busse knives

5

50rod

Joined
Nov 25, 2009
Messages
11
OK I need some input from busse owners, Why should i spend big bucks on one of these things, is the steel really that great? Don't get me wrong, i think they look awsome on the screen but i have alot of knives that were talked up alot and sucked. I pack into the moutains alot and want absolutely the best knife durability and edge retention possible, one time only, get it done, money is no object knife. end of story help me out.
 
Of the knives I own, Busses are by far the toughest I have ever used. I have done things that rendered some pretty good knives useless that my Busses laughed at. They are truly worth the hype. You just have to find the right design for you. I love Busses, but not all of the knives they have produced given their design. But that is all a matter of personal needs/wants in a knife.

Happy shopping,

JT
 
You will not regret it. The steel sharpens very easily and holds an edge forever. You will likely break before your knife breaks. And should you break it or damage it, the warranty is even stronger than the steel. If you decide you don't like it, you can easily resell it and get most if not all of your money back.

What's not to like? :thumbup:

Which model are you looking at? ;)
 
Hey, welcome to Bladeforums.

What do you want to do with the knife? Is it to be a small knife that is inherently packable? Or something larger that will cover more duties? That information matters in terms of blade selection, regardless of brand. But with Busse especially, some shapes and sizes are simply easier to find than others, since the company generally offers only one knife at a time.

There are some really excellent steels out there these days, and INFI is one of them IMO. I think it does pack a good combination of the two attributes you name, durability and edge retention.
 
Of the various attributes of steel, it is said that INFI has the best mix. It's kinda stain resistant, very strong, tough, great edge holding, elastic, and the list goes on. It's the best I have ever used. I dont think you will be sorry for spending the cash on a Busse.
 
IT'S AN INFI THING. You wont understand until you try it.:D:thumbup:
 
Busse's aren't the prettiest knives in the world, they don't always come as sharp as some folks would like, and they're usually pretty heavy for their size. They're absolutely unashamed of what they are, which sounds to be exactly what you're looking for. The steel is excellent, when satin finished, polished, or properly beadblasted the rust resistance is on par with stainless steels like ATS34, AUS8 perhaps. It's very damage resistant, very tough, and not just on paper, real world use and some rather unreasonable abusive testing has proven it out. It's hard enough and wear resistant enough to hold a good edge, not the best edge holding steel in the world, but IMO some of the best compromises for the type of knife that Busse caters to.

Right now the trickiest part is getting a knife you want. Because Busse does limited production runs the particular model that's caught your eye is likely unavailable direct, the exchange here on bladeforums is your friend. Don't be surprised if some knives are selling for new or higher than new prices, even the less popular models hold their value well even when heavily used. A few become really popular with collectors and the prices skyrocket past MSRP.

So here's the lowdown. The company has the best warranty in the buisness. The knives are built so that you won't need to use it. The customer service in the rare event you do is exceptional. And, if at the end of the day you decide you just don't like it, someone on the exchange will be happy to take it off your hands for about what you paid for it from Busse Combat or the company store(not to be confused with Busse Combat's order page).
 
The edge retention of INFI may not be quite as good as some new wonder steel at a hardness of 63 RC, but that knife is hard to resharpen and will chip when you hit a bone, where the INFI edge might just roll and can be steeled back in line. The Busse knives are just tough.

One thing to note...because they are built for for use and abuse, they do not come with thin edges, some of the smallknives are an exception to this rule.

This is a great time to shop for a Busse knife, resale prices are down, and there are a lot of knives available on the market.

We can better help you with model choices if you tell us what role the knife is to fill, what do you want to do with it, what size are you looking for?
 
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My randell comes to mind first, beautiful knife but it won't hold a edge. I am looking for a 6 or 7 inch blade for just about everything from a hunting knife to shelter building if needed. I am looking at a hell razor, what is this blade designed for in your opinions? The blade is 3/16 thick, i like the idea of busses 1/4" or even 3/8" thick blades.
 
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50rod said:
My randell comes to mind first, beautiful knife but it won't hold a edge
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Busses will hold an edge and will take some real punishment. :thumbup:

They are well worth the money and you would be hard pressed to find a knife that is tougher.
 
