Do you know of a knife better than the trail master?

[fmajor007]

I have no 1st-hand experience with Busse's INFI, but from a few credible sources it seems to be be the best steel going (at least for the big Choppers anyway).

I'd LOVE to have a Trailmaster in INFI!!! I really like the blade profile on the TM and with INFI, wow! what a combo!!!

 

[BryFry]

I've heard it said somewhere that imitation is the *best* compliment...

I wonder how much the stacked leather grip/alumina pommel adds to the weight? It looks essentially like a San Mai III w/an extra half-inch of blade...

Trailmaster = 17.5 oz

Thor = 18.4 oz

So the extra .5" of blade and leather handle add just under one ounce to the over all weight. :thumbup: They both have a nice "blade forward" feel that I like.

I too have always liked the Trailmaster. Basically the Thor is just a TM that has been tweeked and improved a bit, sort of a luxury model version, if you will.

 

[RoyalM]

Busse CGFBM, FFBM, NMFBM. Each of these, for me, easily beats the TMASTER.

I should say I require a blade to take a massive beating and have a fair weight to it. Just my style of use I guess.

 

[thebrain]

I have an sk5 trailmaster and I do really enjoy it.I also have a Ranger RD9 and after some handle mods I also find it a comfortable knife for heavy use but... My go to knife for chopping and batoning and most outdoor rough use has been the scrapyard SOD it is easy to carry(semi light) crazy comfortable and packs a whallop for a shorter bladed knife ,When I got it I liked it but when I used it I fell in love .Now I need to get a Dogfather to compair the two.

 

[kgd]

I've heard it said somewhere that imitation is the *best* compliment...

I wonder how much the stacked leather grip/alumina pommel adds to the weight? It looks essentially like a San Mai III w/an extra half-inch of blade...

Trailmaster = 17.5 oz
I too have always liked the Trailmaster. Basically the Thor is just a TM that has been tweeked and improved a bit, sort of a luxury model version, if you will.

Just for the record, Fallkniven did not copy their design from cold steel. I really had quite a chuckle at the prospect

Although I've tried a few, I can't say I favor the American thick long knife. Just not for me. Give me a mid-size blade with neutral balance any day of the week.

 

[crossada]

Not wanting to hi-jack, but maybe help with via a clarifying question or two....

From most of the posts here, is it generally accepted that the Trailmaster's greatest competency is perceived as a Chopper?

If that is the consensus, what does the Trailmaster do better than other dedicated Choppers if anything?

Conversely, what do the other dedicated Choppers do better than the Trailmaster aside from chopping (if they are actually better at chopping)?

If the Trailmaster is not perceived primarily as a Chopper, what do most people think the Trailmaster is best at?

i consider the TM to be a much better fighting knife than the busse or other "chopper" knives mentioned. It is very lively in the hand compared to the heavy choppers. I find the TM to be a good do it all type big blade compared to the more one dimensional stuff. I guess it is what is more important to the individual in what their knife is good at.

My TM kraton handle did come loose on me though so i don't put it to use anymore. I've never seen one rehandled so i'm curious what it would be like.

 

[tholiver]

i consider the TM to be a much better fighting knife than the busse or other "chopper" knives mentioned. It is very lively in the hand compared to the heavy choppers. I find the TM to be a good do it all type big blade compared to the more one dimensional stuff. I guess it is what is more important to the individual in what their knife is good at.

My TM kraton handle did come loose on me though so i don't put it to use anymore. I've never seen one rehandled so i'm curious what it would be like.

There are a few rehandled Trailmasters here
http://www.sunrisecustomknives.com/repairs/repairs.php

 

[fujita yuji]

There are a few rehandled Trailmasters here
http://www.sunrisecustomknives.com/repairs/repairs.php

Wood handle in coffin shape rocks!

 

[BryFry]

Just for the record, Fallkniven did not copy their design from cold steel. I really had quite a chuckle at the prospect

I don't know for sure who copied whom, but the blade design on those two knives are identical right down to using laminated steel, which I believe is even made in the same factory over in Japan. True Fallkniven ads .5" for the Thor, and subtracts an inch for the Odin. That and they upgrade to VG10 core over CS's VG1, and add a better handle.

Not that I care, but I've heard that CS marketed that design first, though I don't know if they actually came up with it or not.

Personally it does not matter to me one way or the other, just as long as I get a great knife for the money.

 

[fmajor007]

Just for the record, Fallkniven did not copy their design from cold steel. I really had quite a chuckle at the prospect

Although I've tried a few, I can't say I favor the American thick long knife. Just not for me. Give me a mid-size blade with neutral balance any day of the week.

How does anyone know if Fallkniven copied CS or CS copied Fallkniven?

I suspect CS marketed the Trailmaster before Fallkniven, but i don't know. The Trailmaster has been out since at least 1993-1994 - i don't know when Fallkniven came out with their Thor.

Reverse engineering is easy, cheap and hard to empirically prove, but you know it when you see it.

 

[tholiver]

How does anyone know if Fallkniven copied CS or CS copied Fallkniven?

I suspect CS marketed the Trailmaster before Fallkniven, but i don't know. The Trailmaster has been out since at least 1993-1994 - i don't know when Fallkniven came out with their Thor.

Reverse engineering is easy, cheap and hard to empirically prove, but you know it when you see it.

I believe the Trailmaster first came out in the mid to late 80's, i have old Cutlery Shoppe catalogs from that time that have the Trailmaster. The 1987 Catalog has the Cold Steel "Bowie" with a then projected release date of July 1987. They later renamed it the TM.

