Dilemma

S

smorgan345

Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
242
Having trouble deciding so I thought I'd ask for opinions. I try to keep my knife collection as small as possible but it's like kudzu. On that note, I have had and sold a few Busse knives and I recently had a ETS SJ rehandled with G10 mags, it's awesome and I was convinced it would be my last and final Busse. 1 week later they brought the RMD back and I ordered two. Typically when hiking/camping I keep a medium size blade on me 5-6" and I pack in a big chopper for large tasks. I currently use a Cold Steel Gurka Khukri for that job. I can't spend any more money and I'm thinking the RMD will cause the SJ to stay at home alot because it's a lighter to be on my person all day. So I'm wondering if I should sell the SJ to afford a BWM to replace the Khukri? Any thoughts?
 
This is an interesting dilema ..... I have all the knives you mention and must confess to feeling fortunate in that regard as they are all excellent in their own way ....

The CS Khukri I had to modify with a dremmel to remove and smooth the chequering on the handle .... used without a glove over extended periods I found it a little prone to giving hot spots which without hard skin would be blisters .... but with the hidden tang design the over all weight of the blade is quite light for the chopping performance. I convexed the edge on mine and it is the old model with the Carbon V blade .... it takes an excellent edge .... and I expect the newer steel will also do the same .... it is the only none Busse "chopper" that "works" well for me .... I had some lovely Hossom Grand Retributions but sold them just recently as I could'nt get away with the grips which were a little small for me ... and I moved on a Bark River Golok as it was good but not in the running with the other choices I had available .... but the CS Khukri is an excellent blade .... probably the only one I would go for from the CS range ... so I can understand not wanting to part with that ...

I also favour the RMD .... I've been an avid fan of this knife since I first got one ... I like the S5LE from scrapyard knives similarly and it is very like a RMD but lighter and is in Infi ... these two for me rank just above a lovely snakeskin SJTAC which I have and which has been stripped and fully convexed and is probably my sharpest Busse ....

My advice therefore might be a little against the majority here .... but I suspect that the BWM would possibly be beaten in a chop off against the CS ATC Khukri .... the heavier BWM LE I think would keep pace and for me is a much better all round knife than the CS Khukri .... and I have all of these knives and have used them a fair old bit so I don't think I am wrong on assessing the performance aspect .... but in fairness I have'nt done a direct comparison .... however in your shoes I might be inclined to sell the SJTAC and the CS Khukri .... and go for the BWM LE if you could then cover the cost. The BWM LE is expensive but it is a really top notch knife IMO ... very akin to a SHBM which costs an awful lot more on the secondary market .... if you team a RMD with a BWM LE you have one of the best pairings I can think of ....:thumbup:

Alternatively I think if you sell the SJTAC and go for a BWM you have a great option of the RMD and the BWM CG for a lighter set up or pairing it with the CS Khukri if wanting a combo for doing more "heavy" chopping ....

The CS Khukri if you sold that on it's own could be replaced by the BWM CG but you would need to use a few more swings to sort out the bigger stuff ....
it would be lighter to carry though.

Your difficulty here is one I often find now .... there are many knives in the Bussekin family which really do work well and it is very hard to split the differences .... CS are not usually up there with any comparable Busse IMO but I have a lot of time for their Khukri's .... they are an exception .... but there are knives which will outperform the CS Khukri in chopping.

Forinstance .... if instead of a BWM LE you could stretch to a NMFBM CG off the exchange then you would definately have a knife which eclipses the CS Khukri on chopping.

Anyway .... just my own thoughts here .... and as said I have'nt yet done the direct comparison's to be sure ... except that of comparing the CS Khukri to a NMFBM .... that one I have done.
 
Probably not much longer, but they will give us the heads up when it's about to come down.

.
 
I'll be the dissenter. I dislike the SJTAC. Dump it. (Only b/c of personal preference - but you asked OPINIONS.)
 
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