Can anyone ID this Busse?

S

s002cjs

Joined
Dec 8, 1999
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354
I just got a new Busse (or at least Busse-style) knife that I really can'd identify. It's a 3" blade, crinkle coat, and appears to be the same thickness as my Lean Mean Street. I'm going to try to attach a couple pictures, so please let me know if they don't show and I'll try to get some help posting them!

The first shot is just of the knife itself with the sheath it came with...
The second is the new baby next to the Lean Mean Street...
Can anyone tell me what it is?
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CJ,

I'd say you were looking at an apprentice piece. This particular piece may have made an appearance on the forums before (it looks familiar to me.)

I'm afraid that I can't shed any more light on your question than that.

:)
 
Thanks, Brian. I had thought it was maybe an apprentice, but the other apprentice's I've seen had the talon hole ground off. This one doesn't even have the actual hole, which I've only seen on older stuff and a prototype that was on the forums somewhere a while back. This seems to have more recent stock (the thinner stock and crinkle finish), so maybe there's a new standard for indicating apprentice pieces?

Whatever it is, it's a great size and a pretty comfortable design, although a little heavy for the 'neck knife' it was advertised as when I got it.
 
CJ, Nice find!! Wonder if it is made of INFI?? If it is, it's cool to know there is more 3/16th" INFI floating around.:D
 
Well, I had originally thought it was a Police or Combat recruit and was hoping someone would be able to tell quickly, but...at the risk of throwing more coal in the rumor fire, I just held it up to a Basic 3 and compared them. The blade size and shape is nearly identical, while the handle is the slightest bit shorter. The handle is slightly shorter and comes to a different end, but the general shape is identical (which explains why I feel it's so comfortable). So essentially, it appears to be a 3/16" Basic 3, crinkle coat, possibly in INFI. Perhaps a prototype of something to come, or an apprentice version of the Basic 3! Either way, it rocks, and I'd love to see one with Micarta handles!

Edited to add comparison pictures: The Mystery Knife next to a Basic 3, then the two stacked on top of each other.
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It's an apprentice piece made out of 5160. Very inexpensive steel used to teach our apprentices how to grind. We like the pattern so much that we modeled the Basic #3 after it. Good work on noting that!

The apprentice knives were made during the early 1990's ('91-'94). We thought they were all gone until we picked up a batch of blades at our coater who said they had found a box of about 400 blades that had been put under the previous owner's desk. He asked if we wanted them coated (about a year ago) and we told him to go ahead. They're not bad blades and although they are not official Busses (no warranty) they will give many, many years of solid service.

Nuke on!
 
Cool! Thanks for the clarification. I still wouldn't mind seeing one in full INFI with micarta handles (I particularly like it in 3/16"), but it looks like it will serve as a good compact camp knife until I can get one!

Yourse in INFInite gratitude,
 
5160 is a good steel. It is tough stuff, truck leaf springs and some rail road tracks are made of it.

I'm sure the way Busse heat treated it made it that much better!!
I wonder how it compaird to A2? I would bet close to as good if not better!
 
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