BUSSE AND STRIDER; 2 great names -- have a favorite?

fracmeister

fracmeister

Petroleum Engineer
Joined
May 26, 1999
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And who else belongs in that group. Hope this doesn't turn into some flame a thon.... just wanted to hear peoples thought on the pros and cons of each.... I love em both.
 
I would personally vote for Strider. I back this opinion with two valid reasons.

1) I have found the edge geometry to be superior on Strider knives. This is especially true on the newer flat grind models. Along with the geometry, I think the heat treat can't be beat. Paul Bos is extremely reputible, and I think this really shines when using a Strider knife.

2) Overall design. I do give Busse kudos in this area, but my eye just likes the Strider lines a bit more. Included is choice of bevels. The traditional double bevel that Strider uses is much easier to maintain, IMHO, than the asymetrical bevel of a Busse.

This is my two cents worth, and all of the aforementioned is based solely on my opinion. Plus, you got to love those tiger stripes!
 
They're both phenominal. Personal opinion is the only deciding factor. I just sold my Strider which was hard to do, but I just didn't need 2 great fixed blades and a Busse that I have on order just fit my hand and needs better. I may obtain another Strider down the road when being practical isn't as much of a concern.
 
I've got a couple Busse blades and a Strider MH.

Now if I was going camping in the woods Busse makes the best camp/survival blade. Nothing comes close to Busse for this use except a Livesay knife. My "survival" knife is a Busse basic #9 and it's pre packed in the survival bag kept in the truck.

Now for military/police use Strider blades can't be beat. Nothing comes close to the abuse/misuse Strider blades can take. I've switched to the Strider MH on my SOE force vest (web gear) and will never deploy without a Strider blade again. I'll be purchasing a second and possibly a third Strider in the next week or so.

Strider folders are the best abusing/using folder you can buy. Now to see how the Busse folder stacks up against the Strider.


Bottom line is with either the Busse or Strider you just can't go wrong.
 
I can't speak for the knives, as I haven't handled either. I did see the Strider table at the Timonium knife show, and wasn't that impressed with some of their stuff. What really turned me off was the way their reps were acting..drinking beers at their table like there was no tomorrow. VERY bad image for the people. other makers were drinking there, like a mixed drink towards the end of the show when it was getting slow but not at their tables and not in the amount these guys were doing. I was gonna check out their stuff, but after seeing how the reps were acting and talking, i didnt even both with it. I was very dissapointed in how they were handling themselves and showing an utter lack of responsibility around their blades. They are supposed to rep the company and the blades, not take it as a drinking time. They are supposed to deal with customers, and if they are drinking, what does that say???? i felt it was totally irresponsible, and disgusting to see the way they acted. I dont know if some of the other people there saw this happening, or if i am being too picky, but i feel is someone is selling knives, they shouldn't be drinking like that at their table.
 
I own both, and have several blades on order from both, well I own a lot more Busses but anyway.

Both produce excellent blades. I like certain desings from Strider better then some Busses that I have, and Busses better than many other Striders, especially the tantos. Both are hard use knives, and a lot depends on the user's preferences, personal taste, etc. In my opinion Busse proprietary INFI steel is better than the ATS-34. Especially for the larger knives, though for the light or not very hard use it probably wont' be too noticable. On the other hand, The ATS-34 that I have from Strider is the best amongst the all ATS-34/154CM blades I've ever had. That means both, toughness and edge holding.

It is not a big deal to maintain the asymmetrical grind use by Busse, which by the way is stronger than the V grind for heavy duty use. Either way, it is always an option to put a standard V grind on it if you want to.

Taz, I've talked to Strider guys twice on 2 different shows and they were always nore than helpfull and nice. Answered all the questions, helped to take pix when I needed, donno what was happening there, but may be you should've talked to them.
 
I do not believe that these were the actual Strider guys, but rather East Coast reps maybe? They weren't falling down drunk or anything, i just felt it was very immature to be drinking like that. especially when they are handling sharp knives, its a liability issue. Maybe they were trying to promote the "HardCore" individual attitude, but it seems to be sending the wrong message. Also, on looking through some of the posts on the Strider Forum, it seems there is a lot of profanity and the @#$^%*&! going on, more so than the forums in general I believe. If they are trying to promote the hardcore individ angle, fine, but it is a public forum and people will see it and not understand it totally. in this age of political correctness, I feel knife buyers/makers/collectors/reps/etc should be concerned with how we present ourselves to the public. We? yes, i include myself in this group, I am a newbie knifemaker and I try to present myself to the public with maturity and common sense. We should be representing the knifemaking community, as well as our products with a mature attitude and outlook. maybe because the reps truly dont know what goes into a custom knife, they dont understand all of the aspects of what it means to many people to be a knifemaker. is it any wonder that people think we are crazy for carrying a knife when they go to a show and there are people sitting behind the table drinking beers and selling knives? How does the public view that?

