Best chopper.

Did they ever release a NMFBM without the meltdown treatment?

I'd be all over that.
 
Of the three I still have a CGFBM and a FFBM. I like the CGFBM the best for all around work. However, the FFBM and the NMFBM are fun and have their own strengths. I feel you can still chop vegetables, cut meat, chop wood, split wood, make shavings, dig, and defend with it. The NMFBM seemed too long for my likes. The FFBM is a beast, but she wears me out. May want to wait and buy the Bushwacker Mistress when she is released. Just my humble opinion on these rockin knives.
 
rutmi01 said:
Of the three I still have a CGFBM and a FFBM. I like the CGFBM the best for all around work. ...
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I notice Noss kept his CG FBM also, along with the NMFBM—only sold the FFBM.

This takes me back to when I first tried a SHBM and a Basic 9 side-by-side. I found the Basic could do anything the BM could do and do it more comfortably with its Res-C handles. I later got a BM-E, but found the balance even lighter in the blade than the SHBM, and it didn’t chop as well for me personally as the B9. Then I got a CG FBM and liked the handle design for comfort better than the other BM’s, but it still didn’t make a better chopper for me than the B9—of course, I realize everyone has his own chopping style, grip preferences, etc. The FFBM was the first knife that had enough forward weight in the blade to make a significant difference to me over the B9 in chopping power, and the NMFBM was an even more refined heavy chopper than the FFBM, with its comparable weight, longer blade for more momentum and thinner blade for deeper bites.

I say “heavy chopper” because, as was pointed out recently in another thread, these heavy blades can’t begin to keep up with a machete on light brush. Even a B9 can’t match a machete with speed cuts on light brush under ½” diameter. The faster, thinner machete blade will take out free-standing light stuff with a speed cut, but the thicker B9 will just push that stuff out of the way or dent it back—not enough resistance to stand up to penetration by the thicker blade. By the same token, as you get into the heavier blades like the FFBM and NMFBM, you gain great utility on larger and larger diameter limbs/trunks, but you give up efficiency on the small end. A B9 will out-chop an NMFBM or FFBM on stuff under 3” if you’re doing quite a bit of work, because you can still take out a 3” sapling or take off a 2-3” limb with the B9 in a couple of strokes. Even though the heavier blades will do one or two small limbs quicker, if you use these heavy blades for an extended period they will wear you out a lot more than the B9. Cobalt has mentioned this about collecting firewood, saying the SHBM is his favorite because anything bigger isn’t as energy-efficient. I agree in principle, but feel the B9 is even a little more efficient than the SHBM—just personal preference.

The thing I find interesting about the Bushwhacker Mistress is that it has a thinner blade than either the SHBM or the B9, @ 3/16”, but obviously the blade is also fairly broad (wide)—wider than a B9 and I think wider than a SHBM. I’m wondering if it will end up offering a significant weight or balance advantage over the SHBM or the B9 for this reason, or if it will end up being basically another member of the same class.

As so many others have said, I’d still like to see the Bushwhacker idea carried into a little longer blade, in the 12-14” range, with a thickness down around .15” or so. Until this happens, I don’t see a lot in the way of of geometry that hasn’t already been tried in terms of its effect on chopping efficiency. Maybe Jerry has already tested longer, thinner blades and has found some reason not to produce them—I don’t know. Obviously, customers have been clamoring for them for many years.

A lot of people seem to like their AK’s and Ruck’s as “brush whackers”, so at first blush I don’t see why a wide, thin, longer blade wouldn’t work well, but maybe there are leverage issues that come into play with a wider blade in terms of standing up to lateral loads, etc. that don’t present as problems in these narrower, sword-type blades.
 
The FFBM is a monster chopper. And what it does not chop it busts in half. But so is the FBM. I see that many feel the NMFBM is the best chopper of the 3. I simply do not believe this. And I never will until I try one out myself. Call me a "Doubting Thomas" if you will.

