HOG, BACON, PORK, ETC - What gives?

tuica said:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/how-did-busse-enthusiasts-become-hogs.485262/
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There's another thread from the Scrap Yard forum from about the same time (2007): http://forums.scrapyardknives.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/21621/2.html

In that thread, "Dumpster Dan" said:

"The untold story; 5 or 6 years ago, a Busse forum member, Idaho Skunk, was complaining that he could not buy a knife because the other forum members were hogging all the INFI knives for themselves. Thus was born the HOG's."

I'm not sure, but I think Dan's last name might be Busse.
 
My three dogs are named Busse; Swamp Rat, and Scrapyard. Just kidding, but I’m sure some Bussekin fanatic has done it.
 
The real story is that Jerry was raised by feral pigs. Boars of the nastiest persuasion.

A life of oinking, mud wallowing, and walking on all fours.



Then one day, he stood up, went to college, and became interested in metallurgy... and knives.
 
88D51393-4342-4468-959A-2CA96BC58469.jpeg
My take...

Jerry started Busse Combat Knife Co. in 1992 and by the late 1990’s advertised (see above) five models—the Battle Mistress, Steel Heart II, Mean Street, Badger Attack and Police Recruit (plus the Basics 3,5,7 & 9). About that time, he began experimenting with internet sales—note his BFC join date.

After a grinder injury to his hand, he became focused on the ergonomics of handle shapes and replaced his primary line of large knives with the “E” series—Battle Mistress, Steel Heart and Natural Outlaw, all with the new ergonomic “E” handle design.

As it turned out, the models of the previous line (which came to be known as the “straight handles”) began gaining value on the internet secondary market—both because of their popularity and their increasing scarcity in the face of strong demand, as they were no longer being made.

Jerry recognized the dynamics at play between the primary and secondary internet market (retail market and after-market) as an opportunity. If a buyer saw that he could buy a knife off the internet and re-sell it for what he paid or more, then even if he didn’t like the knife, the risk of losing money was eliminated. Jerry began selling more and more models specifically as limited-time offers. He would debut a model for sale, leave it up on the website for a few weeks or months, then discontinue it. In turn, as soon as the model began to appreciate on the secondary market, those buyers could sell at a profit.

Not only did the genius of this strategy pay off for Jerry, but as the popularity of Busse and BFC grew, along with the rest of the internet, the secondary market for Busse’s exploded. A tipping point was reached where profit from re-selling discontinued Busse’s was practically guaranteed.

Along with this phenomenon grew a new “investor” class of buyer who would buy multiples of a certain model with the specific intent of holding them for later sale. Many saw the situation as an opportunity to buy every flavor of a model—even multiples of each flavor—with the idea of keeping what they liked and selling the rest to pay down what they kept. Others bought heavy and never sold a knife, holding onto their collections as a long-term investment.

As conversations—and pics—on the Busse forum began revealing the size of some members’ collections—whether in volume of overall knives or in large numbers of certain models—the response of “You HOG!!!” became a badge of honor. Many of the anecdotes told in the posts/threads above are from that era.

Once again Jerry jumped on the opportunity to ride the tide and market the brand. As they say, the rest is history.
 
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Will York said:
View attachment 1196384
My take...

Jerry started Busse Combat Knife Co. in 1992 and by the late 1990’s advertised (see above) five models—the Battle Mistress, Steel Heart II, Mean Street, Badger Attack and Police Recruit (plus the Basics 3,5,7 & 9). About that time, he began experimenting with internet sales—note his BFC join date.

After a grinder injury to his hand, he became focused on the ergonomics of handle shapes and replaced his primary line of large knives with the “E” series—Battle Mistress, Steel Heart and Natural Outlaw, all with the new ergonomic “E” handle design.

As it turned out, the models of the previous line (which came to be known as the “straight handles”) began gaining value on the internet secondary market—both because of their popularity and their increasing scarcity in the face of strong demand, as they were no longer being made.

Jerry recognized the dynamics at play between the primary and secondary internet market (retail market and after-market) as an opportunity. If a buyer saw that he could buy a knife off the internet and re-sell it for what he paid or more, then even if he didn’t like the knife, the risk of losing money was eliminated. Jerry began selling more and more models specifically as limited-time offers. He would debut a model for sale, leave it up on the website for a few weeks or months, then discontinue it. In turn, as soon as the model began to appreciate on the secondary market, those buyers could sell at a profit.

Not only did the genius of this strategy pay off for Jerry, but as the popularity of Busse and BFC grew, along with the rest of the internet, the secondary market for Busse’s exploded. A tipping point was reached where profit from re-selling discontinued Busse’s was practically guaranteed.

Along with this phenomenon grew a new “investor” class of buyer who would buy multiples of a certain model with the specific intent of holding them for later sale. Many saw the situation as an opportunity to buy every flavor of a model—even multiples of each flavor—with the idea of keeping what they liked and selling the rest to pay down what they kept. Others bought heavy and never sold a knife, holding onto their collections as a long-term investment.

As conversations—and pics—on the Busse forum began revealing the size of some members’ collections—whether in volume of overall knives or in large numbers of certain models—the response of “You HOG!!!” became a badge of honor. Many of the anecdotes told in the posts/threads above are from that era.

Once again Jerry jumped on the opportunity to ride the tide and market the brand. As they say, the rest is history.
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Will, nice retrospective. Many thanks!
 
You’re a good sport, Mr. Huls. Glad to have you part of our Merry Band. Now get on the Exchange and find some more additions to your collection. You can’t stop at one, two, seven, or thirty.
 
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tuica said:
You’re a good sport, Mr. Huls. Glad to have you part of our Merry Band. Now get on the Exchange and find some more additions to your collection. You can’t stop at one, two, seven, or thirty.
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Doing my best here and there as I can! Will undoubtedly continue to do so as well :eek::oops:
 
It really is about community. It really is about community. It really is about community.

What I tell you three times is true.


Started lurking here many years ago. Bought too many :rolleyes: since then. Debatable.

Went to Blade 2006 and 2009. And a couple of Knob Creeks. Meeting other like-minded folk was very cool. I started a local (NeOhio) Bussekin GTG some years ago; lots of fun, and it created community.



umm, what was my point ...

just heard from my college roomie/best man doing hurricane relief in Bahama. No words.

excuse me...:(
 
Kenneth F Huls said:
Ha!

Ok, I cannot resist. "What does INFI stand for?" ;)
I know this is kinda like the time I was sent to look for the "left-handed smoke shifter" my first year of scout camp! :)
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Oooh no! You have to start another thread to ask that question. With the question in the title. Much more fun that way! :D


.
 
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