Also, from the brief snippets of their conversation i heard as I walked up and down the aisles at the show, it reminded me all too much of CS stuff. These are the toughest, sharpest, bestest knives around, etc, blah blah blah. Yeah, its their job to promote their knives, but it was severely overdone, perhaps brought on by the alcohol consumption. The numerous other makers I talked to were very polite, helpful, and they let their knives speak for themselves. they let people pick it up, play with it, ask questions, but they didnt overly brag about their knives and try to tell people that their knives are the best in the world. they didn't try to BS you, or snow you over with stories of use in the field. this approach is a def turnoff, like they are trying to distract you from actually looking at the knife. they were there to sell knives, but it was a different approach. They were polite and professional, and then there were the Strider guys. Polite, yes, but incredibly unprofessional. The knives may be good, or they may be bad, I will reserve judgement until I actually handle one or several :), but the customer service aspect and representation of the product was in very poor taste. They reminded me of some college kids I know in their actions. If you go to a show to represent a knife company, any knife company, I dont feel they should have been drinking like they were. other makers were drinking, but they did it discretely and of all the very few times i saw, away from their tables when they took a break. they were mature and responsible about it, but the Strider guys werent.

As a college person, a Criminal Justice major looking for placement on a SWAT team in the future possibly, I can appreciate a "tough knife for HardCore individuals", but i didnt appreciate the image that the reps were presenting. i was interested in seeing the Strider stuff, but the action of the reps really put me off, so much so that i didn't want to get close to the table because i didnt want to be disapointed by the reps there. They cost at least one very possible sale, and prob many more. the gave me the impression that hardcore people "do their job and then go drinkin to celebrate" and that drinking beer and having knives is the best thing in the world. This is frusturating. Any person who knows about hardcore operators, LEO's etc, knows drinking is NOT a way to celebrate, as it often leads to PTSD, and other problems in a the hardcore individuals life. If you doubt that, check the affects of alcohol on the REM cycle, and about how long of a time period a person needs to be under stress for there to be permanent brain changes. if you dont believe me, I'll email you the research paper i wrote on the topic of PTSD and LEO's. It doesnt take very long to cause permanent problems folks. Promoting hardcore operators (usually under a lot of stress), knives and alcohol is a very bad mix IMHO, both in terms of health, and in terms of public opinion. the last thing we need is to have someone get drunk, and get into a fight with a knife designed for a hardcore person. There go all tac blades, even for people with legit purpose.

Drinking is not illegal, and is a part of many people's lives. Fine, I can accept that. But when people promote knives with drinking or drinking with knives, and both with "hardcore" individuals, I feel that is wrong. promote the knife and hardcore individ, fine, but leave the drinking out of it. it adds too many other factors into the equation, and gives the public a very bad perception of what people are like. And it gives a very bad impression to people.

Sorry for the long post, but I kinda felt like I should say something. maybe I am too picky or too prudish, but i feel the action of the Strider Reps at the Timonium Knife show this past Dec 9, 2001 was very inappropriate, immature and reflected poorly on the knife community, especially the knifemaking community. If you want to go drink and get blasted, fine, get away from the table and go do it, but don't do it when you are trying to sell knives and promote a business. Thats just plain disrespectful to the rest of the makers in the room and the people there to look at knives. it shows that the Strider reps just didn't care. Some people actually feed their families with the knives they make, and when i see reps going into the shows, with this type of attitude, it just sickens and disgusts me.
 
Actually Taz, Duane Dwyer was at Timonium. I believe the young looking guy was Vinnie Pallucci, if not, sorry. I didnt happen to see what you described, was too busy having a family get together at the Jones table.
 
wire edge :

[vs Busse]

I have found the edge geometry to be superior on Strider knives.
Click to expand...

Which models is this based on, and what exactly do you mean by superior? More durable, cuts better, easier to sharpen?


-Cliff
 
Don't have a Strider, but I do have a Busse Steel Heart E.
I reprofiled the edge to a std V grind so I know I can take care of it now (although I sacrificed a bit of edge toughness, I just couldn't get that assymetrical edge as sharp as I wanted it).
The more I use it, the more I love it. It makes big jobs seem like fun. It's perfectly suited to both chopping and heavy cutting. The handle is a lot more comfy than you would think by just looking at it. I'd love to get a Strider some day, but am having trouble picking out the one I like best and coming up with the $. How do those cord wrapped handles feel for hard use? And why are so few of the G-10 handled talked about?
I also want a Strider folder but might wait till the Busse folder comes out.
Lenny
 
I have owned both at 1 time or another, I've ownded more Strider knives than Busse, but currently own 4 Busse models and 0 Striders. The Striders that I've used have been exceptional performers. The Busse knives I own, have yet to see much use. I think that both are very high quality knives. I look forward to getting more of both.
 
