Can a Basic 3 be re-handled??

D

dvcavall

Joined
Sep 6, 2001
Messages
38
Since I am not a fan of either rubber ( or similar compounds) or skeleton handles, and I don't want to pay a collector price for a using knife, I am wondering if a bit of effort my produce what I want?

The Basic 3 blade geometry is precisley what I am looking for...except for the handle. If this was a micarta handled knife, I bet BUSSE could sell a boat load!

Since some are still available, I'm wondering if any of you have had the occasion to take the existing handle off of a Basic? If so, can you share what the effort and procedure was, and what was found underneath?? I neeed to know if I can remove the existing handle with reasonable effort and without damaging the knife....and if the tang underneath would be suitable for attaching a hidden tang or another handle geometry?
 
Hey Dave...

I think if you have the skills in you to proform a hidden tang handle for the knife out of Micarta or something similar,, it could be easily done..

Without having the skills available, and having to pay someone to do it,,you'd be better off buying a Combat Grade Busse...

Personally,,if the tang isn't there I wouldn't even attempt it...

I have two knives on the go at my knifemaker that are having new scales put on,,but both have full tangs...

ttyle

Eric...
 
Eric, I think you are probably right. A full tang knife, especially one w/o a guard would certainly be doable, even if the scales had to be ground off. I have a feeling if I started messing with a Basic, I would wind up with a Basic with a messed up handle! Unfortuantely, there isn't a Combat grade knife from BUSSE anything close to the Basic 3 or the former Mean Street being offered today, at least to my knowledge. I looked at the Assault Shaker online, and wondered in scales could be added. but the lightening holes seem to be in just the wrong place. I even sent a note to Roberson at BUSSE asking if they could "scale" such a knife, but have not received a response. I know the Mean Streets come available now and then, but there is also a collector premium for them, and since I'm looking for a user, I don't want to pay it. At a little over $100.00, that Basic 3 and the Assault Shaker seem like real bargains, but not quite what I'm looking for. SO, the search continues.
 
Hey Dave...

I understand what you are saying...
I have the entire set and they are Awesome knives..The #3 gets used,,but not as much than my #7..I like the feel of the Basic grips they feel fine..

The only thing that I would do to improve them is to add a choil...
I prefer all of my knives to have some sort of a choil on them,,especially the larger blades...

Don't know what to tell ya dude..:)

Good luck...

Ohhh BTW..
Hang on there because Jerry is about to release the new BAT series..There maybe something there you like...

ttyle

Eric...
 
Have you seen any pics of the new Killer "B". It is reasonably priced, IIRC, at under $200 I think. Of course, it has a cordwrap, but it seems like scales could be added. It has a 4" blade, I think, BTW.
 
I seem to remember somewhere on the web at one time was a picture of a Busse Basic with its handle cut down to the tang, alongside another knife that was likewise cut to the tang. On the Basic handle the tang ran out almost all the way to the end. IIRC the lanyard hole was through the tang. According to a Basic I have handy here that hole is within 1/4"-3/8" of the end of the handle, so a Basic is a knife with pretty much a full-length tang. Or you could just take it to the airport & run it through their scanner machine to see. ;)

I think you could cut/sand the rubber handle off of a Basic pretty easily. Just be careful that you don't bear down too aggressively as you near the tang. Some drilling of pin/bolt holes in the tang may be needed after the rubber stuff is off of it. Then either yourself or a blademaker in your area could rehandle it with micarta, G10, stag, wood, or whatever you want.

Yours in nuclear handle mods,
Greg
 
Thanks guys. Where can you see a pic of this Killer "B" Andrew eludes to? Can someone post one or a link to one??
 
Here's a link to the picture of a Busse Basic (#9) minus its handle, along with an equally undressed CS Trailmaster that was going through the test matrix with the Basic. http://www.bladeforums.com/magazine/trial/csvsbusse-10.html Click on the pictures to see bigger versions of them. In the picture of the tangs you also see the tips of each knife that were broken off during bend testing.

From the picture you can see that the tang of the Basic 9 extends past the thong hole on the Basic handle, which bodes well for having a still-nuclear knife after performing an aftermarket rehandle job on a Basic.

Note the difference in tang-blade transition between the Basic 9 and the CS TM. Those smooth curves on the Basic mean that there is less concentrating of the stress vectors than will be offered by the sharply cut out shoulder corners :( on the CS TM. I just love Jerry's attention to design details. :)

The review starts at this page: http://www.bladeforums.com/magazine/trial/csvsbusse-1.html

Thanks to Mike Turber for the review.
 
Hi Mike,

That review is one of my favorites, along with Cliff Stamp's work with Busse blades. Makes me proud to be a Busseholic. :)

I gotta tell ya, I was VERY impressed by the picture of you slicing the handle off the Basic 9 while (apparently) holding it down by only leaning on the blade with the heel of your hand. If that INFI blade had started sliding along the bench with your hand bearing down on the edge of the blade like that ... :eek: :eek:

As Kipling said, "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!"

Yours in nuclear safety precautions,
Greg
 
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