Soooooooooooooooo.... If anyone wants to send one my way to prove me wrong I am game. :p;)

:D
 
OK, it's been a while since I've posted but feel I have some good experience on BM users, so here goes. I currently have BM-E, CGFBM, FFBM, FBMLE, CGNMFBM, and NMFBMLE. They are all users and I regularly baton and beat the living crap out of them. I did have the special edition '07? FBM at one time but sold them because I prefer micarta over the G-10 slabs and it felt pretty identical to the FFBMs. It's hard to say which is my favorite because I use them all, but the NMFBMLE is the heaviest chopper of them all. Followed closely by the CGNMFBM and FFBM. Now as far as well balanced do all knife , I would say the FBMLE or the CGFBM is where its at. I think the FBMLE is very well balanced for such a thick blade and the CGFBM also just feels geat. But for pure chopping power, nothing comes out ahead of the NMFBMLE for me, except probably the KZ, which I don't have but would guess by the size and shape, but nevertheless the KZ is not a BM. Now, I must say my CGNMFBM is thinner and a bit lighter than the NMFBMLE, and can hold its own, but nothing beats a satin blade for pure, non-binding, non-sticking, easiest to clean chopper. Of all my blades, the satin ones don't stick near as much or are much easier to get out of a bind when beating through hardwood. That being said, I really like the looks of my well worn CG coated blades too, but it definitely takes much longer to clean off the stuck wood bits embedded into the coating. So between the CGNMFBM and NMFBMLE, my favorite is the LE. I kinda rank the FBMLE right in the middle of the CGFBM and FFBM. Something else to note when I beat them all deep into a stump the lateral stiffness of each is different. The stiffest or the ones that bend/flex the least are the NMFBMLE then the FFBM/CGNMFBM seem about the same. I do notice the edge on the CGNMFBM is much thinner and easier to ding than all the rest, something worth noting. So there ya go, just my thoughts and no I've never used or even held a SHBM. ;)

edit to add: I do have a couple of AKs for brush wacking, but the $3 machete I got in Central America is easier and used more, but the AK is just freaking fun to whack into whatever
 
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Will York and TheButcher, great writes and reads guys!!!
Had all but with the medical bills the heard is down to ZT-BM, CGNMFBM, FBM-LE, & 2007-SE.

One at .1875, .250, .270, and .320" Just depends on the mood and what I'm wacking at what comes out to play. Love them all! If I truly had to pick one to go out the door with, I think I still reach for the FBM-LE, I just feel good with this knife and it's a bush hog.
 
Yeh Russ, I agree the FBMLE kinda gives you that right in the middle of all of 'em feel. I really need to thin the herd a bit also, but it is so hard to pick which ones to let go of. Another thing is that the BM-E is not really even in the same league as the fusion BMs, it's way lighter and to me doesn't have near the depth of bite as the fusions. Personally, I still love the FFBM and don't see myself ever letting that one go and the reason is I love that heavy, stiff saber grind. When it came out, I already had the FBMLE and at first use of the FFBM, I thought it was the toughest feeling blade on the planet and still think that. I always thought about grinding the spine flat to better balance the FFBM and still keep that super tough saber grind with plenty of meat behind the edge.
 
WILL YORK said:
I like the NMFBM best as a pure chopper. Weighs about the same as an FFBM but has a little more length, so develops a little more momentum, and with the slimmer blade bites deeper.

Personally, I thought it was interesting that after d-testing the FFBM, Noss so loved the blade that he bought another for his personal use. He later got a NMFBM and liked it so much better as a chopper that he subsequently sold his personal FFBM. Interesting to me because he's pushed the FFBM harder than anyone else I know.
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Noss uses the CGFBM more than any of them, it's his field blade. :)
 
Iboschi said:
230, now that you've had two of the three, you should revisit this yourself :D
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The FFBM performed JUST like you'd expect it to. It was big, it was heavy, it was clumsy. It didn't handle like a knife, it didn't handle like an axe, it was just... an FFBM. On smaller sections, like saplings or branches/brush, it didn't perform well at all, to be honest, a cheap machete i'd taken my sander to did better. On anything slightly bigger it excelled, but it wasn't very comfortable to use. I don't know what it is I didn't fall in love with. At first I was awe struck by it, and raved about it.. but after some more use it just felt awkward. The only thing it was good at was chopping hard wood and batoning. I will say, the knife was built like a freaking tank. If it was the end of the world, this would be the knife i'd bring.

