Early Steel Heart?

M

Matt_G

Joined
Apr 29, 2008
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I picked this up recently and honestly dont know anything about it. From pictures I found online it looks like an older Steel Heart but was wondering what you guys can tell me about it. Also its 13 5/8" overall.

Thanks, Matt
 
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You're right. That's a SHSH or Straight Handled Steel Heart. Nice find.

Prepare for your PM box to fill quickly. :D
 
Matt_G said:
I picked this up recently and honestly dont know anything about it. From pictures I found online it looks like an older Steel Heart but was wondering what you guys can tell me about it. Also its 13 5/8" overall.

Thanks, Matt
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It is the BEST Busse mid size chopper :thumbup:
 
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You can see in the Steel Heart timeline picture below (right to left, older to newer) that your falls in the middle, being a early SHII.


dscn3470xd5.jpg



:D
 
Tim,

That's a real good pictorial History, missing only a few and covering all of the high points.

Very Nice.
 
Welcome to our little corner of BladeForums!

That was a very nice find, congrats. As Guyon said, you will be buried with offers to buy it. If you are going to sell, make sure you get some accurate pricing info to protect yourself, either by searching the Busse Sales forum (might be a little light on sales of that model), or asking here for help from the SHSH experts.
 
Randucci very nice knives so is that a Steel Heart I on the far left?

Thanks guys I have a few more ?'s. Is the sheath original and I've have heard on some of the older ones the steel was A2. Any way to tell steel type? Also any body know what year range it might have been made. Thanks again and sorry for all the ?'s

Matt
 
That sheath does not look original to me.

I believe the slotted bolt SHSH's came with a drop-leg kydex rig as shown here.

SHSH2.jpg
 
Where did A2 end and INFI begin, Ducc? Mine is the 3rd from teh right. Slotted and grooved. Curious if mine is A2 or INFI.
 
In the end, without a bill of original sale, it is tough to say A-2 or INFI when dealing with Slotted screw handle type fasteners on the Steel Heart/Badger/Mean Streets of this era, while there are indicators, and even a chemical test that can be done, the easy way is for Jerry to slap it with a belt and look at the sparks(Sharpen the knife)

It looks to me to be an earlier A-2 nearly smooth grip, but like I say, the factory is really the place to send it in order to get that information.

Since the prices/values are about the same, on the user just sharpen it up and see how long the edge lasts, an INFI edge will out last an A-2 edge in soft materials like wood about 10 to 1.

1996 to 2000 rounds out when it might be made,in early to mid 2000 the hole type fasteners became common. I just do not remember 1994 and 95, Sorry.

As to the Sheath, there were many sheath makers trying to get the Company business as well as Sheaths made in-house at Busse.

I have seen slotted screw Steel Hearts new, in at least six different sheaths, my Favorite is pictured above, the High Desert Low Ride.

While I do not recognize the sheath is would be tough to say if it was shipped from the Factory in that sheath or not, with out knowing the Maker and learning if the Maker had ever submited examples to Jerry.

There were times that knives were stuffed in what ever sheaths were handy, and shipped.
 
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Matt_G said:
Randucci very nice knives so is that a Steel Heart I on the far left?

Thanks guys I have a few more ?'s. Is the sheath original and I've have heard on some of the older ones the steel was A2. Any way to tell steel type? Also any body know what year range it might have been made. Thanks again and sorry for all the ?'s

Matt
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Yes, the one on the far left is a SH1. The sheath could very well be the original, it looks about the right age, I have seen ones similar. Like Andre stated, there were many different ones provided at the time. If you put some cold blue on the edge and it sticks (discolors the area applied) it is A2, if it just beads and not absorbed, probably INFI, but with the early age of that knife, my guess would be A2.


.
 
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randucci said:
Yes, the one on the far left is a SH1. The sheath could very well be the original, it looks about the right age, I have seen ones similar. Like Andre stated, there were many different ones provided at the time. If you put some cold blue on the edge and it sticks (discolors the area applied) it is A2, if it just beads and not absorbed, probably INFI, but with the early age of that knife, my guess would be A2.


.
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you mean left... right?
 
resinguy said:
Welcome to our little corner of BladeForums!

That was a very nice find, congrats. As Guyon said, you will be buried with offers to buy it. If you are going to sell, make sure you get some accurate pricing info to protect yourself, either by searching the Busse Sales forum (might be a little light on sales of that model), or asking here for help from the SHSH experts.
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I tried doing a search but some error keeps occurring. I was going to hang on to it but would at least like to have an idea what its worth. So if you guys dont mind letting me know what you think its worth or what similar ones have sold for in the past I would appreciate it.

Matt
 
I would suggest a PM to the guys giving you this helpfull info and ask them for a high/low estimate. Keep in mind that they will be the ones trying to get at the front of the line if you ever decide to sell.:cool:
 
See the one I have listed in the exchange. My sheath is close to identical and it came from the factory.

Rob
 
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