Best Jungle knife - How much?

RoyalM · Mar 22, 2009

Has anyone mentioned using a RUCK as a jungle knife rather than a BM? Should be light enough and still sturdy enough to chop reasonable sized wood.

1Tracker · Mar 22, 2009

Ruck, AK, I'm with you on these as swingin' choppin' machines; but they lack blade width for the mass behind the swing for larger tasks. Ok, all you Ruck and AK owners prove me wrong!

Z51 · Mar 22, 2009

Horton_Knives said:
I thought I had the ultimate Busse Jungle Knife,,, my SHBM Jungle assault, stupid light stupid sharp, conversion,,

Awesome review/opinion thread

+1 :thumbup:

Z51 · Mar 22, 2009

1Tracker said:
Ruck, AK, I'm with you on these as swingin' choppin' machines; but they lack blade width for the mass behind the swing for larger tasks. Ok, all you Ruck and AK owners prove me wrong!

When it comes to fightin' overgrown pythons and boa constrictors, Tarzan-style hand to hand (so to speak), the BM's would be way better than the AK or Ruck.

Horn Dog · Mar 22, 2009

Cpl Punishment said:
Before modding your knife, you might want to try carrying it on a baldric. I find I can carry quite a heavy blade that way and not notice the weight nearly as much.

It isn't so much about carrying the heavy knife as using it. Heavy blades tend to be slow in the hand and better suited to chopping than slashing through vegetation. You need velocity to do machete type slashing. I used my original DF to cut my way through thick vegetation at the edge of a swamp. It was very tiring. The lighter DFLE worked much better. A machete works best of all.

1Tracker · Mar 22, 2009

Thanks for that post Horn Dog spoken like someone who has done the work with knives in hand. I see your point about velocity being a better friend in hand than mass when doing machete type work vs chopping.

Alex p. Schorsc · Mar 22, 2009

I still think the Battle Mistress is the best.You don't need to cut your way through the forest all the time. Nowadays you use a GPS so you don't have to "blaze" a trail so as not to get lost like in the old days. On treks one has to occasionly chop through some nasty stuff and clear a small area for sleeping. Hack down an occasional sapling for camp instalation. Split some bamboo, split some firewood. I'm not into slashing a swath of jungle as I walk. That's for people who are opening up roads or recreational paths. I prefer squeezing myself through and using some good boots more than a machete. I'm fine with a shorter and heavier knife insted of a machete. The Busse is like an "officer's" knife. The machete is more of a tool for the long haul and clearing brush. When moving fast through the jungle you don't need to clear a lot of bush. That also destroys a lot of stuff which you should preserve for the next people who come through. The only thing is is that the actual Mistress is a bit on the heavy side. As another forumite said, it's so heavy it keeps pulling your pants down. I know it seems smarter to buy a $10 machete than to use a $600 knife, but hell, this is a Busse forum, if we're here it's because we want the best knife, not just any old knife. Anyhoot it's much more fun to use your $600 knife than to keep it in a safe. Hell, you can have a $2,000 camera or a $1,000 gun or a $400 tripod, why can't you have a $500 knife as well?

Lil' Foo · Mar 22, 2009

Alex p. Schorsc said:
I still think the Battle Mistress is the best.You don't need to cut your way through the forest all the time. Nowadays you use a GPS so you don't have to "blaze" a trail so as not to get lost like in the old days. On treks one has to occasionly chop through some nasty stuff and clear a small area for sleeping. Hack down an occasional sapling for camp instalation. Split some bamboo, split some firewood. I'm not into slashing a swath of jungle as I walk. That's for people who are opening up roads or recreational paths. I prefer squeezing myself through and using some good boots more than a machete. I'm fine with a shorter and heavier knife insted of a machete. The Busse is like an "officer's" knife. The machete is more of a tool for the long haul and clearing brush. When moving fast through the jungle you don't need to clear a lot of bush. That also destroys a lot of stuff which you should preserve for the next people who come through. The only thing is is that the actual Mistress is a bit on the heavy side. As another forumite said, it's so heavy it keeps pulling your pants down. I know it seems smarter to buy a $10 machete than to use a $600 knife, but hell, this is a Busse forum, if we're here it's because we want the best knife, not just any old knife. Anyhoot it's much more fun to use your $600 knife than to keep it in a safe. Hell, you can have a $2,000 camera or a $1,000 gun or a $400 tripod, why can't you have a $500 knife as well?

