Gone are the days...

I have the same thoughts as Adrock ... have done for some time ... and find myself enjoying the off topic threads on firearms the most out of recent threads.

My fascination with guns and knives goes back to being a kid ... and at 50 years of age I am still the same ... but it has been a journey of "experience" and I now know "what I like" and "why I like it" ... and I guess the "journey" was the passion ... and when it comes to an end you are left at a loss :confused:

I used to do a lot of testing on knives and write them up ... then I would get into modifying knives to improve upon what I wanted and also write it up ... and now I have more knives than I need ... all of them great at what I want them to do ... but aside from sharpening them when needed ... I don't really "look" for tasks for them to do.

These knives now just get carried and used when a "need" presents itself ... and to be honest I have an "abundance" of knives to fulfil every role ... and given that I am not an avid "collector" ... I think I need to look at thinning the heard and using the money to fund some new "journey" :thumbup:
 
Gravelface said:
Woah woah woah. Have you tried any of those old knives?! I would love a breakdown of why and what requirements they dont meet that you have.

You do realize those 30 year old knives are the foundation of what Busse was founded on. HARD USE KNIVES.
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Ha! I thought that was kind of odd too.
 
Part of what you sense as loss may come from the fact that so many have departed from this place and have not been around that much if at all. Amy-0, idahoskunk, Jeepnut22, MORIMOTOM, OldPhysics, pbubsy, Progunner, Tyrkon Lawson, and wetdog1911 to name just a few, and I know there are others I have missed. I know the thought of those folks will bring back good memories for those who were here when they were the movers and shakers around here. What I wouldn't give to sit down and have lunch with that crew. :(
 
TonyG always made me laugh, though I don't think his post would be allowed To flourish like they once did.

Cobalt and his famous bouncing Betty GIF.......

Randucci and his mods and EXCELLENT photos of old school goodness....

Papa thud, while still post occasionally was a WEALTH of knowledge.

Hell, even Jerry's late night rants are sorely missed.

Yeah, some of the "old timers" really helped make this community fun in addition to the knives......

It is still my primary reason to come to Bladeforums, though I wean myself during lean times to avoid the pressure of buying new stuff.
 
Gravelface said:
Woah woah woah. Have you tried any of those old knives?! I would love a breakdown of why and what requirements they dont meet that you have.

You do realize those 30 year old knives are the foundation of what Busse was founded on. HARD USE KNIVES.
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I haven't tried any of the older knives, but I don't really need to as the specs pretty much eliminate them for me. I was going to elaborate in my first post, but figured I would step on too many toes as most people are pretty happy with what's currently out there.

About 99% of Busse's have choils, which pretty much kills virtually any design for me. I've had enough Busse/Kin with choils to know that I'm never going to be happy with any knife that has one (even elf choils). Putting a choil on every knife basically takes the most useful part of the blade (where you have the most control of what your cutting) and eliminates the edge there.

I can't really understand the popularity of choils or why Jerry puts them on everything because he likes the way they look, but to each his own. It would just be nice if those of us that have a strong preference against choils were catered to a little more, rather than having choice of 1% of all the designs made.

I've settled on the choilless Basic 10 LE, choilless Boss Jack CG as they are closest to what I'm looking for in a set. That's not to say though that they jive 100% with my preferences.

I really wish the B10LE was a 12" blade @ .170"-.187" thick with full height convex grind, that would be about perfect for me. There's still not been a Basic 12, so here's to hoping anyways.

The Anniversary Mean Street comes pretty close to what I prefer in a small EDC, but the choil pretty much killed it for me. When I saw the first pics of it I was really hoping a choilless version was in the works, but no dice. I did end up trading for one recently though, that will end up being my wife's EDC once I get some pants for it.

The Boss Jack, I just wished was a bit thinner with a similar grind. Maybe somewhere between .155"-.187" thick with a Resiprene-C handle, mainly for the sake of keeping weight down as a belt knife would be carried by me in the field simply as a redundancy in the rare case of getting separated from my pack.

I've not contacted the Custom Shop about whether or not any of this can be done (mainly because I don't think I can afford it), but maybe they can make this stuff happen for me?

I hope this doesn't come off as me just complaining or nitpicking, I'm just voicing my frustrations in finding what I'm after. I'm glad that most folks seem to be pretty happy with what's already came out, I'm just not one of them and don't mean to belittle anybody's choices/preferences.
 
Like the Tides, there are Surges and Ebbs here on the Forums.

I have seen a Few.

Design follows Function, not much that has not already been done, new Materials, Steels, CNC Machines slabs for the Handles.

I pick and Choose, mostly through the newer smaller knives.

Then I give away the ones that do not suit me, mostly to friends and Family that get Excited while handling the knife.

