detailed differences between hell razor & BATAC

4

405dave

Joined
Jan 27, 2004
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184
I have never seen either knife so I have nothing but pictures to compare. I have reduced my next purchase/trade down to these two. What are your (owners) first impression on both, which do you like more, and why? Thanks all.
 
I have both and they are both great knives. The Hellrazor is slightly larger and in my opinion a better all arounder. It is better at chopping duties because it is longer and heavier. If I had to choose only 1 out of the 2 then it would be the hellrazor.

Price wise the hellrazor is definately gonna be more expensive. Maybe 100+ more than the BATAC. Also they are harder to find than the current BATACs.

The BATAC is a fine all arounder also. It just does not have the heft or length to be a great chopper because it wasn't intended to be. It can do light to medium light chopping duties but you can baton to your hearts content.

I would say get the BATAC first because they are readily available at a decent price right now. If and when you do find a HR you can always sell your user BATAC for around the same price you bought it for.

Ban
 
I think they are quite different knives. If I didn't have either, I would be after the hell razor first. That's given that I have already handled them though.

The HR feels a good weight and balance for a decent fighter, and is certainly pointier than the BATAC. It's just long enough to be a chopper if needed and the choked-up hold works well. I really like the grip and the position it puts the blade in.

The BATAC feels just as heavy in my hand as the HR, funny that. It's a great utility blade for general field tasks where a longer blade can be less weildy, but because I find it feels heavy, I don't think it's perfect. For me, the choil on this blade is wrong; it should have the edge all the way to the guard giving more usable edge. But that's me and many others disagree.

Both blades are improved with a good convex edge (like mine).

Anyway, it's a good excuse to post a pic:

hrbatac.jpg
 
Note the longer sheath for the Hell Razor (that's a large Spec-Ops Survival Sheath on the Hell Razor, and a small Combat Master on the BATAC):

DSCF0132_small.jpg


This is because the Hell Razor (approximately 7" blade, 13" overall) is noticeably longer than the BATAC (approximately 5" blade, 11" overall), as you can see, and it also has a different blade profile:

DSCF0134_small.jpg


Although their thicknesses appear to be the same:

DSCF0136_edited_small.jpg


Also note that the Hell Razor (unless it's a Mud Razor) has the Corrugated Bevel Technology, whereas the BATAC does not:

DSCF0141_edited_small.jpg


Although the handle colors on these are quite different, they're both tan with magnum tan micarta handles. You may also have noted that the magnum handles on the Hell Razor have a prominent swell in the middle, whereas it's much more subdued on the BATAC.

You may also have noticed that the BATAC has the pointy skull-crusher, whereas the Hell Razor offers dual lanyard holes.

I think the Hell Razor is my favorite all-around knife. If I could only keep one, that's the one I'd keep. On the other hand, if I were buying, I'd probably go for a Badger right now because they can be had relatively cheaply. There'll probably be more Badgers in the Company Story for the original issue price, but the Hell Razors have gotten pretty hard to find.
 
Thanks for the quick responce! And also the great side by side photo's. The pics really do show how different they are. Now I need to head over to the trade forum and see what deal I can make for my smooth coated user BM-e.
 
Go for a BATAC SE or LE and you'll get the added heft in a compact package.:thumbup::thumbup:

100_1587f.jpg

100_1579c.jpg


My SE next to the CG I used to have.
100_1583e.jpg

100_1580d.jpg
 
The Hell Razor is a better all-rounder IMO. I do not have a lot of use for a knife the size of the BATAC, it's too big for me to EDC and too small for a hiking/camping knife.

I'd be stoked if I could get an HR without the ground swedge! Though I expect the ASH1 to fill that gap very nicely.
 
I had never realized how similar the TAC and SF handles were in profile. How odd.

