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Cold Steel Bushman, any thoughts on it?

Joined
Jun 15, 1999
Messages
981
Was considering getting a Cold Steel Bushman, they' have been interesting me for a while. Thought I would ask if anyone has any experience with one. How's the hollow handle hold up? Is the blade very strong in terms of cutting power?
 
I picked up some last month just to keep in my cars. I banged the @##$ out of one just for the fun of it. Bottom line...Ive got no complaints at all, There a lot better than many knives three times their price. At 8 bucks a piece I couldnt buy anything better, that is this strong.


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~Keith~

 
I have one. Takes and holds an edge. I throw it (with and without a shaft). I keep it in my extended E&E kit, because I don't want to try to lash another knife to a stick for use as a spear.

pat
 
I would have to agree with every body else its a great knife for the money. Great edge and to my recollection can be bent in a vise at least 70 degrees and not brake also withstand 2 tons of pressure on the blade/handle transition point without failure according to Cold Steel.
 
Got one the other week for just ten bucks. (Who's the dealer who sells for eight?) It's not very pretty. A little while with my sharpmaker got it shaving sharp. I tried applying mineral oil, and some of the black coating rubbed off. No more oiling. Mine came with the leather sheath. It has no liner, so the blade shaves off some rawhide from the inside which clings to the blade every time. I'll have to wash it if I want to use it for food. As for the blade itself, I have no complaints.

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Eric Takabayashi
 
I agree with all of the above. A great knife for the money. The hollow handle is formed by twisting the extended tang into a conical shape small items can be kept inside if you use a crutch tip or something similar to cap the end. It is not sealed in any way so stored items have to be either waterproof or stored in a waterproof container.

phantom4

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who dares, wins


 
I used one for most of last summer as a machete/camp-knife and it held up very well. The steel isn't the hardest out there, but it's very tough. On breaks I would practice throwing it at a tree, I missed more often that I'll admit, but the blade never chipped on impact. You'll have to sharpen it more often, but you just can't destroy it.
Aaron

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amacks@nist.gov
Don't forget to pay your taxes...they eventually become my knives:)

 
Sounds like a real quality blade for the price. I think I'll pick one up
 
These are good car knives. I've got 2 now and will probably buy a couple more (especially if I can find them for $8). Keith, where did you get one for $8? That's a great price!
 
If I told you Id have to kill you
wink.gif
. $8 is a dealer price, from that you can see what kind of mark up there is.



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~Keith~

 
Cd, you mentioned the sheath is not worth it. What do you use for a sheath for a Bushman if not that, anything in particular? Anyone else not like the sheath Cold Steel has for it?
 
Tuff,

If I were going to use the knife on a regular basis, the sheath would have to be replaced. The knife does tend to cut the sheath at the top, if you're not careful puting the knife back into it. For only occassional use, the sheath is just fine.
 
Ditto on everything said here.. my summary is a pretty decent knife for a great price. I did have to spend some time on getting it to the sharpness I wanted, but who can beat the low price. The handle is my favorite.. a nice place to stash a few things on a camping trip.
 
I'm a little late in posting on this, but I'll throw it in anyhow. I bought a Bushman last fall for use in landscaping and have used it to cut, pry and divide rootbound maples out of whiskey barrels, whack blackberries, dig out sprinkler heads, and the list goes on.

It's tough, easy to resharpen, and a good size for general utility.

Sheath quality? Well that's another matter and something I expected.

The black wore off too and I just wipe it with whatever I happen to have in the truck and haven't had a problem.

Have fun!
 
DO THIS, AND DO THIS NOW!!!

Buy and put one Bushman in every emergency kit (you do have one, right?) in every car that you have. Do the same for your folks, your brother's and sister's cars...anybody you care about. They are cheap insurance, and the best buy available.
 
Sounds like a plan, I'm going to get one eventually, just trying to save up. I don't have a first aid kit anymore either, so will have to get one of those as well. thanks for the advice.
 
The handle doesn't have a cap on the bottom, it seemed like stuff could still fall out rather easy. How well do things stay tucked up in the handle?
 
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