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Following are some notes on my preliminary testing of a new camp knife format created by Jerry Hossom. Jerry was good enough to make up the knife for me to field test, based on some ideas I had about employing his new saber reflex edge grind, and specifically combining it with a thinner ground recurve edge on the same blade. Im in his debt, as he wouldnt take an order for the knife or even quote a price prior to my testing it. He basically made up the knife strictly to let me field test the variable-edge geometry concept. Here are the results:
Hossom Bolo
Specs: Weight 11.5 oz.
Blade length, handle-to-tip 8.25 inches
Overall length 13.75
154CM steel, 3/16 stock, variable hollow and saber reflex grinds, convex edge
Comparison testing with Busse Steel Heart E
Weight 19 oz.
Blade length, handle-to-tip 7.75 inches
Overall length 13.25
INFI steel, ¼ stock, asymmetrical flat grind (convex/flat edge)
Chopping into hardwood 2x4. Seasoned hard wood, harder than pinenot sure of the exact wood. With even, controlled swings from the elbow, the 2x4 held horizontal in a vise, impacting at the top of the shoulder on the 2x4, with the narrow (2) width on top, Bolo average penetration resulted in 1 length of cut across top and 3/8 depth. Same swing with Busse averaged 1.25 length of cut on top and ½ depth. To chop out a valley approx. 2.5 wide by 1.5 deep in the 2x4, the Bolo probably required half again as many strokes (didnt count them), but was very comfortable in the hand, with no hot spots developing other than some minor irritation from the beak of the pinky hook. The hook does a good job of swing control, however, and the grip contours feel very good and sure in the hand in all positions. The light weight also makes this knife very easy to swing and control without fatigue. The saber reflex edge on the belly of the blade did not bind and broke chunks out of the wood very effectively. The Busses weight seemed to be the primary difference here. The Busse asymmetric edge (convex/flat) also broke chunks out of the wood effectively without binding. Bottom line: the Bolo is certainly an adequate light chopper.
Corrugated cardboard. I held a flat sheet of corrugated cardboard (flattened large Priority Mail box) at the top with one hand and made cuts at an angle, starting high on the vertical edge and angling across the sheet to the bottom. The Bolos blade just ahead of the ricasso is nice and thin, and started the cuts with very little pressure. I let the blade glide through the cardboard, finishing the cuts with the thicker saber-reflex edge on the belly of the blade, which still cut right through, very smoothly. The Busses edge bit very well, but the blades greater thickness kept it from going through the cardboard as efficiently. Noticeably greater effort was required to perform the same length cut in the same amount of time with the Busse.
1/2-inch dia. poly rope. I clamped one end of the rope in the vise, holding the other end with my left hand, and applied downward pressure on top of the rope with the blade in my right hand. Both knives would cut the rope with an average of three strokes by this method, sawing back and forth, and using approximately 2.5 of edge on each blade. Here again, I was using the thin, recurve span of the Bolos edge, just in front of the ricasso. Both knives bit well, and neither skated on the slick poly. Skating is a problem Ive encountered with many other blades on poly, especially when the rope is not supported by a table or plank under the cut. Impressive performance by both knives.
Heavy woven straw matting. Both knives went through this tough, stringy material very well, with good bite. The Busses edge finish is coarser, which made it seem a little more aggressive, but Im sure I would have to do a great deal of cutting on this material to notice any significant difference in performance. The fact that the Bolo performed as well as it did with a highly polished edge, on both the matting and on the poly rope, was very impressive to me.
Penetration. Using a stabbing hold, I thrust each knife downward into the top of a very hard, seasoned mesquite log stood on end. The thinner point of the Bolo penetrated at least twice as far as the Bussemore than ¼ for the Bolo as compared to only about 1/8 for the Busse. This wood is hard.
Digging. I stabbed into the bark on the side of the mesquite log and pried pieces loose, as if breaking off kindling material. The Bolo was the more effective because of its thinner tip, and I was surprised at how much digging action the tip took without any apparent damage, until I managed to get just a little too much tip locked into the wood and snapped it off about 5/16 from the point.
The knife is now in transit back to Jerry to have the point re-ground and strengthened, to better accommodate this kind of work.
After these exercises, both knives still shave hair along their full lengths of edge.
Conclusion:
I am very impressed with this Bolo. The Busse Steel Heart E is one of the strongest knives I know of in this size range, very tough steel with excellent edge geometryone of my favorite knives. Obviously, it is the stronger of these two, but it is also heavy, weighing fully 65% more than the Bolo. The Bolo, with its stout saber/reflex belly and thin-edged recurve, offers a wide range of high performance cutting in a lightweight package that would be especially welcome when toting the knife on a long trek. Also, even though it measures almost 14 inches in length, the Bolo can be handier than the Busse for light precision work, where the Busses weight can seem awkward and may become tedious during prolonged use. If your first priority is a bull-strong slab of steel that will take and hold an excellent and durable edge, the Busse is hard to beat. But if a featherweight knife with a broad range of cutting performance appeals to you, the Hossom brings a lot to the table.
