Favorite 10" Knife???

eekman

eekman

Joined
Mar 9, 2002
Messages
36
For those of you in the "Big Knife Camp"... What is your favorite 10" knife? I have been wanting something with a little more chopping power than my 7" blade... what do you guys recomend.

I was leaning heavily toward a Battle Mistress but the handle of my Steel Heart hurts my hand if I do alot of chopping - so lately I have been leaning toward an Anaconda 9 - but I've heard some complain that its saber grind isn't as effective for chopping/cutting as a flat grind?

Confused...
Eek
 
Although I am not a huge fan of large knives, my favorite large knife is the Randall made 11" Confederate Bowie
 
my rtak has held up well for me. i have used it as a chopper and splitter and it has kept an edge.

alex
 
What exactly hurts your hands about the Steel Heart? Jerry Busse can customize the micarta slabs on your handle to fit your hand better. Have you tried discussing it with him?
 
Originally posted by Evolute
What exactly hurts your hands about the Steel Heart? Jerry Busse can customize the micarta slabs on your handle to fit your hand better. Have you tried discussing it with him?
Click to expand...

I've never called Busse about the problem... I just discovered it this past weekend. It would help if the Micarta were a "little" thicker BUT the main problem is the "hook" shape in the tang near the pinky finger. After about 30 miniutes (off and on) of some chopping and splitting my pinky was screaming!

Some of the problem may have been just doing work with a medium sized knife that really required a large knife.... but I'd hate to spend $350 on a Battle Mistress then find out that its too uncomfortable to use. This isn't meant as any kind of Slam against Busse... handle comfort is a highly subjective thing, I just wanted to hear what others were using so I could consider some alternatives.

Thanks,
Eek
 
I know for sure that Jerry can put thicker micarta slabs on your handle. As for the problem with your pinky smashing into the tang, there are probably ways to solve this.

To begin with, are you using an old straight-handled Steel Heart or a Steel Heart E? If you are using an old one, then you may find the new version more comfortable. You could probably sell a straight handled one for more than you paid, even used.

If you are using a Steel Heart E, then I don't know. Perhaps try braiding a tight paracord D-guard from the front of your tang to the back. Then tie paracord from your D-guard through the brass tubular rivet holes. Stick your fingers through that, and try chopping. Hopefully, that will hold your hand in place a little higher up, and keep your pinky from getting smashed. I like to do this anyway, because it prevents the possibility of slips or throws, and thereby increases safety; and because it allows a looser grip, and thereby decreases fatigue.

If that doesn't work, then perhaps you could cut or grind down the back part of the tang.

The same solutions that apply to the Steel Heart would, of course, also apply to the Battle Mistress, since they have the same handle design.
 
The Anaconda is an excellent big field knife. I also have a straight handled Battle Mistress that I love and a Rinaldi Armageddon on the way. It's hard to say what will work for you because knives are such a personal thing. I love big knives and have owned a few different ones. I think you will like the handle on the A9 because it has thick slabs, a semi-sub hilt for a better grip, and a slight drop for better chopping power.
 
The grip on the Busse Basic 9 fits me well. It isn't quite ten inches, but it performs big knife tasks pretty well.

One of my favorites is a Bowie forged by Al Barton a few years ago.
 
By the middle of the month we should be seeing the avialiblity of the new Ontario RTAK at a price of $75 or thereabouts. That is going to be my 10" blade and will take over where my Ontario SP-5 is standing now.

The RTAK will have micarta scales and that is a big plus in my book. They can be shaped to the individual hand if you so desire. That is another big plus for me. The phosphate finished 1095 finishes off all my wishes. With just a little work, this steel comes so sharp that no designer steel can beat it. Most of them are hard to sharpen. The finish won't hamper sharpening and it resists rust very well. I have a 20 year old K-Bar that used that finish before they went to the powder coat. Hands down it is much better. This one is a winner.

You want to chop your way to a hidden fishing hole or just have an awesome chopper and slasher for a last ditch survival blade I can't see how you can do better for that kind of money.
 
My straight handle Battle Mistress is the 10" blade I would currently choose, if I had to go with a blade of that length. It has near the optimal blade and point profile, quality steel, and strongly supported. The pinky hook (rear talon) is too straight for extended use, as noted in the above, and this has been addressed with the new version. I would also prefer a thicker handle, but a lot of people like them thin. There are also a number of very high performance ABS guys I would look into, Ray Kirk immediately comes to mind. He is one of the next people I intend to have make a custom blade. I'll probably go slightly longer though, for reach issues mainly.

-Cliff
 
Got to go with the Busse Basic #9. The BM is still on my wish list.
 
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