 

[tholiver]

I love the look of the Fallkniven Thor!
Might have to rehandle my Trailmaster like that someday.
If i'm not mistaken isn't the Thor convex grind versus the TM's flat grind?
Unlike a lot of people here i just don't care for convex, that and the price have kept me from buying a Thor.

 

[philwar]

I own a TM in San Mai III. I also own a Busse FBMLE and a BWM. I have fairly small hands so the TM handle fits me well, but I can imagine larger hands needing more grip. Personally I would like a more pre-formed shape myself, with canvas micarta as material.
The TM is an amazing chopper for its weight, it even outchops the BWM as shown by another member here. I think the full convex zero edge grind has something to do with it. It's large of course but not unwieldy.
Heavier knives will probably outchop it, but the TM is a great knife in its own right. Pound for pound it's hard to beat, IMHO.

 

[hoopster]

If we're talking big choppers, I've yet to meet a knife that has better balance and feel in the hand than my Busse Bushwacker Battle Mistress. I've gone through quite a few big choppers, and most are too thick or the wrong grind or have lousy balance, but the BWBM is lively in the hand and has a nice convex grind that makes it great for both chopping and more machete-like slashing tasks.

Same here. I just cannot find a single thing to complain about regarding the Bushwhacker. Other than stripping the blade coating, it's absolute perfection.

 

[fmajor007]

I love the look of the Fallkniven Thor!
Might have to rehandle my Trailmaster like that someday.
If i'm not mistaken isn't the Thor convex grind versus the TM's flat grind?
Unlike a lot of people here i just don't care for convex, that and the price have kept me from buying a Thor.

The San Mai III Trailmaster has a convex grind and an (appropriate?) increase in price!

I opted for an older coated-blade in SK5 at a really good price, but was shopping for a Carbon V. I'm leery of the laminated-steel blades, but have no good reason for my caution. I also like the "toughness" of carbon (non-stainless) steel.

 

[tonym]

Hi

I have one in carbon5 and its amazing. The balance, the feel in the hand. Icant say enough about it.

What knife has better balance, feel, ?



Thanks

The Dangerous Curves Golok by David Farmer feels better in my paws.

 

[BryFry]

I love the look of the Fallkniven Thor!
Might have to rehandle my Trailmaster like that someday.
If i'm not mistaken isn't the Thor convex grind versus the TM's flat grind?
Unlike a lot of people here i just don't care for convex, that and the price have kept me from buying a Thor.

The Fallkniven and the San Mai Trailmasters are both full convex, ground to a zero poit edge. My favorite blade and edge grind BY FAR, especially when it comes to large choppers. :thumbup:

The SK-5 and older Carbon V Trailmasters are flat ground with a V edge.

BTW, You can turn a convex "edge" into a V edge, and vise versa, and you could flaten down a full convex blade if you had the ambition, but you can't really change a flat ground blade into a true convex one. .....hope that makes sense!

Personally I like alot of "big" knives, and I hope to own a Busse or two some day too. I've just always thought of the TM/Thor as sort of a good "Jack of all trades" kind of knife. That is maybe not "perfect" for any one task, but is "very good" at many. -Great all around blade rather than a single specific task tool.

 

[fmajor007]

The Fallkniven and the San Mai Trailmasters are both full convex, ground to a zero poit edge. My favorite blade and edge grind BY FAR, especially when it comes to large choppers. :thumbup:

The SK-5 and older Carbon V Trailmasters are flat ground with a V edge.

BTW, You can turn a convex "edge" into a V edge, and vise versa, and you could flaten down a full convex blade if you had the ambition, but you can't really change a flat ground blade into a true convex one. .....hope that makes sense!

Personally I like alot of "big" knives, and I hope to own a Busse or two some day too. I've just always thought of the TM/Thor as sort of a good "Jack of all trades" kind of knife. That is maybe not "perfect" for any one task, but is "very good" at many. -Great all around blade rather than a single specific task tool.

That's an excellent explanation about convex/flat ground edges - even i understand it!!! I completely agree about the "all around blade", though the Busse Bushwacker Battle Mistress is pretty sweet looking too!!!

That Dangerous Curves Golok looks pretty interesting too - particularly as a chopper/brush clearing blade.

I think BryFry has it right - the Thor is like an enlarged, tweeked/improved luxury Trailmaster. It looks like the blade profile is a bit different - more "sweep" in the belly maybe? Anyway, it's quite a nice looking blade thats for sure!!!

 

[kgd]

How does anyone know if Fallkniven copied CS or CS copied Fallkniven?

I suspect CS marketed the Trailmaster before Fallkniven, but i don't know. The Trailmaster has been out since at least 1993-1994 - i don't know when Fallkniven came out with their Thor.

Reverse engineering is easy, cheap and hard to empirically prove, but you know it when you see it.

My statements only refer to the fact that cold steel has a rather notorious history of using others folks designs while fallkniven tends to be much more original in their developments. As for the blade shape, I really don't think anybody copied each other. It is standard bowie and you can find this shape in knives from 100 years ago. Not much original there.

Falkniven's use of VG10/420J laminate in its survival blades like the F1 was quite original when it came out however and I'm pretty sure their use of this laminate well predates cold steels use of it by a long margin. The early trailmasters were not laminates as I understand it. Ox hide handle versus versus kraton? You decide, on the visuals. I think the ox hide is more attractive and robust but then again the Thor is nearly double the cost of the TM.

 

[JOSH111]

These two.