Well put... +1. :thumbup:

And valid point in bold above... I like the way you think.

:thumbup:

.

RVO3VOM · Mar 22, 2009

1Tracker said:
Ruck, AK, I'm with you on these as swingin' choppin' machines; but they lack blade width for the mass behind the swing for larger tasks. Ok, all you Ruck and AK owners prove me wrong!

The willows fear the RUCK and AK!

One-handed swings will go right through anything up to the width of the blade, or a bit thicker. The branch below needed two swings with the AK. The AK has better reach and more mass, but I prefer the RUCK. It's a bit more carry friendly. This would probably be a plus in the jungle. Tall grasses and light brush are almost too easy with these two.
The only issue I've run into is that the thin scales on the RUCK, along with the lack of a wider/flared pommel, allow it to slip out of your grip if your not careful. Can't change the latter, but I've got someone working on the former issue and should have it done in just under TWO WEEKS.

∞

Alex p. Schorsc · Mar 22, 2009

By the way, there is a SHBM Jungle assault up for sale on *bay this very minute. They are expensive.

1Tracker · Mar 22, 2009

Nice use of the Ruck & Ak! ALL my knives are USERS. I buy what I like and then carry them in rotation or depending upon where I'm headed. Next time I drive through Northfield I'm going to ring you up and go chop something!

Alex p. Schorsc · Mar 23, 2009

As far as what RVO3VOM said: "The only issue I've run into is that the thin scales on the RUCK, along with the lack of a wider/flared pommel, allow it to slip out of your grip if your not careful."

A good trick so that a knife or machete doesn't fly out of your hand is to make a "mini lanyard'. Just make a loop like the Chris Reeve style (hangman's knot) slip knot. This lanyard is to be used only with the pinky finger just like a Karambit ring. It's very easy to slip in and out of and you can just let the knife hang loosely in your hand. Once you try it you will see it's one of the best (and cheapest) carry assistants in the world. A large lanyard around your wrist normally requires two hands to desengage from whereas the mini-lanyard easily is desengaged with one hand.A large lanyard always gets hung up on all sorts of things in the bush. It is a constant PITA. This is one of the great uses for the drilled hole in the handle of all Busses. My two sense.

Lil' Foo · Mar 23, 2009

Alex p. Schorsc said:
As far as what RVO3VOM said: "The only issue I've run into is that the thin scales on the RUCK, along with the lack of a wider/flared pommel, allow it to slip out of your grip if your not careful."

A good trick so that a knife or machete doesn't fly out of your hand is to make a "mini lanyard'. Just make a loop like the Chris Reeve style (hangman's knot) slip knot. This lanyard is to be used only with the pinky finger just like a Karambit ring. It's very easy to slip in and out of and you can just let the knife hang loosely in your hand. Once you try it you will see it's one of the best (and cheapest) carry assistants in the world. A large lanyard around your wrist normally requires two hands to desengage from whereas the mini-lanyard easily is desengaged with one hand.A large lanyard always gets hung up on all sorts of things in the bush. It is a constant PITA. My two sense.

Sometimes I use the pinky loop on my smaller knives.
Works quite well on those... I'll have to check it out on a Ruck / AK.

And for a good non-snagging, one handed lanyard, check this out.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=395370

Good post by RokJok. :thumbup:

.

pbubsy · Mar 23, 2009

I'd likely carry my SHSJ, a Ontario machete and a small Sebeza......though if I could take only one blade it would be my SHBM.