I get disturbed at the Trend here for people to talk about SR-101 holding an edge better in normal use than INFI, take a look at the old tests, Very Quantifiable.

I tested older INFI side by side with SR-101 when it was new, the was not any real point, the old INFI did what it has always done, and the other what others always do.

Time for Public Tests again I think.
 
papathud said:
I get disturbed at the Trend here for people to talk about SR-101 holding an edge better in normal use than INFI, take a look at the old tests, Very Quantifiable.

I tested older INFI side by side with SR-101 when it was new, the was not any real point, the old INFI did what it has always done, and the other what others always do.

Time for Public Tests again I think.
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While I tend to agree with you papathud, I think the older INFI does tend to hold its edge better than Sr101, but some of my new INFI blades have tended to disappoint me a bit in that regard. My favourite user 1/6 SHBM is incredible, where as my newer blades tend to dull far faster, even those that have more material behind the edge than the thin grind on the old girl.

Just my (limited in comparison to some) experiences
 
on_the_edge said:
Part of what you sense as loss may come from the fact that so many have departed from this place and have not been around that much if at all. Amy-0, idahoskunk, Jeepnut22, MORIMOTOM, OldPhysics, pbubsy, Progunner, Tyrkon Lawson, and wetdog1911 to name just a few, and I know there are others I have missed. I know the thought of those folks will bring back good memories for those who were here when they were the movers and shakers around here. What I wouldn't give to sit down and have lunch with that crew. :(
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The "roll call" on absent friends is a very good point. The Forum "dynamic" could be created by some of those characters. "Skunk" had deep pockets to run new designs through the shop and was a good laugh too. His fishing ( by shooting them ) always had me chuckling ... and his "bush flights" out to a camp where copious boozing went on with a good set of pic's were always a good read. Amy will always be a big "miss" - never got to meet her - but felt like I had. Old Physics was another person like that ... you felt you had met them and new them well.

Like Gravelface "Tony G" could always make me laugh. That guy could deliver "LOL innuendo" like a professional comedian. His cooking threads ... turkey "stuffing" ... and wealth of girlfriends and photo's was a great recipe for a sit down, "drink and post session".

Back then the Forum had more of an "adult" theme ... but not too much so. More your LOL "bar talk" than bad language sort of thing.

It seems to have moved now to a different "P.C." level ... which is more sanitised and not quite the same ... when the new offerings were slow in coming ... you could check in here for a number of good reads. There still are those who really do some high effort posts ... but they don't seem to flow as fast as they used to.

Andy the Aussie does a good job at posting some great reads ... his "outback" journeys and pics are fantastic ... but there were days when these sort of threads were common and not the exception.

I guess it is down to us to make it what we want it to be ... I should be more "active" too.
 
For me it's always been about the knives, and the reason I cherish the people here is that they share my obsession--not something I find from those I encounter in daily life.

As for the knives...

I started lurking in 1999 and began posting to the Busse forum in 2000. By 2003-2004, I could very clearly see I had all the Busse’s I would ever need and went away for a couple of years. Came back and discovered there was a bunch of new stuff that was really interesting. Some of my favorite knives have been introduced in the last few years. Will there be more? With Jerry’s penchant for experimenting, how could there not be? Will I want everything that comes out? Definitely not—no way. But I’m still waiting for the Basic 8, for a 3/16” thick, 14” INFI blade machete, for an INFI axe/hawk, for more combat grade models with the LB and skeleton tang treatments—especially would like to see fusion handle models with these tangs, and more of the new large-wheel hollow-ground blades please, and let’s see—oh yeah, all those unreleased folder models. :)

Lulls happen. Bound to. Has anyone counted up the number of models listed in the Price Guide sticky? Does anyone know of a company that has introduced that many models, including countless customs and variants of the base models, over the last 15 years or so? I don’t. As for things on the horizon, as I said I find many ongoing developments here very intriguing and want to see more, which keeps me checking in—not two and three times a day like I used to, but certainly two or three times a week and more often when new stuff is poppin’.

When will we see something new? No one knows. Is that frustrating? Sure, it can be—I remember feeling it when there were no new INFI models introduced at Blade this year. Is there an alternative to feeling that frustration? Sure again—just enjoy the new stuff as it comes out, check in from time-to-time to chat with old friends and new who share the madness, and…chill. And if you don’t want to flirt with the Busse girls, then Tom and I will do our best.

Or obviously, you can go away. But if you do, come back in a couple of years—you’ll be surprised how much Jerry can change the world in that space of time. As for me, I’ll be around, grinning a little bigger every time I spot a new grail.
 
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Well said Will:thumbup: I think you have the right "outlook" on it all.

