyways thanks in advance.


ETA sorry for the poor picture quality. It's a cell phone pic taken in low light. I can get a better pic later. Also want to add it had a sheath with it that I was told was original. I remember reading that older factory sheaths were Eagle brand or something.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1421390662.567227.jpg
 
If they are canvas then they were likely replaced, can't tell for certain by the pic but they look it, maybe even hand shaped? Pretty sure all the original SHBMS used black paper???. No less it looks bad to the bone. Gratz!
 
From what I've seen, early versions of the SHBM had models that were and weren't coated and there were some that were sterile while others had the logo on the spine. Handles on the early ones were canvas micarta, but they had a different feel than today's canvas. I know little about the whole smooth bolt/slotted bolt/hollow rivet timeline so someone else will need to fill you in on that.
 
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I have one of the first 100 BM ever made. They had canvas micarta scales and the blade was a flat black coating. The sheaths on the EARLY one were a green kydex with a drop leg attachment. The bolts were slotted. The LE models were a satin finish.
My .02

Bob
 
Hard to tell for sure. We have had lots of them at the shop over the years to get cleaned up, stripped, recoated or satin finished, new handles, etc. With all the variations from the early days combined with modifications it is getting really tricky to give a definitive answer.

All that being said, CONGRATS. In any configuration, it is a great score.

Garth
 
Here are some thoughts about SHBMs and your knife:
- The original SHBMs did not have a logo on the blade.
- The presence of dimples says to me the original coating was removed; I don't believe an SHBM LE with a factory satin finish would have had dimples showing.
- If the coating removal was done at the factory, the handles might have been replaced.
Post a clearer photo of the handle and one of the sheath; this will help us answer your questions. Enjoy that fine knife!
 
I had a factory satin with tube fasteners, I can't tell from your picture but are the handles smooth?

Mine had grooved handles

Edited to add. The factory satin had dimples, I think only presentation grade may have been dimple free.
 
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Thanks everyone! Yes they are smooth black micarta. That's what throws me. From all the pics of originals, the micarta had a brown look to it along with the grooves. The blade with dimples really looks like the comp finish. I have had a few comp finish blades and I have also stripped a few blades. The only way I can imagine it was stripped is if it was sandblasted with the handles off. I'll get some better pics soon. My computer is giving my trouble so I'm having to do this on my phone.
 
Obviously a fake, send it to me and I'll up it with the rest of the fakes I have....
 
al g blenny said:
Hello all. So I got this mistress recently. Just wanted to see if anyone has any info on it. The issues I have are the hollow tubes and the look of the black micarta scales. So the blade seems to be an original Battle Mistress. I have seen some pics of those with hollow tubes. I assume that would be later versions. But the scales look more like the black micarta they use today instead of the old type. Does anyone know if this is original hardware or if something has been replaced? The blade comes in at .257" tall (thick). It has dimples but no Busse logo. I was told it was stripped but I don't see any remnants of coating anywhere or a ghost logo. I doubt it was stripped. Maybe the blade was just sanded. Anyways thanks in advance.


ETA sorry for the poor picture quality. It's a cell phone pic taken in low light. I can get a better pic later. Also want to add it had a sheath with it that I was told was original. I remember reading that older factory sheaths were Eagle brand or something.
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The old ones did not use paper micarta they used canvas micarta, so if yours is paper micarta and has that jet black look to it, it may have been redone. From the pic, the scales don't look like paper micarta but the pic is terrible so not sure.

The original line did not have logos, except for the LE's and some LE's did not have logos either.

Also, the only satins that did not have dimples above the ricaso were the LE's or customs done at the time, which is what the LE's were. The fact that yours is near 0.25" places it in the 1999 near end of production run period. Most of the first ones made in 1998 were between 0.27 and .29". The first ones had more of a convex profile to the blade than flat ground profile, the 1/300 series were flat ground because they were not the first ones. The first ones were hand ground, vs machine grinding towards the end of the production run hence why the blade profile was different. So your Satin may not be a stripped one it may indeed be an original Satin. Unfortunately your pictures are not good enough for me to be able to tell. Having said all that, I had a 1 of 6 that was 0.25", so all this is not perfect knowledge.

also, it may be an early one that was sent in to be refinished. If so, it may have started off being thicker. The original smooth finish was much tougher and a bear to remove.

Post some better pics, and I can tell you much more. This looks like one made middle to end of the original run.
 