The NMFBM.. totally different ball game. Feels just as heavy as the FFBM, but with a longer blade and thinner. After a quick treatment on my sander it was taking VERY deep bites into wood. I can take down branches/saplings with a single blow. It could very well function as a machete if needed if you have the strength. Because of the longer length, it batons like an absolute champ. I will say MAYBE not as good as the FFBM because it's a little thinner, but on anything remotely larger it functions better. The FFBM simply blows apart wood when batoning.

I took it out and chopped down a very dead/very hard/very frozen thick birch tree. It took all I had to get it down, it worked quite well, but on something THIS size, I think the FFBM may have performed better. Fortunately, I would never ever need to remove a tree this large with a knife, except for fun/testing. On anything normal size, that would be used for shelter building, firewood etc... it blows the FFBM out of the water. I truly believe it's only advantage would be on something redwood size, and even then it would be minuscule. I love this knife, truly. I wouldn't trade it for anything, it's my new workhorse and can even perform more delicate tasks you wouldn't think. I'm either going to strip it and put a full convex on it myself or send it off to norcalblacktail and have him do it and make it look pretty.

My only other comment is that, I couldn't break the FFBM, not with body power. I would break before it would if I were prying something that wouldn't move. I don't think it would be easy, but I think if I really really really tried, I could snap the NMFBM. Not under normal use, or hard use, or ridiculously hard use, but I think if I set out to destroy it and put it in a vice, I could. I guess that's the price you pay for not being a 6 inch thick splitting maul.

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Nice review 230 so the FFBM is your end of the world chopper, but the NMFBM is your go to favorite. Did you get rid of your other Mistress's and are just keeping these two. Kind'a at two different ends of the spectrum I guess keeping all bases covered. I noticed you did'nt include the CGFBM. I just have a FBMLE at the present but thinking about a CGFBM.
 
If you've no experience and you've just picked up all three then the CGFBM is easiest to use followed closely by the FFBM and the NMFBM. Once you get to know each blade it's very close between the NMFBM and the FFBM but I would say the NMFBM requires slightly less energy to use so it becomes the best at chopping.

Now if you put the Bushwacker in there I reckon it goes:
1st: NMFBM
2nd: FFBM
3rd: CGFBM
4th: Bushwacker

This is purely in chopping power though. I still think of the CGFBM as a very good all rounder. I have mid-sized blades like the HR, ASH-1, SFNO and NMSFNO but I always end up just using the CGFBM.

(Must remember to put the SAR8 up against the rest to see if I change my carry options)
 
d762nato said:
Nice review 230 so the FFBM is your end of the world chopper, but the NMFBM is your go to favorite. Did you get rid of your other Mistress's and are just keeping these two. Kind'a at two different ends of the spectrum I guess keeping all bases covered. I noticed you did'nt include the CGFBM. I just have a FBMLE at the present but thinking about a CGFBM.
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I sold the FFBM, but i'm almost regretting it because of it's sheer destructive potential. I just had no use for it with the NMFBM. I'm thinking I may buy a SHBM and a Bushwacker though for a different option.

I've got a Comp Sarsquatch in my mail right now, which I think will make an AMAZING trail/camp knife.
 
It would be interesting to know everyones height and weight as well as their choice chopper.
 
I have an FFBM coming and own a CGFBM and BWM so I can do something here soon. ;)

I won't use the CGFBM (Safe Queen now replaced by the FFBM), so the comparison will be between the FFBM and the BWM. :)

Since the CGFBM and FFBM are fairly close in weight and chopping ability it should be a pretty good comparison.

5'10" 190 here
 
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The NMFBM rules for this 6'3" 260 er as a user

I have a FFBM, NMFBM, FBMLE, and NMFBMLE, for comparative purposes in case you are wondering

Still waiting on the BWM, and that will be a different thread.

The point is there are different flavors for different savers
 
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