Busse or RAT? WHich one and why?

cybrok said:
I was just trying to understand why that link was posted. Searching for the point.



Another thing you guys should consider.

Not everybody can afford, or is willing to pay 400$ for a knife. That why there were much more people at the free SantaGanzaaa than for any other Ganzaaa (me included).

Even my 150$ knives were bought after much hesitation.



Not everybody want to chop concrete either ;)
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I agree. The price is high and not for everyone. I like RAT. I also like the Bk2 - Bk9 knives from Ka-Bar. Much less expensive.
 
I've wanted some good quality fixed blades for a few years and looked at Busse, Fallkniven, Ka-Bar, Ontario RAT, Ranger, and others.
I initially went with a Fallkniven F1 and an RC-6 soon after. It was only after getting the RC-6 that I realized how well it was put together and immediately ordered the RC-4 and Izula. Of RAT's line up I own all but the HEST and the RC-5 because I don't have a need for them. I got the RATs because they seemed to suit what I was looking for in a fixed blade so don't mistake me for a RAT fanboy that owns at least one of everything they've ever released! LOL

Getting back to the Busses, I don't know much about them or understand their marketing philosophy and I'm in no way trying to hate on them so hold back on the flames please!! LOL.
I don't know much about INFI but I think they look like awesome blades and I've heard nothing but great things about them. I love their designs but every time I've looked into one I've always got the impression that they are sold out before they even make it to market. Like it's a fanclub of die hard collectors that have to have at least one of every single variant made available. I don't understand the need for so many limited runs of so many models, other than to keep the diehards spending their bucks.

To be honest my initial thought was that they're in the business of making small batches of expensive (though great quality) knives in a million different designs more for a select group of collectors that buy into the whole Busse mythos, rather than sticking to just several staple models (like RAT and so many other makers) that cover the spectrum of fixed blade sizes.

I mean really (and again this isn't to dis any Busse owners/collectors here, honestly) but I've seen some pics from forum members that show up to a hundred or more Busses in their collections and based on my understanding of what just one of these cost I could only wonder how anyone could justify to themselves/significant other, spending that much money on KNIVES! (unless we've got a bunch of millionaires on these forums!). I'd love to have that kind of disposable income to be investing thousands of dollars on knives, flashlights, electronics and all the other great gadgets that seem to come out to tease me, but I've got a mortgage, house and wife that take priority.

I hope to buy one or two Busses sometime in my lifetime (if I can afford it and if one's actually available for me to buy).

All that being said, I think both are definitely great brands but I just understand RAT's philosophy about making a simple but good product and standing behind it. In my limited and probably ignorant understanding of Busse and their philosophy, they've got their big fanbase and are just laughing all the way to the bank, and that just irks me because I can't help but feel that some of my fellow forumites are getting getting caught up in the hype and being taken for a ride.

I'll end by reiterating that I'm not out to flame Busse or their fans. I guess I just don't understand Busse, and get the sinking feeling in the back of my head that there are more than a few unfortunate people that have gotten caught up in the Busse "hype" (for lack of a better word), and it's costing their wallets dearly! Want proof? Go to the Busse sub forum (can't remember if it's here or on Knife Forums) and check out the "show your Busse collection" or what ever the thread's called. If you were to sell some of those collections you could probably buy a house! I don't know, maybe I'm just jealous I can't afford such cool collections.

I know me speaking my mind on this ain't gonna win me any fans but the Busse thing has been on my mind since seeing that Busse Collection thread several months back.

Sorry for the long-winded post! I just had to get it off my chest!

As for the OP's original question, get one of each! You said money's no option. I know first-hand that the RATs are great knives but can only speak from the experiences of others on the Busses.
 
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d.weglarz13 said:
Hey guys. It is between a Busse Satin Jack or something like a RAT 6. ... INFI steel vs. 1095? I have many in 1095, but is INFI better or no?
dave
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I think the best Satin Jack's are the old straight handle version and the new smooth bolt saber grind version. Both are a bit pricey.

I think the RC-6 is as good as it gets for the money. I'd consider the RC-6 and a different sized Busse, perhaps the great Bushwacker deal on now. I think Infi steel would be at a greater advantage in the Bushwacker design. In a 6" knife, 1095 would be more than sufficient, esp in the RC-6 design.

If money is no object, by all means get an old satin finish, straight handled, Satin Jack.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJJBGybbnH4

A Cold Steel Recon Scout is great for fire wood/shelter making.
You can beat it up fearlessly!

CS39LRST.jpg
 
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remmmm said:
I hope The Chef has a flame suit. Talkin bad about Busse on this forum is like, well, you just don't want to do it.

I guess you could say there is a SLIGHT Busse bias around here...
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But NO such thing for RAT products... :rolleyes:
 
Are Busse's great performing knives? Absolutely.

Are Busse's great knives for the money? Maybe.

Are Busse's great value? No.

Are Busse's one of the greatest marketing success stories around? Yes....
 
I would go with a Ontario RAT, much more afforatable blade and your getting what you pay for I have one on my to buy list this year...
 
