Busse BME & Gerber Sport Axe Observations - Pic Heavy...

[Melvin-Purvis]

A month or so ago, I commented here that’s never actually used a Busse knife, so fellow forum member Ron Mears, aka ron_m80 offered to loan me his ergonomic Battle Mistress (BME), slightly modified by member Ban--I tried to decline this gracious offer, but Ron was pretty insistent, to the point of emailing me the USPS tracking number showing that it was on the way…

Arriving about a month ago, I’ve been waiting for clear weather and schedule before putting it to use. That said, while as a knife collector that has owned over 1000 knives in the last 25 years, other than mundane household use and the odd camping trip, they were just collected and later sold to buy others; very seldom were many ever used. So, as a knife collector and author on the topic of knife collecting, I’m hardly qualified to write a review; thus, look at the following more as an observation than anything else…

When Ron’s Busse BME arrived, I was somewhat perplexed—what the heck is this thing, a sharpened pry bar, and more importantly, what’s it used for? Well, it’s kinda big like a machete, maybe it’s for chopping stuff? That thought in mind, I paired it up with my Gerber sport axe and went out today to make some comparisons…

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

First off, I’ve been using the Gerber sport axe for close to twenty years and figured it would out perform the Busse – and I couldn’t have been more wrong. Starting with a pair of equal sized logs cut last October on my wood lot and still wet after a long winter and the wettest spring on record here, I tried batoning for the first time, and learned some knife blade needs to stick out for this to work. I didn’t want to baton the axe and have it get stuck.

Next, I moved on to ten chops on the same logs with each. As you’ll notice, I added lanyards up high. Both the knife and axe are sharp, and I didn’t want to spend my holiday weekend in the ER if one should slip. The Busse bit deeper than the axe, and had sooo much more cutting edge. If I’d chopped more, based on cut depth, and increased familiarity with the blade, I’m quite sure the Busse would’ve run away here – anyway, the bugs were heavy so time to fine some sun and drier wood…

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

As to the observations part: the axe feels heavier but is actually 2 oz. lighter; the knife is much better balanced; the knife was more controllable and thus felt safer; and the knife, as previously mentioned, has a much larger cutting surface – at this point the lead was swinging favorably to the Busse.

Not shown here were other items chopped into such as dead stumps, a formerly lake immersed log that has hardened since drying, and a live old growth tree – neither axe nor knife had any noticeable effect on these items.

Man, I’m not sure why the photos are linking out of sequence, but I’m done screwing with ‘em…

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

With more batoning, and equal sized pieces of dry wood to work with, the Busse really came into its own. Whether reducing the wood to kindling or making fuzz sticks, the Busse was faster, more controllable, and much easier to use. Again, I was sure going into this that my axe, with all the years of use behind it, would way out perform the sharpened pry bar…however, that simply wasn’t the case.

Jake dog hung around too, just to make sure I stayed honest.

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

Having used resource control fire mitigation grant money to clear the lot, all the branches and small stuff has been removed, so all I had to work with here were cut logs for these observations, but given the chance would like to make a primitive shelter as well.

So, based on price point, is the Busse ten times better than the Gerber? No, but easily twice as good, IMO. Thanks for the loan Ron, maybe once Jerry drops his price to twice that of the Gerber I’ll buy one (are ya listening Jerry ) – in the mean time, if someone can point me towards a quality knife of similar size for a little less money, please do.

Yes, I absolutely loved the Busse, but am not sure I can justify the expense for something that might not get used often. Still, it was awesome, and the ergo handle blew the straight axe handle right out of the water – hmmm, I wants to go chop me sumpin’ else now, hmmm…



Those last pics were both swung down as hard as I safely could...even then the Busse led!

 

[dericdesmond]

Thanks for the write up Mr Purvis. Love seeing some old school hard to find INFI goin to work. But what I love most are comments like these :thumbup:

Again, I was sure going into this that my axe, with all the years of use behind it, would way out perform the sharpened pry bar…however, that simply wasn’t the case.

Let me know if you ever wanna try out some new school models :thumbup:

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

Thanks Eric, I may take you up on that! Four things though - Ergo (dropped handle); handle scales of the type above, secured likewise; used (user, I can sharpen steel), and inexpensive. Come up wit' sumpin' like that and you're on!

Back to observations for a minute - I think the Busse knife makes a better axe than the Gerber axe makes a knife...and I'd wager the Busse would work better for food prep as well.

 

[RickJ]

Yes Sir, the kicker is I think there is some new stuff out there like the B11 or NMFBM that would do far better than the old ergo!

 

[1234]

Good review & pix , thanks for sharing !

1234,,,,

 

[giant1]

Thanks for posting the review and photos.

 

[Broos]

Thanks for the write-up. For a lot of chopping, the "E" handle is great - especially with a paracord guard so you can keep a light grip and really swing hard (use caution like you mentioned! ).

 

[ron_m80]

Cool. I don't know if I will ever be comfortable packing that knife in California so I don't mind sharinng it at all.

 

[Mack]

How did the Ban'd edge hold up to the chopping? I've often ogled his edges and wondered how they do in real life.

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

Mack, I'm not sure if that was a Ban edge, or a Ron edge, but it held up fine - the wood was relatively soft; wet and sticky more than anything.

I sprayed both knife and axe blades with glass cleaner, wiped 'em down to get the gunk off, then stroped 'em. Both are sharp enough for their intended purpose.

 

[ron_m80]

Well to be honest I have no idea what a ban edge is. I know that knife came from BUSSE with an ASYM edge, and a flared butt with another hole, which was removed and rounded by Ban. And it was possibly (most liikely) reprofiled, because the edge isn't asym as BUSSE made it. All I have ever done is strop the edge and I used a steel on the very last inch of blade due to a warpage(?) of the edge, and that was stropped clean after the fact.

I didn't appreciate the shiny surface, so i downgraded to a DC finish on the blade. Via a BUSSE spa treatment.

 

[MilesEppley]

You said similar knife of quality not the price of busse get a junglas

 

[Gravelface]

I don't know how others feel about it, but I always found the Ergo BM to be the least comfortable and the lesser as far as chopping compared to the Older Straight handled BM and the Fusion handle.

But should you geta chance to use the Basic 11 give it a work out...it is a BEAST.
Great photographs by the way!!!!