There are definitely knives I would love to see ... a machete being the most desirable ... Infi is just perfect for this sort of use. A smaller, lighter 9 inch Khukri would be there too.
Something easily carry-able. Those two would have performance to weight which would definitely interest me.

All told though, my Basic 9 with an Asymetrical edge is my "go to" knife. My custom TTKZ is the next step up on the ladder. Those two are my "pinnacle" knives from a whole host of Busse's I have and are going to be hard to beat.

For Deer Stalking I have a custom Phil Wilson which because of the tool steel used and his thin grinds and high Rc treatment is a knife which just lasts longer on cutting performance than anything else I have. Infi is not going to compete with that particular "use" because it is a "tough" steel and not a "hard" steel which has to be used carefully.

It's "horses for courses".

My "folders" are covered too. SAK's and Leathermans.

There are some things I would be interested to see though.

Busse's using "laminated steel" technology would be very interesting.:thumbup:
 
Thanks, Peter. You're the kind of poster here who keeps me interested and appreciative of this place. I'm right there with you on the Phil Wilson hunters, too--I have two of his in 10V and one in S90V, and they are screaming performers--different approach altogether than what I'm used to seeing from Busse, but then you never know what direction Jerry might take next. Elmax Busse's are one example I didn't see coming. My folder needs are filled, too, but again, until Jerry tries something new who can say? I do think his one limited release in INFI revealed some remarkable ideas.
 
PeterPHWS said:
Andy the Aussie does a good job at posting some great reads ... his "outback" journeys and pics are fantastic.
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... thanks mate, thanks very much.

I kind of fell in here by accident, I had read much about Busse blades, especially The Kin (thanks to a number of threads over on The FAL Files), but for whatever reason I had never taken the challenge, then a MO Regulator, and a Regulator and a 511 and....... well you see how it went. I have been an active member of a couple of forums for well in excess of 10 years and what is described here is just what happened to both those forums, evolution. This change as much as we want them to stay the same. When the interest is around a particular item (be it FAL files or Busse knives) as the product/availability etc change so does the forum around it. On some forums (here is one I suspect) you will see some new blood land and be 100% involved...super intense and then vanish in a year or so when the next interest starts. The basis of these forums are the members who come and DON'T leave, they may not be the most prolific posters or have the largest collections etc but they are HERE. I would suggest the demographic here is probably a little reactionary and as such don't like change (me included) but it is something we have to accept and embrace, if you want to see more knife threads (yes I am guilty of many off topic threads) POST 'EM UP.... I will certainly try to... ;) :D

Andy
 
Will York said:
For me it's always been about the knives, and the reason I cherish the people here is that they share my obsession--not something I find from those I encounter in daily life.

As for the knives...

I started lurking in 1999 and began posting to the Busse forum in 2000. By 2003-2004, I could very clearly see I had all the Busse’s I would ever need and went away for a couple of years. Came back and discovered there was a bunch of new stuff that was really interesting. Some of my favorite knives have been introduced in the last few years. Will there be more? With Jerry’s penchant for experimenting, how could there not be? Will I want everything that comes out? Definitely not—no way. But I’m still waiting for the Basic 8, for a 3/16” thick, 14” INFI blade machete, for an INFI axe/hawk, for more combat grade models with the LB and skeleton tang treatments—especially would like to see fusion handle models with these tangs, and more of the new large-wheel hollow-ground blades please, and let’s see—oh yeah, all those unreleased folder models. :)

Lulls happen. Bound to. Has anyone counted up the number of models listed in the Price Guide sticky? Does anyone know of a company that has introduced that many models, including countless customs and variants of the base models, over the last 15 years or so? I don’t. As for things on the horizon, as I said I find many ongoing developments here very intriguing and want to see more, which keeps me checking in—not two and three times a day like I used to, but certainly two or three times a week and more often when new stuff is poppin’.

When will we see something new? No one knows. Is that frustrating? Sure, it can be—I remember feeling it when there were no new INFI models introduced at Blade this year. Is there an alternative to feeling that frustration? Sure again—just enjoy the new stuff as it comes out, check in from time-to-time to chat with old friends and new who share the madness, and…chill. And if you don’t want to flirt with the Busse girls, then Tom and I will do our best.

Or obviously, you can go away. But if you do, come back in a couple of years—you’ll be surprised how much Jerry can change the world in that space of time. As for me, I’ll be around, grinning a little bigger every time I spot a new grail.
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:thumbup:Well said indeed Will!!!;)
 
I don't think its limited to the Busse forum...I think there alot of other places where the 'new and exciting' has waned a bit. The sign of the financial times...