Rick
 
The HR handle may not be an SF handle. Compare the pommel of JTT's HR to the pommel of the SFNO on the BCKC 'Anatomy of a Busse' page. Marked difference. Otherwise, the handles of most of the 'new' line (Fusion, Special Forces, TAC(tical) and whatever the Hell/Mud Razor has) all appear similar with the exception of the pommels and the slab shapes at the ricasso and pommel ends. (IMO) Pete
 
I have both knives -and both with standard handles. I like them both, but nowadays I take the badger on my hiking trips for two reasons - it's lighter and it has thinner edge than HR and cuts/slices better (V- edge on badger and convex on Hell Razor). As a hiking, all around knife I would choose the badger - it cuts really well and you can do light chopping with it with no problem - it choppes well enough to help you make a fire on your hiking trip and will be more usable in meal preparing duties.
If I needed a do it all knife for harder conditions - I would go with Hell Razor as it is a bit larger, and has a stronger edge.
Both knives are great, and both handles feel well in my small hands.
 
I'm going to go against the grain here, and say that the Badger is every bit as useful as the HR. I just compared the two, and the Badger is more forward heavy, which should make them both about equal choppers.... if that's what you need.
IMO every very version of the Badger has lived up to it's namesake. It's a lot tougher and more useful than it first appears. There's nothing a Badger can't do that it's slightly bigger brothers are able to. Most of Jerry's designs are masterful, but EVERYONE seems to be obsessed with every very version of the Badger, ergo, Badger 3, SH Badger. It's a bad knife with a badder or badger attitude!
I guess the closest sentiment that I can thing of is the funny loving, yet bad assed muppet drummer, animal!
A whole lot of beast in a small package!
300px-AnimalS1.JPG
 
pmsayre153 said:
The HR handle may not be an SF handle. Compare the pommel of JTT's HR to the pommel of the SFNO on the BCKC 'Anatomy of a Busse' page. Marked difference. Otherwise, the handles of most of the 'new' line (Fusion, Special Forces, TAC(tical) and whatever the Hell/Mud Razor has) all appear similar with the exception of the pommels and the slab shapes at the ricasso and pommel ends. (IMO) Pete
Click to expand...

Not owning one of the coveted SFNOs, I guess I had missed that. However, the HR closely resembles the pommel treatment on my F1 (upper left corner):

bussebutts.jpg


Rick
 
Hellrazor all the way. Great all around knife. Nice and pointy, the mag handled ones give you a great feel for the knife....IMHO, the knife could have been a little thicker, SFNO thickness would have been good rather than the 3/16". But with Mag handles you don't notice it as much. Not to down play the BATAC, but if you're into bigger knives (everyone is right?) than the HR is the way to go.

Heck....why don't you just get both than you can sell the one you don't want! That's the HOG way....no I take that back, the HOG way would to be buy both and keep both!:D
 
rbmcmjr,
I don't own a SFNO either. (Thanks, Lunde.) Just seen enough photos to remember the difference in the butt end/pommel. Looking at your posted pic, I'd have guessed that top left was a Hell Razor. (If BusseCollector's site is still up, I'll have to check out a Force One.) I'll take a stab at the rest of your line-up and say : F1/HR, MS/MRS, TAC - (SJ or BA), Fusion - (either SH or BM), some kind of SY, AD, ???, and in the bottom right, an ERGO handle which could belong to a BA, NO, SH or BM.
Perhaps I missed the point of your earlier post. The TAC, SF and Razor handles DO look quite similar in general outline. All three differ in the slab shape at ricasso and pommel ends but the SF and Razor slabs appear to have the same texture pattern milled into them
As to the SFNO, Dr. Lunde got there first and claimed it fair and square. I'll just hope that after a couple of funky little blades in a row ( SS & SD ), Jerry will give us all INFI-gasms by following the ASH-1 with the return of the highly sought after SFNO. A boy can dream, can't he ? Pete
 
I own 2 hell razors and 1 batac.

The hr is pretty much a perfect knife in my opinion. really if it were 1/4 inch thick i dont think thered be anything to improve, and seeing as how 1/4 inch is too thick for most people that probably means its perfect for you.

thats not to say that the batac isnt a great knife it truly is. its just that the hr is perfect.
 
pmsayre153 said:
I'll take a stab at the rest of your line-up and say : F1/HR, MS/MRS, TAC - (SJ or BA), Fusion - (either SH or BM), some kind of SY, AD, ???, and in the bottom right, an ERGO handle which could belong to a BA, NO, SH or BM.
Click to expand...

You are close.

Top row: F1, MrS, NARK, HOFSH

Bottom: SJ-Variant, AD, PH, Uncle MoFo

Rick
 
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