Following are some notes on my preliminary testing of a new camp knife format created by Jerry Hossom. Jerry was good enough to make up the knife for me to field test, based on some ideas I had about employing his new saber reflex edge grind, and specifically combining it with a thinner ground recurve edge on the same blade. Im in his debt, as he wouldnt take an order for the knife or even quote a price prior to my testing it. He basically made up the knife strictly to let me field test the variable-edge geometry concept. Here are the results:
Hossom Bolo
Specs: Weight 11.5 oz.
Blade length, handle-to-tip 8.25 inches
Overall length 13.75
154CM steel, 3/16 stock, variable hollow and saber reflex grinds, convex edge
Comparison testing with Busse Steel Heart E
Weight 19 oz.
Blade length, handle-to-tip 7.75 inches
Overall length 13.25
INFI steel, ¼ stock, asymmetrical flat grind (convex/flat edge)
Chopping into hardwood 2x4. Seasoned hard wood, harder than pinenot sure of the exact wood. With even, controlled swings from the elbow, the 2x4 held horizontal in a vise, impacting at the top of the shoulder on the 2x4, with the narrow (2) width on top, Bolo average penetration resulted in 1 length of cut across top and 3/8 depth. Same swing with Busse averaged 1.25 length of cut on top and ½ depth. To chop out a valley approx. 2.5 wide by 1.5 deep in the 2x4, the Bolo probably required half again as many strokes (didnt count them), but was very comfortable in the hand, with no hot spots developing other than some minor irritation from the beak of the pinky hook. The hook does a good job of swing control, however, and the grip contours feel very good and sure in the hand in all positions. The light weight also makes this knife very easy to swing and control without fatigue. The saber reflex edge on the belly of the blade did not bind and broke chunks out of the wood very effectively. The Busses weight seemed to be the primary difference here. The Busse asymmetric edge (convex/flat) also broke chunks out of the wood effectively without binding. Bottom line: the Bolo is certainly an adequate light chopper.
Corrugated cardboard. I held a flat sheet of corrugated cardboard (flattened large Priority Mail box) at the top with one hand and made cuts at an angle, starting high on the vertical edge and angling across the sheet to the bottom. The Bolos blade just ahead of the ricasso is nice and thin, and started the cuts with very little pressure. I let the blade glide through the cardboard, finishing the cuts with the thicker saber-reflex edge on the belly of the blade, which still cut right through, very smoothly. The Busses edge bit very well, but the blades greater thickness kept it from going through the cardboard as efficiently. Noticeably greater effort was required to perform the same length cut in the same amount of time with the Busse.
1/2-inch dia. poly rope. I clamped one end of the rope in the vise, holding the other end with my left hand, and applied downward pressure on top of the rope with the blade in my right hand. Both knives would cut the rope with an average of three strokes by this method, sawing back and forth, and using approximately 2.5 of edge on each blade. Here again, I was using the thin, recurve span of the Bolos edge, just in front of the ricasso. Both knives bit well, and neither skated on the slick poly. Skating is a problem Ive encountered with many other blades on poly, especially when the rope is not supported by a table or plank under the cut. Impressive performance by both knives.
Heavy woven straw matting. Both knives went through this tough, stringy material very well, with good bite. The Busses edge finish is coarser, which made it seem a little more aggressive, but Im sure I would have to do a great deal of cutting on this material to notice any significant difference in performance. The fact that the Bolo performed as well as it did with a highly polished edge, on both the matting and on the poly rope, was very impressive to me.
Penetration. Using a stabbing hold, I thrust each knife downward into the top of a very hard, seasoned mesquite log stood on end. The thinner point of the Bolo penetrated at least twice as far as the Bussemore than ¼ for the Bolo as compared to only about 1/8 for the Busse. This wood is hard.
Digging. I stabbed into the bark on the side of the mesquite log and pried pieces loose, as if breaking off kindling material. The Bolo was the more effective because of its thinner tip, and I was surprised at how much digging action the tip took without any apparent damage, until I managed to get just a little too much tip locked into the wood and snapped it off about 5/16 from the point.
The knife is now in transit back to Jerry to have the point re-ground and strengthened, to better accommodate this kind of work.
After these exercises, both knives still shave hair along their full lengths of edge.
Conclusion:
I am very impressed with this Bolo. The Busse Steel Heart E is one of the strongest knives I know of in this size range, very tough steel with excellent edge geometryone of my favorite knives. Obviously, it is the stronger of these two, but it is also heavy, weighing fully 65% more than the Bolo. The Bolo, with its stout saber/reflex belly and thin-edged recurve, offers a wide range of high performance cutting in a lightweight package that would be especially welcome when toting the knife on a long trek. Also, even though it measures almost 14 inches in length, the Bolo can be handier than the Busse for light precision work, where the Busses weight can seem awkward and may become tedious during prolonged use. If your first priority is a bull-strong slab of steel that will take and hold an excellent and durable edge, the Busse is hard to beat. But if a featherweight knife with a broad range of cutting performance appeals to you, the Hossom brings a lot to the table.
