Can't decide: Busse SH-E, NO-E or BA-E... help?

S

Steelwolf

Joined
Jul 19, 1999
Messages
443
Hi guys. I was originally going to get a SH-E I saw in the for sale forums (sweet deal) but Cobalt beat me to it. At least it gives me time to think now. Do I really want a SH-E?

The Steel Heart is a 7" blade. Is there very much functional difference between that and the Natural Outlaw which I understand has a 6" blade? Are the handle ergonomics and the choil grind similar? With the lousy exchange rate, can I get away with buying the Natural Outlaw and find that I've not really sacrificed too much on the functionality? Sure that 1" might make some difference in the long run, but how long a run would it be?

And to muddy up the water a little bit more, I was wondering about the Badger Attack. At 4.5", it is barely bigger than some of the folders I carry. Being a fixed blade, it can chop some, but at this size, would it be able to do it well? Or was the BA designed with smaller camp chores in mind? Chores that can just as easily be accomplished by my 3.75" and 4.5" folders?

And just as a general background, most of the fixed blades I own are at least 7" (with the exception of the Camillus Talon which I found to be only suitable to do the jobs I ask of my Endura, SAK, or similar and yet much more bulky to carry because it is fixed). I sort of feel that 7" blades have the sort of bulk and feel that I want in a camp knife which I use for clearing brush, chopping firewood, cutting tent stakes or braining and cleaning 4 feet diameter stingrays
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Ok... thanks for reading and any input you might have.
 
I have a Natural Outlaw and like it a lot.

I personnaly prefer it to several other 7 inch knives that I have (none of them Busse's) due to the reduced size.

Performance wise, it's hard to think of any tasks that I might use it for where the extra blade length would provide any significant advantage.

The NO chops pretty good. I'm sure the SH would chop better but the no will get the job done. It also out chops most of the 7 inch blades I have, the exception being the CS Recon Scout.

Anyway if weight and size are an important consideration for you, I wouldn't hesitate to go with the NO.

Also, I am waiting on a BA, hoping that I can reduce size and weight even more and still maintain acceptable performance in the areas that are important to me (which includes chopping capability).
 
Steelwolf,
The BA is great utility knife, IMHO, and it complements the other blades you mentioned extremely well. But if were forced to choose only one, it would be either the NO or the SH-E. Which of these two I would choose would largely depend on how much chopping duty the blade would likely see. Believe it or not, that inch does make a difference.

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Semper Fi

-Bill
 
Steve6 and Bronco, Thanks for the words of advice. Yep, I'm only planning to get one blade at this stage, though the others might come in a little later.

Size and weight might be an important consideration, though I'm not sure how much. I've always been carrying 7" fixed blades in the field and almost always attached in an upside down rig to the front left of my load bearing harness. (These harnesses are hard to beat for utility, even as a civilian camper.) Are the Busse knives heavier than most others knives for the same length?

What about the ergonomics of the handle between the NO and SH? Are they precisely the same in shape, size and build, just that the blade is one inch longer in one?

Should I move this to the Busse forum?
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Glad to help, Steel.

The handles of the NO and the SH-E are exactly the same in both size and shape.

If weight is a critical consideration, be advised that the Busse Combat line features full tang construction and a fairly wide blade, two factors which obviously tend to make them a tad heavier than some other outdoor knives of similar length. The plus side to this is that (in addition to the added durability), the extra weight also makes them better choppers. For example, I would expect a NO at 13.5 oz to easily outchop a Cold Steel Recon Tanto at 9 oz, even though the Recon Tanto is an inch longer.

This is certainly an appropriate topic for this forum, but I will mention that there have been a couple of recent threads on the Busse forum concerning the overall versatility of the different models. Will York just did an excellent report on the SH-E that might interest you (and make your decision even tougher
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).

BTW, I have to agree that a well constructed LBV is a great thing to have along on a day hike.

------------------
Semper Fi

-Bill
 
Can't add much to Bronco's assessment. Both are really fine knives. I have a BA straight and really like it but don't particularly care for the balance of the Badger E. But that could be just how my hands fit the knife. I settled for the NO just to save a little weight over the SH. I think the NO can handle a LOT. But the Steel Heart is quite a blade and that extra inch will make a big difference in balance and chopping. Still, I couldn't be happier with the NO. It suits my main purposes perfectly which as an accessory blade used during hunting. The best small big knife around.

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Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
 
Bronco and Hoodoo gave you some great info. This is really all I can add, hope it helps.
Shnobas.jpg


SHII-E
NO
BA-E -tan
BA-E -Black

Eric
 
Sweet pic, Eric. I have a tan BA-E on order and I can hardly wait for it to come in.
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------------------
Semper Fi

-Bill
 
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