Chopper: M9 vs R9

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You should know that Bussekin knives come with obtuse edges from the factory. That's a well know fact. It's easier to remove metal than put it back. I'd much rather have an obtuse edge than one that's too thin for my use. Buses knives aren't typically for guys that are new to hard use knives. Along that line we should all be able to sharpen or re-profile them to our liking. If you aren't able to do it yourself, I'm sure you can find a shop that sharpens knives locally. Just ask them to thin the edge. Maybe even tell them the angle you want. If you still feel it's so terrible how about you post up some pics. We can't tell you if you are being reasonable or not if we can't see it.

I bought one of those cheap 1" belt sanders from Harbor Freight. Gets the job done and was super cheap. Just get some different grit belts and practice on a few cheap knives first. You'll get the hang of it in no time.

 

So you're upset with an uneven grind?

 

I'd convex that secondary bevel with a slack belt. That would even out the edge and I'll bet you have a whole different animal on your hands. Won't take much IF you have any access to a belt sander.

 

I hear you man. The tip's the easiest to burn or remove too much stock. And I don't know that I can explain well enough where you'd feel comfortable tackling it. If you decide to send it off, I'd look for someone reputable close to you. That would probably be the least expensive and quickest fix. I get that the honeymoon's over, but I think you've got a good blade in your hands that just needs some attention to that edge.

 

Uneven grinds don't lead to dull edges. Ever hear of a chisel grind? Uneven grinds are extremely common with knives that are hand ground. I don't own a single knife that doesn't have an uneven grind.

It's the obtuse edge geometry that makes it dull. I wouldn't worry at all about the uneven grind. Just get it re-profiled. You will be good to go. Easy peasy. If you find a local sharpener it should cost you like 10-15 CAD. I have at least 5 stores within a 15 minute drive that charge less than $10 U.S. to do a knife that size.

 

I agree with this. The uneven grind makes it look bad, but it's that thick shoulder that's causing the performance issue.

 

If you search around this forum you will find a vid of Rob Stanley shaving a leg with his M9...
Those crazy Aussies...

 

A knife should come sharp from the maker, period.

You should expect straight edges.

 

My son pointed out that sander to me a few weeks ago. Might have to check that out.

 

That steel is not hard to reprofile. I'd just strop it on progressively finer grits of sandpaper until it looks right to you and call it a day.
And I understand your frustration, but what will you DO?

 

I agree. Even if I don't like the edge angle, I expect the factory edge to cut. Cut phone book paper? No, but able to cut something.

 

Dwayne does this mean you are going to start making knives

Btw this is true for the price of Busse and kin knives they should come ground damn near perfect. I have many "hand ground knives" that have extremely even grinds and sharp edges. I think sometimes the Busse family of knives rely far to much on their "hard use" mentality and their extremely loyal following to sell knives that are simply sub par.

If I got a M9 with a grind like you are describing I would be some what butt hurt but you have to remember it was still bought second hand so you really cant hold Swamp Rat accountable. This is one of the major downsides of buying things sight unseen.

 

Designed a few, No making, the wife would hurt me.

 

Let's not forget this knife didn't come directly from the maker.

Good luck with that. It's the primary grind being off that makes an edge look off. Go look through all your knives and see how many are (perceivably) straight. Even my Chris Reeve knives have all had uneven grinds that I could see with the naked eye. Every knife has an uneven grind. Knives ground by hand are going to be the most noticeable. Most people have a dominant side (lefty or righty) and will have different grinds on either side of the blade because of that. What do you have to say about the Asymmetrical edges Busse used to intentionally put on their knives?

Again, this knife was purchased second hand. Can you really blame Swamp Rat without knowing for sure what amount of use this knife has had?

The M9 has not been in production for many years now. It seems a little crazy to be complaining about how sharp a knife is from the factory when they haven't made them in years. The grind isn't the issue at all as far as sharpness goes. You bought a used knife. Just go get your knife sharpened. End of story.

 

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For all of the valid points brought up, experience has taught me that realistic action yields far better results than idealistic inaction. Did this M9 go through factory QC this month? This year? This decade? Was the purchase direct from the factory or have other hands been on it over the years? I believe the M9 was from around 2009 or so, so if I am right, then beating a dull horse from way back is helping no one with the issue at hand today. Problems require solutions via action, not wishful thinking or complaints. One dull, uneven knife made 5 or more years ago does not a current bad company make. I started buying Bussekin back in 2009 when dull, uneven, obtuse edges were almost accepted as normal, but with enough unhappy customers Jerry & crew made significant changes after the SAR 3 butter knife ordeal. Since then things have gotten much better, not every knife is shaving sharp better, but at least every knife cuts paper better, with a majority of them shaving sharp. Companies are operated by people, people make mistakes, it is what they do to learn/improve from those mistakes that makes a difference. The shop will sharpen the knife for free, or for less money(?) someone else can fix the edge.

People don't stop buying cars or tires from companies that had a bad batch of products even though those products sometimes kill people. This isn't a gun that can't shoot, it is a gun that hasn't been loaded. A dull knife from the factory sucks, as do lots of other disappointments in life, but at least with a dull knife there is opportunity for easy remedy with little to no harm to anyone. Now all that said, the knife must be sharpened, just like any other dull knife, so how do you plan do address that problem, or are you going to sell it to someone else and kick the can down the road? So your friends laughed at your dull knife, whoopee, sounds like a challenge opportunity to sharpen your blade to your liking, get over the initial disappointment and go show them what that knife can really do with a proper edge that it will hold for way longer than their cold steel blades. Sharp SR101 is awesome, which once you show them and yourself that, then you will see who is laughing, or wanting your knife.

edit: looks like bladerunner and I are on a similar page at a similar time. That post wasn't there before I started to type my reply.