First Busse/kin purchase,handle size concern (attn ratmandu cg users)

bleedingfinger

bleedingfinger

Joined
Aug 14, 2010
Messages
621
I am very excited to be ordering my first Swamp Rat..My first high quality fixed blade!( I been stuck on folders)
At any rate I was set on the Ratmandu cg from the custom shop in satin finish...My concern is I am 6"5' and have huge hands XXL gloves usually fit kinda small,I see on the company store site that the handle is about 5"...I am getting this knife for general use..camping,household chores maybe light chopping..Are there other big guys out there that have experience with this knife ??
My other option is to save awhile longer and get the busse sarge 7 they have in their store now.It is much larger and has a big roomy handle,But the $400 price tag is REALLY pushin it for me...I know they are very different knives and sizes . I would really prefer the rat because I like the design and the price..but I don't want to get it and be disappointed ,this handle is the only thing holding me back....thanks for your help,great forums here!
 
Ask them if they could put liners on the knife to make a thicker handle, i know Busse does that :)
 
bleedingfinger said:
XXL gloves usually fit kinda small
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Holy cow that is a giant paw. I am sure that someone will be along here shortly to help answer your question and possibly post a pic. I have talked to a few guys with larger hands and they say that the handle is very comfortable for them. I wish I could be of more help but I could probably crawl inside an XXL glove and take a nap. :p
 
Sounds like you and Dave Brown have similar sized bear paws. :p I'll see if I can alert him to this thread to give his feedback. :)
 
I've got large hands (NOT XXL though) and the RMD fits very well.. but as IZULA mentioned liners would be a good idea. I believe Garth mentioned that you could even order two sets of liners for additional thickness... I believe it was in one of the recent AMS threads
 
I know they do liners. I recently sent a knife back to the Swamp to have liners installed but I haven't received it back yet.
 
I have never heard of someone who did not find the RMD to be very comfortable in hand. In fact you will find where many Busse users say the RMD is more comfortable than any mid sized Busse that they own. The Swamp killed it with the RMD it may very well be the best mid sized knife out there, just ask Josh and the Swamp team to thin the edge out a bit for if you plan on cutting with it and not cutting a car in half. The edge on it does come a bit to thick imo but some liners and a thinner edge would make it one heck of a do it all knife.

Not to mention the knife itself just looks really damn cool.
 
Wow thats alot of replys! Thanks alot everyone...I am feeling pretty confident now that the RMD is going to be a good fit.I am blown away at the satisfaction level I read about with this knife! Ok so I will ask about the liners,in fact I emailed the custom shop and asked them to send me an options list since i dont know what all they offer..I am really excited about this knife,I will update when I find out about the liners ansd options..@ZCD,Those sheaths are VERY nice! Thanks for that,I just may go with one of those
 
My hands are not so huge but a buddy of mine has some monster paws and he loves my rmd because of the handle, his big sausages fit well with the choil and all. what some may not realize at first is when your just handling a knife the handle might feel a little small but in use when you grip down and choke up on the knife the handle size may be alot more comfortable than when just fondling it.

All threads are better with pictures

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I too have xxl hands and the RMD is great. Sometimes feels a teeny bit small in girth, but not enough to impair use in any way.

It is without a doubt one of the most comfortable knives I have ever used, and is likely my favorite overall. They knocked it out of the park with the RMD.
 
bleedingfinger- I'm 6'4" @ 290#'s:thumbup: I ain't no tinkerbell. Bro the RMD is a pleasure to use. It is exteremely comfortable to handle whether you are holding the knife like a shank (sideways) or in the traditional fist (like your making a fuzz stick). This knife IMHO is going to be one of the talked about knives for years to come and it's going to hold a special place in the annals of Swamp Rat for sure as the Ratweiler & Rat Mastiff have. Again IMHO I feel this is ONE OF THE BEST all around knives money can buy...You will have NO REGRETS!!!
 
WorldWood,I thought I didn't much care for the coated blade.But that top knife in the picture is a beauty!..I think I'll be getting more than one of these....Maybe since like RussMo said this is such a homerun knife I'll make the satin a shelf piece and beat the hell out of a coated one!... I have seen pictures where it appears the coating scrapes off pretty easily? ..Is there a disadvantage to me getting the satin finish??

First I need to order this though, Is there a way to call the custom shop? It takes a couple days on email response about spacers,sharpening etc..id rather just talk to a rep n get it started!
 
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The top knife is my user and favorite CG color combo tanger/black canvas, but i have been pretty gentle with it so far, the coating does smooth and eventually come off with hard use but that wont hinder the performance, just keep it lubed. The middle satin one is a special edition FFG and it doesnt get used but i have another custom special edition one on order from the swamp to use. personally on a user knife i prefer micarta but the look of green/black g10 was just too perfect for me to pass up, I dont see any disadvantage to satin other than you need to keep it lubed to prevent corrosion/rust. I prefer the look and feel of satin most the time but i love the grey blade.
 
BF, you could always order R6 without the top guard. You'd be getting a supersized RMD, the handle is both longer and generally bigger, balance and proportions are pretty much the same as RMD.

R6 with RMD LE
DSC05026.jpg
 
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Oh man a giant RMD...your right without the top guard they look pretty much the same.I like this Idea,and I was lusting over the BUsse Sarge7 becuase i kind of wanted a bigger knife.The R6 would definatly be great for camping, but I'm wondering as a general use kind of daily work knife if its too big ...and the cost from the custom shop of removing the top guard...again I wish I could call them to order...Do they only do everything through email?
I see the R-6 is also sabre ground..Does it come with more of the utility edge as the RMD ? I am not proficient on the stone and am not going to be splitting alot of wood with this,so I think with either knife I will order full flat grind or at least have them put more of an edge on it?? Does full flat still hold up well to average heavy type use?,,,,,I do more slicing and cutting, then chopping or hacking...thanks again for the help .I can't wait to see what I order lol
 
the guardless 6 looks great. I am fortunae enough to not have problems with this, but liners would be ideal. The RMD is an amazing knife.
 
The saber grind on R6 is much higher than on RMD, but the blade is thicker, so I'd say they have very similar cutting geometry. I don't remember who, but there was a post about R6 being used to skin and process a deer, I'd say that should count somewhat for its ability to cut.

I'd keep an eye on the Cupidganza, there might be some Swamp variants in satin...
 
The other options, similar to RMD but bigger (unfortunately only on secondary market) are Mini Mojo (top) and M6 (3rd from the top):
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They have much more substantial handles compared to RMD. And both are deferentially heat treated.
 
here is what it looks like in my XXXLG hands
I wear a size 19.5 ring on my index finger and my pinkies are 15.5's

Oh, I also make my own original design sheaths :)

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A R-3 in hand for more reference

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Sheaths :)

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