First Busse(kin) knife questions

S

Slezina

Joined
Aug 15, 2014
Messages
29
Hello everyone!

I've been interested in knives my whole life (I'm 23) and I've mainly focused on folders. I live in Serbia, so my opportunities for getting a fair priced knife are very slim (Spyderco South Fork is around 350$). It's because good knives are seldom available, and ordering a knife from USA is a nightmare (high shipping and handling price + Serbian retarded customs which charge you 40-50% of the item value, you order a 200$ knife, and pay around 350$ in the end), so when people bring knives from USA or West European countries, they try to earn as much as possible.

BUT, I'm coming to America for work and travel program, so I will be staying in USA from the 10th of June to late September. Of course, the first thing I'm thinking about is buying some quality knives.

I'm mostly interested in SR101 offerings, mainly Scrap Yard and Swamp Rat knives.
So here are my questions:

1. I like both the Rodent 9 and Ratmandu and they are available on the site, what are your experiences with shipping from Busse, it says 4-14 weeks, but in the disclaimer says it can be 6-32 weeks, so what are your recent experiences with shipping waiting times? If I was permanently in America, I wouldn't care, but I'm in a different situation.

2. Should I even bother with the site ordering, or should I just scout for a deal on the forums? I never traded using PayPal etc. so I'm inexperienced with the method of trade here.

3. How often does a Ratweiler and it's variations show up in the forums? It's by far my favorite fixed knife, and I'd love to buy one. I also really like the Sykco and Basic series (basically all respirene handled offerings).

Thanks in advance!
 
Are you set on any specific colors? If not you could try calling the shop and seeing if they have any knives that are already made up and have not yet been spoken for.
 
Honestly, I don't care too much about the color, I'll give them a call for sure, to see if something is available.
 
You shouldn't have a problem getting what you want from the exchange once you are here. PayPal is a breeze if you are set up to use it. If not, most people here accept USPS Money Orders. Good luck and happy hunting.
 
Buying direct from BUSSE is a sure thing, but delivery times can be a bit sketchy if you're on a tight schedule...

Buying off the Exchange here from a trusted member with positive feedback would be the fastest route to gratification...you can easily purchase a Money Order <as Zombie Assassin said> from a US Post Office and most members will accept them. However, pick a trusted member <100% feedback score with recent transactions> because the money order is basically similar to tendering a cash transaction.

I may be listing some blades you'd be interested in soon. Your choice of sr101 is an excellent decision...I love it! And I'd be honored to sell you your first Swamp Rat, Scrap Yard, or Busse.

All the models you're interested in come up frequently for VERY reasonable prices...VERY VERY MANY great BUSSE users here to deal with...I've dealt with SEVERAL and they've all proven to me to be honest and ready to share their knowledge and experience...that's the route I'd take...good luck and happy hunting!
 
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Petey, thanks for an in-depth answer, and I hope we strike a deal when I come to USA. All the best!
 
Good Hunting, and keep us posted! Pretty sure we can, in one way or another, keep you from going home empty-handed.

Oh, and apologies for being goofy on your other thread. :) Thanks for playing along! :thumbsup:
 
It was all said pretty well already--I'll echo calling the good folks at Busse; really nothing to lose. If you let them know your constraints and preferences, they might be able to hook you up before your return. Hope you score some goodies... and, of course, pics are always welcomed.

Good luck my Balkan brother...
Anthony
 
I am not speaking for Busse at all but....

I'm 99% sure there were R9's and Ratmandu's leftover at the end of BladeShow Sunday. I know they were there when I left.

So, maybe you could call them and ask if there are any.

I wish you'd started this thread over the weekend. I would've gladly picked up one of each for you.
 
Wow guys, thanks for the warm welcome and kind words, makes me want to join the Busse owners club even more :)
 
You might want to take a look at the Jackmandu, it is a pretty sweet all purpose blade with a slightly improved Ratmandu handle. It and the Beefmandu are my favorite in the 6" SR101 offerings, although the Safety Mutt is pretty good too. Plenty of options out there, what part of the USA are you going to be in? You might be able to meet up with someone that has several blades for you to put your hands on before you order one just from pics. Of course, that might just make you want them all!
 
I'm going to be living in the Lake Tahoe Area, specifically Truckee. So Reno is pretty close to me, so is Sacramento. I really like the Basic 4 LE, but I know there are very slim chances of getting it, so I didn't even mention it.
 
Slezina said:
I really like the Basic 4 LE, but I know there are very slim chances of getting it, so I didn't even mention it.
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....welcome aboard mate. Buying a Busse is a very slippery slope !!! The B4LE is a great knife, I have now lost count of the amount of critters mine has cleaned !!! They do turn up with some regularity on the exchange here if you keep your eyes on it.

Andy
 
Yeah, a B4LE shouldn't be that hard to score, quite a few hogs bought and still have their 4-packs of them. ;)
On a side note, our Sarplaninac puppies flew out of Serbia a couple years ago. My wife just teased me about trading off my knives for Mountain Dog puppies. o_O We traveled through Reno on our way back from California two years ago. It's nice way up in the mountains around there. :)
 
Slezina said:
I'm going to be living in the Lake Tahoe Area, specifically Truckee. So Reno is pretty close to me, so is Sacramento. I really like the Basic 4 LE, but I know there are very slim chances of getting it, so I didn't even mention it.
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How do you feel about regulators? Probably the best bang-for-buck busse kin blade, as is the 311, they all have resiprene handles and are very affordable.
 
I asked them about a ratmandu about a month ago.. they said they are on schedule as Swamp Rat and Busse operate seperatly..
Mine have taken 5 weeks in the past
 
DamascusBowie said:
How do you feel about regulators? Probably the best bang-for-buck busse kin blade, as is the 311, they all have resiprene handles and are very affordable.
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Regulators? I don't understand. As far as I've seen, California knife laws are pretty good.
 
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