Cold Steel Bushman

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firemanTFD

Joined
Aug 13, 2008
Messages
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Just wondering on people's experience with the Cold Steel Bushman. How it performs, any mods. Can you wrap the handle in paracord? Has anyone tried storing stuff in the handle like they claim? Let me hear what you got. Thanks!
 
I assume you are talking about the fixed blade and not the folder. Yes you can wrap them, adding a couple holes in the handle helps with that. I have seen a couple done with turkhead knots and they looked nice. As for storing stuff in the handle, you would have to come up with a plug system. They are tapered so threading one for a screw in plug would be tough for most of us. Perhaps a plug with a pin?
 
I did a chinese-inspired wrap on mine with gutted foliage green paracord. Might upload a pic later, if you're interested.
 
Great knife for the money. I've seen people use grip tape on the handle. I'll be getting one myself soon.
 
Here are a few pics. Sorry for the bad glare but it's night here so there wasn't any good lighting. Flash kills.

number 1

number 2

number 3

Also, I realized later that I skipped a section of the weave about two thirds of the way up. Oh well, it's holding fine for now. If it ends up getting shredded somehow I'll redo it.
 
I think the bowie would work better as a makeshift trowel or the like, but I much prefer the general bushcraft-style blade of the original. I also prefer the look of it without the coating. It looks a lot more rugged now, although it revealed a very sloppy factory sharpening job.
 
I was throwing my bushman spear mod last winter at a tree in my yard, and I broke the damn thing in half because the cold weather made the SK-5 brittle. But other than the cold weather handicap it works like charm.
 
I have a number of Bushmen, the Taiwanese ones. I think that they were the best bang for the buck out there. BTW a champagne cork makes a good plug.
 
I wish I had snagged one of the Taiwanese ones when I had the chance, but the Chinese one is holding up great so far. It's almost like a cheapo integral leuku.
 
I can't say enough about how great a value my older bushman has been. I bought it as a camp knife back in 2001 when I was a poor college student. $13 for a camp knife was all I could afford, to be quite honest.

It has been thrown, batonned, left in the rain for days, left wet in my tool box for MONTHS, taken glancing blows against rocks, used as a spear, used as a spade, used as a canoe tie off, and generally abused.

The most I have had to do is grind away some dings and some rust spots on the edge. The leather sheath that they used to come with rotted away pretty quickly. I generally left it sheathless in my truck's tool box. I made a leather one for it several month ago. It felt kind of silly spending 2 hours time and more money in sheath material than what the knife was "worth". However, I figured a good 7 years of service deserved a new pair of pants:D

I wrapped my bushman's handle in thick waxed leather stitching thread. I found that paracord was too thick for my liking. The waxed thread gives it plenty of grip, yet is strong enough to use in emergency situations. I rarely use a cap, but when I do i use one of those small black rubber plugs with the wing nut tightener on it.
 
I picked up a Bushman about four or five years ago and it has been a great knife. I remember when I bought from Cheaper than Dirt for about 15 bucks. At first I didnt care for the leather sheath it came with, but I have grown to really like it. I never even thought of putting a plug in the end of it. You guys come up with some great ideas.

How do I tell if it is one of the Chinese or Tiawanese ones? Mine isnt stampes with any markings other than the Bushman logo.

Either way I feel it was 15 dollars well spent!!
 
In my experience the Taiwanese Bushman's are absolutely flat black. The Chinese Bushman's are flat black, but are shinier.
 
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