Eric Isaacson said:
How so?
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Hi Eric, I know some of what I said above is probably a bit strong but from what I recall looking at that Busse collections thread, and other threads I've seen where people have posted their Busses, there were quite a few members with large collections of them and I can't remember where I read it but remember on more than one occasion where members had commented on the struggle of being on a limited income but trying to come up with the funds to get the latest model (insert model name here) to go complete the set of xx in their collection.
 
The Chef said:
Seriously?

Both cut, both are tough to the bone, both have stellar warranties, one has a sheath of good quality, one is priced in the stratosphere because of mythical metal and magical hardening processes which shall remain cloaked in secrecy lest someone find out the Wizard is three feet tall behind the curtain. :D

So go with the one that fits your hand brother and comes with a sheath.
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This cracked me up :D
 
SHADOW84 said:
I would go with a Ontario RAT, much more afforatable blade and your getting what you pay for I have one on my to buy list this year...
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I was looking at some Ontario RATs on Saturday at the local knife shop and there's definitely a difference in quality compared to the RAT Cutlery knives done by Rowen Mftg. The coating and in particular, the fit & finish of the handles seem much better on the Rowens. I'm not sure what the Ontario models cost now but IMO the RAT Cutlery models were worth the prices I paid.
 
NaturalMystic said:
I've wanted some good quality fixed blades for a few years and looked at Busse, Fallkniven, Ka-Bar, Ontario RAT, Ranger, and others.
I initially went with a Fallkniven F1 and an RC-6 soon after. It was only after getting the RC-6 that I realized how well it was put together and immediately ordered the RC-4 and Izula. Of RAT's line up I own all but the HEST and the RC-5 because I don't have a need for them. I got the RATs because they seemed to suit what I was looking for in a fixed blade so don't mistake me for a RAT fanboy that owns at least one of everything they've ever released! LOL

Getting back to the Busses, I don't know much about them or understand their marketing philosophy and I'm in no way trying to hate on them so hold back on the flames please!! LOL.
I don't know much about INFI but I think they look like awesome blades and I've heard nothing but great things about them. I love their designs but every time I've looked into one I've always got the impression that they are sold out before they even make it to market. Like it's a fanclub of die hard collectors that have to have at least one of every single variant made available. I don't understand the need for so many limited runs of so many models, other than to keep the diehards spending their bucks.

To be honest my initial thought was that they're in the business of making small batches of expensive (though great quality) knives in a million different designs more for a select group of collectors that buy into the whole Busse mythos, rather than sticking to just several staple models (like RAT and so many other makers) that cover the spectrum of fixed blade sizes.

I mean really (and again this isn't to dis any Busse owners/collectors here, honestly) but I've seen some pics from forum members that show up to a hundred or more Busses in their collections and based on my understanding of what just one of these cost I could only wonder how anyone could justify to themselves/significant other, spending that much money on KNIVES! (unless we've got a bunch of millionaires on these forums!). I'd love to have that kind of disposable income to be investing thousands of dollars on knives, flashlights, electronics and all the other great gadgets that seem to come out to tease me, but I've got a mortgage, house and wife that take priority.

I hope to buy one or two Busses sometime in my lifetime (if I can afford it and if one's actually available for me to buy).

All that being said, I think both are definitely great brands but I just understand RAT's philosophy about making a simple but good product and standing behind it. In my limited and probably ignorant understanding of Busse and their philosophy, they've got their big fanbase and are just laughing all the way to the bank, and that just irks me because I can't help but feel that some of my fellow forumites are getting getting caught up in the hype and being taken for a ride.

I'll end by reiterating that I'm not out to flame Busse or their fans. I guess I just don't understand Busse, and get the sinking feeling in the back of my head that there are more than a few unfortunate people that have gotten caught up in the Busse "hype" (for lack of a better word), and it's costing their wallets dearly! Want proof? Go to the Busse sub forum (can't remember if it's here or on Knife Forums) and check out the "show your Busse collection" or what ever the thread's called. If you were to sell some of those collections you could probably buy a house! I don't know, maybe I'm just jealous I can't afford such cool collections.

I know me speaking my mind on this ain't gonna win me any fans but the Busse thing has been on my mind since seeing that Busse Collection thread several months back.

Sorry for the long-winded post! I just had to get it off my chest!

As for the OP's original question, get one of each! You said money's no option. I know first-hand that the RATs are great knives but can only speak from the experiences of others on the Busses.
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There is always plenty of time to order the current offerings off the Busse Combat website, they are usually up for months before they make a change to the next model. They are also very affordable when you get them from Busse instead of buying them off the secondary market as they do command a markup.

Once you order them the turn around time is usually 8-14 weeks unless they are in full production at the time you order one then it's shorter, usually 4 weeks or so.
 
Ankerson said:
There is always plenty of time to order the current offerings off the Busse Combat website, they are usually up for months before they make a change to the next model. They are also very affordable when you get them from Busse instead of buying them off the secondary market as they do command a markup.

