Best Balance of the Basic line

S

Seth Thomas

Joined
Apr 5, 2001
Messages
583
I'm going to jump into Busse with a blade from the Basic line. As held in the hand for chopping, which basic model has the best felt balance?

Yours in Nuclear Novicedom,

Seth
 
If you want to chop, the basic 9 will out-chop any of the other basics, due to the longer (and heavier) blade, which gives it a blade heavy balance.

I've never used a basic 9, but my BM used to chop extremely well!!

James

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The beast we are, lest the beast we become.
 
When i saw your question, it prompted me to - what else? - get out my Bussies! So i tested for balance: #9s (i have two) balance just in front of the choil. So i don't even feel any weight "ahead" of my hand when my finger's in the choil: that's really nice. Of course, i won't CHOP with my finger there, but a little weight up-front is good to have while chopping.
i hear rumors that the balance on these 9's are SO good, you can throw them accurately, better than any other Busse knife. i don't know, i've only pretended to throw them! i've only chopped with one of them, it's wonderful...
the other i just keep to admire.
And hold. (What a comfortable handle!)
and watch the air bleed around me...
Ahhh...
So get a Niner already, Seth!
& Let your chopping joys begin!


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Clif :)
"Percival... I never knew how empty was my soul until it was filled."
Arthur the King upon sipping from the Grail.
 
The 9 is the best chopper, while I find the 7 to be a nice compromise for general and chopping use. The 5 fits most of my other needs, while the 3 fills in when carrying a bigger knife around would frighten the sheeple.

cj
 
The 9 is definately the best chopper, but will you be carrying another knife to do everything else with or will this knife have to do it all. Ifthe latter, you may want to balance the intended uses for the the knife against the pros and cons of such a large knife. Climber said it best. Just look at what you are going to be going with the knife, whether you are going to have another knife along and pick your Busse.

Most around here would probably say to get the 9 and a 3 and have both with you but also buy the 7 for when you only want one knife and then get the 5 to round out the set. What do these people know???
 
One sweet thing about the Basic #9 vs the Battle Mistress is that the #9, by merit of being thinner in the edge-to-spine dimension, has a **much** quicker feel in the hand to me. This probably also comes from the fact that the #9 is considerably lighter than the BM. (#9=14 oz, BM=about 20 oz) It would be interesting to test the actual balance point on both blades to see how they compare.

I think of the #9 as an incredibly tough survival blade with half the quickness of a tactical fighter. While the BM has that "more indestructible than a Sherman tank" feel about it, the extra heft of it is definitely noticable. If I had to choose a blade to swing all day, I'd probably be looking for the #9 over the BM. Plus, the Basic handles feel much more comfortable to my hands because I have short fingers.

It's also a question of what you're chopping. The BM has the edge (pun intended) when you want the inertial mass of the blade to do the work like in wood & other thick hard materials. The #9 would be preferable IMHO for smaller brush or green vegetation & other jobs where you'll be slicing through in a single whip stroke.

As the other Busse brethren recommended, go ahead and get the #9. Then try to hurt it.
wink.gif


Happy chopping,
Greg
 
Thanks Fellas,
I think Nimrod help to re-define my concept of 'balance'. So, it would seem even the best all-around Busse blade is somewhat of a compromise in performing all possible field tasks. Thus, the viable alternative, is to carry at least two. Say a 9 and a 3? Perhaps this is the best definition of Nuclear Balance. Base upon the enthusiasm I read in all your your posts, I doubt I'll come to own just one Busse knife. With thanks to the groups' commentaries, I'll start with the Basic 9.

Yours in Nuclear Dynamic Balance,

Seth
 
Balance ... schmallantz, get 'em all.

Seriously, though a big knife cannot to the work of a small knife well, it could suffice. OTOH, a small knife cannot do the job of a big knife at all!
 
Altho difficult to beat the #9 + #3 combo {one of my #9s always in my bag, #3 always on my person} & i just hardly can get over how comfortable those handles are, even after as much abuse as VAL, my #3 has been subjected to, i received something in the priority mail today that made me re-think my idea of never being able to have "only one Busse knife": The Steel Heart/Attack comes home... 'Woodsy' green quilted canvas micarta handle. This makes my 5th Busse in ~3 months. {A Steel Heart E in all ways, except Badger attack handle sized just right for my hand!) With its Aspect {angle derived from width of blade to thickness} being more acute than my #9s, it penetrates SO WELL. The weight is about even, maybe 2 ounces more in the Steel Heart, but its weight distribution seems to make up in chopping for its lack of length compared to the #9... i could be happy with this beauty in the ol' "only one knife" dept. Of course, Seth, this thread started with a discussion on Busse Basics, but i couldn't help mentioning the Steel Heart option...!
What you really need, is someone who has ALL the Busse line, that has actually used them all, to tell you which is the "balanced" one to have. Of course, even with all that experience, they'll probably tell you what Nimrod already said: "Balance, Schmalance!" (Do what i did) "Get'em all!" So go figure.
(Way to go, John!)
Fact is, we all like the Busse knife that's in our hand at the time that it performs like we desired it to! {Card reads: Now go back to square one until you collect'em all)
So just face it: Getting only one will satisfy only temporary cravings; getting two will cause the mind to wonder ~ what're the others like(?)~ There's no hope for a Busse-ite, until the next Busse!
[So, have you seen Mr. Mojo...? Oh, sorry, that's yet another thread...] And so it goes!
Yours also in Nuclear Dynamic Balance, (well said Seth, i like that)
Currently Contented Clif, doing "the new knife happy dance"

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Clif :)
"Percival... I never knew how empty was my soul until it was filled."
Arthur the King upon sipping from the Grail.
 
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