Originally posted by Taz
drinking beer and having knives is the best thing in the world.
Click to expand...

Well... I can think of a select few things that are better, but I for one sure do love drinking beer and having knives! :D

PM
 
Now I don't claim to know much about anything compared to Taz's vast depth of military knowledge. However, lots the guys I've deployed with/around in the past work friggin hard and play even harder.

So you did not like how the guys working the booth presented themselves, or Strider blades. So what, go someplace else. It's not like they have all kinds of blades gathering dust in the shop and can't put food on the table. Seems like you are just another whinney polittly correct liberal. The military's job is to kill people and break things, now do you really expect them to turn it on and off when you think it's approaite.

Get real.
 
I agree with Shrike9's first post, seeing Busse as a field knife, and Strider as a tactical knife. They both give you a feeling of great confidence in the hand that other knives just don't. Anybody who's handled either maker's knives will know what that means. I prefer Busse's blades and steel in general, though Strider is doing full-flat grinds now, that I think will be a good thing. I'm surprised just how comfortable a Strider's cord-wrapped handle is, as discussion here had led me to believe otherwise. Don't let other people's use sway your opinion. These are awesome knives-but very different knives.

And I agree with Shrike9's second post, too. This post is supposed to be about Strider and Busse KNIVES. If you've got a problem with somebody, go tell them to their face, don't come here whining about something after the fact, disrupting a discussion and painting a negative view on a product, based on a person's behavior, which has nothing to do with the performance of that product. You're trolling.
 
Well let us know if you are commming to Blade 2002 Taz so we can offer you a beer when you come by! :D Striders, Tom Mayo, Jerry Hossom and myself are boothing up together in 3 booths. Should be fun! :p
 
Originally posted by Rob Simonich
Well let us know if you are commming to Blade 2002 Taz so we can offer you a beer when you come by! :D Striders, Tom Mayo, Jerry Hossom and myself are boothing up together in 3 booths. Should be fun! :p
Click to expand...

Just got to ask, when and where is blade fest 2002??? Somehow I'm a thinking it's in Vegas but don't know for sure.

PS....if I bring some beer can I sniff around the table :p :rolleyes:
 
I've quietly been listening to the things that have been said about the reps of the Strider knife company.
I have to say that I now want a Strider even more than before!!!!

Keep in mind that these knives are mostly designed for Spec ops personnel. And if you've ever known any special forces you'll know that they are beer drinking, womanizing, profanity speaking BASTARDS!

And God Bless them all for it.
All my buddies are active spec ops and they are all the same in every country.
Who else would you like protecting your ass? The nice liberal momma's boy from next door or that son of a bit** beer jugging rough guy from down the street who you are too scared to make eye contact with??

Strider is a great company with apparently great reps.
 
Shrike,

I don't necessarily agree with Taz. But why does that give you a right to jump om him and call him names? Like it or not, makers/manufcaturers are part of their knives, and their image can make or break a deal. It DOES have to do with the knives being asked about. I have a Strider MT and someday hope to own some more. They are awesome knives and very well built. However, you don't need to jump on Taz being an smartass peckerhead because he posted his opinion. I happen to like the knives, and having communicated with them and seen them on-line, like the Strider guys. But your pompous attitude is worthless. Like you said earlier, the knives speak for themselves, so shove your name-calling comments to Taz where the sun doesn't shine.

JR
 
Yeah, its a post about the knives, but also, the image of the people selling/repping the knives plays a large role. If their reps act this way, how does that reflect on the company as a whole?? To me, as a custom knife maker, i dont fool around when it comes to blades. I have a product to represent, and I feel i am representing myself as well as my product with my actions. These guys just didnt really seem to care. People should know when to behave properly.

Lifter, if it was those 2 guys, then I am even more dissapointed with them. Reps behaving like that is bad enough, but actually people involed with the blades, not jsut reps? even worse. Lets give them the benefit of doubt and say they were reps, as if that is who they really were, it makes it even that much worse.

yes, its the militaries job to break and kill things, fine. but is it a normal persons job to do that? what, do you want to be Rambo and have a big bad tiger striped blade? Purpose? Tactical/defense? tell that to a cop when he sees it, and i guarentee you will be arrested for possession of deadly weapon, depending on diff states laws of such items. Knives like that for certain individs with a legit purpose, fine, but when the public has them and uses them irrepsonsibly, thats another issue. when the reps are not encouraging responsibility, that is a prob. They risk ruining it for us all. Having a blade is a priviledge, not a right, and it carries responsibility. Look at 9/11. because a few morons used box cutters to hijack planes, now no one can carry even a pocket knife on a plane. When the reps cant seem to understand what responsibility is, thats a problem. They encourage an immature and irresponsible attitude. Not every Strider customer is military, and not every military/LEO carries Strider, many reg people buy the products, and they are the people who are being influenced by the reps behavior.