There have been some offerings out--the NMFSH to put a new spin on a loved knife (longer blade, NM finish), the AMS to appeal to those yearning for yester-year, and so on and so forth...so I don't think its particularly a lack of offers...and there's only so many ways you can make a Busse and still have it be a Busse.

What I would really like to see is more 'real world use' threads...I've been trying to get out myself, but sheesh, time just flies...I really have no excuse except for the 25 hrs a day of work and family responsibilities. I did do a short day-hike a couple weeks ago, and took along my NMSFNO and another knife, but for the life of me, I couldn't get the photos taken with my little Sony to upload.

It's nice to see new gear...but I'd really like to see 'used' gear, and more than a handful of people actually getting out and doing things. It is my goal, and I'm working on it.

BOSS
 
Thanks, RussMo--you're one of the voices that keep this place interesting and upbeat, and I always appreciate your input. :thumbup:
 
Well Said my Friend. Never thought two guys from NJ would ever agree!
adrock1978 said:
It seems to me that its been quite some time since I would browse the busse forum, and the topics and threads would fuel my fever to purchase more Infi. I used to bounce back and forth from the discussion section to the exchange section for hours each day. Now its rare if I'm here half a dozen times a week. The discussions used to be filled with guys hunting down and showing off grail knives, dudes doing their own custom work to their Busses and the occasional Design the next Busse contest. Now I log in and it seems like more than half the threads are "off topic" or people inquiring about knives other than busses. I hardly see any of the old timers and knife dealers lurking any more.

Besides the perceived shift in forum environment, it also seems like Busse itself has settled into a bit of a slump as well. Like I said, admittedly I'm not around as often as I used to be, but what is new around here? I haven't seen one knife I HAD to have that differed much from the other 12 Busse/kin I own, in quite some time. All the recent offerings are either the Basic this, or Anniversary that... The Argonne Assault has been on the website for like... 16 months now? The last time the Company Store offered anything, Obama was taking office. For the first time! And hasn't it been almost a year since we saw a sneak peek of the 30 year anniversary Mojo or Mofo... I dont even remember which it was. I've spent the money I'd saved in anticipation for it about 4 times now. And what's up with the news letters? Cant we get one on the regular even if nothing new is coming out? Throw us a bone, maybe give us an update? I think theres a thread up there right now (from June) about how the next news letter in 2 weeks will blow our minds... Its August. Did I miss something?

I dont know. Maybe it seemed there was more available, or going on when I jumped on board in 08 because I was catching up and buying past offerings. But even the names of the knives have hit a lull. Basic 3, Basic 4, Basic 5, Basic 6, Basic 7... Rodent 3, Rodent 4, Rodent 5, Rodent 6... bla bla bla... Its like the only time we get to set eyes on something new, it's some fleeting glimpse of a knife at Blade that will never reach the hands of us mortals. I used to scoff at people when they pulled out anything other than a bussekin, because it paled in comparison to what I considered a tough use knife. I didnt even know or care that other knives existed. Now... I've bought more custom, small batch knives from other makers in the past few months than all the busses I bought total in 2012. Its an addiction and I'm sorry to say, if Busse doesn't scratch the itch, I look elswhere. And I hate that!

I still firmly believe nothing can beat a bussekin. I still chop wood with my Rat Daddy... still field dress and butcher deer with my basic 4 LE and I still sleep with my SR Desert Jack under my pillow... but the fever for more is fading. Fast. This isn't a thread bashing Busse. Trust me. I know you new guys will be quick to jump in with your bla bla bla and some of the old guys will definitely dispute what I'm saying. I did say all this was all based on perception and I wont deny any opposing arguement. Am I completely off here? I just know its been a long time since I maxed out a card on a Busse offering, or saw anything in a ganza that had me F5ing for 3 hours straight. I love Busse. I love their knives. I just kinda needed to get this off my chest.
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Things change, that's life. I just accept it.
Busse makes one of the finest knives in the World and I have met some really wonderful folks here. And that's that.
I have only one Busse, my R&B Pork Shank, and it's a keeper.
Swinecosa
 
T.A.C. said:
Well Said my Friend. Never thought two guys from NJ would ever agree!
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Lol. We are an ornery bunch!

I get what everyone is saying. Things change. No use trying to prevent it or cry about it. I just dont understand the things Busse DOES have control over. Why announce an anniversary knife, show pics of it and then leave it open ended for a year without even stating a price? Why make mention of some mind blowing news letter in June and then here it is August with zero mention or update? It just seems to add an unnecessary level of frustration to an already unorthodoxed marketing technique... It kind of tramples any ounce of interest I have left. I feel like I'm bordering on whining at this point. Oh well... "two weeks" is nothing new to me. I guess I'm just a little sick of it.
 
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