I posted this question on the Busse forum, and now on this one to try to get an honest opinion. Im knew to the knife world and I am looking for a good all around field knife. I am curently trying to get into the Border Patrol. In the BP you spend sometimes a month in the bush. Not knowing to much about knives I spent alot of time on blade forum reading all of your opinions and advice. I came up with two knives Im interested in. The Fehrman First Strike and the Busse Steel Heart.The people on the Busse Forum were great including Jerry, Im just having a hard time deciding which one would be right for me. Money isnt a problem, I dont mind spending money on something that might save my life. I dont know what I will incounter in the BP but I want to be prepared for anything. The knife will need to cut, dig, chop, slice, pry,and defend. I have sm to med size hands and not that much experiance with a knife.So it will need to be easy to field sharpen and easy to maintain. I dont know if 7-8 inch knife is necisary if not I also like the Natural outlaw and last chance. Any help for this newbie?
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Busse or Fehrman
- Thread starter f-2175
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crossada
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here a few points worth considering.
the fehrmans come with a sheath while the busses do not. busses have a list of sheath makers on the their website and most of them have the model of knife so you don't have to mail them yours.
the fusion steel heart is much more sturdy and HEAVY than the fehrmans. to me the fsh is a woodland survival knife which is probably not what you need. i would try and get a natural outlaw E handle. pretty sure shomer-tec.com still has this model in stock that also comes with a cordura sheath with hard liner.
i tend to like busses better just because the handle design on the fehrmans isn't what i prefer but others like the finger cut out. the fehrmans have a much finer and sharper edge than the thicker busses do. 3V steel will rust and infi will not in normal conditions. by many accounts the fit and finish on the fehrmans is better than most anything out there, not to say the busses are bad but i've had a couple of busses that look like they were made at the end of a long drinking binge. i know busse would fix the knife in question if i asked but this knife is only a B.O.B. knife and it doesn't effect the performance.
either company makes knives that you can trust so you shouldn't worry about these knives failing.
the fehrmans come with a sheath while the busses do not. busses have a list of sheath makers on the their website and most of them have the model of knife so you don't have to mail them yours.
the fusion steel heart is much more sturdy and HEAVY than the fehrmans. to me the fsh is a woodland survival knife which is probably not what you need. i would try and get a natural outlaw E handle. pretty sure shomer-tec.com still has this model in stock that also comes with a cordura sheath with hard liner.
i tend to like busses better just because the handle design on the fehrmans isn't what i prefer but others like the finger cut out. the fehrmans have a much finer and sharper edge than the thicker busses do. 3V steel will rust and infi will not in normal conditions. by many accounts the fit and finish on the fehrmans is better than most anything out there, not to say the busses are bad but i've had a couple of busses that look like they were made at the end of a long drinking binge. i know busse would fix the knife in question if i asked but this knife is only a B.O.B. knife and it doesn't effect the performance.
either company makes knives that you can trust so you shouldn't worry about these knives failing.
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I've had and sold one Fehrman. It had excellant fit and finish, but it was just not comfortable in my hand. Thier 3V steel is supposedly excellent if heat treated properly. The blade grind looked a little thin (my non expert opinion) for heavy chopping, but I imagine for general cutting it would worked out very well.
That being said, I now own over a dozen Busse's. They are a great knife and there are enough different models out there to suit anyone's needs. I have used thier FSH to clear a ton of hurrican debris and after quite a bit of chopping (with several unintentional hard surface impacts) the blade is perfect. Touch it up on a strop and your back to shaving with it. As for customer service, they are at the top of the list. You will need to order a sheath, but when you do from one of the custom makers you will get exactly what you want and not a generic one. Good Luck. :thumbup:
That being said, I now own over a dozen Busse's. They are a great knife and there are enough different models out there to suit anyone's needs. I have used thier FSH to clear a ton of hurrican debris and after quite a bit of chopping (with several unintentional hard surface impacts) the blade is perfect. Touch it up on a strop and your back to shaving with it. As for customer service, they are at the top of the list. You will need to order a sheath, but when you do from one of the custom makers you will get exactly what you want and not a generic one. Good Luck. :thumbup:
I have both large and small models from both makers. I would recommend this:
Busse Steelheart E for a large blade, Fehrman Peacemaker for the small one. They both have fantastic ergonomics covering the entire spectrum of cutting, from chopping up firewood to making fuzz sticks, etc. They will both hold an edge a very long time, both are very strong. The SH is great for large tasks, and a very tough steel. The PM is one of the best ergonomically designed smaller fixed blades I've ever found, can easily skin most everything, just a great knife for 95% of cutting.
Perhaps not quite what you asked for, but there it is.
Busse Steelheart E for a large blade, Fehrman Peacemaker for the small one. They both have fantastic ergonomics covering the entire spectrum of cutting, from chopping up firewood to making fuzz sticks, etc. They will both hold an edge a very long time, both are very strong. The SH is great for large tasks, and a very tough steel. The PM is one of the best ergonomically designed smaller fixed blades I've ever found, can easily skin most everything, just a great knife for 95% of cutting.
Perhaps not quite what you asked for, but there it is.
I have the Fehrman Final Judgement and the Peace Maker. The FJ is a great knife if you're looking for a 9" blade, the First Strike is 2" shorter, but otherwise the same blade. IIRC Fehrman changed the handle contour some and made it much more comfortable. As Sodak said, the Peace Maker is a jewel and is the fixed blade I'm most likely to have if I'm out on a hike. Fehrman knows how to heat treat CPM 3V, the knives hold a great edge and are very tough. The black crinkle coat significantly reduces corrosion issues.