"Seems like you are just another whinney polittly correct liberal." When did i attack you personally? I do not appreciate being labeled, and i have stood up for my right to have blades many times. What i dont like is the irresponsible, childish and plain stupid actions of the Strider reps at the show. I guess being mature is bad now, eh? Maybe i should act like Rambo.:rolleyes:

I never claimed to have military knowledge, Shrike. Its called common sense. Its called physical affects of alcohol and stress on the body. Most people know what that is. why do u think there are things called DEBRIEFINGS?????? To get the people calmed down, relieve the stress levels, let them know the final outcome, and deal with probs that they may experience, and so that they are calm, and not all hyped up and hopefully to prevent PTSD. Its called general knowledge, not military knowledge. beer kills brains cells, ever think of that???? :rolleyes:

Turn it on and off? HELL YES. ITS CALLED CONTROL AND RESTRAINT and knowing how to be a mature person. military is based upon order, not Rambo/Marchinko people. Do you want people all hyped up on adrenaline running around without control because they are military? How ignorant is that???? Get real.

Tell me to leave, eh? This is a public forum. People have the right to post here. If i did this in the Strider forum, it would prob be considered a troll. This is the GENERAL forum..people can post here what they want and feel within certain limits. I am well within the limits to tell of what i saw in terms of a companies actions in representing themselves to the public. If you cant take the heat, get out of the kitchen. If you cant stand negative comments, this aint the place for you. Good and bad comments are allowed here.


OwenM, I am not a troll. People asked about the 2 knives, and I had some information pertinent to the discussion. "persons behavior???" THEY REPRESENT STRIDER, THEY ARE NOT JUST REGULAR PEOPLE. Reps represent the product, and if their reps act this way, people should know about it. If a customer was acting this way, it wouldnt be a big deal, but when the reps or actual people behave like this, I feel it is very inappropriate. People have the right to know. I feel customer service and representation is almost as important as the quality of their knives. I am NOT trolling, and do not appreciate the accusation of such. Representitives of the company are the companies link to the public, and their actions should be more mature.

As for telling them to their face, what do you think that would have done at the show? Do you want me to start a fight and make them look even stupider then they were?????? How can you talk to people who are sitting there drinking? They obviously DONT CARE anyway, what would that have done????? Think about it OwenM, before you speak.

The orig poster asked Pro's and Con's of each. How the company is represented is a factor in this I believe. they never stated PERFORMANCE pro's or cons. many people relate their Customer Serive experience when dealing with a company. or do people not care about how the people present themselves. if they are trying to fit a certain image, fine, but when they do that with immature and irresponsible actions, thats a different story.

Some people here dont like negative criticism, obviously and cant take it. they twist peoples words around, put words into their mouths, etc. Let the Strider boys speak up here and defend their actions. Better yet, Strider guys, email me.

A person wanted to know the pros and cons of the 2 companies products. i feel how a company presents itself is part of their product. this is not a flame or troll. this is a discussion of what i saw at a show that disgusted me, and my opinion of what i saw.

obviosuly, no one likes negative criticism. I am not sayign anything negative about the knives. They are not my style to begin with, and i did not actually handle them, so i will not comment. I am saying my opinion on what i saw happening at a public show I was at. If you dont want people to know how you act, watch what you do in public or people will comment. Maybe others dont care, and maybe they dont have the guts to say, but if i feel something is wrong, I will say it.

I felt that the Strider guys, reps or actual guys themselves, were very immature, and innappropriate with their actions at the show. I feel they did not act in the proper manner for people representing knives and a knifemaking company. if you have a problem with that, too bad. its the truth and my personal feelings, which I am entitled to voice. I do not appreciate the snide comments, Shrike and Owen. Think about what you say and what is being said before you type next time. I spent over an hour on each of my posts, writing them so i could say what i need to say in a logical manner. I tried to avoid personal flames and give them the benefit of the doubt and let them defend themselves. Obviously, they dont care or they would have responded by now. Instead, people stuck up for them, which is fine, but they way they did it was to ridicule someone for their thoughts. GROW UP. If you cant take negative criticism, get out. Freedom of speech is a great right and priviledge and i fully intend to exercise this right.
 
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