I think the steel is very tough, but as far as edge holding, I dont think it is the best. I find A2 holds an edge better. However, Info sharpens SUPER easy and it never chips even if you hit rocks or whatever.
 
have you contacted randall about the knife not holding an edge, that don't sound like randall's, what kind of steel is it??
as others have said give us an idea of what you are going to use the knife for, you will be hard pressed to find a steel better than infi, as resinguy said, it is basically a knife buyers market at the moment!
 
1st go to knifetests.com and watch the battle mistress defy your senses. then you will get an idea of how tough it is....after that know you will know why they are great.

If money is not an object then buy the best knife. By best, i mean all out toughest hunk of steel.. guaranteed for life!
 
50rod said:
OK I need some input from busse owners, Why should i spend big bucks on one of these things, is the steel really that great?
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In a word, yes, it really is that great. The edge retention, as others have said, is not the best, but it's pretty good. On a par with all but the hardest steels optimized for edge retention above all else. I have to warn you, though, that you should either keep the factory grind angle, or use a convex grind (some Busses come with a convex grind) to maximize edge retention.

That being said, INFI is surprisingly easy to sharpen. Easy like on a par with 1095 IMO. I found that, unlike most other super steels, INFI sharpens just as easily with an India stone as with a diamond hone. If you're worried that the edge may not last as long as you want in the field, carry a DMT DiaFold sharpener (double sided diamond hone that weighs nothing).

The factory edge tends to be "toothy". For most chores, they slice like a demon, but won't shave hair if that's your measure of sharpness. However, that all changes when you keep the factory grind angle (20 degrees per side) and just polish the edge. Then they will shave hair and make great fuzz sticks from wood.

It seems INFI is optimized for toughness, and from what I've seen some other steels come close, but none exceed INFI at this time. Thinner Busses have been broken, but it's usually a tip that goes, and it was doing things like prying open car doors. I don't see anything you'd do in the woods breaking a knife made of INFI.

50rod said:
I am looking for a 6 or 7 inch blade for just about everything from a hunting knife to shelter building if needed. I am looking at a hell razor, what is this blade designed for in your opinions? The blade is 3/16 thick, i like the idea of busses 1/4" or even 3/8" thick blades.
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Well, at first I couldn't see where INFI would be so great as to justify its cost. But I had recently come out of a partial amputation surgery and decided "to hell with it" I'm getting what I want instead of driving my life by what I need. I always thought the HellRazor was the sexiest Busse knife available (and still do), so I bought one off the exchange.

The blade is balanced like a fighting blade -- very nimble, but also easy to control. With the spear point and swedge, it's a fine stabber. My first thought is that it wants to draw blood. Turns out, it's a great hog hunting knife.

It also makes a great all-round knife in the woods. IMO, the answer to the "I only want to carry one knife to do everything, what size should I pick?" question is a 6-7" knife. Here's a little review I did of using the HellRazor and the Boney Active Duty (BAD) for some bushcraft work:
A Little Hell Razing

I've since also picked up a CGFBM. It's a big knife that really should be paired with a small blade. Even though it's 1/4" thick, the width of the blade makes for a fairly slim taper from edge to spine and that produces a knife that both slices and chops well.

If you want to go all Busse, a CGFBM (or most any other Battle Mistress) and an Active duty, Boney Active Duty, Game Warden, etc make a great pair.

You're also in luck as right now Busse is offering the Bushwhacker Battle Mistress at the factory site. It's a 3/16" spine (.220" for the LE) BM, that should be one of, if not their best camp knife, as it will be a wicked slicer and still be able to chop. Best of all, you don't have to pay aftermarket prices if you buy it while it's still offered.
 
From the posts already provided you can see the benefits of Infi...from the spec's you have suggested the Hell Rasor or a Sasquatch or if you can find one a Basic 7 are all good choices...the first two are 3/16 thick...the Basic 7 is .25 and has a very comfortable Res C handle and comparatively is a light knife for backpacking. They are very desirable though and rarely come up on the exchange. A SFNO would be a good choice as well...they are a bit more easily found.

Good luck in finding what you want and let us know what you decide on:thumbup:
 
Hell Razor wouldn't be my first choice in a "one knife" situation.

My vote is for the SFNO, ASH, or Sasquatch. And though not a 6-7" blade, the SAR4 is a big little knife and another great option for your needs.
 
If you try a Busse knife...I absolutely guarantee two things - 1) It will not suck, and 2) you will buy another one :D
 
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