First Busse

webb_jr

webb_jr

Joined
Nov 23, 2009
Messages
32
Hi All,

My curiosity with Busse has reached critical mass; I need to get my hands on one of these epic blades before summer. Problem is, with all the acronyms and seemingly endless permutations of the product, I don't know where to start.:confused: I'm a heavy camper, but I live in the city so I'm probably not going to build a log cabin with it. However it should be suitable for a survival situation (in case I get lost or a TEOTWAWKI event takes place). That said, who knows, maybe I will need it to build a log cabin! From what I've read here, most, if not all Busses already meet those specs. So, I guess what I want are some opinions/advice on what to choose for a chopper-sized blade for a newbie.

Btw, I have an RC4 and plenty of higher-end production folders i.e. BM710, Millie and quite a few others; what I want is a workhorse of a knife that makes camp chores a breeze and feels good in my hands. From the pics I see, most Busses appear to have huge handles. I have normal sized hands at best, maybe on the smaller size as I'm only 5'9" - average build. I'm worried that I'll buy a knife that won't be comfortable to use. Aesthetically I prefer a satin finish over the coated blades, but again I'm as green as they get when it comes to Busse. Is the coating necessary or advantageous when chopping?

So you will know the environment I will be using it most often, I live in Nor. Cal., (think Sierras, Pacific Coast Redwood forests, and deserts). Lastly, I probably won't get the courage to spend beyond $600 on the knife (unless I have unknowingly won tonight's $112 million lottery):D. Curious how others chose their first. Any other advice on my first Busse is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your replies.

Webb Jr.
 
Firstly, welcome to one of the finest knife forums on the net. Busse forums is awesome. So many knowledgeable and cool people here. If you are confused about the acronyms of the different Busse blades the following two sites are excellent to get you acquainted and familiarized with most things Busse.

http://www.hogcult.com/

http://www.bussecollector.com/catalog/



You can ask any question here and there is always someone who has the answer or insight you are looking for.

As for your desired Busse knife, as most of the INFI lovers here can attest, a Battle Mistress probably is what you are looking for. My first impression would be that you would like the current offering from the Busse Combat Store, the BUSHWACKER MISTRESS COMBAT GRADE found here: http://www.bussecombat.com/knives/index.shtml It is the lightest Mistress so far and mostly everyone really likes it. Its not the best of the best choppers, but it will get the job done. The good thing about this blade is that right now its $347. That price will jump up once Jerry Busse is done production on them, so it is a great deal right now.

It seems to me from reading most of the posts and opinions about the different Busse knives the NMSFNO is the most liked, most well-rounded Busse knife. That's just my observation, but there are always exceptions. Here is a link for that knife: http://www.hogcult.com/knives/nuclear-meltdown-sfno-nm-sfno/

I am a newbie here too, although I've been lurking most of the time over the past year. I knew nothing, but stuck to the forums, read the threads, asked questions, watched the Busse youtube videos, and learned (still learning) the knives. From everything I know about Busse knives is that they truly are the best of the best - knives you can depend your life on, and to me there is no pricetag that can match that! Also, don't forget that the warranty on Jerry Busse's knives is worth the price of the knive alone. You will be hard pressed to find a better knife lifetime warranty anywhere.

So again, welcome! And I hope you find what you are looking for! :thumbup::thumbup:
 
Just my 2 cents:

For a chopper size blade you can't go wrong with the BWM (Bush Wacker Mistress) that is available right now on the Busse website. No second hand markup.

Or you could go with a NM SFNO (Nuclear Meltdown Special Forces Natural Outlaw) which is a do-all size.

A step down is the SFNO- Special Forces Natural Outlaw, batons and chops despite its length and belt carries well.

See Hogcult.com for all the models past and present.
 
Welcome to the Busse forum!! :)

Usually Busse Combat has one or two models for sale at a time, but for what you're looking for, now is the right time to try a Busse. I'd recommend heading over to www.bussecombat.com to check out the Bushwhacker Mistress (BWM). They are currently still accepting orders for this one, so you can try one out at the original price (as most Busse's generally climb in value once they can no longer be ordered). It's .187" thick, with a blade around 10+ inches of cutting edge so it could be considered a light chopper...Still excellent and with enough weight for chopping, yet light enough to choke up on for tasks that a thicker chopper style knife might not do quite as well. This model has a great feeling handle, and I believe that you'll find it comfortable even with small hands. I'm 6'2", but my hands aren't that big either and it's one of the most comfortable larger sized Busse knives that I've handled so far.

The satin with black paper micarta handles 'Limited Edition' version of the Bushwhacker Mistress (BWM LE) is a tad thicker at .220" thick and looks great, but either one would be a great first Busse if ya like 'em big. :) INFI, although not a stainless steel, really does resist rust & oxidation quite well so if you like 'em shiny, don't be afraid about the elements concerning this steel as it only needs minimal care to keep rust at bay. Coated or not, I think that whichever one that you may choose will be the finest knife you've experienced so far.

Oh, and Busse kives come with a great lifetime warranty, which will give you the confidence to really enjoy using it without worry...not that it's easy to break one! They really are tough knives. :thumbup:
 
Ok, first off these responses are awesome! 3 responses and 3 nods to the Bushwhacker Mistress; sure seems like my timing is good. Not to mention, the price right now leaves room for a decent sheath. Any recommendations for a sheath on this model? I noticed on the Busse website that there are several sheath makers. Do all of them make sheaths for each knife that Busse makes or will I need to inquire with each of them? How do they differ? i.e. are cost, turnaround time and quality similar with each maker? Don't want to start any arguments here, just looking to pair the knife with a proper sheath. What is the typical lead time on an order (knife and sheath)? Once again, huge thanks for sharing your insight; you guys are the best!