COBALT,
Holy Cow. Nice to see you back around these parts Bro.

Listen up boys, if there is anyone who knows about Battle Mistress blades it is this guy.

Garth
 
Garth Reckner said:
COBALT,
Holy Cow. Nice to see you back around these parts Bro.

Listen up boys, if there is anyone who knows about Battle Mistress blades it is this guy.

Garth
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Garth, lol. Been out a lot. Way to busy. if I can make Blade I am going to try this year. It would be cool to see everyone.
D
 
WOW! Thanks Cobalt!! Here are some better pics finally. Sorry it took so long. My laptop has been giving me problems and I was just waiting to get a new one.

One thing I notice that's interesting is the talon and pommel hole cutouts. They aren't smooth at all like modern Busse knives. They are pretty choppy on the edges. They almost look like there is a octagonal pattern to them. If you look really close you see it's a series of straight cuts that form the circle rather than a perfect circle.

You can see the scales don't have that brown look that most of the old ones have. I have seen some pics of SHBMs with this color scale but they still have grooves on them. I have seen ones without grooves but no hollow tube fasteners. I just can't find a pic of an original SHBM with grey smooth scales and hollow tubes. That's why I'm thinking they were swapped out at some point. There was a guy selling one similar to this recently on the exchange and his scales had been replaced. This isn't that one though so figured I would ask.

Thanks for the help! I agree it's a pretty awesome blade. I've had a few other Battle Mistress models (FBM LE, FFFBM, BME, NMFBM,) and this one is probably the most useable. BME was close. The others are fun to chop with but this model being thinner and lighter is a much more practical blade.

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al g blenny said:
WOW! Thanks Cobalt!! Here are some better pics finally. Sorry it took so long. My laptop has been giving me problems and I was just waiting to get a new one.

One thing I notice that's interesting is the talon and pommel hole cutouts. They aren't smooth at all like modern Busse knives. They are pretty choppy on the edges. They almost look like there is a octagonal pattern to them. If you look really close you see it's a series of straight cuts that form the circle rather than a perfect circle.

You can see the scales don't have that brown look that most of the old ones have. I have seen some pics of SHBMs with this color scale but they still have grooves on them. I have seen ones without grooves but no hollow tube fasteners. I just can't find a pic of an original SHBM with grey smooth scales and hollow tubes. That's why I'm thinking they were swapped out at some point. There was a guy selling one similar to this recently on the exchange and his scales had been replaced. This isn't that one though so figured I would ask.

Thanks for the help! I agree it's a pretty awesome blade. I've had a few other Battle Mistress models (FBM LE, FFFBM, BME, NMFBM,) and this one is probably the most useable. BME was close. The others are fun to chop with but this model being thinner and lighter is a much more practical blade.

16377915455_65de3b6e2a_b.jpg

16376196501_45919e2a05_b.jpg

16190533620_e16600d91f_b.jpg

16192033247_708cfe4149_b.jpg

16351939696_765900fcf5_b.jpg

16351933516_735fb3a855_b.jpg

15757919343_603aecd4ed_b.jpg

16191697839_f1da8154f1_b.jpg
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Alright, I would like some shots of the spine and angled closeup shots near the tip of the blade(last 2.5 inches of the blade). Also measure the thickness at the base of the spine near the ricasso. This will give me more data. What you have there is an original slotted bolt, coated, smooth handled blade made in 1998. Earlier than later, maybe. At some point it was either sent in to Busse for Satinizing possibly or resharpening or it may have been done by another knife customizer, hollow tubes were fitted. Fairly common practice to change out slotted bolts. I have one that was done like that as well. Yours had the std grade refinishing while mine had the LE grade refinishing, where all dimples were removed. The micarta slabs are original and those were only specifically done in the first year of production. Canvas micarta not paper.
 
I think Cobalt's wrong... it's a bad knockoff... best send it to me and I'll send you a real Busse blade in return (unlike Gravelface who wasn't going to give you anything at all for it).:D:D:D
 
Stump Buster said:
I think Cobalt's wrong... it's a bad knockoff... best send it to me and I'll send you a real Busse blade in return (unlike Gravelface who wasn't going to give you anything at all for it).:D:D:D
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Some of you folks are so generous! ;):D

Cobalt,
Thanks for your input; it's good to see you around here again! I have seen a lot of Busses in the last 13 years, but the SHBM is still one of my favorites.
 
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