I don't have any experience with Busse, but haven't heard anything bad about the knives.
I don't have any experience with Busse, but haven't heard anything bad about the knives.
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I've got knives from both makers, and would be happy with either.
Personal choice would be the Fehrman ... thinner edge for general purpose use, and I've yet to dull mine.
Mike
Personal choice would be the Fehrman ... thinner edge for general purpose use, and I've yet to dull mine.
Mike
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Since you list a series of tasks for the knife, do take it you will have to, in effect, backpack?
Might take a look at Swamprat and Ranger knives too if you wanted to expand your options. Very tough and a lot less money. I'd stake my life on either one. An RD6 from Ranger sounds like it would be a great compromise and easier to sharpen than 3V or Infi. It has enough heft that it still a decent chopper. Just something to think about 
. Good luck in your search.
. Good luck in your search.I own 2 Busse Battle Mistress and the Fehrman FJ. I have used both extensivly for long periods of time in the Kenyan bush. Both of them are tanks!!! I have beaten the hell out of the and they beg for more. Fehrman fits like a glove in the hand and the BM's can be awkward in smaller hands, in mine they are fine. I have used them for months on end, every day without sharpening. My African friends have used my fehrman and Busse for cutting logs and through bush territory. I have used them as small machetes, camp knives and even for cutting food. I also carry smaller knives as well for fine work but have used both of these blades for detail work as well.
Both will serve you properly and both will not fail! Also Jerry and Eric are great guys to deal with. And if you need a sheath DuWayne of Armor all will make it for the Busse, as for Fehrman they have both Kydex and Leather.
The decision is yours.
Good Luck
Both will serve you properly and both will not fail! Also Jerry and Eric are great guys to deal with. And if you need a sheath DuWayne of Armor all will make it for the Busse, as for Fehrman they have both Kydex and Leather.
The decision is yours.
Good Luck
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Who told you that you will spend a month in the brush with the BP, you might do a camp detail. But the conditions in camp are not bad. You wont be doing military style field craft unless you are in SRT or BORTAC which wont be till you have 2 to 3 years in.
I would look at a very good folder or a smaller fixed blade that can be discreetly carried on you river belt.
On your belt you will have enough stuff to worry about with gun, asp, pepper spray, cuffs, mags, and radio. One thing you dont want to do is carry an oblivious knife where illegals can see them. When working large groups with limited persons you dont want the possibility of getting jumped. Having a knife in plain view is just another weapon you have to worry about retaining in a scuffle.
edited to add
also look at
http://www.rangerknives.com
and then I like Strider knives, usually carry a SNG and that does everything I need to do at work, before that was an Emerson CQC7.
I will be getting a smaller Strider fixed blade soon, but nothing much bigger than a MFS for work
Worry about your tests and probation period before you worry about time in the brush, also what station and sector you go to will determine how much field time you get.
I would look at a very good folder or a smaller fixed blade that can be discreetly carried on you river belt.
On your belt you will have enough stuff to worry about with gun, asp, pepper spray, cuffs, mags, and radio. One thing you dont want to do is carry an oblivious knife where illegals can see them. When working large groups with limited persons you dont want the possibility of getting jumped. Having a knife in plain view is just another weapon you have to worry about retaining in a scuffle.
edited to add
also look at
http://www.rangerknives.com
and then I like Strider knives, usually carry a SNG and that does everything I need to do at work, before that was an Emerson CQC7.
I will be getting a smaller Strider fixed blade soon, but nothing much bigger than a MFS for work
Worry about your tests and probation period before you worry about time in the brush, also what station and sector you go to will determine how much field time you get.
crossada
Platinum Member
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a busse e-handle is probably my favorite handle so far but when it comes to heavy chopping your pinky finger will take a beating.
the only fehrman i own is the hoodhunter 10 which is a different handle than the other designs. the index finger groove takes some getting used to but this handle won't butcher your pinky finger and is quite comfortable in use. if any of you ever find one of these knives for sale i'd snatch it up quick. you won't be sorry :thumbup:
the only fehrman i own is the hoodhunter 10 which is a different handle than the other designs. the index finger groove takes some getting used to but this handle won't butcher your pinky finger and is quite comfortable in use. if any of you ever find one of these knives for sale i'd snatch it up quick. you won't be sorry :thumbup:
You have to remember that what I do is very different from what f-2175 will be doing. The only Busse's and Fehrman's that I own are the big ones because I have to put in lot of bush time.
I wanted him to know that both of these companies make tough, extreme use knives. I also have several of the Ranger knives and they are great as well. But Horned Toad is right! If you are going to go into that field of work then a smaller, concealed knife is the way to go. Busse and Fehrman also make smaller knives for this purpose if your looking for a small fixed blade. But he is right when he says a good folder will work as well. You can never be to safe.
Sorry I should have been more clear......But I was drinking when I typed the first post
Also definatley look for something that will be comfortable in the hand, otherwise if a situation occurs you can lose control really quickly.
I wanted him to know that both of these companies make tough, extreme use knives. I also have several of the Ranger knives and they are great as well. But Horned Toad is right! If you are going to go into that field of work then a smaller, concealed knife is the way to go. Busse and Fehrman also make smaller knives for this purpose if your looking for a small fixed blade. But he is right when he says a good folder will work as well. You can never be to safe.
Sorry I should have been more clear......But I was drinking when I typed the first post
Also definatley look for something that will be comfortable in the hand, otherwise if a situation occurs you can lose control really quickly.