Webb Jr.
 
That BWM LE would be a really sweet first swig of Busse Kool Aid! You came at the right time with that currently available direct from Busse.
 
webb_jr said:
Ok, first off these responses are awesome! 3 responses and 3 nods to the Bushwhacker Mistress; sure seems like my timing is good. Not to mention, the price right now leaves room for a decent sheath. Any recommendations for a sheath on this model? I noticed on the Busse website that there are several sheath makers. Do all of them make sheaths for each knife that Busse makes or will I need to inquire with each of them? How do they differ? i.e. are cost, turnaround time and quality similar with each maker? Don't want to start any arguments here, just looking to pair the knife with a proper sheath. What is the typical lead time on an order (knife and sheath)? Once again, huge thanks for sharing your insight; you guys are the best!

Webb Jr.
Click to expand...

Plenty of sheath makers right here on the forum and they have the BWM in their shop so turnaround would be quick. Probably don't even need to send your blade in!
I believe the exchange already has sheaths up for sale from a few makers.
I'd go with kydex for a big blade. Here is one example from a Grandsuave, a Busse forum member, of kydex ready to be made with inhouse CG or LE BWM and other recent offerings: http://www.mashedcat.com/busse.php
 
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webb_jr said:
Ok, first off these responses are awesome! 3 responses and 3 nods to the Bushwhacker Mistress; sure seems like my timing is good. Not to mention, the price right now leaves room for a decent sheath. Any recommendations for a sheath on this model? I noticed on the Busse website that there are several sheath makers. Do all of them make sheaths for each knife that Busse makes or will I need to inquire with each of them? How do they differ? i.e. are cost, turnaround time and quality similar with each maker? Don't want to start any arguments here, just looking to pair the knife with a proper sheath. What is the typical lead time on an order (knife and sheath)? Once again, huge thanks for sharing your insight; you guys are the best!

Webb Jr.
Click to expand...


I've asked a similar question about sheaths just yesterday. If you want a kydex sheath here are three makers that you can look into that deal with Busse knives:

Mashed Cat
Steelnut
Brown Kydex

I believe any of these would have the BWM already in stock.

I know that MikeyMoto Leather makes top-of-the-line leather sheaths for Busse if you want to go that route, but they are much more expensive and heavier of course.

As for buying a Bushwacker Mistress from the Busse Shop, I hear that it takes several weeks to get your knife because Jerry makes it for you. How long exactly I don't know. But there have been some new BWM for sale in the exchange area as well recently, which you could get much quicker if time is of the essence for you.

I told you this forum is awesome! ;)
 
Welcome, what everyelse said is about right, it helps to be a gold member to be able to use the search option.
 
This just keeps getting better! I WILL post pics upon receipt - just need to decide on CG or LE model. Though, I'm loving the orange and black g10 handles on the CG. Any thoughts on convex vs. saber grind? I can see how the thicker blade will assist on certain tasks, but I'm no expert on the merits of the two blade profiles. Thanks again to all, esp. PorcupineMtns66.

Best,
Webb Jr.
 
Dang you guys are fast! Psychic, big ups to you. Liu Kang as well. I know, I need to take care of the membership. I'm just getting started here on BF but lately find myself losing much needed sleep. Being a contributing member is the responsible thing to do - count me in.

Webb Jr.
 
Welcome, You'll learn alot around here about Busse's knives. All you've got to do is ask, and these guys here will answer most of your questions best they can.
Great bunch of Hogs,Pigs, have fun my friend. ;)
 
Welcome to the greatest place on the net. I have to agree with what has already been said and say get yourself a CGBWM(combat grade Bushwaker Mistress) and a Mashed Cat sheath and you will be one "Happy Camper".
 
For kydex sheaths I love the Okuden.com ones.

They are all custom, so you have to send your blade in, bit it's worth the wait, because the fit is excellent.
 
I must second this for kydex Okuden is the best I have used. I had him make a kydex sheath for my Ferhman and I does not scratch the blade or anything like some kydex sheaths will do, but you do have to send the knife usually.

Trekker2
 
Welcome! :thumbup:

You are getting all kinds of great advice so far, that's what we do here. Two other blades I will mention in that all-around camp knife range: Fusion Steel Heart (FSH) and SARSquatch. The FSH has a blade almost identical to the NMSFNO, but with what is known as the Fusion handle style. I happen to like the Fusion handle better than the Special Forces handle on the SFNO or NMSFNO. YMMV. Potential downside is that FSH (there are many variants) cost more on the secondary market than the NMSFNO. SARSquatch has a 7" blade IIRC, at 0.187" thick, so it makes for a lighter carry package, but still plenty tough. User SARSquatchs can be found for as low as $300 or less, if you are patient.

Good luck in your quest.

btw, what city are you in? Maybe there is a Hog near you, where you could actually handle some of these knives.
 
Welcome to the trough! :D

For the price on them right now, there's no way you shouldn't get one of the BWMs while they're for sale directly from the company. You've probably noticed that there's a big secondary market for Busse knives. What this means is, you can try one out and if you don't like it, you can sell it and recoup at least most of your money, then try another one. :thumbup:

There's more than one type/style of Busse out there that will do what you want. A lot of the fun with these knives is tracking down which one you see as best for you. Some of us can't decide anyway, and end up with a pile of them, because that "best" knife changes without warning (sometimes daily!). :D

Good luck.
 
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