Once you order them the turn around time is usually 8-14 weeks unless they are in full production at the time you order one then it's shorter, usually 4 weeks or so.
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Oh ok, thanks for that info. I guess it may just be the few odd times I've checked their site that the models I checked for were out of stock. I'm also going on comments I've read by others stating that they can be hard to get if you wait too long. Again, I haven't done any extensive searching on Busses because for the most part, they cost more than I've been willing to spend at this point on a knife. I do hope to acquire one or two sometime in the future though. I've heard nothing but great things about the knives themselves.
 
As far as how Jerry Busse does business... I would bet that he makes more sales with his current business model than he would if he just had a bunch of different knives for sale at all times and made them to order. Since everything he puts out is a limited edition in SOME way, his knives tend to hold their value very well, often even going up in value, which in turn helps drive demand for his new blades, which he sells out just about every time (except maybe that horrible Sus Scrofa). He gets paid, his employees get paid, his bills get paid, and everybody's happy. Everybody that is, except for the Busse haters.

He's done a great job with his business and marketing plans.

If you want a Busse, you got to play the game. Or buy one off the exchange, or ebay, or at various shows around the country.

It's really not THAT hard to come up with one you like and want.
 
If you want a Busse, you got to play the game. Or buy one off the exchange, or ebay, or at various shows around the country.
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I think many people are indeed put off by this Busse "fact o' life." Don't get me wrong, because I waited about a year and a half for my favorite knife from a custom maker, but most of the knife buying public will not willingly endure waits for product, nor bother to chase it down, nor bother to squat like an online vulture looking for a deal.

Busse fans declaring "you could easily get one if you really wanted one" doesn't help when many potential buyers won't jump through unnecessary hoops in a "one click world." Fair or not, I think many people view the way that Busse does business is a way of manipulating the supply/demand dynamic in a way that works mainly to the manufacturer's advantage and to those of game playing resellers. The majority of folks just want to find what they want and buy it without any "thrill of the hunt" or other additional drama.

So if RAT Cutlery has it all over Busse in any other regards besides a better dollar to performance ratio, it is that one can easily find the RC product and have it within days in a stress free manner that makes the Busse "hassle factor" seem a waste of time, and in the case of going to the secondary market, a waste of money too.
 
It's funny, the OP asked "Busse or RAT? WHich one and why?"and folks answered the question as they saw fit. I saw no one saying things degrading Rat but several have had issues with Busse. The reason always seem to be the same. Co$t! I don't hate people with Corvettes or BMW's. I still appreciate the cars and the engineering and quality that went into them though I don't own one and at present can't justify the purchase of one. But it always seems that someone wants to talk down Busse products regarding their price range. What these people should actually be saying is they have no comment regarding the Busse line because at present they can't justify the cost of one. And by the way, I find the RAT mentality to be the same is the Busse (Hoggs). They love what they have and are passionate about it. I don't understan the arguing...:confused:
 
babakanoosh45 said:
It's funny, the OP asked "Busse or RAT? WHich one and why?"and folks answered the question as they saw fit. I saw no one saying things degrading Rat but several have had issues with Busse. The reason always seem to be the same. Co$t! I don't hate people with Corvettes or BMW's. I still appreciate the cars and the engineering and quality that went into them though I don't own one and at present can't justify the purchase of one. But it always seems that someone wants to talk down Busse products regarding their price range. What these people should actually be saying is they have no comment regarding the Busse line because at present they can't justify the cost of one. And by the way, I find the RAT mentality to be the same is the Busse (Hoggs). They love what they have and are passionate about it. I don't understan the arguing...:confused:
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Hey babakanoosh, if I'm included in those you're referring to I did state at the end of my long winded post "As for the OP's original question, get one of each! You said money's no option. I know first-hand that the RATs are great knives but can only speak from the experiences of others on the Busses."

I do agree with boats though and he probably worded it better than I did. Sure Jerry is making a crap load of coin with his set up and if all the Busse lovers are happy with that then that's awesome. To each his own right? Does Busse sell any regularly stocked models or are ALL of their models limited runs?
Maybe it'd be a good idea if he did come out with some more affordable standard models that are more "mass produced", along with all the other Limited editions that seem to be the norm. That way the people like me who aren't willing to check every single site or forum looking for a knife, can just get one we want at a reputable online dealer.
Part of the confusion for me also is the names of all these damn Busse knives! LOL How many models have been made and where can one find a catalog of them all for reference purposes?

Oh BTW I drive a Audi A4 1.8T with upgraded chip, 19" rims, etc etc and it's paid for so it's not like I'm broke. I just have a hard time parting with several hundred dollars for a fancy chopper when a RAT can do just about all I need it to and more! I'd rather spend the money on cars, clothes, my wife, and having a life!
Heck I live in a metropolitan city where I don't even need the RATs I do have! I go out hiking, cottaging, etc maybe a twice a year if I'm lucky. I just like collecting all these stupid gadgets for fun, BUT there IS a limit!

And off topic, keep up the posts in the What are you EDCing thread. I love seeing all your orange gadgets and daily pocket dumps!

Peace brother!
 
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